Vintage Fashion – by Stylebible.com

 

 

Buying vintage fashion by Ellie Pratt & Amanda Zuydervelt
 

Popular with Hollywood glitterati and a wardrobe staple for the fashion conscious, vintage clothing is everywhere. A-list actresses regularly grace the red carpet in vintage Dior and Valentino dresses, key looks in magazines are often combined with vintage accessories. It has even hit the high street, with Topshop’s flagship Oxford Street store selling sixties and seventies originals and London’s Selfridges devoting two departments to it. When it comes to buying vintage there are some real bargains to be had, but finding them often takes time and it helps if you know what to look for.

 

Pieces from the 1920s up to the 1980s can be found hanging on the vintage clothes rail, with each item more than likely being unique, ranging in price from the ludicrously expensive to the über cheap.

 

If it’s a luxury fifties Dior dress or a 1970s Vivienne Westwood t-shirt, you’re after, period pieces by famous designers are sought after which will reflect in the expensive price tag. A vintage 1020s Flapper dress will sell for at least £800, for example. But you don’t have to go vintage shopping with your credit card aloft and a “got to find a one-off 1950s vintage Chanel if it kills me” attitude. It’s not all just about designer pieces – vintage isn’t necessarily very expensive and can be found cheaply in lots of places.

 

As some pieces can be anything from 20 to almost 100 years old, it’s important to check the quality of what you’re looking to buy. Is the fabric is torn? Are there visible mould patches or the moths have been at it? If so, chances are it won’t last for long. And even if it’s in tip top condition, your prized possession with need lots of special TLC.

When it comes to sizes, vintage clothes are not often labelled, and as women’s body shapes have changed dramatically over the years, make sure you try things on before you buy them. Pieces from different periods suit different body shapes – as a general rule, 1920s styles suit petite figures, 1950s pieces suit the more curvaceous figure, while 1960s styles tend to be for the longer, leaner lady.

Here’s the Stylebible guide to our favourite vintage stores, from shoes to dresses, jewellery and glasses, you’ll find a great selection at these locations.

 

 

Bang Bang
21 Goodge Street, , London, W1T 2PJ
Telephone: 020 7631 4191
Okay, you take the couture you’re tired off to Bang Bang and they’ll let you spend double its second-hand worth in the store to pick up couture that you really want – who could fail to love this place?
Nearest Tube: Goodge Street

 

Absolute Vintage

15 Hanbury Street, , London, E1 6QR
Telephone: 020 7247 3883

This is where good shoes go to be reincarnated! Absolute Vintage could conceivably boast the largest second-hand shoe selection around with over 1,000 pairs of formerly owned lovelies.  The stores unique selling point is that unlike most vintage stores the shoes are beautifully merchandized making it easy to see exactly what stock they have.
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street

 

Beyond Retro

110 Cheshire Street, off Brick Lane, London, E2 6EJ

Telephone: 020 7613 3636

Beyond Retro sells the most beautiful clothes from a range of eras and you will have seen their stuff on the pages of Vogue, Dazed & Confused and The Face to name but a few. However, that’s not the great part – they sell to the public at wholesale prices!
Web: www.beyondretro.com
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street

 

Pop Boutique

6 Monmouth St, Covent Garden, London, WC2 9HB
Telephone: 020 7497 5262
Not sure what came first, Eric Yus Pop bar or the Pop Boutique but they clearly come from the same era! Anyway, bar hopping aside, Pop is certainly worth a visit for clothing that’s glam, kitsch or some other flaretastic nonsense. There are also some bizarre bits like novelty ashtrays or even, would you believe, the odd didgeridoo?!

Web: www.pop-boutique.com

 

Rellik

8 Goldbourne Rd, Notting Hill, London, W10 5NW
Telephone: 020 8962 0089
This trio of boutiques offer vintage clothes for separate eras – how helpful of them! You can find vintage Vivian Westwood, the ever colourful Zandra Rhodes, fabulous shoes and collections of amazing costume jewellery and you may even bump into the odd fashion editor, designer or model looking for inspiration, they all shop here.
Web: www.relliklondon.co.uk

 

 

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