THE 7 RULES OF VINTAGE SHOPPING

As much as I’d struggle, thinking of something to make my heart burst with a greater excitement than the one experienced when opening the door of a new vintage shop would be a close-to-impossible mission for my shopping aficionado self – everything, from the assistants who act like old friends, to the odors, plus the hope of finding some gems hidden on those beyond-crowded racks, takes the shopping experience to a whole new level. Of course, I would lie to state the racks at Barney’s aren’t motivational enough, or that I don’t spend hours browsing the New In section of Farfetch – still, I can’t help letting out an involuntary gasp of joy whenever adding a vintage treasure into my basket. As any fashion tool, the vintage shopping has its ups and downs, so it’s important to keep your eyes wide opened whenever embarking in a similar adventure – after all, no one appreciates a thrifty look. The seven rules I keep in mind when shopping for vintage, down-below:

1.DIFFERENT IS GOOD

Experimenting with styles you wouldn’t normally go for is the best thing to do whenever checking out a vintage store – they might seem different at first, but when combined with other pieces in your wardrobe, the result could be runway-worthy.

2. PICK THE RIGHT STORE

As aforementioned, no one’s goal is a thrifty look, so it’s better to choose carefully the store you’re planning to shop to –Couture Vintage stores usually host some amazing, easy to spot gems but they’re sometimes exceeding our budget; if you care for regular vintage, than you should head towards a well-trusted massive store, where, between the thousands of racks of clothes, you’ll find more than one hidden treasures.

3. DON’T BE AFTAID TO AJUST

Vintage shopping is about trying on lots and lots of stuff, so, when it comes to clothing, bigger size that the one you are shouldn’t stand between you and the desired item – after all, they all can be altered according to your fit.

4. ACTIVATE YOUR SENSES

If you’re searching between the racks of a massive store, finding the desired product might require more than luck – turn on your professional shopper senses and start searching by category, color or fabric. I usually guide myself after color and fabric, this way is easier to separate authentic vintage from knockoffs.

5. DON’T CEASE EASY

Raiding a vintage store can sometimes become an exhausting business, so arm yourself with lots of patience before even entering it – remember, most of the good stuff requires a bit of an effort.

6. TAKE WHAT YOU LOVE

Saying “I’ll thing about it” just because you don’t have a styling idea for a vintage item you love might led to hours of regrets, as good stuff always goes fast and if you loved it, it means someone else, who’s a bit more decided than you, will love it too.

7. SHOP YOUR OWN CLOSET

Right, your own wardrobe might be holding some long forgotten gems, waiting to come out – I get super excited whenever I find one or two, while spring/winter cleaning my closet. If you have an exact evidence of what’s in your wardrobe, you could always raid your mother’s closet – most likely some beyond-chic pieces from her youth are waiting to be passed down to you – remember, you inherited this great sense of style from someone…