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How to Spot Good Quality Vintage Clothing

12th December 2017

Investing in vintage clothes can be a rewarding experience when you think that such clothes are preowned and may likely stay with you for a long time.

It’s like having a bit of history with you wherever you go, evoking a sense of nostalgia and charm. But, do you know What is vintage Clothing, and how it adds a unique touch to your personal style?

To put it simply, vintage clothing encompasses garments that have gracefully withstood the test of time, typically being at least two decades old, and represents a specific era or fashion movement from the past.

However, there is a criterion that you need to follow in order to get the best quality clothing that can still be worn for many days to come.

1. Be sure what you are buying is actually vintage

Buying vintage clothes is not as simple as you might think, especially when you consider that modern clothes will now draw their inspiration from vintage clothes.

You can still build your wardrobe around vintage fashion, perhaps by taking inspiration from old magazines and TV shows – the iconic ones such as Mulheres Apaixonadas (article here) or Friends – that were known for fashionable characters.

Once you know what you’re looking for, how do you ensure that you get older clothes?

The first thing you want to do is to go to a vintage shop. However, keep note that such shops also stock modern clothes as well.

The second step is to check for a label. It’s much easier to recognize a label from 30, or more years ago from a much more modern machine-made logo.

Third, go online and search the label on the clothes. You should be able to find out more about the company behind the logo.

And lastly, check the knitting. Modern clothing has a more even joinery owing to machine production. Older clothes from 30 or more years ago were mostly hand knitted and it’s easy to tell the two apart.

2. Wear it

Before you decide on a particular type of vintage clothing, you want to make sure that it fits correctly.

Modern clothes tend to have more give than vintage clothes. It is easier to move in modern clothes that fit close to your body.

This is why you should get vintage clothes that fit you nicely and allow you to move around comfortably as they will not have as much give.

3. Be careful of the price

The price tag on vintage clothes can be misleading at times.

Often, such clothes are cheap. However, going for the vintage clothing simply for the cheap price is not the best move as you might find yourself with clothes that do not fit well and which you will likely never wear.

What we are saying here is, if you are to go for vintage clothing, ignore the price and first concentrate on how well made it the item is.

4. Look for durability

Old might be gold, but sometimes, old items are easy to wear out.

Check the pressure points on the clothes. If say, you were interested in a trouser, stretch out the knees, and butt area.

If it’s a shirt, the elbows, and shoulders.

If there are no holes or signs of tear, then it’s probably a good choice.

5. Search for any stains

Vintage clothes are not easy to pick. So, you saw something that you liked and went ahead to buy it. When you got home, you noticed a discoloration. Naturally, you tried to wash it but it just doesn’t go away.

With stains and discoloration on vintage clothes though, cleaning them is difficult. It’s absolutely crucial to check for such stains before making the purchase.

Jack Braintree

Hi! I am Jack Braintree, I am an avid traveller, and I love to shop. I am a software engineer, and I have spent seven years in the workforce, working for IT companies, full time and as a freelancer. I created dropjack.com to provide in-depth reviews, tips and tricks for shoppers

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