tips on wearing vintage

I have quite a bit of experience wearing used and thrifted clothing. But truly vintage clothing is its own category. A lot (most) of my dresses are vintage finds from my grandmother, friends, or as the one pictured above, antique stores. And because vintage is so unique, it requires its own care and styling. Here are things I would have wished to know sooner:

1. I know that piece is adorable, but you better make sure you're going to get some mileage out of it.

Feel the fabric. Look for stains, snags, hems coming undone, etc. I know this sounds weird, but smell it. Better to look like a freak in the store than smell like a freak, if you know what I'm saying. Unless it's going to last a while, DON'T BUY IT. I have to be honest, I've made this mistake several times. And it's always uncomfortable walking around in something beautiful but being terrified something is going to go wrong. And then when it snags or you have to do major repairs, you will start feeling the little nagging feeling of regret. And when you can't wear it at all anymore, you'll feel the regret full-fledged. That being said...

2. Sometimes it's worth it. 

If you take really good care of your items (which I'm not the best at. hello, throwing clothes on the floor...), It might be worth buying. The dress I'm wearing in the above pictures probably wouldn't pass #1. But I loved it, and it fit perfectly, so I bought it anyway. Sometimes, bend the rules! Have an adventure! Buy something that looks awesome on you even if it won't make it through an all-night dance party, or whatever it is you crazy kids do these days.

3. Prepare>Repair. 

Fix problems BEFORE you wear the item. Stitch it up, wash it (see #4), and be aware of any thinning fabric spots, so you know to be extra careful and not stretch those parts out and avoid tearing. Wearing your clothes with snags, loose seams,  stray threads, or any other problems WILL make those problems worse afterward.

4. Hand wash, hand wash, hand wash.

Did I mention hand wash? Did I just make a really bad joke? 

Older fabrics do not hold up well with electric washers and dryers. Things will shrink. Things will snag. I've found that the fabric in older, home-made pieces bleeds a lot easier than modern fabrics. As in, almost-a-different-color bleeding. On top of that, they are more susceptible to absorb dyes from other clothing. One day, when I'm over the bitterness, I'll post a picture of one of my grandmother's old dresses that was ruined by my burgundy pants, because I put it in the machine. It might be faster, but don't do it!

5. Keep it simple.

This is just a personal preference. But if I have a really unique piece, I like to accentuate it instead of distracting from it with a lot of jewelry or fancy accessories. It's special! Make it the main point of the outfit.

I might have scared some of you off, but really. As long as you take good care of your clothing you will be fine. Just be aware that you need to treat vintage pieces with more love than your heavy-duty levis.