14 Vintage Shopping Tips Our Fashion Editor Lives By
The Handbook’s Contributing Fashion & Lifestyle Editor, Astrid Carter, has been a lover of vintage clothing for as long as she can remember. A regular in London’s vintage stores and a sucker for a good pre-loved market, her wardrobe leans heavily on pieces that have lived a life before. Read on for her top tips on how to shop for vintage, from ignoring the sizes to always checking out the menswear department…
1. Be Open-Minded
First, vintage shopping is more of an experience than a task. There is an element of kismet to finding a vintage piece you’re going to fall in love with, it’s not like when you’re buying something new – a white shirt, new trainers – out of necessity. Don’t put pressure on yourself to come back with something every time you hit up vintage stores or markets.
2. Look At Absolutely Everything
You need to be dedicated if you want to find a hero piece. I rarely go vintage shopping with other people because of my dedicated need to look at absolutely every garment in the store – probably quite boring for others. Put it in the time and you never know what gem you might find lurking amongst the rails.
3. Ignore The Sizes
This is a bit of a blanket rule of mine when it comes to shopping in general – sizes mean nothing. It’s all about fit and how you want a garment to look. Plus, people used to be smaller and many old pieces were handmade, so there is a lot of vintage stuff out there that is teeny tiny. There are so many variables. Try stuff on and take it from there.
4. Always Try Stuff On
You might be familiar with the sizing in current brands but it’s always worth trying something on when it comes to vintage. In my experience, pieces tend to be smaller than I imagined, particularly on the waist and shoulders. It’s also worth knowing that so many pieces don’t have hanger appeal. Something that looks pretty mundane on the rail could have a certain pleat or power in the shoulder that turns it to pure magic once on.
5. Shop In The Men’s Department
I’ve found some of my most loved pieces in the menswear department, from a vintage M&S double-breasted navy suit jacket to a suede pink waistcoat, countless cravats to vintage Harley Davidson T-shirts. I always check out the menswear pieces, especially for jumpers – I like a longer sleeve length and a roomy fit – great tailoring, dapper accessories and retro sportswear.
I’ve found some of my most loved pieces in the menswear department, from a vintage M&S double-breasted navy suit jacket to love-worn vintage Harley Davidson T-shirts.
6. Feel The Fabric & Check The Details
Remember that these pieces are older and have been loved before. Check for stains and damages and assess whether these can be fixed or noticed once on. It may still be worth the investment.
7. Consider Alterations
I believe you should wear your clothes, not have them wear you. If you find a piece you love, but it doesn’t fit quite right, weigh up whether it’s worth spending a little more to get it altered. It’s pretty easy to get things made smaller but consider prints when doing so and check for extra fabric in hems and seams if you want to make things roomier.
8. Let Pieces Go
It can be easy to get sucked in by a beautiful piece just because it is just that, but is there any point in having it hanging in your wardrobe if you never get to wear it? Let pieces go when they no longer serve you so someone else can enjoy them.
9. Get Lost In The Story
There is a certain romanticism to buying vintage, wondering where the piece has come from, and who has worn it before. 99% of the time you’ll never know but it’s nice to get lost in the story of the life a piece has had before it found you.
10. Ask Questions
Vintage store and market owners live and breathe the stuff so don’t be afraid to ask any questions you may have. Whether that’s how to wash the garment in question, the era it is from or if they think any adjustments could be made to make it work better for you. It’s also great to become pally with vintage dealers if you’re on the hunt for something specific as they can keep an eye out.
11. Don’t Buy Something Just Because Of The Brand
Don’t be seduced by a garment just because it’s Gucci. If it doesn’t fit or doesn’t service your wardrobe well, what is the point? I’ll caveat this by saying I do own a pair of vintage Chanel shoes that are never going to fit but are just too beautiful to part with. But, for the majority of the time, I look for a great cut, intricate detail or just because it makes me feel amazing, over labels.
12. Go Online
There is a whole other world when it comes to shopping vintage online which, quite frankly, needs its own post, but it is worth following vintage stores you love on Instagram as they will often post pieces that are up for sale. My current favourite is The Market Cartel which used to be one of my go-to Hackney-based vintage stores but post-covid relocated to Cornwall. They still post loads of items for sale on their Instagram account and you can just DM them for more info. The owner, Dani Sith, has such an amazing eye for vintage pieces and styles up full vintage looks on her grid that could honestly be lifted from a Prada show.
Check out The Handbook’s round-up of Instagram accounts to follow if you love vintage and pre-loved.
13. Visit Vintage Fairs
It is worth checking out vintage fairs and markets in your area, especially if you live somewhere that doesn’t have a thriving vintage scene. It’s also just a lovely day out with homewares, records and food and drink thrown in.
14. Hit Up Markets & Vintage Stores On Holiday
A holiday vintage find is my version of a fridge magnet. I love to bring something back from the places I visit, whether that’s from a market, thrift store or vintage place. From a ‘70s ruffled blouse found in Chicago to vintage ice-cream bowls from Florence or cheesecloth hippy tops in Ibiza, there’s nothing better than finding a piece that has a story and great memories behind it.
