Buying Tips

Part 2 of A Guide to Care and Cleaning for the Vintage Seller
by Hollis Jenkins-Evans pastperfectvintage.com

Let’s start with the point of purchase

A lot of damage happens just getting our treasures home. Maybe you have found things at a local shop, vintage clothing show or were lucky enough to be given goodies. Usually they are stuffed in a tiny grocery sack, or a dirty cardboard box or even a huge used garbage bag and then handed to you. Delicious. If you can, try to wash your hands before you handle it all. Those nachos and cheese dishes can leave some really greasy stuff on the clothes.

Now for the obvious: Don’t try to carry too much – if you head to the car with 15 dresses and 10 hats piled in your arms, I promise you will drop something or drag on the ground. And those velvet dresses don’t look good after you have stepped on them in the gravel parking lot.

So be patient, be careful. Carry what you can securely. If you have a lot of dresses, lay them flat, grab all the hangers in your right hand, then slide your left under the garments and carry horizontally. You won’t drop anything and nothing will drag on the ground. Make as many trips at it takes.

There are many approaches to take when buying vintage clothing, and many things to consider. What vintage clothing should you buy? Ask yourself what makes your heart sing…what appeals most to you. Select something to focus on, but be prepared to branch out when you are ready. Study what you are interested in. If you are going to invest, it is helpful to know your area of interest as well as any dealer, if not better. A focused strategy can help you make the difficult acquisition decisions, and a clearly realized vision makes a collection ever so much more interesting.

A vintage clothing collection often begins with a specific period or a specific type of clothing such as sportswear, hats, or maybe a specific designer. There are limitless possibilities, from 1840s country print dresses to Rudi Gernreich topless bathing suits.

If you plan to wear your vintage clothing, realize you are looking for clothes that are sturdy enough and won’t be damaged by average use. Avoid the irreplaceable and the frail, which shouldn’t be worn. Many limit themselves to only what can be safely cleaned, and even then it’s a good idea to wear a washable layer underneath.

Size matters if you want to wear an item. Buy what fits with a bit of ease…don’t strain these older textiles or you could find yourself in an embarrassing situation! If buying in person, you often have the luxury of trying the item on. If buying online, look at the measurements listed. You may wish to compare the garment’s measurements with something you have that is of similar cut and fits you well. Vintage clothing measurements rarely coincide exactly with modern sizing since clothing has always been cut according to standards that are dictated by the garment industry and fashion sensibilities.