HOW DO YOU KNOW ITS REALLY VINTAGE..???

G

gooders2274

Registered Guest
Hi I'm completely new to all this. I'm from London, England and LOVE vintage clothes. I have just started collecting and recently bought a few lovely dresses from a vintage shop in London which i could tell were genuine. I have also been looking on ebay. BUT how do you know it is REALLY vintage.? This might sound really silly, but how do I know its not just something that looks vintage and theyve cut the label out.? and also when looking around thrift shops how can I tell if something is vintage, as obviously the staff wouldnt know. Any help wuld be really appreciated...x :hiya:
 
sorry also forgot to add, where do you guys find the best places to get vintage and how do YOU know they are genuine vintage..x
 
Good morning, gooders and :hiya:

That's an interesting question. It is early am so my brain hasn't even kicked into gear yet but I will start the ball rolling.

Labels are a great indicator when they are still attached. By looking at older ones on the Label Resourse page....on the front page of the vintage fashion guild, you can become familiar with many names and styles.

If you get a chance to go back to the vintage shop, take some time to do some studying. Get a feel for the fabrics...check out the inside to see the seams and note the closures such as zippers. The more you study the more knowledgable you become.

Think back to your own childhood and what was in style when you were growing up. What did your Mom or Grandmother wear. Look at old photos......

And get your hands on some fashion books or magazines and study the styles from the different eras. You can go to the library instead of purchasing alot of reading material.

I guess what I am trying to say in a nutshell is to do some homework. By reading and seeing the vintage, you will become more savy at the vintage shop and other places.....

I have found my vintage in a variety of places......at auction, thrift stores, antique stores, church sales, yard sales, ect. It becomes an obsession after awhile and you get hooked, so beware. :hysterical: My hubby and I are going to spend the day going to many flea markets in our surrounding communities........it will be a day filled with hunting. :spin: (but I am alot more picky now and come home with fewer items.....a sign I am learning, I think)

It is an ongoing process. I learn something new every day.....especially from reading and seeing other's vintage on this board. It is a great place to start your journey. Others will understand each frustration you encounter and will be here to help you learn more. It is a great place to glean information....

Hope my un-coffeed mind made a bit of sense....and I am sure there will be others with better advise.

Welcome, btw. Nice to see you here. :hiya:

Gail
 
Labels, style, construction, fabric, zipper (metal/plastic), seams etc etc etc.

Gails suggestions (above) are great. You could also look at the resources available here - especially the TimeLine pages (access from the VFG front page) and also the Workshops here on these boards.

UK thrifts generally tend to rag (ie: bin) very old vintage - mainly out of ignorance and the notion that there is a limited market for it. If you find one that does sell vintage - keep going back!

Some of the vintage clothing fairs can be a good source - you have Hammersmith and Battersea fairs on your door step. ;-)

And as with most everything - London prices are WAY higher than elsewhere, so any trips out of the city, go vintage hunting! - but be warned, it fast becomes addictive!!! :D
 
It's not really the name on the label that is the most important thing (although that can give you clues if the maker is no longer in business), but the look of the label. Fonts, Care instructions, different union labels. If the label lettering is printed versus stitched, etc. Nothing is hard and fast but when you put it all together it is a really good tool for helping you narrow it down.

Get a feel for the fabrics

Also absorb what fabrics were popular or invented when, especially when it comes down to synthetics. No one knows or can know "it all" but sometimes looks were adapted into later decades and this can be a good clue when you are stumped.


Chris
 
I am new to this as you. I have learned something new everyday from this board and looking at old mags and books about fashion and history.

I am not sure if clothes over there are made different here in the US, but I have noticed that alot of vintage clothing that the pieces look home made on the inside almost. In newer style clothing, the material in the inside is clean cut and precise, as were vintage material you can tell that a little bit of time was taken into making the material fit together to make a the item.

Most of my vintage clothing is from my grandmother, which is long story, but I do go to garage sales here and I have several donation places that have dollar days. On those days I can get alot for a cheap price.

Don't be afraid to post questions and pics here. No question is stupid and you will always find an answer from these wonderful people. And remember the number one rule here: POST PICS......we love to drool over what everyone finds and just love to see the visuals on everything.........:drool::USING::bouncy:

Good luck in your search for vintage!
 
I have been doing this for quite a few years now and I can just "feel vintage." I can usually spot something across a crowded room. LOL

Of course, the obvious thing is a metal zipper, pinked seams, old labels. I would purchase some old Sears or Montgomery Ward catalogs off of Ebay from the 40s, 50s, 60s. Read them like a book and take notes. You will soon begin to spot vintage items.
 
Also rememebr everything plays a part in the puzzle. a metal zipper is usually a good sign...but not if someone replaced a zipper with a metal one...so you see it is all the sum of the parts.

Gooders...what is your first name?

And how did you find yourself here?

Chris
 
thank you all so much for your wonderful advice, it has really given me a better idea of what i need to look out for and I will as suggested be doing a lot more homework.
This website is brilliant......x
 
Chris,
My first name is Claire.
And actually i'm not quite sure how I ended up here. I think i went through a search engine - Lucky find though....:USETHUMBUP:
 
Nice to meet you Claire!

I always like to put a name to a "face" so to speak.

and thank you for the nice feedback about our site.
(be sure to stick around for the workshop on tuesday, too!)

Chris
(one of several people named Chris here)
 
Claire, you may also want to check out the Quick Tips section on th elower left of this page - there are some very helpful facts there that can help you date garments while you are learning period silhouettes.

Quick Tips

Hollis
 
hi Claire
I'm also in London. They have terrific fairs at Grays antique market. Very highly priced but the items are worth remortgaging for LOL. Also Battersea Town Hall has fairs. Which era do you like?
Louise
 
hi louise, i personally love 50's for myself.

I have been out today after swotting up on my homework and been on my first proper 'vintage hunt'.

i bought quite a few bits, just cheapies from charity shops, nothing i'd want for myself but just for practice really to see what i could pick out, so i can get a feel for labels, fabrics, styles etc.

I'll need everyones advice if thats OK, i'll take some photos tomorrow and post them here and you can tell me how i did.

I have no idea how old any of the items are, all probably just rubbish, but hey, i had fun :-) it was all just guess work really, I'm so new to it all.
 
Sounds like fun. You can post the photos using an image host or reduce them a bit and use the "attach" function. we'd be happy to point you in the right direction on them :)

Chris
 
hi Gail
Ditto to that but when I do buy I usually dent our accounts LOL. Fortunately Gary is understanding. He once insisted I bought a coat from Joseph it was half price at $1600. It was an excellent purchase though as it always gets comments and manages to be warm and glamorous.
Louise
 
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