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| The first cover of the new Seventeen magazine, September 1944 |
In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and vintage fashion.
—Benjamin Franklin, as modified by denisebrain
Here in the U.S. it is tax time, and I know how you must feel it. Some years you have hardly a cent left. Other years? You overpaid throughout the year and wow, what a refund!
Oh, those seismic bank account shifts!
Well, denisebrain is here no matter what your situation. You can be certain of it.
Search my Etsy shop from the least expensive up
Search my Etsy shop from the most expensive down
And good luck with your Uncle Sam!
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April Fools!!!!
(Did I scare you?)
#pinkforever
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Do you get up, throw on the first presentable item, make breakfast and lunch and drive your kids to school on the way to work?
Then you may think that vintage fashion is a luxury that you don’t have the time to afford.
No need to be overwhelmed! Just take a deep breath and consider what vintage will work best for you. And it will work, with the attributes of better quality for the money, saving the world’s limited resources, something no one else is wearing and the opportunity for self-expression. Also—dare I say it?—a chance to have fun.
I would suggest taking what you are currently wearing as a starting place. Are you the type that wears pants and a sweater? A dress and jacket? Go look for the equivalent pieces in vintage.
I know that vintage princess-y poofy formals, dramatic flapper dresses and siren swimsuits are the sorts of things that we most know and love about vintage. There is a place for the most outgoing of vintage pieces in your wardrobe, but for the busy woman who wants vintage to mix in as part of her day-to-day life, start with what you wear now.
Here are some great vintage choices illustrated by street style bloggers, and some options currently available on Etsy from seller-members of the Vintage Fashion Guild.
A blazer
Courtesy of Jessica Abo
A blouse
Courtesy of The Sartorialist
vintagerunway, Noble Savage Vintage, Personal Pursuits, JazzbugJam
A sweater
Courtesy of Nora Finds
1932vintage, Noble Savage Vintage, my shop
A skirt
Courtesy of The Sartorialist
Courtesy of The Art of the Trench/Burberry
LunaJunctionVintage, RanchQueenVintage, AnatomyVintage
Accessories make perfect choices, and if you are having a hard time dipping your toe into the water, these are great starting places.
A bag
Courtesy of Hummingbird Girls
northstarvintage, VintageFanAttic
Jewelry
Courtesy of That's Life
Courtesy of Chicago Street Style
Glasses
Courtesy of Street Style Sacramento
Courtesy of Collage Vintage
RanchQueenVintage, MorningGlorious, BarefootVintageShop, StellaRoseVintage
If you could use a primer, I’ve written a stage by stage guide to getting started with vintage.
Here’s hoping you can put your feet up at the end of the day—not because they hurt, but to show off your great vintage shoes!
What about you, do you lead a very busy life and wear vintage? Any tips from your own experience? Please comment and let us know!
I’m back with another load of vintage Valentines, the type that have great drawings and great puns or even double entendres. I can “television”when I see it - you’re on the “channel” to my heart...that sort! All my vintage clothing photos are ones I had on hand, that all made “grape” sense to “pear” with the vintage Valentines.
This may seem OLD HAT but — Will you ad-DRESS this issue with me?
Sound up for Sinatra!
xox,
denisebrain
The Loch Ness monster has nothing on vintage fashion.
A few years ago I compiled a collection of myths that persist around the subject of wearing vintage fashion.
I think the subject needs frequent revisiting, so here’s an updated version of the original post.
My colleagues at the Vintage Fashion Guild helped me compile myths we often hear.
1. All vintage is small.
Absolutely not true. Although there are more vintage items in the XS, small and medium sizes, there are plenty in larger sizes.
Among other searches, search XL vintage dresses on Etsy. Search plus size vintage dresses on Etsy. Always check the measurements and compare them to your own, as I described in my post Understanding vintage sizes, ease to allow for a good fit. If you are plus size and have questions, you might find an answer (and inspiration) in the honest and positive writing and photos by Va-Voom Vintage.
2. You can find all vintage at a thrift store cheap.
If you can, would you mind sending me the address of said thrift? If you love the thrill of the hunt, feel free to hunt—you may find something you love. In many places, thrift store vintage tends to be ordinary to lower quality 80s and newer. Some may live where there are great finds to be had, but most are not so lucky.
3. Everything that is listed as Mad Men or Downton Abbey dates from the era portrayed in the shows.
Beware of popular keywords used to sell vintage items. I have seen 1980s dresses listed as Mad Men—“flapper dresses” from the 80s as well. Some popular keywords that I’ve seen used, shall we say, cavalierly: Mod, Hippie, Flapper, Gatsby, Titanic. There are more...many more. If you are looking for a vibe, and don’t care when the item comes from, then you may be fine picking out a sequined dress made in India in the 80s and wearing it as a flapper. It may be the best choice among wearable clothes for the purpose. Just be informed so you don’t pay authentic flapper prices!
4. The size tag in a vintage item is the current size.
I worked to cover this in Understanding vintage sizes, ease to allow for a good fit. I’ve seen people put down vintage size 14 items that would fit them perfectly because they are sure they would never wear a 14. Numbers are just numbers, and vintage numbers are particularly disconcerting to the modern mind.
5. A price tag in a vintage item indicates something like the current value.
See my post Getting started with vintage quality and value.
6. Sears items from the 1950s are like Sears items now.
Sears, like many U.S. stores, once stocked clothing made in the U.S. almost exclusively. The quality, style and construction surpassed what you will generally see today. Even though it was considered day-to-day, vintage ordinary quality beats new ordinary quality, hands down.
Velvet hat from vintagestew, yellow eyelet dress from thesweetlifevintage, black leather gloves from countryroadgifts, lavender dress from sodashopvintage polka dot dress from ThisBlueBird, swimsuit from BlueVelvetAustin—all items from the 1950s, 60s and 70s currently available with Sears labels
7. All used clothing is musty, dirty, etc.
Some is, much isn’t. For those just getting started with vintage, it is a better bet to purchase items in excellent condition, and keep a sharp eye (and nose) out for damage. In my experience, most odors can be removed from clothing (some take awhile), except sweat.
8. Vintage clothes look like costumes.
Tell that to Roberta_The_Rimbaud on Chictopia, wearing her vintage dress, gloves, bag, and shoes, and Ashley Ordling in her vintage coat and shoes on her Fancy Fine blog. Chictopia is one place to find lots of people wearing vintage clothing in their own way, as are many style blogs incorporating vintage.
9. You can buy a 1920s flapper dress to wear to a roaring 20s party.
This quite stunning authentic 20s beaded silk dress from Guermantes Vintage is (justifiably) $2,675. Even if in wonderful condition, with the weight of the beading on silk, wearing this gorgeous dress would take the utmost care. I’d say the Charleston is out.
10. The most valuable vintage items from your closet (your mother’s and grandmother’s too) are your wedding dress and your fur coat.
I’m very sorry to say it, but the prices paid for these two categories of items set up the assumption that their value must be quite great now. Wedding dresses are such a personal thing, and although there are beautiful exceptions, often a vintage wedding dress is not classic enough, and has stains or other frailties that make a woman not want it for her big day. I love to see wedding dresses passed down in a family. Furs likewise.
11. Wear what your grandmother wore? It has to be frumpy!
Oh yeah?
12. You’ll find an original Dior New Look or 20s Chanel suit or Westwood punk outfit at your local vintage clothing shop if you ask nicely.
You can bring a box of chocolates, and a million dollars, but the most desirable items will not materialize often.
13. This belonged to my mother’s best friend’s aunt and she had good taste....so it must be valuable.
and 14. I just tossed three huge trash bags filled with my mother’s 50s dresses...they’re worthless aren’t they?
The extremes are often wrong: For the most part vintage (New Look Dior aside) is not worth its weight in gold, but it certainly has value. You can get a feel for its going rate at any given time by searching the internet.
15. If it has a side zipper it is definitely from the 40s. If it has a nylon zipper it is definitely 70s or newer. A crinoline slip in a skirt or dress means it is from the 50s. If it’s beaded it’s flapper. If it has shoulder pads it is from the 40s. If it has pinked seams it has to be vintage.
There are ways to identify the vintages of items, but there are no blanket statements like these that hold true in every case. Look at the Quick Tips for Dating Vintage on the Vintage Fashion Guild site for some basics, but realize that it isn’t a perfect science. For instance, metal zippers were used by home seamstresses long after they went out of use by manufacturers. Reproduction and vintage-inspired clothing can often fool a newcomer to vintage. In this post I make more suggestions for further research.
16. Everything vintage belonged to dead people.
OK, this one makes me laugh, but it is a serious issue for some. If you truly feel squeamish at the thought of wearing something someone else wore, keep in mind that the new clothing you try on may also have been worn by someone else, in the dressing room, or before being returned to the store.
Yes, many a person has passed on whose clothing is perfectly fine. You honor them by keeping this facet of their history alive. Older women have told me they are very pleased to have their clothing be worn by younger people around the world.
17. There is such a thing as vintage condition.
This is a term often used to say something like “good considering it is old.” That kind of muddies the waters, as in reality, vintage items can be good as new, excellent, etc., without further qualification.
[When I first posted this blog, it caused some discussion among people in the vintage fashion marketplace, so I wrote an additional post about condition
to help clarify my position.]
18. This belonged to my mother’s best friend’s mother and she swore it was from the 1920s, so it has to be.
It is amazing how many people remember with scientific clarity exactly when and where they purchased and wore certain items. Then there are those who don’t.
19. If it does not have a label it must be a knockoff or is poorly made.
and 20. All labels are important.
When you get more into vintage, you will find that some of the very best items are without labels. Labels are great to see, and sometimes help you understand the history of the item, but not all are distinguished. On the flip side, some people removed great labels, perhaps as souvenirs. I have had a 1950s Dior suit without label, and only by consulting a number of experts was I able to confirm that the Dior jacquard lining wasn’t lying!
21. If it has a label with a name, that name was a designer.
Often there is a designer name or two behind a label, but the label itself may not give you a clue. One case in point is Suzy Perette...there was no Suzy. See the Vintage Fashion Guild’s Label Resource for the story behind the labels.
1950s Suzy Perette-label dress available from CarlaAndCarla
22. Don’t worry about the stains, you can just dye it.
I you are a dyeing expert, maybe. If you are a dyeing expert, you will know that some fabrics (assuming they are washable) take dye much better than others, and some older fabrics simply can’t stand up to the conditions of a dye bath. I would not suggest purchasing something while making the assumption that such a project will work out.
23. Every bathing suit was pin-up and every secretary was sexy.
Would that it were so. The clothing certainly helped though!
Got any more vintage clothing myths?
📧 Keep track of my vintage fashion ideas and deals by subscribing to the denisebrain newsletter!
Sorry about my absence recently, but I have been without the use of my right hand after surgery to correct a tendon issue.
The hand is healing nicely and I’ll be back to typing like a pro soon. (I tried the dictation feature, and found out I have some pretty squirrelly pronunciation. I say: prepare items to ship, computer types provide him just to s***, etc.)
Photo simply labeled Yves Saint Laurent, 1962 (photo manipulation by denisebrain)
Can’t wait to make good use of my hands again!
That is, we more than made it! Thank you so much...denisebrain has the BEST customers!
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| Save the Manatee Club, I know you’ll do great work with this. |
I thought we were on track to raise $1250 for Save the Manatee Club by the end of the month but we’ve hit some choppy waters.
So, until the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2015 (PST), not 25% but ⭐50%⭐ of your purchase price from denisebrain shops will go to the cause! You may also donate directly through my YouCaring page.
Please help me reach this goal for these incredible, lovable, intelligent, gentle—and sadly endangered—animals. And find yourself some great new vintage finery at the same time!
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| If I do say so myself: Just. Wow. Ceil Chapman, 1952 |
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| Vintage, come rain or come shine |
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| In the navy, c. 1950 |
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| Pink lady |
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| Summer and winter 1950s |
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| 40s 4-ever |
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How novel!
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| Rose up |
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| By any other name |
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| Go elegant or go home (gloves by Roger Faré, Paris) |
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| Totes gorge |
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| Big dipper (the Jantzen “Tahitian Temptation” suit inspired a blog post) |
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The wild Southwest
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| Go team vintage! |
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| You glow girl, in luminous 1960s pieces |
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| Hot pinks (the fine print? by Alfred Shaheen) |
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| Last flowers of summer |
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| Fall for vintage
If you haven’t joined my mailing list, consider this your invitation to receive ideas and deals delivered right to your inbox:
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| Spice girl (nothing quite like vintage cashmere and fiesta wear) |
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| Sophisticated lacy |
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| Silver and gold (make new friends but definitely keep the old) |
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| Red alert |
I'm very pleased to say that so far this year, with your help, I have raised funds for breast cancer awareness (Living Beyond Breast Cancer), as well as for endangered manatees in Belize (Sea to Shore Alliance) and Florida (Save the Manatee Club). There are a few days before the current fundraiser For the Manatees ends, and I hope to reach $1250...a new record for a single fundraiser here at denisebrain!
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| Manatee Annie and her calf photo by Cora Berchem, Save the Manatee Club |
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| Manatee photo ©Cora Berchem via Save the Manatee Club |
My December theme brings you greetings, featuring some of my vintage Christmas tree pins
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| Painting by Anna Davies/Anna Davies Art |
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| Photo ©Cora Berchem via Save the Manatee Club |
My November theme is up, and...
I believe I have more black vintage clothing and accessories in stock than any other color—all eras, all prices, all styles. No doubt it has always been a good time to go back to black.
