ith ever-changing micro trends and the dominance of fast fashion industries, vintage designer clothing offers a timeless alternative. Besides being a sustainable option, shopping for vintage fashion is also an exciting treasure hunt for rare, iconic designer pieces.
Whether you are looking for a stylish way to upgrade your modern wardrobe, or if you are vying to look like an old Hollywood film star, vintage fashion is the chic choice.
But where do you find these brilliant pieces? From online gems to high-end consignment stores, this guide will take you through the best places to score authentic vintage designer fashion. Before you start curating your dream vintage wardrobe, we will go through:
- Why shop vintage?
- The best places to shop vintage designer fashion
- Tips for making sure your finds are authentic
Let’s get into it!
Why Shop Vintage Clothing?
What Makes Shopping Vintage Designer Clothing the Sustainable Choice as Opposed to Fast Fashion
Besides offering great styles to up your wardrobe, shopping vintage is actually really good for the environment. The fashion industry, as a whole, produces an enormous amount of waste, making it one of the most polluting industries in the world.
The main source of this pollution is textile waste. Upwards of 92 million tons of textile waste is produced each year. This means out of the billions and billions of garments created, almost 100 million of such end up in landfills in return. Though this statistic can seem overwhelming, shopping vintage is a great way to help reduce this massive amount of waste.
When you shop vintage, you are saving those clothes from being sent to a landfill as waste. You are helping reduce the demand for new clothing, which hugely reduces the energy used by the fashion industry in turn. This industry is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions and, thus, global warming. Your cute vintage find is helping you do your part in saving the planet!
Besides being good for the environment, shopping vintage may also save you money. Now, of course designer vintage clothing will often come with price tags to match. However, vintage clothing is built to last unlike the fast fashion of today. What may be an investment at the time, will likely last you many years to come.
Lastly, vintage finds will allow your uniqueness to shine through. Shopping microtrends means that those particular pieces of clothing have a much shorter lifespan than timeless pieces, like vintage fashion. Usually when shopping vintage fashion, there aren’t really multiples of the same item, which will allow your style to stand out against a mainstream crowd.
On the same idea, trends usually tend to cycle anyways. This is especially true with fashion trends! If you shop vintage clothing, you are likely to find pieces that match the current trend of the time, but possibly with a timeless twist. In this way, you can turn trends into timeless pieces.
Where to Shop Vintage Designer Pieces
When it Comes to Shopping Vintage, You Have Plenty of Choices on Where to Look
Finding vintage designer clothing can be a little tricky at first, but there are plenty of places to start. A quick google search will allow you to find a number of vintage or consignment stores in your area. Many stores will have “vintage” in the name, and will have creditable employees if you have any questions or concerns.
Nowadays, online has plenty of options to shop vintage designer brands. Shopping online lets you compare prices and shop for specific items, all with the click of a button. Some of the top vintage designer clothing shop choices online are:
- The Vestiaire Collective. This is a trusted online vintage store, with a team of workers making sure that they are only offering the real thing. Items that are sent to be physically authenticated endure a rigorous process to make sure it is 100% authentic – nothing is left to chance! They also offer a number of luxury, designer brands like Chanel, Dior, Prada, and more. There are plenty of clothing items to choose from; vintage dresses, swimsuits, coats, you name it!
- Thrifted. This is also a great option for online, vintage shopping. Their mission statement urges people to shop sustainably, and to stray away from fast fashion. Besides this being a noble goal, the store itself offers numerous vintage designer brands like Armani, Versace, and Dolce & Gabbana.
- ThredUp. This online consignment store has an entire designer section, dedicated to brands like Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, and more! The prices are incredibly reasonable, and a simple way to add some vintage designer brands to your wardrobe!
- James Veloria. Both an in-store and online option, this vintage store is fun to shop in either one! The brand was started by two avant-garde, experimental fashion loving individuals. The store is packed with unique, iconic pieces with an emphasis on Japanese and European designers. The brand features vintage pieces from designers like Vivienne Westwood and Maison Margiela.
- Vintage Couture. This offers authentic designer clothing, from designers like Ceil Chapman, Giuliana Camerino, and Bonnie Cashin. This is definitely a pricier option, but it offers super unique designer pieces, from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. There are also a number of vintage designer accessories to choose from as well!
All of these options allow you to easily browse vintage designer pieces to spruce up your wardrobe with timeless clothing choices. Be sure to browse a few to really gauge what you’re looking for, and try some in person stores as well! The biggest issue with shopping in person is the question of authenticity. Luckily, we have some tips to spot fakes coming up next!
Vintage Finds and Authenticity
It’s Important to Be Able to Distinguish Between Real and Fake Finds
Online it is pretty easy to tell if a site is trustworthy or not. However, it is definitely a more difficult task in person. It is important to be cautious and aware of potential fakes when it comes to shopping vintage. Here are a few tips to make sure you are buying the real deal:
- Pricing Red Flags – is this a steal, or too good to be true? Sometimes, if an item is priced well below market value, it may indicate that it is a fake. Although there is nothing wrong with wearing knock-offs, it is definitely something to look out for if you are trying to shop for the real thing!
- Labels and tags. This is a really crucial one! Authentic vintage pieces often have labels that are hand-stitched or embroidered, as opposed to printed. They may also have tags that say “Made in the USA,” as most China clothing manufacturing did not start until after the late 1990’s.
- Look for the RN (Register Number)! This can help you date your clothing, or trace it back to an older company. The Registered Identification Number identifies a clothing manufacturer or importer.
- Examine the material. Vintage designer pieces will be made from high quality materials, like silk, linen, or wool. The cheap alternatives will be apparent in comparison.
- Wear and tear. Finding minimal wear on a vintage item is great! However, if the clothing piece looks too well kept, that may be a sign that it is a modern replica.
- Research! If you are looking for specific vintage designer brands, like Coach for example, familiarize yourself with the tells of an authentic vintage coach bag. Be familiar with the label, the stitching, and the material. This will make it easier to tell when you find a real vintage designer brand.
- Authentication Services. If you are still unsure if your find is authentic vintage, you can always check with a reputable site! One choice is Authentic Detective, which specializes in authenticating luxury brands. You can also check with vintage stores, who often have knowledgeable people working.
In short – material, look, and tags will be the key indicators to see if you have really stumbled across authentic vintage designer fashion. If you are not completely confident that you found real vintage designer clothing, consider checking with an authentication service!
Now you have the reason, the stores, and the tips to shopping vintage. You are reading to scour the internet or consignment stores in order to find authentic designer vintage clothing. Good luck, and happy shopping!
