Ever since receiving the vintage wool coat I featured in one of my recent posts, I’ve given a lot of thought to the other vintage items in my wardrobe. Most of them are accessories I wear rarely but I count them among my most prized possessions all the same – which made me ponder…why did I buy them? Or if they were gifts, why have I kept them? Read on for my tips on how to find and keep vintage treasures!
As I look across all of my vintage pieces, I’ve boiled down the reasoning behind each item’s presence in my wardrobe to six general categories:
- DESIGNER LABELS – it is a brand I can’t afford or a model they no longer make
- WEAR-ABILITY – it immediately folds into my wardrobe
- SENTIMENAL VALUE – it means something to me and has a story
- SPARKLE – need I say more? SPARKLES!!
- TREND POTENTIAL – it is so unique, it could become trendy or is already on-trend
- REPLACE-ABILITY OR FIX-ABILITY – it’s likely to need repairs but they are easy fixes
Most of my pieces have at least two of these going for them – if not more – but if I had to advise you on a rule of thumb for finding and/or keeping vintage items, I’d say…figure out which of these categories the piece best embodies and really back it up with reasons for buying it. Here are some examples of my pieces and the questions I asked myself when buying or deciding to hold onto them…
Designer labels:
Is this real – interior labels, lining, logo, materials? Could I afford this designer piece without the discount? Do they make this design anymore or will people recognize it as vintage? Is it in good shape or easy to fix up/tailor?
Hermes Scarf: This was a bit of a splurge, even though it was used. $150 for this original Brides de Gala design by Hermes. It was sitting in a vintage shop near my apartment on the Lower East side in NY for weeks until I rescued it with my hard-earned and scarce money. I think I ate Ramen for a very long time to make it ok. I still wear it – around my neck, on my head, even as a top under a blazer! The wrinkles show where I consistently fold it.
Louis Vuitton Bag: I found this Louis Vuitton gem in my hometown of Athens, GA for under $50 in the early 2000s. It’s now at its breaking point and really needs some fixing up, but what’s special about it is that I’m able to have a Louis Vuitton piece that most people do not have – this fabric line is not easy to find – and it’s in a cross-body cut that is quite of-the-moment. I like to wear it with dark burgundy shoes to match the leather (sorry for the crappy photo! This was taken pre-fancy-camera). My goal this year is to get it cleaned and the leather straps repaired.
Wear-ability:
Can I wear this within the next month or two? What outfit will I wear this with? Picture it – the shoes, the accessories, the top, the dress, the event.
Gold Bag: This hard-cased gold bag was a gift from my aunt on my mother’s side. I was instantly in love with it for very dressed up looks – like weddings or date nights. I knew with a pair of gold shoes or gold jewelry, it could really pop but would be small enough to blend in with my outfit, rather than take away from it.
Black Patent Bag: This patent black bag is a regular on my blog – you’ve probably seen it many a time. It was only $25 at a local vintage shop that is now closed. I love how structured it is and instantly pictured it as a work bag that would go with a few pairs of patent leather shoes I already owned or with a casual yet classic outfit.
Sentimental value:
What is the story behind this item, and why is it special to me? If I lost it, would I be sad? What can I do to preserve so it lasts even longer?
Gold Ring: This ring is my favorite accessory in the entire world. It was my aunt’s on my father’s side. He gave me her costume jewelry when I turned 18 – she’d passed away some time before that and I never knew her well. I have many of her pieces and wearing them makes me feel connected to this gutsy woman who I resemble in both appearance and gravitas. The ring is a simple cocktail ring – made of base metal with a gold finish – it’s not valuable from a dollar perspective but it’s irreplaceable. I want to look into getting it dipped in real gold or silver so that it will last. Is that even possible???
Sparkle:
Do I like this only because it sparkles? Do I already have a sparkly item like it? Do I have an event I can wear it to in the future? A coat I can pin it to? If I lose a stone, could I easily find a replacement?
Sparkly Bangle: Another one of my aunt’s amazing costume pieces, this enamel bangle with rhinestones is a go-to accessory for fancy occasions. It’s so simple that it will match both modern and vintage pieces that sparkle. Also, the stones are small and round, so I think I could find a close-enough match if I had to. Since it’s on my wrist and usually viewed in motion, I wouldn’t be worried about the stone matching perfectly (unlike on a pair of statement earrings – the match would need to be perfect).
Blue Rhinestone Necklace and Earrings: This set is classic and also one of my aunt’s. I’ve been wearing the necklace for years already – ever since Carrie Bradshaw wore a similar one in the later seasons of Sex and the City. It’s a good layering piece when I don’t want to sparkle too much, but it also stands alone as a delicate statement – as do the earrings – when I want to be more dressed up and glitzy.
Trend potential:
Are these trendy now and will they be in style for a while? Do I think this will become trendy? Will I continue wearing them when the trend is over?
Ruby Necklace Set: This set is special and opulent. It wasn’t until recently that I pulled it out of the box of my aunt’s jewelry to bring back to Chicago for wear. Big necklaces and gems have been in style for a few seasons, and I’m excited to wear these pieces. I’ll probably not wear them together but instead break them up for different looks – the big necklace with a collared oxford shirt and the earrings with an updo for a special event.
Sparkle Ear Cuffs: Finally! Ear cuffs are in! It’s not that I didn’t have the balls to wear these in the past, but they certainly are a statement I didn’t think I could carry off. Now I can’t wait to try them out. I have a few blogger events coming up that I think they’d be perfect for – attention-getting, elegant and on-trend.
Replace-ability or Fix-ability:
I’d say this is the number one criteria to make sure you can really support when considering your vintage items. It applies to all of the other items I’m featuring today. Questions to consider include – are clip-on or screw-ons comfortable for me or can I have posts put on these clip-ons for my pierced ears? Can this be tailored to fit my body? Can I replace these buttons? Can I get this tarnish off?
Silver Jewelry: These two silver pieces are from my father’s sister, as well – from a trip she took to Mexico. I have to clean the tarnish off the bent fork every once in a while, and the turquoise stones come in and out of style pretty regularly, but I love unique bangles, so they fit right into my accessories wardrobe.
Pink buttons: I love these buttons on my vintage pink coat I recently featured, but they were almost falling off when I received them due to wear n’ tear. I re-sewed them but had I lost one, a lovely set of shiny gold buttons from Etsy or another vintage shop would be a nice replacement and an easy one to make myself.
If you’re still reading – wow – you deserve a medal! That was a really long post, but I hope one with inspiration and guidance for your next vintage shopping excursion! I hope you’ll send me your pics to [email protected] with the stories that go with your precious vintage pieces. Happy shopping!
XOXO,
Belle
