Vintage Dresses

Adding a vintage dress to your wardrobe will help you to express your unique style Whether youre looking to appear more vivacious and striking or conservative and professional theres a dress to fit your needs Purchasing vintage items for your wardrobe does not mean you have to completely change your style—you are tweaking your wardrobe as a whole adding specific accents that can complement items you already own and wear Avoid crazy combinations Back in 76 a plaid dress might have looked great with a jacket in a different style of plaid but that doesnt mean it works today This is essential as most used clothing stores and flea markets do not offer you the opportunity to try clothing on and its impossible with an online auction site Just as you would with other dresses pick your vintage clothing with your body type in mind Be sure to envision yourself in the dress type or try it on before you purchase it If youre unsure ask an honest tactful friend who you would normally take shopping Locating the right dress can be the most daunting part of vintage clothes shopping Unlike contemporary stores and clothing stores that offer new items only vintage and second hand stores display a wide variety of items and styles This makes the selection process more difficult but also provides you with more options First you want to get comfortable with the various decades dress styles and determine your likes and dislikes Then scope out some of the following locations Online auction sites such as eBay are valuable in your search for a vintage dress Even if you do not find a dress there you will learn about vintage measurements the appropriate condition for such items and most importantly the going rate for the type of dress you want This is the easiest way to look at a variety of dresses and decide what style would work best for you Sellers usually provide measurements for clothing items The best price for the right gently used clothing item is of course free Older relatives often have clothing that they or their adult children wore They are usually delighted to give away items knowing they will be worn and loved Think about all of the decades that your parents and grandparents have lived through as well as the styles those decades represent You definitely do not have to stick to one style of dress but you will probably want to select a dress or dresses to fit one or more needs in your lifestyle Just like contemporary dresses vintage counterparts were made for a variety of events A flapper dress for example might be appropriate for a contemporary evening at the theatre A peasant dress from the Sixties would be perfect for a summer folk festival In the 1970s the womens liberation movement created a need for professional style dresses because women wanted to work Some of these dresses still work in the office today

Before you purchase vintage clothing make sure the size fits you Over the years size has changed and it also varies by location Even today one size produced in Europe sometimes differs from the same size produced in the United States Size also varies by clothing line and brand today and that applies to vintage clothing as well Gunne Sax for example made beautiful dresses in a peasant style but their sizes ran much smaller when compared to contemporary ones Also keep in mind that more people handmade clothing in the past so some dresses might be specifically tailored to one womans measurements.