My A-Z of Vintage...Part II

E is for Eclectic.
We all know fashion has been through some trying times over the past few decades, but that’s not to say there are no benefits of this. A lot of fashion ‘cast offs’ end up in the vintage section of many shops, or thrown into charity shops and it is up to you as a vintage lover to take advantage of this. For example, a vintage love of mine is finding big black knitted jumpers with gold/multi coloured sequins ALL over them. Thrown on with a pair of leggings and pumps, I could probably live in this look. However, it is necessary to admit, these jumpers, on the hangers...? Well let’s just say it doesn’t do much justice for the poor old jumper. But I see it this way, the more crazy, the more over the top and the more eclectic = THE BETTER. Especially with vintage, as you can most definitely get away with it. Try looking out for bright colours, odd shapes and mis matched prints, as although they may not look much on a plastic hanger...remember your body isn’t one.

F is for Finders Keepers!
Shopping with friends is always fun, especially if you are trawling through rails looking for that special something. However, this is not always the case when the friend of yours is exactly the same body size and shoe size. I particularity enjoy charity shopping with a girl friend of mine because we are two shoe sizes different, so when we charity shop for shoes we help each other, knowing that there is no way we would get into a cat fight about a pair of vintage heels. However, when you’re not on the high street and you can’t simply encourage your friend to pick up the same item, the smiley best friend facade is put aside, as the vintage claws come out and you end up barging each other into the men's section ‘by mistake’ as you eagerly scan the shop floor.

This is bad for two reasons; firstly it will probably make you want to rip each other’s hair out before the delightful shopping trip is over, and secondly, will blur your once precise judgement into buying items purely because you think you want them more than you actually do, and because you become scared to put it down for fear she’ll grab it and then you’ll regret it. This will inevitably lead to a vicious cycle of overspending and a lot of “Yeah that looks really good on you” (When actually it doesn’t, you just want to take her attention off of anything else you might want to buy and onto something she really shouldn’t.)
My advice would be this, yes shop in a partnership but only if you really want to, and be firm with what you like and know what she likes. It’s probably best to take a friend who has such different style from you; you might as well have been born into different eras. This way you will both benefit each other’s shopping experience and will not need to pull out the ‘Finder’s Keepers’ card. Good Luck!

G is for Glamorous.
There is no doubt in my mind that the most glamorous items of clothing that I own are from past eras in fashion. This is probably because of the hugely glamorous evening attire of women since the 1920s. Vintage is a fabulous excuse to really let your hair down and go wild with it. There are vintage rules, but when it comes to glamour and vintage, there are none! Donning a pair of long leather gloves or an outlandish pair of vintage shoes for a night out will guarantee your outfit that extra dash of allure.

H is for Handmade.
One of the beautiful aspects of vintage gear is a lot of items will be especially handmade, depending on their whereabouts. You are most likely to pick up a handmade garment abroad, especially from somewhere like India or Paris and if it is not completely apparent to you, a label will probably tell you that the item has been specifically handmade. Although bought for a higher price, the garment will stand worlds apart from any factory item and provide you with the essence to be the jealousy of all of your friends. Look out for good handmade jewellery, as not only are the pieces spectacular but they are also worthy of being worn for very special occasions. I recently went to the Clothes Show in London and bought a beautiful handmade gold necklace from Malaya Jewellery. It may sound like a cliché – but it is the same with people who wear couture items, you honestly feel worlds different when you put on an item of clothing where you know the care gone into the item is magnificent!

I is for Individual.
Vintage lovers are the type of people who adore all things from the past and what makes that brilliant is because most things that live in the past are rather rare or unusual. This can only be a good thing as it separates those who belong within the ‘masses’ and those who are the ‘individuals’. It may sound odd calling a group of people who love vintage so called ‘individuals’ but no two people who go into a vintage shop would ever come out looking the same. This is something that cannot be said about the high street. Vintage is a beautiful way of celebrating individuality because it covers a lot of bases. Whether it is music, books, poetry, paintings or an overall acquired taste of vintage, there are many ways to express this love, and vintage clothing is a very good way of standing out from the crowd.

J is for Jewellery.
Although ploughing through charity shops, vintage markets or stalls may be rather tedious, one thing can be said about vintage jewellery; it’s everywhere. Take special note when walking into a charity shop, at the till there are always tons of bracelets, necklaces and especially clip on earrings. Gold is a particular favourite and stalls of jewellery around Camden and Portobello Market are never scarce. Through my many years of being a vintage lover, I’ve found that jewellery is a vintage lover’s particular weakness, so don’t hold back as it is probably the biggest bargain involving vintage. Small dainty pieces are just as amazing as big brash necklaces and earrings, so don’t hold back and try to collect as much as possible. A good tip is also buying clip on earrings to use as decoration for something else, for example; pinning a scarf to your neck, sliding into the button loop on jackets or cardigans, clipping on shoes or onto a hair band, the list is endless, just make sure they are attached tightly!