Vintage!

I love anything vintage and can often be found gracing the vintage shops of Bangor (or where ever I am for that matter). So when a new vintage/retro shop opened up in Bangor over christmas paying it a visit was high on my list of things to do.

Vintage clothing is a great way to style up your wardrobe, every piece you buy is individual and it's unlikely that you are going to walk down the street and see someone wearing the same item. Plus it's uber eco-friendly (Yay!).

 At first I was put off buying Vintage purely by the price, however it didn't take me long to realize that I was looking in the wrong places (the high street upmarket boutiques). Car boot sales and charity shops are great places to find quality Vintage items at low prices, some charity shops even have areas of the shop dedicated to vintage items. Remember high street vintage shops will have to play massive rents for their prime location, this is often reflected in their prices, look for some off the beaten track.

So after some careful consideration, I escaped from Bangor's newest Vintage shop with this beautiful dress for only £12!

I am so in love with this dress, now I just need some nicer weather so I can wear it!

So...Want to buy vintage?

My Top tips for buying vintage

• Check the condition of the item- this might sound obvious but take a good look at the item, moth damage is common in vintage clothing, check all over the item. Other places it's worth checking are the armpits and crotch, gross yea but it's better you see mystery stains in the shop rather than when you get home.
• Give it a sniff- Okay not to be gross again but if the pits smell really bad it's unlikely you will get the smell out.I don't mind that musty smell that most vintage items come with, that disappears with a quick wash.
• Try it on- Vintage sizing is weird  I personally find it really hard to get vintage clothes to fit me, mainly due to my lack of boobs and these things called hips (I don't think they had hips back in the day)
• Consider the price- If you find anything wrong with an item don't be afraid to ask for a discount, but remember to be gracious if the seller says no, they do have to make a living.
• Check the label- Far too many times I have seen a lipsy dress or a primark top among vintage items, ask the seller some questions about the item and gauge their reaction, if you want to check for sure your item is vintage try googling the label.

Do you buy vintage? Feel free to share your vintage bargains (or disasters)

Keep it scrimpy.

Laura.