As written for Debutant Clothing

When it comes to wearing vintage, there is no one single path to travel. Everyone’s interpretations of what is right for them is different, as well it should be, but how do you determine what is right for you and where do you find your inspiration?
Perhaps you are just setting out to dip a toe into the vintage pool, or perhaps your vintage look just isn’t working for you any more; there are a few things you can do to create a look that is uniquely your own and find your vintage groove.

Firstly, and most importantly, you need to decide WHAT you are dressing.  Are you dressing to suit your shape, disguising any flaws and highlighting your favorite features?  Are you dressing to emulate a certain era in the best approximation possible? Are you choosing vintage solely for its sustainable fashion perspective? Are you trying to find a more creative side to your personality by finding a look not dictated by current trends and styles?
All of these elements may play a role in how you choose to dress, either exclusively or as part of a whole; but you need to know which of these factors is the most important to you before going forward.

Let’s assume that your first priority is dressing to make the most of your figure.  This will play a key role in determining which era of vintage is right for you. For instance, if you have a more curvy figure, are amply endowed, and like your clothes to skim rather than cling; you’ll be looking towards the 1950’s for your shape. Dresses that are waisted, flared skirts, shawl collars and cinchers to create a waist shape if yours needs a little help.
If you are tall and slim with killer legs and not much waist to speak of, you’ll be looking to the 1920’s and late 1960’s for your style inspirations. With flapper dresses, bias cut jersey (thank you Coco) or even a pair of Go Go boots and a mini skirt; all of these elements can play to your body shape.  Getting the picture?

The Spencer Corset 1941 via Flickr

Dressing for your best features is one of the quickest and simplest ways to determine your vintage style, as each era is known for focusing on key features of the figure.  It’s just down to you to put in a little research to mix and match those eras to your shape.  Also, remember that in the latter part of the 20th century, fashion began taking it’s cues from the earlier years.  Thus the 1980’s did its own versions of the 1940’s and the 1950’s, which means you can still get the silhouettes you’re looking for at a lesser price and with more laundry friendly fabrics.

Once you’ve figured out your vintage motivation, it’s time to get cracking on creating a look all your own. A vintage look is more than just a 40’s floral dress hastily paired with some brogues or a cherry print dress and a flower in your hair. The variations are infinite, and it is up to you to make yours something special. A great place to start is by collecting images of your favorite silver screen icons from your chosen era. It is likely that you’ll find yourself gravitating towards the big names like Monroe, Twiggy or Hepburn. But once you have these in hand, it is time to do a little more digging.  Thank god for Google, because here is where it comes into its own for creating your look.  Start searching for movies made around the same time, with lesser known actresses/ actors, foreign film titles and advertisements.  What you’ll begin to see is much more variation on the styles within your chosen era. Marilyn and Audrey had a signature look all of their own, and it certainly isn’t a one size fits all. So it is up to you to create your own signature look, pulling the elements you love from the looks you’re researching. Remember too, that what you see on screen is not always achievable for your everyday look, so keep in mind to search for candid shots off set. Another great resource is to search people’s old family photos on Flickr to see what your everyday gal was wearing to the beach in 1951.  Trust me, it is an eye opening exercise and will shatter many of the myths around what it means to dress vintage.

Image via Flickr

Once you’ve sorted all this out, create some collages of your inspirations, or simply set aside an image folder on your computer to store all your favorite pics and have a simple ‘go to’ file for those moments when you feel your inspirations waning. If you’re going for a true emulation of your chosen era, there isn’t much more to do other than follow through on creating the subtleties’ of your look; hair, makeup, shoes; and committing to it. (No, not much at all Ha!)  But if you’re seeking a unique look that has the stamp of your own personality woven into it, now is your chance to go wild!
You can pick and mix pieces from your chosen eras and hair from another.  Have a thing for cats? Find some great cat print fabric and have a vintage pattern made up in that.  Start collecting vintage brooches in your theme and attach them to the hats you find. Have a favorite colour? Choose to go monochrome and develop your wardrobe into a collection of harmonious pieces in a single shade.  Don’t just stick to the clothes, choose all our accessories in that colour and go wild with parasols, handbags, glasses frames and the rest. I think you’re starting to get the idea.
Whatever your motivation for dressing vintage, the interpretations are endless.  Don’t be dictated to be the current fads for certain vintage eras, nor by big name labels (unless yours is a serious investment collection).  The beauty of dressing in vintage and living in the now, is that we are limited only by our imagination.  Set yours free!

Image via Flickr

Before I hop on a plane this afternoon, I had to share with you my feature in the Sydney Nine to Five Magazine.

Thanks to journalist Elise Pitt for some top notch questions!

You can read the full interview here.

When I recently came across an issue of Woman’s Day from May 17th 1954, I was struck by the cover article, “Look Chic the Leslie Caron Way!” And being that today is also May 17th, (I”m writing this on Sunday) it seemed a serendipitous to share it with you. This is a great example of vintage style that is not on the trend radar, and why I am so glad to be living in 2009 where I can pick and choose my vintage inspirations. So here you are, bet you didn’t know that “Woman’s Day sets the lead for this season’s carefree fashions with these new styles. Leslie Caron shows you how to Look chic in Casual Clothes”. And please, don’t shoot me for some of these less that feminist quotes, I’m bringing it to you straight from the pages of 1954.

“It’s the little-girl lost look that accentuates a woman’s femininity, gives her that helpless appeal that arouses the protective instinct in men.  It’s for a girl with a puckish face, and the sort of irregular features that add up to piquant attractiveness….

It’s keeping a positive approach to yourself – no figure flattering illusions, no makeup tricks.  It’s wearing casual clothes all the time.  Loose fitting coats, informal suits, large, bulky sweaters that will make you seem smaller and more defenceless than you really are.

It’s keeping to flat shoes, plain accessories and no jewellery. It’s a calculated casualness achieved by careful grooming.“

As I am writing this I am struck by just how familiar this description is sounding. “ Her sweaters are often man-sized and far too big, yet they give her a provocative look“. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen anyone? Perhaps Stylist Rachel Zoe took a leaf from Leslie’s book when she first began her “the bigger the better” approach to fashion.

The clever lasses at Woman’s Day loved Leslie’s suit seen here so much, that they asked her if they could take a pattern from it, and subsequently published it in their pages for you to make at home. Can you even imagine that happening now?!

So tell me boys, should I be working this look into my repertoire if I’m looking for a bit of action?

You love the movies, you wear the clothes, you’ve even mastered some pretty fancy hair; so what’s next?

Topping off your vintage look with the right accessories can be fun, but can also be a challenge. In particular, just what sort of bag should a girl be carrying?

You could just make a beeline straight for your favorite auction house and snatch up the first thing that takes your fancy, or you could invest some more time and research to come away with a real gem.

Before you hit those shops you need to consider two critical factors in buying a vintage bag. Firstly – what do you want it to hold? Tip out the contents of your current bag and make an honest inventory. It is possible that you don’t need all those old train tickets, and five lipsticks for one mouth is probably overdoing it. So sort out the wheat from the chaff and decide what is critical to the success of your day.

Secondly – What shape and sized bag do you need? The structure of vintage bags doesn’t allow for our modern habit of overstuffing. The structured walls, metal clasps and hinges will not thank you for over straining them and are often beyond repair should this happen. Evaluate your list of essentials and see which items can be down scaled to fit easily into your dream bag. For instance, instead of carrying a bulky notebook and pen, I carry a slim line voice recorder. Does your key ring need to house the keys for every lock in your abode, or would just the house and the car do? Do you want to carry the bag in your hand all day or do you prefer being able to sling it over the shoulder?

Now you know how much you need to carry, you have a fair idea of the size of bag you are looking for. Now the selection narrows to day or evening, casual or formal, or even something a little quirky. These are all personal choices, but the following buying guidelines apply to them all.

• Brands: If you are a serious vintage collector and looking for a piece that will not only continue to go the distance, but also retain its value, knowing your labels is critical. You need to have an understanding not only of top choice names (think Chanel, Hermes, Ferragamo) but of which bags are most iconic to that house and thus retain a better value. Picking up a lime green quilted Chanel number may be the perfect thing for your current look, but it will not retain the value of the classic little black number. Quality is not mutually exclusive to well known labels. You are likely to find some lesser known gems that will become the pride of your vintage wardrobe by following these simple steps.

• Stitching: Look for straps that are stitched together (not glued) in tiny, even stitches.

• Lining: Check the quality of the lining – better bags have suede, silk or full leather lining as opposed to nylon or acetate. Lining should be in good condition with no mildew, rips or holes.

• Frames: Look for bags with sturdy metal frames that are designed to keep their shape (these are inside the outer fabric), and often have metal feet on the bottom of the bag to prevent them resting directly on the leather.

• Hardware: Thoroughly check the clasp and all other metal hardware on you bag. Is it warped, pitted or peeling? Re-plating can be an expensive process and unless you feel the piece you have unearthed is worthy of some serious restoration money, I’d let these ones be. The rust will continue to eat away at the metal and may even cause staining on your outfit (quel horror)! If a clasp doesn’t close properly, find out why it is. It may be that hinges can be tightened, magnets replaced or in some cases of those twist grip closures – replaced with minimal fuss.

• While on the subject of hardware, make sure to check all zips thoroughly for rust, missing or snagged teeth and secure stitching.   Ideally you’ll be looking for bags with metal zippers (another indicator of quality) and you want them to last you a long time. If the zipper is less than perfect, evaluate the effort needed to replace the it. Leather bags should always be handled by a professional, but repairs to fabric bags may be within your skill set. Any skin bags – alligator, ostrich etc.. will set you back a pretty packet for repairs in comparison.

• Leather: When buying a leather bag, make sure that it is indeed leather. Leather has a distinctive smell but is sometimes difficult to distinguish after it has been around the block a few times. Vinyl smells of nothing much other than plastic and doesn’t scuff in the same manner. Leather bags can be treated to bring them back to their former glory, whereas a vinyl bag, once damaged is past worth repairing. Scuffs on leather can be touched up with ordinary boot polish, and a good leather hydrating lotion will help to restore its shine and suppleness. If the object of your affections is looking like it has been left out in the sun too long, there are leather specialist who will be able to professionally re-hydrate the bag, but once again this service does not come cheap.

• Straw: Straw bags were all the rage in the 40′s and 50′s, and there are some stunning designs out there for more casual wear. When evaluating these look for a close tight weave, no broken or missing pieces of straw and most certainly no mildew. Unlike your day to day work horse bags, these fancy numbers need a little more TLC to see another lifetime of use.

• Lucite: Lucite bags are the big news in collectible vintage bags at present. With their stunning glass like appeal, cut crystal patterns and multitude of finishes, these are the ones likely to catch you eye for a special occasion. But a word of warning – lucite becomes brittle with age and the more you handle it the more you risk breaking it. Personally, I’d save these beauties for your collection or the odd special occasion as seeing them snap could break your heart. Still, you may find a piece you’d like to salvage that is in need of a little work. If there are broken pieces they can be re-glued using a two part primer and superglue mixture. Sadly, it will not be totally invisible and is not advisable for any area under constant strain or pressure. When cleaning these bags, take care not to use any modern cleaning products whose harsh ingredients can damage the lucite or, even worse, eat into it causing pitting and colour clouding. I simply use plain soapy water or neat vodka (on tough marks) on a soft clean paint brush, then a soft cloth for removing all traces of grease and dirt in the intricate pattern work.

Now that you have an idea of both what type of bag you want and how to find the best of the bunch, what next? It is likely you’ll have your favorite vintage shops that you turn to on such an occasion, but when looking for perfection cast the net wide. There are lots of online auction houses that can help you quickly narrow your search, but you won’t be able to touch and feel in your investigation. If your limited to this method of shopping, ask for lots of photographs both inside and outside of the bag (don’t forget the bottom), as well as internal and external measurements. If they are a reputable dealer with a genuinely lovely piece it is likely that they will be happy to indulge your requests. When shopping in antique and bric a bra stores, the set up is often not our friend. Lighting tends to be darker making it difficult to see faults and details. Ask to take your selection outside to inspect it in natural light. That way you will be able to see the smaller flaws that would not be obvious in bad lighting conditions, and may even uncover the odd bug or two.

Thrift shopping is often the ultimate adventure in vintage bag hunting, as when we come across the perfect find it is usually for a song (making us feel oh so very clever). But be warned. With so many counterfeit bags on the market, many make their way into these stores where unsuspecting staff often jack up the price thinking they’ve struck gold. Know you stuff and you won’t get caught out paying a pricey sum for a second hand counterfeit bag.

All that said, there is no replacing love at first sight. So it may be a little scuffed and smell like the back of nana’s closet, but its perfect shade of blue makes your heart sing. And there is no replacing that.

You can read this article and other wonderful things as part of the Queens of Vintage site where I am now a regular contributor.