I often get a lot of questions on Instagram about where I get my vintage from, so today I’m going to share my top tips on where to find it.
1. Get out and about
I have a number of stores in my hometown that I regularly pop into – just in case they’ve got something that catches my eye. I tend to pump more for the charity stores and op shops as they’re great for finding those hidden gems at a reasonable price, rather than labelled ‘vintage’ stores as unfortunately I have been seeing far too many overpriced 80s and 90s garments in those for my liking. Savemart, especially, is a true gem; I have been shopping there for over a decade and I always try to stop in if I’m visiting a city of New Zealand. For travelling abroad, I look at websites dedicated to a city’s best vintage (The Vintage Guide to London was an angel on my trip there last year) and make sure to hit as many as possible.
Hints:
– Keep checking back at your favourite stores regularly – you never know what could turn up
– Make friends with the staff; if they get to know you and your style you might be lucky enough to have them set things aside for you or direct you straight to a fresh batch of clothes in your style
– Look at EVERYTHING; just like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, don’t judge a garmet by the smidgen of it you see when it’s hanging on the rack. Flick through all the clothes, take them off the rack, hold them up to yourself, try them on; you’ll be surprised at what looks good when it’s not sandwiched between a heap of other clothes.
– If you have regular markets in your town, check to see if they have a dedicated vintage day – you’ll get much more range from lots of friendly stall holders.
2. Find your favourites
By favourites, I mean this in reference to online sellers. Over six years ago I made my first purchase from Sarah at BellaVintage and now we are friends, I have a lot of her vintage in my wardrobe, and I get a notification on Facebook whenever she puts up a new item for sale. She is also lovely enough to give me first refusal on something she knows I’ll love!
I stalk a lot of Etsy sellers who consistently list amazing stuff; so many of them also have Instagram which makes it even easier/more dangerous to find out what they have coming soon to their store, and if you see something that makes your heart stop then there’s no harm in asking if they can put it aside for you. Geronimo Vintage, Butch Wax Vintage, When Decades Collide and Word From the Bird are just some of the many drool-worthy stores I recommend checking out.
3. Three words: Ooh. La. La.
I discovered this dangerous phenomenon earlier this year and let’s just say that it made a serious hole in my wallet. The Ooh La La Vintage Swap/Sell page was started to avoid those pesky Etsy and Ebay fees and it has evolved into a huge vintage community with an amazing range of items on offer every hour. There is some amazing stuff on here, but watch out because it goes quick! All listings are required to include era, condition, measurements, etc, so you just have to be the first to comment ‘interested’ to purchase. Payment is through Paypal so it’s secure for buyers and sellers, and I have found some truly amazing pieces on there from some wonderful ladies and gents. Head on over to their page on Facebook to join in the fun!
I hope my tips have helped you in your hunt for vintage, but if there’s anything else I can answer please let me know! And where did you find your favourite piece of vintage? Tell me in the comments below!
Miss Hero Holliday
xo
Miss Hero Holliday 