8 Unique Ways to Showcase Vintage Clothing in Your Vendor Booth

Between the popularity of thrifting and our communal love for all things nostalgic, vintage clothing has become somewhat of a trend in the last few years. From vintage Levi jeans to funky ‘70s dresses and more, there's nothing better than stumbling upon a retro gem that fits just right. That's why countless people sell their ultra-curated collections at a vendor mall.  

If you're interested in turning your vintage clothing hobby into a business, rent a vendor booth. With our help, you'll learn a few best practices for vintage clothing sellers and find stylish inspiration for showcasing your finds within your booth. Vintage clothing never goes out of style, so you better start selling!

Define Vintage Clothing

Vintage clothing refers to clothes that are at least 20 years old. Since we're in the 2020s, anything older than the 2000s is considered vintage. If you find an authentic early-1920s flapper dress or Victorian white gloves, those 100-year-old pieces are put in a separate category: antique clothing. 

Sell These Popular Types of Vintage Clothing 

To have a successful shop, our vendors tend to have a niche. This can be a particular design era, a well-loved brand, or a certain type of garment—the list goes on! Some of the most popular pieces you'll find at booths as you become a vintage seller are: 

• Vintage band tees

• Groovy ‘70s patterns

• Levi jeans

• Y2K styles

• Business casual pieces

• College sweatshirts

• Sports collectibles

What's the Current Vintage Clothing Trend?

Thanks to the cyclical nature of fashion, past styles come back around every couple of decades! In the upcoming year, it seems like ‘80s silhouettes and Y2K pop-culture styles are both making a comeback in closets around the globe. Stock up on these designs to appeal to those who have their finger on the pulse of fashion trends, and sign up to run a booth at an Indiana vendor mall near you.

8 Ways to Showcase Vintage Clothing at Your Vendor Booth

Your vendor booth should be as beautiful as your vintage clothing collection—and storage and display options make that possible. As you think about the set-up of your space, consider using one (or more) of these eight tried-and-true showcase methods to make your booth stand out in a Florida vendor mall: 

1. Use Stylish Freestanding Gold Racks

We love using freestanding racks for a timeless and classy look that takes up minimal floor space. Unlike a traditional roller rack, this elegant alternative is easy to move around as you please and sturdy enough to stay upright. If your vintage clothing looks best hung up, buy a few in various sizes and move them around throughout the year to switch up the look of your vendor booth and keep customers coming back for more. 

Our favorite modern gold clothing rack features a rounded metallic top and a heavy marble base to prevent tipping. Buy a few sets of stylish velvet or metal hangers and hang any clothes you wish! Don't forget to utilize the two knobs on either end of the hanging rod, as they make a great option for hanging any hats or purses. 

2. Save Space with Wall Shelves

Free up the floor space with wall-mounted shelves throughout your vendor booth. Ideally, these shelves have a rod that acts as a normal closet rod, allowing you to hang whatever items you wish. While a freestanding or wheelable rack has a bottom, this design leaves room for storage boxes and crates to sit on the floor. 

Our go-to space-saving clothing shelf has two levels of shelves and a single metal rod at the bottom, perfect for hanging your vintage sweatshirts, retro dresses, and more. Feel free to accessorize the shelves with your favorite décor, sunglasses, or jewelry, or use them as secondary storage for extra sizes. 

3. Invest in Whimsically Shaped Clothing Racks

When you rent a booth, you can get as creative as you want, and sometimes, the typical vintage clothing methods may not cut it! Investing in clothing racks that are as beautiful as they are functional can give your space a luxury boutique feel. If this sounds up your alley, search for uniquely shaped clothing racks, whether it be a rotatable rack or curved hanging rods to add a touch of whimsy. 

For an eclectic and stylish choice, deck out your vendor booth with these gold wall-mountable pipe racks. The extra-long rod and strong load-bearing pieces that screw into the wall allow for hanging as many vintage clothing pieces as you can fit while keeping the floor space clear and clutter-free. Try one or two of these on each wall to add organic shapes and high-quality style to your booth. 

4. Try a Garment Rack with individual Hangers

If you specialize in a certain era of vintage clothing, you should consider finding a rack that matches that style. Whether you prefer a mid-century modern look (which is all the rage, we hear) or a sparkly Y2K aesthetic, there’s nothing better than a unique freestanding garment rack. Look for hanging methods that feature special embellishments and metal types to create your ideal vendor booth.

With a stable, load-bearing base, one of our favorite upscale rack choices is this Gold Clothing Rack with Marble Base The top portion loops around in an arc, with evenly spaced individual hanger loops for each item of vintage clothing. This design can be easily moved within your booth whenever you rearrange your stock, whether you line them up to create small aisles or place them flat against the wall. 

5. Use Vertical Space with Scarf Display Racks

A freestanding scarf rack can be used for various lighter and smaller vintage clothing designs. Rather than using one large rod and taking up a wall of space, these display racks utilize vertical space while still showcasing each item. With 360 degrees of useable storage space, your customers can walk around it to see everything, so you can place them just about anywhere in a vendor booth. 

Our top-recommended metal scarf display rack uses a spiral design that evenly disperses each individual hanger rod to maximize space. Although they're originally designed for scarves, feel free to get creative with what you use them for. Play around with where they go—place them in corners, on the wall, or wherever they fit!

Use a Scarf Rack to Display Anything:

• Shawls

• Slacks

• Purses

• Belts

• Ties

• Small quilts

• …and more!

  
  

6. Lean Your Clothing Against the Wall with a Vintage Ladder

For a truly rustic look in the Algonquin vendor mall, use an antique or vintage ladder to showcase your favorite vintage clothing pieces. This works best for displaying jeans, skirts, slacks, or anything else that can be folded without diminishing its beauty. Put a few throughout your vendor booth for a filled-to-the-brim look, or include one alongside your favorite racks. You can even put a price tag on the vintage ladder should any customer be interested in buying that!

7. Display Your Coolest Pieces on a Mannequin

Take a page from a traditional retailer's book and invest in a mannequin (or two)! These are best used in tandem with clothing racks and shelves, so your guests still have something to look through when they visit your shop. A dressed-up mannequin pulls in a crowd and can represent your vintage clothing niche, whether it be a certain era or a specific item.

Remember to switch out the pieces on the mannequin often to give your vendor booth a quick refresh and showcase a new vintage clothing outfit. Complete it with accessories, such as a hat or eco-friendly antique jewelry, and a sign that reminds everyone that anything on the mannequin is for sale. 

8. Showcase Your Collection on Wall Pegs and Bars

Wall pegs are a helpful addition to any vintage clothing booth, whether you're only selling a few jackets or need to fill extra wall space between clothing racks. These tend to come in two styles: ones that screw right into the wall and ones that require a peg board. Individual wall pegs are most useful for scattered-about storage space, such as displaying a few hats on a shelf or hanging up a jacket, while the pegs on a peg board can be moved around as often as you want to suit an everchanging collection.  

Take curating your vendor booth the extra mile by finding funky, themed wall pegs, such as our favorite industrial pipe clothing bars. Every detail in your booth counts, whether you're hanging valuable purses or a collection of vintage belts. 

Selecting a Display Method at America's Antique Mall

Before adding any clothing to your booth, check with the management at your local Chicago antique mall. There may be rules about what types of vintage clothing pieces you can display. Many malls have rules on a booth's percentage of clothing versus other items, the number of clothing booths, or which products can be sold. When in doubt, it's always better to check with the owners before investing in your clothing racks.

At our America's Antique Mall locations, only a certain number of vintage clothing vendors are allowed at any given point. We maintain a waiting list for vendors who are interested in adding clothing to their booths. When one clothing vendor leaves, our team contacts those on the waiting list. 

5 General Tips and Tricks for Selling Vintage Clothing

As you go about setting up the vendor booth of your dreams, consider these helpful tips and tricks to bring your vision to life and help your business succeed:

Tip 1: Make Sure the Vintage Clothing is Washed

No one wants to buy vintage clothing that doesn't look well-preserved and ready to wear. Before stocking your vendor booth full of your favorite pieces, it's important to fully clean and wash them. Make sure every item has all its buttons, is free of any stains, and has minimal to no wear and tear. Bonus if they bring that fresh-from-the-dryer smell to your Highland vendor mall space!

Tip 2: Avoid Overstocking Your Vendor Booth

Avoid the clutter of an overly stocked vendor booth by only keeping one or two of the same items on display at a time. The less busy it looks, the easier it is to shop! If you have more sizes or styles available at home, just leave your social media handle or email on a sign at the booth urging customers to inquire for more information as needed. 

Tip 3: Organize the Vintage Clothing

Don't just throw your vintage clothing on hangers willy-nilly—take the time to arrange your pieces by type or color to create a visually pleasing order. Whether you hang them in rainbow order or separate them by style is up to you, but it makes a world of difference for the foot traffic in your area. Shoppers often have a favorite color for their wardrobe, and organizing your vendor booth in a way that allows these hues to pop will help draw customers in. 

Tip 4: Decorate Your Vendor Booth

Creating a compelling vendor booth is about more than the items you carry—decorations are key! Put your interior design hat on and add stylish décor that matches your business and makes your booth feel inviting. 

Ideas for Vendor Booth Décor:

• Handmade signs

• Holiday décor (there are many ways to spruce up your vendor booth for the holidays!)

• Foliage

• Fairy lights

• Rugs

Tip 5: Experiment with Multiple Clothing Racks

When it comes to choosing a method for showcasing your vintage clothing, don't limit yourself to just one! Use multiple kinds of clothing racks to maximize the booth's space. We recommend buying a few of the same racks to fill the majority of the booth and investing in a few of your favorite shelves and pegs to fill any extra wall space. 

Whether you sell retro denim or ‘90s-style pieces, we can't wait to see the creative ways you showcase your vintage clothing—and neither can your future customers! Begin your vintage career by bringing your collections to a vendor mall near you and get a taste of the action today. With a little research on vendor booth designing and a creative mind, you can make your space represent you to a T!