Grow Your Closet: A Guide to Buying Vintage Clothing

Fashion is an incredibly personal thing, and with so many trends and fads circling the internet, finding your own sense of style is no small feat. That's why many people opt for a unique and sensational retro clothing style. If you've ever wanted to look like you stepped straight out of an ‘80s magazine or are interested in curating your own one-of-a-kind style, vintage clothing may be perfect for you. 

But, when it comes down to it, how do you shop those famously beloved out-of-production vintage brands? What elements are you supposed to look out for? And what are the best buying methods? Don't fret! You're in luck—with our helpful guidance, you can bring your dream Pinterest wardrobe board to life in no time. 

What Counts as Vintage Clothing?

Vintage clothing, by definition, refers to any garment made more than 20 years ago. Exact dates can depend on the vendor, with some claiming the ‘90s to be the true start to retro clothing styles and others settling on 2004 (since that is 20 years ago by date). If something was made over 100 years ago, it's no longer considered vintage clothing—it's antique. Truthfully, vintage clothing never goes out of style.

Popular Eras for Retro Clothing Style

When shopping for vintage-looking clothing, you'll soon notice that each decade has its own well-known silhouettes, styles, colors, and patterns. As you shop for your personal retro clothing style, take note of what jumps out at you to dress in a way you love.  When you browse online or look through an Indiana antique mall, you'll likely find pieces from these bold eras:

• The ‘50s: known for soft lines, cinched waists, round and full skirts, and the introduction of casual jeans

• The ‘60s: known for bright colors, hippie prints, go-go boots, and shift dresses with short hemlines

• The ‘70s: known for legged bell bottom pants, high-quality silk shirts, flowing maxi dresses, and groovy prints

• The ‘80s: known for vibrant neon colors, oversized shoulder pads, leather bomber jackets, and form-fitting athleisure

• The ‘90s: known for casual baggy T-shirts, loose-fitting denim, grunge style, and slip dresses

• The ‘00s: now called Y2K style, it's known for crop tops, baby tees, trucker hats, miniskirts, and low-rise jeans

Why People Buy and Wear Retro Clothing Styles

The number one reason people are turning to retro clothing styles is the urge to have a unique style in a world of trendsetting fads. It doesn't matter whether someone dresses in exclusively ‘90s vintage designer clothing or learns how to style one or two vintage pieces in a mostly modern wardrobe—incorporating vintage clothing in your day-to-day outfit helps you stand out from a crowd. 

Others turn to retro clothing styles because they're the more sustainable choice. Giving vintage clothing a second life saves the garments from ending up at the bottom of a landfill somewhere. Not to mention that clothing "back in the day" was designed to last, whereas modern pieces are not. If you want a wardrobe that will last you a lifetime of wear, consider shopping vintage at a Melbourne vendor mall event. 

Other people buy and collect retro clothing styles to make money and sell vintage items. Certain vintage brands, whether they're no longer running or release limited edition items, can fetch a pretty penny when sold at an antique mall or online auction site. If you're interested in turning your passion for secondhand pieces into your job, consider becoming an antique vendor!

What Makes Vintage Clothing Valuable?

When it comes to the price tag of a piece of vintage clothing, the value comes down to three main factors:

1. Rarity

2. Condition

3. Age

The Rarity of the Clothing

As it goes with any collectible item, whether it be Sesame Street collectibles or the antique coins you’ve begun hunting, the rarer the clothing item is, the more expensive it will be. This is due to a high demand and a low supply. People who collect that type of retro clothing style will be willing to pay just about anything for those rare, never-hit-the-market pieces.

Condition and Overall Wear-and-Tear

Visible damage will decrease the value of the clothing. Rips, broken zippers, busted seams, stains, splotches, and more—however large or small—could affect the overall price. 

If you do find vintage designer clothing with a few stains or tears, don't write it off quite yet! Plenty of people who dress in retro clothing styles are willing to invest the time and energy it takes to refurbish a piece (and if it's impossible to return it to its former glory, there's always upcycling).

The Garment’s Manufacturing Age

The age of a piece can be an incredibly important factor when valuing clothing. Depending on what the item is and how much personal value it holds, the older something is, the more a collector will pay for it. While it's not a one-size-fits-all rule, determining the exact year of manufacturing can give sellers a good idea of how to reasonably set the price. 

How to Spot the Difference Between Authentic and Vintage-Looking Clothing?

Since fashion is rapidly cyclical, modern companies are always trying to produce vintage knockoffs—but don't be fooled while scouring the racks at an antique mall event! Authentic vintage clothing looks, feels, and is labeled differently than vintage "looking" clothing. 

There are many different clues. Pay attention to the location where it was made, as almost all vintage clothing in this country was made in the USA until recently. You can also look at the zipper material: metal typically means vintage, while plastic means modern. With a little research, you can become an expert in spotting the difference in no time. 

5 Details to Look for When Shopping Vintage Clothing

Are you excited to build the retro clothing style collection of your dreams? Before you start buying pieces left and right, make sure you understand these important details:

1. Materials

2. Labels

3. Hardware

4. Branding

5. Sizing

1. Types of Materials Used

Vintage clothing was often made with more high-quality and natural materials, such as real wool, breathable linen, or soft cotton, while modern clothing brands rely on newer, cheaper blends. If you find a garment that boasts its 100% fiber material, you've likely found a real vintage item. Dressing in these materials makes your retro clothing style look and feel luxurious, elegant, and comfortable—who wouldn't want that?

Before you buy vintage clothing, you'll want to determine if you enjoy the feel of the fabric—no one wants to get randomly itchy when wearing their new favorite sweater! As you shop, make sure that every item in your cart is comfortable to the touch by running your hand along it. The more you buy retro clothing styles, the more familiar you will be with the fibers and fabrics, but when you're first starting out, touch everything you can. 

2. Labels Filled with Information

When it comes to retro clothing styles, the label clues you in on all of the essential information you could hope for. Depending on the item, you could find out the manufacturing location, brand, year of production, warnings, union names, and what kind of materials were used. All of which can be used to better understand the value of the garment itself.

Perhaps most importantly, a label can offer washing and care instructions. There's nothing worse than buying a piece to add to your retro clothing style wardrobe and washing it wrong. Shrinking, tearing, or color bleeding—none of the outcomes are very fun! If you can interpret the instructions, you will be well informed on how to best care for your new vintage clothing find.  

Pro tip: if you see a label woven into the jeans or top, it's a clue that it's authentically vintage, not vintage-looking clothing. Modern brands tend to opt for sewn on synthetic, soft labels. 

3. Trims, Fastenings, and Buttons 

When looking for real vintage clothing designs, keep an eye out for high-quality materials in the zippers, buttons, and fastenings. Most vintage brands used metal closures from trusted hardware companies in their designs—and thank goodness they did because they still work to this day. They even opted for materials such as wood, mother of pearl, or horn for buttons on a garment, as opposed to the modern plastic alternatives.

If the ornamentation is well-attached, functional, or could be easily fixed, then the vintage clothing item is worth the purchase. These small details are also part of the aesthetic style and can help you determine the fashion era it comes from! Adding these designs to your retro clothing style will only increase your individual flair. 

4. Important Branding

For some people, the brand is everything. It's very common for retro clothing styles to be found in Algonquin antique malls and flea markets without a label. These items tend to be perfectly useable, of course, but for many clothing collectors, knowing the brand of an item can make a world of difference in value and help you spot a potential knockoff. 

In general, the brand only really matters when you’re collecting high-end vintage designer clothing. While a comfortable band tee from the ‘90s may be incredibly valuable to one collector, others are looking for rare and expensive Chanel suits or Levi’s jeans. Items from designer brands are often priced much higher than those of more common vintage clothing brands. 

Popular Vintage Clothing Brands

Whether you remember your older sister wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit in the ‘90s or catch yourself spotting that iconic leather-like Levi's label in the aisles of your favorite Indiana vendor mall, brands are a great way to set your style apart.

As you shop, keep a look out for these valuable and fashionable vintage brands:

• Adidas

• Levi’s

• Carhartt

• Dickies

• Eddie Bauer

• YSL

• London Fog

• Polo Ralph Lauren

• Union Made

• Timberland

• …and so many more!

5. Understand Vintage Clothing Sizing

As you're shopping for retro clothing styles, there's one rarely talked about detail that can help save you a world of trouble. Most vintage clothing sizes are actually about four to six sizes smaller than the modern clothing equivalent. For instance, if you are currently a size 8 dress, you might be a size 12 or 16 in a vintage brand. 

To make buying pieces easier, don't rely on the size numbers on the tag. Instead, it's best to go by actual inch-by-inch measurements to see if you will fit into a garment. Before you shop, use a soft measuring tape to take your exact bust, waist, and hip measurements. If you want an even more comfortable fit, add an inch to each number—after all, it can always be tailored to fit you later!

Where is the Best Place to Buy Retro Clothing Styles?

While popular online options such as eBay or Depop seem to be taking the world by storm, nothing beats the in-person adventure of shopping for retro clothing styles at an antique mall in Highland. With hundreds of vendors under one roof, you can spend hours scouring different niche collections until you find the perfect piece to take home with you. Check out one of our locations to start your shopping journey ASAP.

3 General Tips for Shopping Vintage-Looking Clothing

You're almost ready to hit the vendor booths and start your search. Consider a few of our inside tips to become the best retro clothing style shopper you can be:

Tip 1: Set a budget. Whether you only have $5 a week or $500, understanding your limit can help you dream big while staying within a realistic budget.

Tip 2: Keep an open mind. If you find something that piques your interest, consider how you could rock that retro clothing style with the other items in your closet. When it comes to personal style, anything is possible!

Tip 3: Consider a tailor. When you find a garment you love, take it one step further and take it to a professional tailor. They can take seams in and out to make it fit your exact measurements like a glove. You could even learn to tailor for yourself!

Whether you want to use ‘70s garments to make your own fairycore style dreams come true or mix and match different eras to curate your own independent look, vintage clothing is where it's at. All it takes is a little understanding of what to look for before heading to your local Chicago antique mall to make your purchases. Soon enough, you'll be decked out in retro-style clothing from head to toe!