Get the most from your money with this shopping tips
Sally shares her tipsShopping for vintage items is definitely a task that you need to dedicate some time to, but the rewards are certainly worth it.
Sally Parsons, Online Sales Listing Creator (Vintage & Clothing) at the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) eBay store - bhf.org.uk/ebay shares her top tips for shopping for vintage items.
1. Many styles in fashion have been re-imagined in different decades, for example, the 1980s had a 1950s revival, so to identify the era, consider the type of fabric used. Pre-1960s garments were regularly constructed from rayon, silk, and taffeta whereas 1980s revival items were made from materials such as polyester and lycra. The rule of thumb is that an item is vintage if it’s over 20 years old, so you’ll still achieve a vintage look even with items originally from the 80s or 90s.
2. The rules of vintage generally dictate that the older the item, the more expensive it is, but that’s not always the case. Desirability, and therefore price, tends to relate to beauty and wearability, so if you’re lucky enough to find a beautiful 1920s/30s silk dress in good condition, it could end up costing more than 20 Victorian night dresses, but it will be more useful.
3. Handmade items are common and still popular, especially if they are made pre-1960s. Look out for metal zips as opposed to plastic ones and dresses that have interesting prints or shapes.
4. The condition of the item is always important - vintage fabrics, unless well cared for, rarely stand the test of time. Look out for moth holes, tears, zip malfunctions etc.
5. When shopping for accessories, look for unique luxury vintage accessories such as reptile skin handbags and dramatic costume jewellery, which will always retain a high value.
6. If you’re looking for a piece made abroad, vintage items from around the world are normally embossed with country of origin marks. They also tend to use locally sourced materials such as leather and hide and employ traditional methods of construction.
7. Know your collectable brands. There are a few collectable designers from each era of clothing. It is as useful to know these ‘brands’ as it is contemporary fashion designers. We sold an Ossie Clark dress through the BHF eBay store for over £400 because that’s a collectable designer. Other brands that are collectable include genuine vintage BIBA, Nina Ricci and Chanel.
8. Consider that even if you find an item ugly or old-fashioned, there is probably a market for it on eBay. For example, Welsh wool can be garish and unattractive to some, but blanket jackets and woollen waistcoats have recently become fashionable again. If you are unsure if it is a current trend, spend some time reading online blogs or looking at current upcoming looks for the seasons, as the relevant vintage item will also increase in desirability.
9. The Vintage Fashion Guild website (vintagefashionguild.org) is a superb website for advice on vintage fashion. They have a database of clothing labels to search as well as reviews and guides, so it’s an invaluable resource.
10. Visit bhf.org.uk/ebay to search for unique vintage items which have been donated to BHF shops. The profits raised from sales on the BHF eBay store go towards essential research into heart disease, so you know that anything you buy could help save someone’s life.
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