Vintage Clothing & Garments

Although our focus remains on Vintage Era clothing, we will touch on Antiques and earlier era garments

The Rule of Thumb When it comes to Clothing & Accessories
Clothing dating from the 1920s through the 1970s are considered vintage.
Garments created before the 1920s are referred to as antique.
Articles created pre-1900 are referred to as Victorian
Articles created during 1900-1919 are referred to as Edwardian
Clothing from 1980-Present is considered modern or contemporary fashion.

The Appeal since many Vintage clothes were custom made and many others were products in small quantities.
Were designed to be worn for years and passed on to other family members.
Higher quality materials, which would be too expensive to produce today.
Hand Crafted, Hand Embroidered, Hand Stitched.
Wide range of styles, appeal to many people.

Where to Buy
Vintage Clothing represents one of the largest share, and easily accessible to find products.  Besides the Pawn, Flea markets & army navy stores, online you can try ebay and craiglist.  Sothebys.com Has been known to have clothing auctions from time to time.
On the web you will find a host of companies by performing a search for "Vintage Clothing Store"

Always check carefully for Wear & Tear on your fashion item before purchasing.

A Blast from the past.  Reproductions of Vintage Era clothes.  How to tell the difference.
Types of closures and the most telling indicators.
Plastic zippers were introduced in the garment industry in the 1960s.
Snaps were most often used in garments prior to 1940's
In garments as early as 1900s, hooks and eyes were the closures of choice.

Vintage Garments value is determined by the Age, Designer & Condition of the garment.  Of course, current trends & personal taste affect valuation.  Bottom line, if you purchase a quality vintage garment that you absolutely love, the price will be well worth it.

Fast Facts : Sewing machines were not introduced until the 1860s. If you find a garment that is completely hand sewn, you may have a very valuable garment on your hands.

Resources:
Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show   http://www.manhattanvintage.com