A Beginner's Guide to Vintage Shopping - What's Your Era?

If you ever wondered what is and isn’t vintage – there doesn’t seem to be a 'definitive' answer.  Some people say vintage ends in the 1990s and some might tell you that it ends in the 1970s, with the 1980s and 1990s classed as retro.

When you first start getting into the vintage scene, it’s often a good to get an idea what eras you like and start building up your wardrobe from there.  If you like a certain style for what ever reason - such as your favourite film or TV programme is set during those times, you love the music, or just feel you belong in that decade, then that’s a good start.

Of course you don’t have to go full on into that era dress up everyday (although it’s fun to do that!) if that's not you.  You can always wear touches of it, like vintage jackets and accessories with modern items.  Plus, why stick to one era?  I have pieces in my wardrobe spanning from the 1920s to the 1990s.  It’s simply about what you feel comfortable in and enjoy wearing. 

   

You might find it difficult to source clothes from some decades - simply because a lot of clothes haven’t survived. I find 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s are the easiest decades to find clothes from, but if you like the look of earlier eras but can’t find the clothes you can always go for replica clothing. A few vintage stalls at our events sell beautiful replica dresses, and they’re not always brand new. Fashion is cyclical and many styles keep coming back into fashion. For example this lovely 1940s style tea dress in the photo on the right, probably dates from the 1980s, so you can get a 1940s look and still be buying retro second hand clothing.

Also, if you've been in the high street stores lately, vintage style clothing is very fashionable at the moment.  There are loads of items in 50s style prints, 60s Mod styles, and 70s Bohemian styles on offer.  These can be teamed them up with a beautiful vintage silk scarf or some retro jewellery to give them a more authentic vintage feel. How about buying a vintage handbag from one of our stalls to go with your outfit?  One of the great things about vintage handbags is they have a pocket in them for a cigarette case – which is the exact size of a modern day smart phone!  

Don't forget we're still on the look out for the 'Face of Yorkshire Does Vintage' for our next issue of our magazine in the Spring.  So the next time you come to one of our events, why not dress up a bit and show off your collection of vintage finery? 

A Beginner's Guide to Vintage Shopping - Size Doesn't Matter!

With York Does Vintage coming on 14 October 2012, and all the other vintage events we've got planned on the horizon, I'm sure a lot of reader of this blog will forward to doing some vintage shopping. 

But when it comes to vintage clothes shopping, where do you start?  If you're interested in vintage fashion, are new to the scene, or simply would like some tips then hopefully this guide will be of some use to you.

Size Doesn't Matter

The first thing you should be aware of when shopping for vintage clothes is that size doesn't matter!  In fact modern clothes sizes are not the same as vintage ones.  Over the last 25 years dress sizes have decreased.  So, if you're a modern size 14, chances are you'll be a vintage size 16 and so on.

Therefore, don't be disheartened if at one of our events you try a dress on in your modern size and it doesn't fit - it's probably just the wrong size.  Keep in mind that in all likelihood they'll be another item for sale in the right size that will fit and make you look fabulous. 

Also, the shape of women has changed over the last 60 years.  A recent report revealed that in the 1950s the average woman's measurements (in inches) were 37-27-39, where as today they're 40-34-40.  This means that the average 1950s woman was around a modern size 12-14, or a vintage size 14-16.

Bare in mind that the 50s measurements are only an average, not an ideal, and women in the past were probably this shape due to less home conveniences when it came to the housework, less car ownership, and having lived through WWII food rationing (which didn't fully end until 1954).  What this does mean though if you're shopping for vintage clothes is you'll need to be aware in the past more people will have bought the clothes in average sizes, giving these sizes more of a chance of surviving the decades.  However, even if you are an average size, sometime things won't fit due to the cut of them. 

All this is why it's so important you try on vintage clothes before you buy them!  If you can't try things on then know your measurements and take a tape measure.  If you're not sure about measuring yourself, a good tip is to measure your own clothes that you know fit you around the bust, waist and hips and use those as a guide when measuring vintage clothes.

Above all though, when buying vintage clothing - have fun.  Try on a few things, get an idea of what styles suit you and what fits your shape best.  That way you'll be bound to find vintage clothes that are perfect for you.

Are You Coming to Masham Does Vintage?

We're just days away from our first ever Masham Does Vintage on Saturday 15th September 2012 at Masham Town Hall.  Are you coming?  Not made your mind up yet?  Well, this is what we have lined up:-

- The New Elizabethan Display which showcases Harrogate Museum's best items from the 1950s.

- A selection of our vintage stalls from clothes, to homeware and kitchenalia.

- Our pop-up vintage tea room where you can enjoy  a traditional afternoon tea all served on vintage crockery.

- Free vintage workshops including one on furniture distressing.  So why not have a go and learn a new craft for absolutely nothing?

And don't forget it's not only the workshops that are free - it's free entry to the whole event! 

While you are there, why not check in on Facebook or if you're on Twitter use the tag #MashamDoesVintage to tell others how much you're enjoying the event.

Plus, Masham is the beer town of Yorkshire as the Black Sheep Brewery located near by.  With the weather on Saturday looking sunny and topping 18c, it has all the makings of a great day out.

Masham Does Vintage - The New Elizabethan Exhibition

 Do you know what 'New Elizabethan' refers to?  

It's a term much banded around the internet recently to describe the period from when Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne up to the age we now live in.  

'Lifeguards in Front of Buckingham Palace' by Edward Bawden

When we look back to the original Elizabethans we view it as an age of discovery and high culture.  Hopefully when future people view our time they will see it as an age of art, fashion, technology and architecture.  

To mark the Queen's 50th Jubilee this year, Harrogate Borough Council have put together a pop-up art exhibition called The New Elizabethan, celebrating where the age began - the 1950s.  This collection of ceramics costumes and pictures comes from Harrogate's Mercer Art Gallery and has been travelling round various locations in the Harrogate district this summer.

From Wednesday 12 September to Monday 17th September 2012 the exhibition will be at Masham Town Hall and will form part of Masham Does Vintage on 15th September. 

So, if you want to see this exhibition why not combine your visit when Masham Does Vintage is on?  As well as the exhibition we've got our range of vintage stalls, our vintage tea room and free vintage workshops.

Entry to the fair is free and we're there from 10am to 4:30pm.

And don't forget you can keep up to date with things on our Facebook page and our Twitter Feed.

York Mystery Plays 2012

Last night I went to see the York Mystery Plays in the Museum Gardens.  Lovers of vintage fashion might be particularly interested in them this year because they do it in 1950s costume.  Why they decided to tell the story from that period is all explain in a recent article in the York Press:-

2012 York Mystery Plays will break with tradition

The Plays themselves are magical.  The set has been built round the beautiful medieval ruins of St. Mary's Abbey and as an added bonus you can hear the Minster bells in the background.  I took a few photos before the play started and during the curtain call. 

Ferdinand Kingsley plays both God and Jesus.  Here he is as God doing calculations for the Creation.

The choir dressed in 1950s clothing.

 

Above is the stage, which has been built within St. Mary's Abbey.

 

Ferdinand Kingsley and Graeme Hawley, who plays the Devil, take their curtain call.

The most impressive thing about the Plays is the huge cast made up of local people.  When they were all on stage it was unlike any play I've ever seen, more like the use of crowd scenes in a blockbuster movie.  Above is a photo of them taking their curtain call in their 1950s outfits.  Ferdinand Kingsley and Graeme Hawley, are toward the middle left of the photo.

If this has inspired you to go, then the Plays run until 27th August and there are tickets still available.

More information on the Plays, official photos and how to book tickets can be found on the Mystery Plays website:- 

York Mystery Plays