Important things to consider when buying vintage clothing

1. Condition – In the real estate world, it's LOCATION LOCATION and in the vintage clothing world, it's CONDITION CONDITION. Although it is almost impossible to find vintage clothing in new condition, and sometimes dealers will overlook an occasional tiny pin hole, loose thread, or minor seam stress, but obvious issues should always be mentioned in the description. But, dealers, being unavoidably human, also miss minor flaws at times, so be certain that you understand the return policy before you buy!  Sometimes, even with flaws mentioned, you might decide to still purchase the item. If you are buying to wear something yourself and see that there are minor holes in layers of tulle, or in an area that won’t be visible, and you really love the piece, go ahead and buy it! If there is a spot described and it appears to be one that you are confident you can remove, it might be worth the risk if the price is right! purchasing.  But when buying for an investment, you want to be more careful.  What one vintage clothing dealer considers to be "mint condition and another considers "mint condition" can be quite different. At Dress, we only call garments MINT condition if they appear to have never been worn. Here are some basic questions to ask when you are unsure of the seller and haven't purchased anything from them before:

Has the item been cleaned?
Are there any odors?
Are there any stains or spots?
What is the condition of the lining?
Is there any fading or discoloration?
Are there any breaks to the lace?
Do you see any discoloration or staining in the underarm area?
Is the zipper in working order?
Are any buttons missing?
Has the garment been altered?
Are there any holes, rips or worn spots on the fabric?


2. Provenance - This is basically a history of the garment including who owned it, and perhaps even which events it may have been worn to by the previous owner.


3. Fit – When buying for yourself, make sure that the item either fits well, or if it needs
   to be altered, ask the seller if they believe it can be altered to fit. If you've shopped for vintage clothing before, you probably already know that vintage sizes are very different from modern sizes. Use the actual measurements given for a better fit. The best way to determine fit is to find a similar garment in your own closet and measure it the same way the vintage clothing dealer measures and find one that is as close as possible to yours. Below is a standardized chart for US modern day sizing for your reference, but keep in mind, that stores and brands differ in how they determine sizes, so always double check the measurements.

		CHEST	WAIST	HIPS
XS	0	30-30 1/2"	23-23 1/2"	32 1/2-33"
XS	1	31-31 1/2"	24-24 1/2"	33 1/2-34"
XS	2	32-32 1/2"	25-25 1/2"	34 1/2-35"
S	4	33-33 1/2"	26-26 1/2"	35 1/2-36"
S	6	34-34 1/2"	27-27 1/2"	36 1/2-37"
M	8	35-35 1/2"	28-28 1/2"	37 1/2-38"
M	10	35-37"	29-30"	38 1/2-39 1/2"
L	12	37-38 1/2"	30 1/2-31 1/2"	40-41"
L	14	39-40"	32-33"	41 1/2-42 1/2"
XL	16	40 1/2-41 1/2"	33 1/2-34 1/2"	43-44"



4. Designer- When buying for a collection, some important designers and labels to consider include:
   
                Gilbert Adrian
                Giorgio Armani
                Lilli Ann
                Biba
                Pierre Cardin
                Coco Chanel
                Ceil Chapman
                Ossie Clark
              Courreges
                Christian Dior
                Hubert de Givenchy
                Jacques Fath
                Mariano Fortuny
                Jean Paul Gaultier
                Halston
                Jacques Heim
                Jeanne Lanvin
                Tina Leser
                Claire McCardell
                Thierry Mugler
                Suzy Perette
                Paul Poiret
                Clare Potter
                Emilio Pucci
                Mary Quant
                Zandra Rhodes
                Nina Ricci
                Carol Robins
                Nettie Rosenstein
                Yves St Laurent
                Gunne Sax
                Elsa Schiaparelli
                Kay Selig
                Travilla
                Pauline Trigere
                Travilla
                Gianni Versace
                Madeleine Vionnet
                Vivienne Westwood
                Samuel Winston
   
   
   I've only listed a few here, and there are many more, so find a designer that you love and research his/her design history. Collecting vintage clothing or vintage jewelry has a lot to do with personal taste and preference. Chances are, if you love a particular vintage designer, someone else does too!
   
5. Store labels - Some store owners in the mid to latter part of the 20th Century would remove the designer labels and replace them with their own. Additionally, some stores produced high quality garments for their stores so buying them to wear is a wise choice.Therefore, knowing some of the more exclusive stores of different eras is helpful too. Here are some to consider:
   

   
             Nicholas Ungar
             Nordstrom Best
             Isabell Gerhart
             Doops
             Bergdorf Goodman
             I Magnin
             Saks Fifth Avenue




Most important, have fun! You might want to buy a dress just because you love it - and that's the best reason of all!


    MISS ELLIETTE COPPER DRESS