What is Vintage?

No matter what you hear or read about the latest fashion trends, the word ‘Vintage’ seems to crop up time and time again. The term ‘Vintage’ has been a bit of a fashionista buzz word for a number of years now, but what exactly is the Vintage look and how can you turn yourself into a trend setting Vintage queen?

The title of ‘Vintage’ can lend itself to many interpretations, none so much as the childhood memories we all have of routing through our grandmothers frocks with the unmistakeable smell of moth balls and lavender that always lingered deep in the wardrobe.

As a basic rule of thumb, Vintage is the name given to any used or second hand quality clothing from a bygone era. The modern day perception is that Vintage clothing should be of a designer label and quality, but this is not always necessarily so. While modern fashions are vibrant and interesting, there is something stylishly attractive about vintage clothing, and it is this stylish and unique look that makes celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Nicole Kidman and Kate Moss go crazy for the whole vintage look.

From the 1920’s through the 1980’s each decade saw its own fashions styles come and go, but if you want to become a part of the glamorous vintage chic look, you need to be looking for some iconic pieces of clothing that both flatters your figure and makes you look delicately retro.

To transform your style into the vintage look you need to make small and subtle adjustment to your current wardrobe. The idea behind modern vintage fashion is to mix the old word with the new.

Start off by choosing vintage accessories such as jewellery, bags, sunglasses and hair clips. When you are comfortable with the little changes start to consider the clothing. Shops that sell purely vintage fashion can be a little on the expensive side, but second hand stores are a great way to find vintage apparel at half the price, and it can be fun too.

The second subtle change towards the new vintage you can come in the form of your outdoor wear. Layering up a good old fashioned loose cardigan can give a lazy retro look with appearing to have made much of a stylistic effort. A leather, or faux leather jacket works great with any vintage clothing look too.

Skinny or slimmer fitting jeans and classic tees are a staple part of the vintage look. Team them up with an elaborate retro blouse for an effortless vintage inspired look.

No matter which fashion decade you choose to take your inspiration from, you do have to be careful not to take it too far, or over indulge in your new style. Creating the vintage look is all about making small, subtle and feminine changes to the way you already dress. Take inspiration from old movies and current celebrity trends, but most of all listen to how the clothes make you feel. That little 1920’s inspired flapper dress may look wonderful on the hanger, but it may not be the right choice for you.

When trying to make any fashion statement just remember that it has to feel right and it has to work for you. Some vintage styles may not be practical for your everyday life, so simply take little pieces of inspiration and add a little of the vintage look to what you already have.