Collecting Vintage Fashions
To a child playing in the attic, mother’s dresses are funny, grandmother’s are interesting, and great grandmother’s are fascinating. Every aesthetic movement goes through a period of disregard which lasts about one century. Whether it be clothing, or other aesthetics, the artifacts of the immediate past look merely “dated” but once the era is beyond the memory of even the oldest living people and has become “history,” appeal increases. A sign that one era is coming to an end is its rediscovery of the era, and aesthetics of the era, that it rejected.
If you want to collect vintage fashions, start by looking in your family's closets and attics; the clothing your parents and grandparents kept may be in remarkable condition. Both online and bricks and mortar shops are often the best resource for the beginning collector because you can generally ask questions of someone who may have something to teach you. Online auctions are a great resource while live auctions of vintage clothing are few and far between. Thrifts and flea markets were scoured clean years ago of pre 1940s clothing, but you can find post 1950 there and the occasional marvelous find. Yard sales and estate sales are unlikely for high quality goods; you may luck into something if you arrive early, but you cannot try anything on. Thrift stores and estate sales may be cheap, but you will spend a great deal of time and may find nothing. Don't miss the Vintage Fashion shows, if you are fortunately to live in, or near, a community which hosts such an event; and if you become a real aficionado, you may want to travel to attend such shows.
First select a specific period or a specific type of clothing you are interested in collecting. Study your era or specialty. Know your specialty as well as any dealer, if not better. A focused strategy can help you make the difficult acquisition decisions and a clearly realized vision makes a collection ever so much more interesting.
There are fabulous finds and dismal duds in every period. Good labels are a plus, and for many serious collectors, a requirement, but most vintage clothing will not be labeled. Store labels started in the 1880s when dressmaking departments were active and these are often quite wonderful. Boned bodices, hand sewing, flat lining, bound buttonholes, handset zippers, covered buttons, piped seams, bias bound edges, bound seam allowances, and silk linings indicate quality construction in any era.
If you are collecting for display purposes, then size likely makes no difference. If you want to display pre 1920s, be sure to purchase XS mannequins as they will work for far more often than larger mannequins. If you want to buy with an eye toward future value or resale, do not accumulate too many tiny sizes. Larger ones are easier to display and have more value as a wearable.
If you want to wear your vintage fashions, buy what fits with a bit of ease; don't strain these older textiles. Make sure you have a realistic idea of your size. Remember that sizes have changed over the years; if a vintage garment is marked size 10, for example, it is likely that it will fit more similar to a size 6 today. Gauge the size of the clothing more by its physical dimensions, or actually measure the garment, versus reading the size in the label. Vintage fabrics tend to be delicate, so do not try on clothing that is too small.
Mint condition is extremely rare for anything pre 1910; if you find it, be prepared to pay. Actually Mint is rare anytime, but the older and/or higher quality it is - the price goes up.
Assume that anything you buy will have a few flaws; it's the nature of vintage clothing, just like other types of antiques. Be sure that they can be mended or cleaned or that you can live with the flaws if they cannot be corrected.
Take condition into consideration when evaluating the price of a garment. Many dealers are meticulous about their merchandise and will point out even the smallest flaw and price the garment accordingly. Others are not as cognizant about details, so you need to be cautious and inspect vintage garments carefully before trying them on and especially before purchasing.
Look for textiles that still have strength and integrity. Look for clean clothing that smells good and isn't heavily worn. Check for wear, stains, holes, fabric deterioration, and obvious repairs. Check under the arms, at seams and stress points.
For pre 1910 clothing, avoid large spots or stains which will not come out. Avoid armpit stains, dry rot and shattering. If you find small splits developing in a garment - this means the fabric is beginning to deteriorate, so the piece will be good for study or gentle handling only. Pin dot holes are acceptable if they are not in noticeable areas such as the front of the bodice. Tiny holes and mends (under 1/2") in the folds of the skirt are certainly less annoying.
From 1910 to ‘30, condition becomes more crucial. Watch out for weak shoulders and armpits and especially shattering in beaded dresses. For the ‘30s and ‘40s - very minor flaws can be forgiven (tiny picks, minor wear to a buttonhole), but holes and stains won't be. Where a faint armpit stain may be acceptable in a 1860 ball gown, it is a problem in a 1940s day dress.
Most 1930s and 40s blue and purple garments have irreparable color change caused by fugitive dyes.
After the 1940s very few flaws other than light wear are acceptable.
Expect to pay a fair price to the seller who has found the vintage item, cleaned it, steamed it and researched it. Don't bargain a dealer down just because you think it's expected. If an item is fairly priced, then pay the asking price. If it's a bit high for the condition it's in or if you're buy