Vintage Fashion Shopping
Vintage Fashion Events
Vintage attire is not difficult to find in the San Francisco Bay Area, if you know where to look, and if you know how to shop for it. There are several vintage shops in San Francisco and around the Bay Area, but the hard-core vintage fashion aficionados know about the vintage fashion events. Vintage enthusiasts find paradise at four vintage fashion events held in San Francisco each year -- one per season -- the Vintage Fashion Expos (held each March and September), and the Art Deco Show and Sale (held each June and December).
The following tips will maximize your vintage shopping experience:
- Dress appropriately. Wear something easy to take on and off, and wear silky neutral undergarments (a nylon full slip and hose or a sleeveless flesh-colored leotard). If you plan to try on hats, pin your hair up before you get to the show. If you are going to try on eyeglasses frames, wear contact lenses, if possible, so that you can see the frames you are trying on. If possible, leave your coat or bulky sweaters in the car so you don't have to carry them around with you.
- Pick up a map at the show entrance and mark the locations of the booths you do not want to miss. Experienced shoppers go to their favorite dealer when the doors open on the first day; some attend the early opening, with a higher admission fee, so that they will have first chance at the best vintage fashions.
- Dressing rooms are generally not private, so keep your eyes on your possessions while trying on clothing. Dealers usually ask to hold onto your driver's license as a deposit while you try on an outfit, so be sure to bring your driver’s license, or alternate identification, with you.
- 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 wear, stains, holes, fabric deterioration, and obvious repairs. Check under the arms, at seams and stress points. 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.
- 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.
- 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 buying several garments from the dealer, then politely ask if she can do a bit better for you. Also, if you are paying cash, you can often negotiate a discount because cash is a lower risk transaction for the dealer.
- Be decisive. If you see something you want, don't think you can come back later and find it still there. Good merchandise goes quickly, and vintage fashions cannot be “re-ordered” or “store transferred” like department or specialty store merchandise.
- Pick up show and sale notices, newsletters and free publications at the entrance of the show. You can find out about special sales, new books and magazines on the market, dance classes and much more.
- These are indoor shows, with on-site refreshments, adequate restrooms, adequate dressing rooms, and convenient ATMs. Food is available on-site, but it's pricey and the selection is extremely limited.
Vintage Fashion Expo
Held at Masonic Center Exhibit Hall, 1111 California Street
Telephone: 707.793.0773
Website: www.vintageexpo.com
At the Vintage Fashion Expos, approximately 100 clothing dealers from across the United States present their finest goods. Many of these dealers only do shows instead of store-based retail sales, so you'll see merchandise here that will not appear in shops. Premium collections of clothing, textiles, collectible costume jewelry, hats, gloves, scarves, shoes, buttons, fabric, lace, patterns, and more can all be found under one roof. The clothing, textiles, jewelry, and accessories offered cover a span of more than 125 years ranging from Victorian and Edwardian era dresses and capes, to shifts and hats of the Roaring Twenties, to the poodle skirts of the ‘50s, to the platform shoes and hip-huggers of the ‘70s. Some have higher prices and flashy Hollywood designer labels -- while others have lower prices and more classically tailored merchandise. Dealers who specialize in men's clothing, western, Hawaiian, bakelite jewelry, and more can be found but most dealers carry clothing, accessories, and/or jewelry spanning several decades and in a variety of price ranges.
Art Deco – 60s Show
Held at Concourse Exhibition Center, 8th & Brannan Streets
Telephone: 650.599.3326
Website: www.artdecosale.com
Drawing dealers from around the United States and Europe, this show is a must for anyone drawn to Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Streamline Moderne, Vintage Western or the styles of the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s. In addition to vintage clothing and jewelry, collectors will find furniture, lighting, decorative accessories, rugs, pottery, dinnerware, and books.