Boy, do I have a surprise for you. Nika of Irie Chic (www.iriechic.com) has vintage shopping down to a science. She is the kind of effortless style maven whose outfits leave you asking, "Where did you get that [insert amazing piece here] from?"
As it turns out, the answer could be Ebay, Goodwill or a number of consignment stores. Nika turns to vintage fashion for the one-of-a-kind pieces that give her outfits that special flair. And special is an understatement.
Her outfits are so modern and stylish that she created a popular blog dedicated to her daily ensembles, Irie Chic (www.iriechic.com). She gets tons of comments from admirers and press---she's even been featured on The Fashion Bomb! Read on for her tips on vintage fashion and the best websites/stores to shop vintage!
There’s something about vintage clothing that reminds me of my style icons from the past. Women like Zora Neale Hurston, Audrey Hepburn, Josephine Baker and Jackie Kennedy whose photos I use to pour over during my college years. In these photos, I saw style that reflected a demure feminine charm that I admired. They embraced their femininity with clothing that did not overpower but complemented them. I think one of the reasons these women are so widely admired for their style is that they were skillful in utilizing clothing to express their individuality.
I discovered vintage shopping through Ebay, it was my last year of college and I was fully coming into my own sense of style. I wanted unique one of kind pieces to accentuate my individual style while simultaneously recreating looks from the past that I so admired. Since then, I’ve shopped vintage heavily. It’s a thrill to find pieces that I know will be unique to my closet and even more exciting to incorporate the style of the past into my own style. I hope you enjoy my guide to vintage shopping.
EBAY
Nika in a dress from Ebay.
For me, Ebay has become vintage heaven. The key to shopping Ebay is finding the right sellers for you. It may take some time and trial and error, but when you do find great sellers it can be smooth happy shopping from there on out. Don’t be afraid to ask sellers questions about sizing or anything else. Most sellers are very great about answering questions and providing you with information about their pieces. To get you started in vintage Ebay world I’ll recommend a few of my favorite stores:
Trendsetter vintage
Lacewithromance
tinroofvintage
makimaki vintage
Consignment/Vintage Shops
Nika in an adorable dress from Beacon's Closet.
These are the perfect places to go to find gently used (or even never worn) designer and vintage pieces. More importantly, you get a chance to try before you buy. I really love Beacon’s Closet, Marmalade Vintage, Tokyo Joe’s, Tokio 7 and Buffalo Exchange in NYC. I also recommend A Second Chance and Mustard Seed in Bethesda, MD.
Goodwill/Salvation Army
Nika's sophisticated, chic Goodwill top
Doesn’t it feel good to shop and do something good for others at the same time? I have found some of my best vintage blazers and belts in these stores for alarmingly low prices. You will probably have to dig a bit to find great pieces, but trust me it will be worth it. Also you can donate your gently used items and pass on the goodies to someone else. As they say “one man’s trash….”
Online
The following websites offer a great selection of vintage/vintage inspired wear:
www.beaconscloset.com
www.modcloth.com
http://www.shopnastygal.com/
http://clothesmindedvintage.
Tips for shopping/wearing vintage
Nika's red dress and boots are the perfect mix of modern and vintage.
- When shopping online, if you are unsure about a size- ask. Vintage sizes tend to be different from today’s sizes, so it helps to get exact measurements
- When shopping in store, examine the items you choose for damage
- Sometimes certain items will have small imperfections, don’t be alarmed, it’s usually something that can be fixed at the dry cleaners or by a tailor.
- Mix your vintage pieces with the modern pieces in your closet.
- Have fun wearing vintage and expressing your individual style!
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