A few years ago, I committed to never again buy new clothes. My goal is to buy all clothing, jewelry, shoes, handbags, etc. secondhand. The human rights abuses and ecologocial devastation connected to fast fashion is well documented, and I found it increasingly difficult to ignore. Of course, I haven’t been able to execute this aspiration 100% (hello, underwear), but personal goals are about growth, not being perfect.
Thanks to The InternetTM, this goal has been relatively easy to achieve. The amount of vintage sellers on Instagram has absolutely skyrocketed recently. Additionally, thousands of new items are being uploaded to apps like Depop, Poshmark, and ThredUp every day.
But here’s the problem: Most of us are used to one very specific way of shopping. You walk into a store, try things on, buy them, and leave. Or, my favorite tactic, buy item on sight, try it on once you get home, hate it, and get frustrated that you have to go back to the store to return it. But with secondhand clothing, there’s usually no return policy, especially if you’re buying from a small biz online.
This gamble can feel like a huge barrier to entry, but I promise if you tweak your standard shopping practices, you can successfully snag some really cute, well-fitting vintage clothes online. Here’s how.
Grab a tape measure
Misguided body-posi enthusiasts love to regurgitate the “fact” that Marilyn Monroe was actually a size 12. Gasp! If that’s true (it’s not), it’s only because a size 12 in the 50s is not the same as a size 12 now. It’s almost as if those numbers are completely arbitrary. Huh!
All this is to say, if you’re a size Large at most modern stores, you might not be a size Large in a vintage piece. So, we must turn to the more specific and reliable method of knowing your measurements.
But here’s an even better tip than knowing your measurements–know the measurements of your best fitting clothes. If your favorite pair of pants have a 16″ waist and 22″ hips, then make sure any new pairs of pants you buy have similar measurements. It might be helpful to take the measurements of your tightest-fitting clothes too, so you know what measurements you absolutely can’t go under.
Most vintage sellers give thorough sizing info, but just ask if you need to know a certain measurement. Measurements are usually taken while the garment is laid flat, so you can double the number to get the entire body’s measurements. For tops, most sellers give pit-to-pit measurements, which is taken across the bust from armpit seam to armpit seam. For example, a blouse may have a PTP measurement of 13″, which would fit a 26″ inch bust. For bottoms, the measurements will usually be waist, hips (widest part of behind), rise (from crotch to top of waistband), and inseam (from crotch to bottom hem).
Learn the fabric facts
If you measure a current pair of jeans that have 10% elastane and compare them to a vintage pair of jeans that are 100% cotton, you’re going to be disappointed when the vintage pair doesn’t zip up all the way. You may also be disappointed when you sweat through your thick polyester 70s caftan, not realizing it is such an unbreathable fabric.
Not only is paying attention to fabric critical for fit, but it can also help determine comfort. As with the measurement process, notice what pieces you own and love, and look for those same things in the secondhand pieces you consider buying. Once again, just ask the seller about the fabric if it’s not explicitly stated. Fabrics and textures can be difficult to photograph and therefore can be easily misinterpreted while scroll shopping.
Oh, and are you really going to take that dry-clean-only dress to the cleaners? If not, you should probably pass on it.
Visit your local tailor
Regularly taking clothes to the tailor is my favorite discovery of being a Real AdultTM. You may have diligently measured every inch, but still wind up with a garment that doesn’t fit you perfectly. Or hell, it may fit, but it’s just not flattering your specific shape. I once took a blazer to the tailor and said “I’m not sure what needs to be done, but it just doesn’t look right.” And after pins were applied in a flurry, I took a step back and noticed the jacket looked, well, tailored.
The more vintage clothing I buy, the more I realize it was designed exclusively for one body type–thin and straight. My proportions are curvier, so if a pair of vintage pants fits my hips, it doesn’t fit my waist. That’s when I head to the tailor and walk away with a piece that looks and feels good.
Another one of their superpowers is fixing hems, buttons, fasteners, whatever, that have been damaged or decayed over time. Vintage items are usually much sturdier than modern clothing and therefore can take mending rather well.
Paying an additional fee on top of the price of the garment does suck. But the result of the investment, aka the dress you now look super hot in, means you’ll wear the piece more often, therefore increasing its value over time.
Fall in love with your purchase
Fast fashion capitalizes on a lot of toxic shopping habits to be monsterously successful. One of these key elements is just how freakin’ easy it is. You go to Zara.com, you click on the latest arrivals, select size Large on the trendy top you saw an influencer wear, add to cart, check out, and open the package days later. By design, there is so little friction in this process.
The opposite can happen when you shop vintage. You have to take time to look at the piece, lovingly consider measurements, imagine what to pair with it, and generally mull things over. This can ensure that you truly love a garment and will wear it with joy countless times, instead of buying a flimsy shirt from Forever 21 that you wear once and then never revisit because you realize too late that you don’t actually like it all that much!
Soon you’ll have a closet full of beloved vintage items that you wear often and with confidence.
Photo by Becca McHaffie on Unsplash
Elisse Miller 