Vintage Shopping Guide: Telling the Gem from the Junk

Vintage shopping is an art form that requires patience and knowledge. When done correctly, you find unique pieces and contribute to sustainable fashion. When done wrong, your home fills up with unworn clothes.

To distinguish real vintage, look at the label: pre-1980 pieces usually have country labels like 'Made in USA' or 'Made in England'. Polyester-printed labels indicate post-1970. Copper metal zippers and heavy metal buttons indicate quality.

Be flexible about body measurements. Vintage piece size numbers are completely different from today's standards. A vintage '12' can be equivalent to today's size 38. Always try pieces on or take their measurements.

For online vintage shopping, search on platforms like Depop, Vestiaire Collective, and Vinted. Sometimes a real Hermès scarf may be waiting for you on the 50 TL shelf that vintage sellers put out as 'just an old silk'.