Vintage clothes - where do I find them?

[JenLyn]

Hey all!

I'm new to the forum, though I've followed by reading for awhile. It's awesome that there are so many people who also love this fabulous era!

As someone who has lusted for Myrna Loy's entire wardrobe in The Thin Man movies, I would love to find some vintage clothes. The trouble is....I don't know where to start! Do you all have any ideas/suggestions on how and where to seek and find?

I look forward to hanging out here!

 

[ITG]

Ebay is always a great place. If you look around the powder room many of the gals post some great websites...the postings are just scattered around...I'll see if I can give ya a couple I have bookmarked...
http://www.vintagefashionguild.org/
http://www.mybabyjo.com/
http://www.vintagetrends.com/vintage/vintageclothing.asp
http://www.revampvintage.com/1940.html

Vintage Style makeup:
http://www.besamecosmetics.com/

In fact, why don't we make this a sticky thread. If any of you know of good vintage sites, post a link below...

 

[MissTayva]

I like
http://www.tias.com
(it is a site full off collectibles, you've just got to find the clothing section)

http://www.ballyhoovintage.com
(a good majority of their stuff is deadstock!)

http://www.reprovintageclothing.com
(The gal is from the Netherlands, she makes everything herself and uses period-authentic fabrics)

 

[ITG]

c/o jitterbugdoll:
http://www.remixvintageshoes.com/

 

[Deleted member 259]

My favorites (that haven't been posted) are repro sites like:
www.stopstaringclothing.com
www.daddyos.com

But what area are you in?
It's a lot nicer when you can try something on before you buy it - and if you happen to be in the DC/MD area, I've got the skinny on all the best joints

 

[Lauren]

Ooh, I'm right there with you on the Thin Man movies. Myrna Loy is my style icon, to be sure. She wore hollywood interpretations of 30's clothing, which could be very different than actual 30's clothing (since most of the country, other than the independantly wealthy were going through the Great Depression). 30's clothing in wearable condiiton can be very hard to come by and can be very expensive, but the best bet for the best prices would probably be Ebay. If you know how to sew, it would be advisable to buy some vintage sewing patterns in your size and sew them up in period correct fabrics (rayons, silks, cottons, linens, etc). Or you could hire a seamstress to make them for you. Check your measurements with the vintage patterns to ensure that they are in your size, as sizing was very different back then.

Feel free to check out my website, although I don't have any 30's stuff right now http://shopbluemagnolia.com, and hopefully I'll be making some repros and putting them up within the next month or so.

Good luck on your search, and I must say you have wonderful taste!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

The Thin Man series is one of my favorites--Myrna Loy and William Powell are simply the tops! I adore the fashions of the 1930s-40s, particularly the mid-30s--early 40s. Such feminine and creative designs, and fabrics they used were so beautiful.

It’s important to study the eras and have good pictorial references so that you can be sure of what you purchase. Many retailers either do no know the age of a piece of clothing, or they will sometimes fib about its age. This is not a big deal if you like the piece of clothing, but if you are looking for something era-specific, this will help you weed out the less desirable pieces!
For books, I suggest picking up the reproduction catalog books “Everyday Fashions of the Thirties� and “Everyday Fashions of the Forties�. Both are collections of Sears catalogs and are wonderful resources. You can find them at Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

An excellent online clothing reference can be found at the German website www.return2style.de. Their 'museum' covers the 1930s-40s and is amazing. I periodically stop in to drool over the unique pieces in their collection!

For accurate clothing reproductions, check out:

www.dancingdaughters.com
www.shadyladyclothing.com
www.trashydiva.com

I adore Trashy Diva’s ‘Ginger’ blouses and dresses—so darling, and so late 1930s!

 

[MissTayva]

New link for you Hawaiian fans!

http://www.whirlingturban.com

This gal used to be a Hollywood costume designer, and now she reproduces Hawaiians from all of the well-known designers (Shaheen, Kamehameha, Fredericks of Hollywood).

Trust me, these babies are too hot!

 

[swinggal]

So great to find a bunch of people who have a passion for mid 30s to early 40s clothes and the Art Deco era. I can't imagine my life without it.

I have a friend in Zurich who is a member of the '20s/40's Club' and man, those guys have the best clothes and accessories you have ever seen and a total vintage lifestyle. They wear vintage 24/7, all have 30s and 40s cars, art deco homes and take it very seriously. They don't wear modern clothes at all, ulness they are vintage repilcas...truly! And if you don't wear the clothes 'correctly' well, they'll teach you how to. It's not a hobby for the 20/40 Club, its a total lifestyle choice. 'Hugo' once sent me a box of clothes and accessories from Zurich. It was like Xmas! I love collecting.

Anyway, good to be here.

 

[swinggal]

Yep, I mentioned them because their website was mentioned by someone else in a previous post.

http://www.return2style.de/

They get aquire vintage clothes from all over the world and just from generally collecting in Europe. Some of them have been dressing this way for 10 - 20 years, so that is why they have so much gear. Hugo told me that they use a local tailor (an older gentleman in Zurich) to make replica stuff for them as well, as he uses the same methods he did in day. I have one of the ladies suits he made and you would swaer it was vintage, right down to the buttons, fabric and finish.

There are lots of photos of their outings and members. I always ask Hugo for advice when I need it.

They are also WW2 reenactors, but 'very' serious ones. If you wear a pin in the wrong spot on your uniform or a hat the wrong way, they will pull you up on it. I saw Pearl Harbour years with Hugo and he was very upset that the movie makers did not get the US uniforms right. Wrong jackets, pins on wrong lapels, hats worn incorrectly. They see it as a tribute and an insult to those in the war if the Uniforms aren't worn right.

 

[scotrace]

Thanks...

Yep, I mentioned them because their website was mentioned by someone else in a previous post.

...they use a local tailor (an older gentleman in Zurich) to make replica stuff for them as well, as he uses the same methods he did in day. I have one of the ladies suits he made and you would swaer it was vintage, right down to the buttons, fabric and finish.

Thanks very much for the info. Now I'm on the hunt, albeit from across the Atlantic...

 

[fedoralover]

One place I didn't see mentioned as a place to find vintage clothes and that is thrift stores, like Goodwill if you are in the U.S. My wife and I go fairly frequently and I've seen the owner of a vintage store in these places many many times with her cart full of vintage clothes for women. Guys stuff is more rare, but certainly not void. I've obtained many vintage ties and even a few high quality fedora's at Goodwill. The trick is not to get discouraged if you go a few times and don't find anything. I've went a lot and not found anything and then all of a sudden it's like everytime I go in I find something. The stuff really turns over quickly in these places so even if you don't see anything one day, the next day there could be something there. They literally put out 100s of new items onto the floor everyday so you never know when you'll find a treasure, but for me that's half the fun.

regards fedoralover

 

[Trickeration]

Dick, Jane And Spike in Oceanside is great. Another place in SoCal is Swellegant in Newport Beach. The owner really knows her stuff, and her prices are reasonable ( I get 40's shoes from her for less than $40 sometimes). Also, both stores will buy vintage clothes and such (plus good repros) from you, as long as they're in good condition. Usually you'll get about 40% (of what they'll sell the item for) in cash or 50-55% in store credit.

I'm also a big thrift shopper. I think they're my favorite stores. A trick I've learned for thrift stores is that if you find one item, like a 1930's skirt, you should check the rest of the store, thoroughly, to see what else may have been donated by the same home. You'll likely find more items from the same era in other departments, because people don't usually donate just one item, but a boxfull or more. This works best with stores that keep their own inventory. If the store gets their merchandise from a distribution center, lots may have been seperated and trucked out to several different stores.

Also, but only for the brave, hit the thrift shops in the rough part of town. The dealers are less likely to go there, and the folks who live near it would probably rather buy a boombox than a vintage radio.

Happy hunting! T

 

[Renderking Fisk]

Here's an article of intrest for you folks...

Vintage clothes fit the bill at stylish new boutique,� Marc Mullen.
“Rachel Ducker, 34, spent a year turning the former office on Gloucester Avenue into her dream shop, Shikasuki. Dresses and bags, rings, necklaces and bracelets, from between 1930 and 1980 are laid out on white plastic shelves and the walls are adorned with artwork for sale.�

 

[MissTayva]

http://www.reprovintageclothing.com

This gal Anne-Marie is from the Netherlands. She has some great stuff on her site... but really, her "thing" is reproducing 1940s western wear.
I really like her men's clothing more than I do her women's... and I love how she actually uses gabardine, rather than polyester like all of these reproduction lines do.

What about listing favorite eBay sellers on here?
I used to belong to an eBay enablers group on Yahoo, which sadly, no longer exists, but we had a database of our favorite sellers.

Mine:
meloo (sells 1920s-1950s clothing, usually really exquisite stuff)
floozees*vintage ('40s and '50s)
missbamboo52 (If you're into the '40s puff sleeve tie tops, this gal always seems to have them, for some reason)
ladouchka (TONS of DEADSTOCK '40s and '50s clothing)
theuptownpurr (Plenty of formal and designer duds)
french-at-heart (One of my FAVORITES! She is a bit pricey but always has lovely '30s-'50s garments, usually European designs)

 

[MissTayva]

Another place in SoCal is Swellegant in Newport Beach. The owner really knows her stuff, and her prices are reasonable ( I get 40's shoes from her for less than $40 sometimes).

Yeah, Swellegant DOES have great stuff. One of my good friends used to be her seller's assistant on eBay, the amount of really nice stuff that she would sell for her was astounding.

I see you're in Long Beach, so I'm assuming that you've been to the 4th Street stores. My husband's best friend runs Sugar Lee. I hardly ever find anything at those vintage stores, but my husband always gets lucky and finds some really great stuff for cheap there. The only good find I've had was a pair of red '50s capris... which I have seemed to have lost! Haha...

 

[ITG]

One ebay seller I watch is faeriedance. They usually have some interesting finds.

 

[Trickeration]

Yeah, Swellegant DOES have great stuff. One of my good friends used to be her seller's assistant on eBay, the amount of really nice stuff that she would sell for her was astounding.

I see you're in Long Beach, so I'm assuming that you've been to the 4th Street stores. My husband's best friend runs Sugar Lee. I hardly ever find anything at those vintage stores, but my husband always gets lucky and finds some really great stuff for cheap there. The only good find I've had was a pair of red '50s capris... which I have seemed to have lost! Haha...

Yes, in fact I was just over there Saturday to help my husband find a tie to go with his new suit. I don't usually find much there either. Plus, it's a little pricey there for me. I've found that now I can do pretty well just hitting the thrift stores (I'm getting a real eye for vintage stuff) and ebay. My husband did find a great tie, though, and last fall I found a tan pencil skirt for $12.

Our best buy on 4th street was a 1950's sofabed that we got at Elan. I asked the owner if he had any '50's couches and he said he only had one in the back that need re-upholstering. It was pretty shredded. He gave it to us for $200 and had it redone in turquoise vinyl for another $240. I think they wished they'd charged us a lot more when they saw the finished product. It was fantastic! Once I get the hang of posting pictures I'll put them up somewhere.

 

[swinggal]

Whats this place like? Not that I'll ever go, seeing as I live in Australia.

http://www.vintageplayclothes.com/index.html

Looks like peole rent her stuff out for films, she has a pretty a full list of credits like the Aviator and Carnivale.

 

[Trickeration]

Wow. I'm not familiar with that store (I guess I tend to stay more south and west of LA). It looks interesting, though. I'd love to check it out, but I'm stuck down here during the day until our bathroom remodeling is done. But one of our sax players just moved to Studio City and his wife really knows vintage clothes and such. I'll see her tonight at a gig, so I'll pass the address on to her. It'd be so much easier if they had there online store up.

Anyone else been there yet?