I just realised that in all my posts, I haven’t written a
single piece about vintage products. I am a big vintage fan and am constantly on
the prowl to find unique purses, jackets or jewellery that one doesn’t get to
see often. I don’t necessarily hunt for designer goodies; just anything that
exudes character and individuality. One of my favourite sites for affordable
vintage is www.vintagevixen.com, they
have a lovely collection of charming purses and jewellery (they’ve got clothes
and shoes too, but I don’t usually buy vintage clothes unless they’re either
fur jackets or designer blazers). Oh and they deliver internationally too.
What attracts me most to vintage bags is how each era has a
different shape which is very unique and it’s very rare to spot someone with
the exact same bag. Even embroidery and hardware differ from decade to decade
making the accessory really stand out. Personally, I stick to purchasing clutches
as most of them can be pulled off with ease without looking out of style.
If you’re looking to invest in vintage designer bags, I must
warn you not to buy from the first website you come across. A plethora of
websites claim to sell pre-owned designer goods, especially Chanel purses which
more often than not are counterfeit. One of the key things I keep a lookout for
is if that site has had any press coverage; if so, then you know the website is
credible. Vintage designer bags come cheaper than most of the purses you buy straight
from the boutiques, but once again, try and stick to classic silhouettes.
Say for example you find a Gucci bag from the 60’s for about
250 dollars, please inspect the shape of the bag as you don’t want to end up
with a Gucci bag that looks outdated which will be of no use to you. Another
instance would be if you happen to get a great price for a vintage Louis
Vuitton Speedy bag, compare that price to the current market rate and if it’s a
good bargain, from a trusted source then go ahead and buy it as the Speedy is a
classic.
Now, if you’re looking for a pre-owned Chanel bag, most of
them, especially the 2.55 sell out as soon as they are listed on the website
(YES, everybody wants a Chanel!), however, there are some currently available
on www.thevintagecontessa.com
so you can check them out. This e-commerce vintage site has a fantastic
collection of Chanel purses, Chanel jewellery and an exquisite range of Hermes
bags including numerous Birkins.
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| An Hermes Birkin currently listed on www.thevintagecontessa.com |
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| A Chanel Quilted Flap Bag currently listed on www.thevintagecontessa.com |
On another note, I do suggest you view this informational
video posted by http://www.vintageheirloom.com
on how to identify a fake Chanel 2.55.
When it comes to exotic skin and fur jackets, and the hefty
price tags don’t suit you, then once again, non-branded vintage or pre-loved is
the way to go. Designer items will come pricier than others of course, but it’s
still cheaper than current prices. Vintagevixen.com sometimes has non branded
exotics for a price that will leave anyone drooling (snakeskin clutch from the
60’s for 18 dollars!). Check out www.etsy.com
as they sometimes have listings for some pre-owned fur stoles and jackets. Just
type in fur in their search engine and the list will pop up. You can also
register on www.vaunte.com to shop for some
fabulous recycled luxury goods from various people’s closets.
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| A 1930's fur coat on vintagevixen.com |
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| A 1950's lizard skin bag on vintagevixen.com |
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| A vintage mink stole listed on etsy.com |
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| A Red Valentino fur jacket on vaunte.com |
Also, keep a lookout on www.archivevintage.com for some great designer
exotic skin bags for a reasonable price. At the moment they don’t seem to have
much stock, but they keep adding new stock so the trick is to keep checking. Currently,
they have a few gorgeous vintage blazers online, so if you are keen on
purchasing one, I suggest you order soon as they get snapped up fast.
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| An Ungaro jacket on archivevintage.com |
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| A stunning Yves Saint Laurent jacket on archivevintage.com |
The same rules above apply to jewellery and/or clothes. So
to summarize the tips; shape, era, functionality, authenticity of the website
and price are all factors to consider before purchasing vintage goodies,
designer or non-designer.
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| Vintage Chanel earrings on thevintagecontessa.com |
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