A Guide to Shopping for Vintage Clothing Online (2023)

FAQs

A Guide to Shopping for Vintage Clothing Online? ›

Unlike new clothing, vintage clothing often has flaws: stains, rips, missing buttons, stuck zippers. Before making a purchase, thoroughly inspect your item for any flaws. (If you're shopping online, look for items with plenty of high-quality images, and ask the seller directly if the item has any flaws.)

Unlike new clothing, vintage clothing often has flaws: stains, rips, missing buttons, stuck zippers. Before making a purchase, thoroughly inspect your item for any flaws. (If you're shopping online, look for items with plenty of high-quality images, and ask the seller directly if the item has any flaws.)

That said, Etsy is a particularly good platform for selling vintage items, so if you're looking to offload older clothing, you might have more luck on Etsy than on other platforms. In terms of fees, Etsy is different from its competitors.

Don't limit yourself by trying to find valuable items at one well-known vintage store. Small local antique shops, thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales, flea markets, antique shows, and even online consignment shops are all places where you can snag awesome antique and vintage finds!

Vintage differs from antique because of its age. Antiques are usually at least 100 years old, while vintage items, though aged, are not as old as antiques. For example, an antique would include an old gramophone or handmade wooden dresser from the early 1900s.

The value of vintage clothing and accessories depends on several factors like age, condition, quality of materials (composition) and how it was made, if it is by a luxury brand or not, the list goes on. Long story short, all vintage isn't valuable.

Thrift stores sell all sorts of pre-owned goods on the cheap and cater to a lower income demographic. Vintage stores, on the other hand, sell a curated collection of decidedly valuable and high quality items to those discerning enough to seek out unique items with timeless style.

Old Electronics Are Always Sought-After on eBay

However, you can make no mistake with older electronics. Outdated televisions, radios, walkmans, record players, cameras, and things alike are very popular - and not only when it comes to the collectors.

How old must clothes be to be vintage? ›

A generally accepted industry standard is that items made between 20 and 100 years ago are considered "vintage" if they clearly reflect the styles and trends of the era they represent. These clothing items come with a sense of history attached to them, which is one of the reasons they are valued by vintage enthusiasts.

Use search terms and filters.

Add that term into the search bar to narrow down your hunt for the perfect item. And for even more specific results, take advantage of Etsy's search filters. I like searching for a general term like 'vintage ring' and filtering my results by styles that I like. Think Art Deco or boho.”

Poshmark is not a vintage platform. As such, it is not easy to sell vintage. So, sellers must be very strategic about price, inventory, and sourcing items that you can resell on this online store.

As such, the most popular items on the platform are handmade home décor, art prints, handmade bags and purses, custom and handmade wedding accessories, personalized gifts, craft supplies, pet gifts and accessories, vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, and other handmade accessories.

Popular vintage items include jewelry, clothes, accessories, household items, pop culture memorabilia, postcards, photos, vinyl records, cassette and VHS tapes, books, lamps, gadgets of 80s and 90s, toys.

Age - Age plays a big part in how valuable china is to collectors. For example, an antique piece of Rose Medallion china may be worth thousands if it is several hundred years old, while newer pieces of Noritake china are not worth as much.

One of the easiest ways to identify a valuable antique is to look for items made from high-quality materials. For example, an antique made from solid gold or silver is likely to be worth more than an antique made from less expensive alloy metals such as bronze or brass.

Generally speaking if the item is no older than an antique but not less than 20 years, it falls under the term vintage.

So, in the context of this blog date, a vintage item would be made between 1918 and 1978. Even though many vintage items are nostalgic, they are sought after for many reasons besides their age.

Grade A - Items will be in good vintage condition. Some items may still show signs of minor wear and include washable marks or stains but items can be easily restored back to their original condition.

Can you negotiate at vintage clothing stores? ›

Reasonable negotiations are welcome

So don't be afraid to offer a price a little lower than what they are asking. The majority of vendors will work with you and get close on a price because they appreciate the item as much as you do and want to see it go to a good home.

You'll probably wear a size about 4 sizes larger that normal. 1980s and 1990s dresses might be one to two sizes larger than your modern size and still fit like a glove. For this reason I don't like to estimate sizes. I can squeeze into different sized dresses at different stores at the mall.

Most secondhand stores don't wash the clothes before selling them. Donations are typically washed before they're donated, but we still recommend giving them a good cleaning when you get home. Even if the clothes are washed before they hit the thrift store floor, people will have since touched them.

“Most thrift stores do not clean items before they offer them for sale,” says fabric and laundry expert Mary Marlowe Leverette, so keep newly purchased vintage or secondhand pieces apart from your other clothing until they're washed to help prevent mold or odor transfer.

Heres a list of terms often used in collectible culture: Antique: a collectible item at least 100 years old. Vintage: A culturally significant item ranging from 20-99 years in age, worthy of being collected. Authentic, aged pieces in various conditions.

Classic cars, fine art, coins, and stamps are popular collectible asset classes with a high potential ROI. But collectors can also profit from sports cards, celebrity memorabilia, watches, vintage whiskey bottles, old photographs, and even dinosaur bones.

Low contrast – Over time, prints lose contrast, structure, and details. Their edges become blurred and faded. To make a photo look vintage, you have to decrease the contrast while slightly increasing the brightness to create a haze effect. Noise – All old photos have a high level of noise due to bad cameras and lenses.

The '90s clothing and accessories are now officially deemed vintage because we are already two decades on.

Do vintage clothes last longer? ›

Vintage items are able to be reused as they are less processed and therefore longer-lasting compared to fast-fashion garments. Vintage items help prevent clothing from being thrown out in landfills.

' 'The brands experiencing a vintage comeback include Miss Sixty, Miss Me, Von Dutch, Plein Sud, Morgan, Blumarine, Fila, Juicy Couture, Guess, as well as designer fashion houses Jean Paul Gaultier and Roberto Cavalli.

Popular styles included bell bottom pants, frayed jeans, midi skirts, maxi dresses, tie-dye, peasant blouses, and ponchos. Some accessories that will help pull together your early '70s Hippie outfits are chokers, headbands, scarves, and jewelry made of wood, stones, feathers, and beads.

“True Vintage” is an item of clothing that strongly reflects the styles and trends associated with that era it was made. Clothing brands are going out of their way to replicate the look and feel of old band t-shirts from the 90s.

The majority of experts have agreed that items over 50 years old but less than 100 years old can be called vintage or collectable, but not antique.

There is not one rule which fits all in terms of the value of antique items. Typically, antiques are more valuable than vintage items due to their age and historical significance. Antique items in great condition and proven provenance are highly valuable, especially if they are also rare.

Etsy uses a badge that says “rare find” to indicate that there's only one of something, and that's designed to show scarcity, which then makes people feel like they should buy it.

For me, Etsy is the best online marketplace to sell quality vintage items. An important thing to remember is that with this higher end shopping experience on Etsy, potential buyers expect great photos and a personal touch. Again, don't let this deter you from starting.

Etsy's Terms of Service state that sellers can't sell counterfeit or mass-market items, but many sellers ignore the rules. If a seller is caught selling fake merchandise or representing their items as handmade when they're not, the listings can be deactivated or their shops can be shut down.

Poshmark takes commission

Poshmark makes selling easier, but it comes at a cost. For sales under $20, they will take a $3.95 commission. For over that, they take 20% of the sale. So, if you're selling something for like $10, there's not much of a point for the amount of time it takes and the commission.

Should I wash the clothes I sell on Poshmark? ›

Make sure your item is laundered or dry cleaned and free of any odor of fragrance. Lint Free? Remove any lint or hairs that may have landed on your garment.

Our verdict. Mercari once again comes out on top as their commission rates are VERY competitive and favorable for small businesses. However, this doesn't mean that Poshmark is ripping anyone off as they also offer good rates but Mercari edges them out here.

Gifts are the most popular item on Etsy with over 29 million listings. That's more than twice the number of listings as the second most popular item, wall decor.

Craft & Supplies is the top-selling category on Etsy with most sales. You can opt for craft essentials, miniatures, tools for jewelry, beads, and much more. The best selling items on Etsy under this category are: Stickers.

The most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for clothes as an elderly person is comfort. Look for items that are made of soft, natural fabrics like cotton and linen. Avoid anything tight or constricting. And make sure you can move easily in whatever you're wearing.

Timeless fashion is clothing that is not influenced by current trends and will never go out of style. This means that timeless pieces are classic, elegant, and well-made. If you buy a timeless piece, you can wear it for years without looking outdated.

By shopping on a weekday, you'll also see less competition from customers who follow a typical school or workweek schedule. If you're looking for the best time of year to thrift shop, try after a three-day holiday weekend. Many donors use the day off as an opportunity to clear out their closets.

What color tags mean goodwill? ›

Goodwill color codes its price tags for 50% discounts. The “Weekly Discount” color switches every seven days, so it's important that you pay attention while shopping. Blue, yellow, purple, green, red and orange are all common colors you may find on different items throughout the store.

Excellent Vintage Condition means totally sound in condition and appearance, but any wear is a result of having been worn now and then, but the item has been well looked after and stored to still keep good looks. The construction of the garment is sound with no buttons missing or unavailable for matching.

The majority of experts have agreed that items over 50 years old but less than 100 years old can be called vintage or collectable, but not antique.