Buying vintage clothes is a learning process. The key is to know your bust, waist, and hip measurements, and a whole lot more clothes are opened up to you if you know how to sew or don’t mind paying a bit more to get something altered. For example, I usually look for dresses where the bust measures between 35”-37”, but if something is 34” and has darts (you know those funny sewn lines/triangles in the booby area), then I know it will fit. Also, it is better to go a bit bigger as it can always be taken in.
As far as waist and hip measurements go, if you know what your measurements are, then that is pretty easy to figure out when determining if a dress will fit. Though, I never really run into problems with the hip part of vintage dresses because the styles I usually like are loose and flowy anyways.
In addition, I am a pretty short gal standing at 5 foot exactly, so most dresses are super long on me and have to be hemmed. I usually like the length of my dresses to be right below/at/or slightly above my knee. Since vintage dresses are pretty classic and have blind hems, I like to keep it that way and do blind hems to all my vintage dresses. This is somewhat a pain as I do it by hand, and especially a pain because this particular dress I am wearing is a circle skirt and those are so difficult to hem! At least to me.
You have seen this dress before as it was the dress that Ben gave me for my birthday. I did have to take in the sides just a smidge, but it was the blind hemming that took forever. I sat there with a movie on and blind hemmed away!
on me: dress, vintage from golden fur vintage. belt, thrifted. tights, target. boots, kohls (bought by my mom!). umbrella, vintage.
My girls are absent from this week’s “vintage here, vintage there” because we took these pictures on our way home from church. The girls were in the car eating and we didn’t want to deal with any fighting because I am sure they were in no mood for pictures, especially because it started raining as we were taking them. Good thing, I had the vintage umbrella I bought in Portland in the car ready to be used! I promise to share a plethora of pictures of them this week.
Tutorials on how to do a blind hem: blind hem via Craft, blind hem via threadbanger, blind hem via buzzle
Tutorials on how to hem a circle skirt: hem a circle skirt via burdastyle, narrow hemming via blogforbettersewing video, hemming a circle skirt via gertie’s.
I know some of you want to know about how much vintage dresses may cost, anything else you curious about? Please tell us what else would you like us to share in our “vintage here, vintage there” posts. Don’t forget to head over to Rachel’s and see what she and her gang are wearing “over there“.
vintage here, vintage there: week one
vintage here, vintage there: week two
vintage here, vintage there: week three, part one
vintage here, vintage there: week three, part two
vintage here, vintage there: week four
I love the dress and the umbrella! I want to know how many vintage dresses do you buy every week? 😀
You are so cute! I love the dress and your photos are adorable! :]
a problem I have is that I always go thrifting and find things for EXTREMELY cheap but then when I find myself in a vintage/antique store I have no idea what is a good deal and what is a rip off for vintage dresses, jackets, blouses, shoes, bags, childrens clothes, cameras and houseware items. could you give me some insight on reasonable vintage pricing?
If I was driving down the street and I saw you taking pictures on the side of the road I'd point and say “look at those freakazoids!” I guess that's how you get good pictures! John and I rarely use our gorilla pod or get pictures together for that reason. He thinks people will stare at us. :/ love you freaks.
i win the “my husband is more shy than yours” contest.
i love that last photo of you! it's classic!! 🙂
p.s. because of everything you JUST explained about vintage dresses/measurements, i couldn't get you what i really wanted to get you for christmas… 🙂
thanks for this. It's so helpful. I've been putting off heming a heavy cotton 50s dress I bought a trip to LA a few weeks back. Now you make it sound so simple. Thanks for all the tip links too. Really appreciate it.
x
You are just amasing!
Look how CUTE you are!!!! I love that umbrella!
(and circle skirts are impossible for me to hem, but as with most things I sew, I just assume there will be some error and go with it.)
~Michele
http://www.etsy.com/shop/chelebert12
This was the perfect post, as I just recently decided (thanks to you, pretty much) that I want to wear vintage. I also freakishly purchased a vintage little girls coat for my nonexistant child. Don't tell.
Either way, I've been scouring Etsy for dresses for my husband to buy for me for Christmas. I just am not sure about the sizing, since they all say “this garment was measured flat”. Does that matter? Will it change vs. what I measure around my bust/waist?
Those boots are just adorable! I have a question about buying vintage dresses – what is your method for cleaning them after the initial purchase, and have you ever run into any problems with fabric care that happen more often with vintage than in everyday life?
LOVE this dress!
Hi,
You look so adorable and i LOVE LOVE the umbrella. You made me want to wear vintage dresses more. I want that boots too. Thanks for always making me smile each day with your blog. xoxo
khanh- if you are a size 7, get the boots here:http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/shoes/bootsnew/womensboots/anklebooties/PRD~687770/ELLE+Ryder+Ankle+Boots.jsp
can't beat $23!
yes, i'm a size 7. thank you Ruby. you're the best!
khanh- did you get it?!! isn't that a great price! my mom got it when it was regular priced (but used her kohls discounts), so that $23 is a steal of a deal! xo
I love that umbrella… it has such an unique shape! And you know I love your dress. My problem is just the opposite… I'm 5'10″ so a lot of times, things are too short. I would love to find some 1960's or 50's wool skirts. I look for that era styling in modern clothes and it's just so hard to find!
Oh my, I love the dress BUT that dress with the cutsy umbrella is such a good combo! LOVE LOVE LOVE your vintage posts.
Love that dress..and oh my that umbrella is great!!
I too feel your pain with hemming circle skirts!! I sometimes cheat and just use a serged hem….yipes:)
This is a super cute post – and a super cute dress too! I am five feet nothin' too, and it's encouraging to see how other girlies deal with the “length thing”.