Vintage Markets.

Ah, January; a month of good intentions and fresh starts. Admittedly, it's somewhat refreshing and enjoyable to see people try new things as they bravely tackle their new years resolutions thus leaving the security of the comfort zone in the previous year. However, those countless style resolutions that are uttered at the closing hours of December 31st by women everywhere? They're often the ones that are most difficult to keep. Allow me to both elaborate, and offer a solution...

I could write a fairly gruelling screenplay about the horrors of shopping the high street in the January sales, complete with Alfred Hitchcock-esque creepy music. The clothes, the crowds, the chaos; that's an alliteration of justified fears right there. Then there's the horror of what lies within your own shopping bags when you return home in a dazed and confused state sporting multiple bruises and blisters; impulse buying is just the worst thing. You buy things on the sole premiss of them being a bargain, but then you slowly realise that you'll never wear them and they get cast deep into the dark abyss of your over-flowing wardrobe - is that really value for money? We've all been there, and this year I'm keen to avoid falling into the same relentless cycle. 

So, what are your options for January shopping? Do you go a full month without a fashion fix? Of course not; you simply head to your nearest vintage flea market. As clichéd as it may sound, January really is the perfect time for a style revolution, but the high street always finds itself in the same predicament as its customers at that time of year. They're keen to get rid of the old stock in preparation for the Spring collections. So whilst the gigantic red signs donning the seductive words "50% off" are undeniably alluring, you just end up falling back into the same routine of chasing the ever elusive and evolving trends, wasting both money and individuality along the way. Yet, a flicker of hope remains; vintage shopping allows you to invest in quality pieces at reasonable prices and you can rest easily knowing that your outfit will be unique. It's also surprisingly easy to keep up with the latest trends when wearing vintage. For example, the fashion of the 1970's is set to make a huge comeback in S/S15; so whilst the high street is currently clearing out the dregs of their stockroom in preparation for rail upon rail of mass produced 70's "inspired" clothing, you could be picking up a genuine 1970's piece for a fraction of the price at a vintage flea market. Case in point: last week, I purchased a genuine 1970's suede mini-dress for £25, whilst last year I paid £65 for a faux suede skirt on the high street; work that one out.  

So, this Sunday we'll be packing up our finest vintage garments and heading to Shepton Mallet's Flea and Collectors Market to give you all the chance to come down and get your hands on some new clothes and inject a bit of real style into your yearning wardrobes. This particular fair has over 200 stands inside, and even more stalls outside for those of you brave enough to tackle to the freezing temperatures. Thankfully, we'll be located inside. We'll be taking a substantial amount of stock and even some of our specialist items, including some vintage Silver Cross prams and some of our most luxurious vintage fur coats for you to have a gander at. On Friday,we'll be posting a more detailed blog post about the type of stock we'll be taking, and more information about the actual market and what you can expect to find there.

We look forward to seeing you all! 

The Fur Debate...

Fur is perhaps the most controversial subject in the fashion world with fierce debates on the topic which have spanned over the course of decades, therefore it is often a difficult subject to broach.  As a concept, the selling of vintage clothing encourages the utilisation of all materials in a bid to promote sustainability, which means that we do sell vintage fur but we do so in accordance with the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations, and hence have a "no new fur" policy. 

In regard to selling fur, I feel that it is necessary to address the issues and history that comes with such a controversial topic rather than to shy away from them, yet I do so with an open mind. The 90's saw perhaps one of the biggest anti-fur movements in contemporary history, with PETA's supermodel led campaign  entitled "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur". Yet, in recent years fur has unabashedly crept back into the limelight with some of the faces (Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell) of that same campaign wearing fur. At the end of the day, fur comes down to personal preference and most of you will have had your minds made up on the topic well before stumbling onto this post so it would be unethical for us to either encourage or discourage our buyers on such a sensitive matter; however we feel that it is necessary to approach the subject with both honesty and sensitivity.  

With the main issues addressed, I will say that our collection of fur is presented in excellent condition - no stains, no odours or balding - such is the quality of vintage fur. Vintage fur is often referred to as "glamour without the guilt", and this is something worth considering if you are going to buy fur; you get the same luxury and quality without the animals of today dying. It almost makes sense to recycle vintage garments rather than to hide them away at the back of a closet whilst waiting around for this ethical dilemma to be solved; this way it avoids the unnecessary sourcing of new fur. Debbie Berwick, a well-renowned vintage retailer states “As long as the animals aren't going to be killed now, the coats that are here now, I cant see any problem re-wearing them. I don't like the fact that they're going to be killing animals in the future but I cant see the problem in wearing vintage." 

Regardless of your own personal stance on the matter, there is no denying that fur -  real or faux -will be big news this winter with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Lily Allen and Kate Moss all being snapped wearing designs of real fur. Style and fashion aside, these celebrities applaud the unique luxury, warmth and ecologically-conscious properties that go along with choosing authentic vintage fur over man-made materials. We stock a wide variety of vintage fur which can be found here, with more to be added. The images above are both taken from our collection with the white fur coat being almost identical to the famous fur coat worn by Marilyn Monroe. Our collection is of phenomenal quality and luxurious design 

The Minimalist

• With temperatures already starting to cool, we're beginning to see our brief summer draw to a close. As depressing a thought as that is, a shred of excitement remains by seeing what trendy treats AW15 has in store for us. AW15 will see the revival of one of my favourite trends: Minimalism. The Minimalist trend has been championed by the likes of Alexander Wang for years; we will finally get a chance to pay homage to the sleek era of the 1990s which saw catwalk giants such as Calvin Klein and Helmut Lang dominate the scene with key pieces in luxe fabrics which oozed both sophistication and simplicity at once. The Minimalist is elegant without being in your face; it is simple yet luxurious; pared down but on point - relaxed but never boring. 

Shop our entire collection here

To channel The Minimalist trend, you should keep your eyes peeled for details such as spaghetti straps, square cut necklines and luxe, delicate materials that are reminiscent of  the boudoir trend; but the key thing to look out for will be silhouette - The Minimalist is all about loose fitting styles which move fluidly as you walk.  For a more daring take on The Minimalist, look out for plunging necklines but aim for a longer hem than you would normally consider. If done carefully, The Minimalist trend can ooze sexuality in an understated way due to the lingerie-inspired materials which move in tandem to your body - skimming over any problem areas whilst clinging to your shape briefly enough to subtly suggest the possibility of sensuality. It's also best to stick to a palette of black, navy, camel, grey and white, and most importantly of all - don't be tempted to overdo the accessories!

We can't wait to embrace this pivotal trend of the 1990s, but we know that the best way to do this is through vintage clothing! As I've said time and time again, an original will always be more fascinating than a replica - let's immortalise this crucial trend by wearing something which lived a life of its own in that very decade!

Prep School

The prep-school look is a trend that is recycled year after year on the catwalks; championed by designers such as Ralph Lauren and Henry Holland - yet instead of growing tiresome, the look remains timeless season after season. The quirky prints, cute coordinates and minimalistic accessories have been big news this year already, and it looks as if the preppy look will prevail through AW14.  However, this year the preppy look has got a new edge, moving away from the prim and proper Kate Middleton look that was popular in 2011, and instead taking inspiration from the ultimate 90s icon: Cher Horowitz from Clueless.

This season's preppy look distances itself from the more modest vibes of the past and instead pays tribute to the vintage inspired campus looks of Clueless: think chunky platforms, tartan blazers and understated make-up. This season is all about quality labels and quirky styles; it's about having fun with fashion and encapsulating the vibrancy of youth whilst embracing grown-up tailoring for that crucial silhouette to bring the whole look together. With tailoring playing such a crucial role, it's important to invest in quality pieces that will maintain that key structure and shape, which is why vintage clothing is your best friend when it comes to mastering this look; vintage clothes have proved they're worth their salt when it comes to standing the test of time and longevity. So, here at the Vintage Clothing Collection, we transported ourselves back to the 90s and created some looks that could have just as easily stepped out of Cher Horowitz's enviable walk-in wardrobe.

Yellow tartan Mondi check jacket - Coming Soon to our Etsy shop

Vintage Mondi black and red blazer - £34

The 90's preppy look is something to really have fun with and can add some much needed colour and print into AW14 fashion; so enjoy yourself and try out some new looks whilst emulating one of the most fashion forward films of the generation. Just like vintage shopping, the 90s revival is all about having fun and experimenting with fashion.

We currently have a 15% discount code running on all our items, visit our shop here and use the code VINTAGE15 at checkout!

Vintage Vixen's - The Olsen Sisters

Even the most stylishly elite of celebrities often gush about their love of vintage clothing; the Olsen sisters have grazed the covetable cover of Vogue many times and have fully established themselves amongst the best dressed within Hollywood, whilst their love of vintage clothing remains second to none. Mary-Kate's engagement ring is even vintage Cartier, with an eye-watering price tag of $81,000.

Mary-Kate and Ashley both play with proportions in regard to their style; despite being famously petite, they wear a lot of oversized clothes whilst maintaining a sense of relaxed and timeless elegance. Ashley Olsen loves the 1920/30s so much, that she famously lent her collection of 1920/30s dresses to Baz Lurhmann for his adaptation of The Great Gatsby in 2012. Coincidently, the film adaptation of Scott. F. Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" saw a style epidemic of the 1920's, with the high-street going wild for heavily embellished dresses reminiscent of the flappers decade, however the 1920's had been a trend that the Olsen sisters had been championing for years.

Several years ago, the press dubbed the Olsen's 1920s infused style as "trashcan chic", mocking it as a trend which would be difficult to follow for those of us who do not live the red carpet lifestyle, yet the Gatsby revolution turned this on its head. The loose fitting silhouettes give a subtle glimpse of sexuality through the fluid movement of soft silks embellished by sequins which shimmer in even the dimmest of light. Providing that 1920's vintage pieces are styled in the right way, they can add dimension and character to a modern outfit, blending the old romanticism of the decade with the more minimalistic look which is in fashion today.

This 1920's inspired silk blouse is available from our Etsy store, and is the only one available and therefore we only have the one size (M). The detailing on this piece is simply stunning, with intricate beading added dimension which is complimented by the partially sheer and fluid-like material. Although it is only available in a size M, you needn't be put off if you are a smaller size; it can still be easily styled as an oversized piece in a similar style to that of the Olsen sisters, or even layered over an understated black outfit to transform a look. Elizabeth Olsen recently wore a kimono with similar detailing to a premiere and paired it with a bodycon, floor length dress - by wearing such a figure hugging piece underneath, the layering of this loose kimono was able to add character to her outfit and ensured that her style was the prime focus of the evening.

The Vintage CC Team

In With The Old

First things first - welcome to the first official blogpost from The Vintage Clothing Collection - where we'll be posting regular style tips, lookbooks and plenty of general vintage fashion musings and/or ramblings. We're passionate about all things vintage and hope to inspire the same enthusiasm within you.

Over the past few years, there has been an explosion of interest in vintage fashion; with the likes of Kate Moss stepping out in some of the most coveted of vintage finds, the curiousness and sense of intrigue soon turned to a frenzy in which vintage fashion finally cemented its place in the fashion world. Today's shoppers are shunning the drudgery of mass produced trends and are instead searching for individualistic pieces that the high street could never hope to deliver. The fact is that most high street pieces now imitate the styles of decades gone by; why wear a replica when there are originals just waiting to be stumbled across? I would personally rather wear a genuine 1920's flapper dress with the romance of wonderment as to the story behind it than a mass-produced number from off the rails of my local Topshop.

Vintage clothing allows us to transcend beyond the overblown hype of regurgitated looks from the high street and find out our own personal style rather than remaining blinkered as to what is currently deemed as "fashionable"; the truth remains that fashion is temporary whereas style is eternal. So why not lose yourself in the pursuit for a one-of-a-kind piece of history? My first vintage buy was a 1960s shift dress that I would have never even considered taking to the fitting rooms had I seen it on the high street, but something about the silhouette captured my eye, and the rest - as they say - is history. At the time, everybody else was wearing Celeb Boutique bodycon dresses, so my 1960s find allowed me to stand out and not have to be overcome with the unifying horror of "what if I walk in this bar and somebody else has this dress on?" It was liberating.

So, my advice to you vintage virgins? Drop all of your inhibitions and expectations, and just browse. No pressure, no drama. Just embrace the feeling that comes with accidentally stumbling across something that you never would have considered before; vintage shopping should remain primarily fun if nothing else. Whether you hone in on just one small detail of a piece - be that a pattern, or something as miniscule as a detail on one button - leave your comfort zone behind and let your true sense of style run wild. You'll never look back.