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 

Droopy And Browns

(You can shop our collection of Droopy and Browns' items here)

For me, the idealism of vintage shopping is that sense of individuality; the opportunity to create a sense of romanticism amongst the mundane nature of day-to-day life. Therefore, it's refreshing to stumble upon a designer who lived their personal life with the same set of ideals. As I've said time and time again - when it comes to vintage shopping, it all comes down to quality; with this in mind, there is no designer who epitomises the spirit of vintage clothing quite like Angela Holmes - the late designer behind the brand that was Droopy and Browns. It's an honour to stumble across such well-made and unique dresses; each garment a piece of history within their own right, so much so that the majority of pieces designed by Angela Holmes are considered limited editions and are increasingly sought after by contemporary collectors. The intricacy and complexity of each garment alone should be enough to grab your attention, but failing that, Angela's passion and story will undoubtedly set a precedent for vintage shopping and hopefully strike a chord with you, thus inspiring you to dip your toe into the waters of vintage dressing. Got your attention? Good. Now here's for the fairytale...

Truth be told, Angela is something of an idol to me; uncompromisingly talented and relentlessly ambitious, she built the label Droopy and Browns off her own back. She avoided mainstream fashion as she simply didn't buy into the idea of "fad fashion" - Angela wanted both longevity and theatricality from her clothes. This love for extravagance can be traced back to her childhood, Angela was one of four children brought up on a Yorkshire farm and always had a penchant for theatricality, putting on shows in which she always played the role of a swooning princess; this offered her a form of escapism from the drudgery of day-to-day life on the farm. It's often noted that Angela was scarred by the death of her mother, and that this led to her locking herself away spending hours at a time drawing pictures of the elegantly dressed women that she had often dressed up as during her childhood. In fact, the first store that Angela bought was one in which she vividly recalled watching her mother shop for couture gowns, thus further fuelling her desire to build a brand which encapsulated the passion that her and her mother both shared. Angela was nostalgic for the days when clothes were beautifully made; she loathed the disposable nature of contemporary fashion, and the use of cheap labour which thus produced poor quality items. Angela's designs were brought to life with blood, sweat and tears; each piece created with a genuine love. She personally oversaw each stage of the process; she worked in natural fabrics, designed and drew many of the prints herself, and had them dyed to her own specifications. 

Yet, as interesting as Angela's biographical details are, she is made all the more inspirational for the sole reason that all of this was not just a business tactic; she lived and breathed the brand's core ideals. Angela was described as enigmatic; acquaintances have said that there was something strangely alluring about the girl with tumbling blonde locks who walked her dogs in the most glamorous of outfits whilst leaving clouds of perfume in her wake. Every single person in the fashion industry has at some point heard the same scornful line - "fashion is selfish, and not culturally significant". Yet, people like Angela Holmes dispel this tired outlook; fashion is a culture; a way to express individuality, a way to stand out from the crowd and embrace individuality, a form of escapism - fashion is anything you want it to be, and more importantly, it allows you to be exactly who you want to be- no restraints, no boundaries and no conformity. Angela Holmes fully embodies the spirit which lies within vintage shopping; we needn't focus on the tiresome and recyclable trends on the catwalk - fashion is self expression. 

Droopy and Browns' clothes are everything you could possibly want from vintage clothing; flamboyant yet feminine, contemporary yet historically influenced. Angela was quirky, she lived everyday as if it were an adventure and dressed accordingly for that; she brightened up the drab reality of everyday tasks and excluded everything that was mundane in the world. She filled her house with flowers and dressed as if each day was a special event. If her fashion influence doesn't inspire you to embrace all that is great about vintage shopping, then I'm not quite sure what will. These Droopy and Browns' items have reawaken my love for fashion and I hope they can do the same for you; they're bold and unashamedly unique, just as fashion should be. If nothing else, Angela proved that every day should be treated as an adventure, so why not dress like it? 

Ted Lapidus

Ah, the Swinging Sixties; arguably the most influential decade in terms of style evolution for both men, and women. Yet, today's post is primarily one for the boys...

There's no denying that the 60's were a culturally defining decade in many ways, and there were four Liverpudlian lads in particular who helped shape and redefine men's fashion... The Beatles were an overwhelming social, cultural and musical phenomenon who dominated an entire decade. In retrospect, it is fair to say that The Beatles epitomised and defined the sixties, thus their sense of style was heavily influential at the time; they possessed the ability to eclipse other fashion trends and truly make their own mark on the industry. So, we were more than excited when we stumbled across this vintage gem; an original Ted Lapidus suit. Ted Lapidus was a fashion entrepreneur who designed the famous white suit worn by John Lennon on the Abbey Road album cover. Lapidus started his fashion career as an apprentice for Christian Dior solely because he didn't have the money to put himself through medical school; yet he went on to revolutionise the fashion world. Lapidus was the first designer to put high fashion fabricating techniques into industrial production; he caused a storm in 1951 by collaborating with Belle Jardiniene and mass producing his designs to sell at the budget label, but as they say....there's no such thing as bad press.

Lapidus went on to become one of the most influential designers of the 60's, not only was John Lennon a fan of his work, but Lapidus was also the first designer to persuade Twiggy to wear a suit and tie as opposed to a mini skirt; Lapidus pushed the boundaries of styling and challenged the trends to turn fashion on its head. He injected a sense of quirkiness into the generation and offered a further breed of fashion to a decade that was already jam-packed with revolutionary styles.

Our Ted Lapidus suit will be available online this week, and is a true investment piece. Owning a suit designed by such a fashion hero from one of the greatest generations of all time has surely got to be the next best thing to having lived through the era first-hand, right? Ah, to have lived in the glory days of seeing The Beatles live in The Cavern Club; the perfect, flicked eyeliner smudged under my eyes and my bouffant askew from all the twisting-and-shouting - what a dream!

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!

Double Act

Co-ordinate sets have taken the fashion world by storm this year, and appear to be continuing their reign of superiority right through AW15. Whether you choose colour-blocking or all-over pattern; sharply tailored or loose fitting - this season is all about matching separates whilst enabling you to pick your own silhouette and relish in individuality.

Vintage M&S check skirt suit - Sold Out  |  Vintage Mondi prep co-ord set - £45 (15% discount code below!)

You can shop our entire collection of vintage co-ordinates and suits here

With the temperatures set to cool as we move into Autumn, we'll shift away from the Summer staple look of a sleek pencil skirt and matching crop top; yet co-ordinates will still reign supreme. Instead we will see a flattering combination of structured tailoring infused with the youthfulness of coordinating prints or colours - think pencil skirts and matching blazers. Admittedly, on the surface, co-co-ordinates seem as if they may be restricting in the sense that 90% of your outfit is now defined by one single print or colour, yet with a few simple tweaks, co-ordinates could be just the double act that your wardrobe needs. If nothing else, co-ordinates are perfect for office-to-dancefloor outfits. A tailored two-piece can look chic in the boardroom whilst also remaining effortless for post-work drinks; the combination of a matching skirt and blazer layered over a sleeveless blouse oozes sophistication, yet layered over a simple camisole the same two-piece instantly becomes more youthful and fresh. A few adjustments to your jewellery, a quick ruffle of your hair and a swift double vodka and you're straight out of office-mode and good to go!

We currently have a 15% discount code running on all orders over £15 until 24/08/14, 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.