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A Guide to a Perfect Vintage Style

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Leeds chapter.

A Guide To A Perfect Vintage Style

 

If you are a fashion insider you may have noticed that vintage clothing is hot right now. So, as always: here is some advice on how to rock it!

 

Fashion is like energy; it can never be destructed, only transformed. The recent come back of different styles from past eras is proof of this. It could be due to the hipster wave, an influence of the Californian style, or basically as a result of a nostalgic feeling, but the truth is that wearing our parent’s denim jacket is now cool.

 

The Eternal Question: What is Vintage?

Usually people think that everything you find in a second hand store is vintage. In fact, a vintage a piece of clothing is anything more than 20 years old, but not old enough to be considered an antique (from before 1920s). Retro clothes have also become popular recently, with a clear intention to emulate the past: mainly the 50s or 60s.

 

The advantage of the vintage trend is that it is easy to recreate and can also be found inside your mum´s wardrobe. But be careful, because if you go over the top it can look like you are wearing a costume! In order to avoid this catastrophe and to help you pull off this trend, we have created a list of the essential items for any Vintage girl’s wardrobe.

 

1) Denim Forever

It could be because of the versatility or because it is a long-lasting fabric, but in any Vintage wardrobe you are going to find at least one pair of mum jeans (preferably Levis), a cool skirt (usually A-line) and last but not least, a shirt that is half jacket, half top and suits every occasion.

 -A fashion tip: if you are going to combine denim over denim, (which is very fashionable at the moment) make sure that the tone of both of the pieces is the same.

 

 

 

2) Get The Print

Vintage shirts usually have prints or pastel colours which make them very easy to wear either with skirts or dark trousers.

-A fashion tip: knotting the bottom of the shirt is always a good way of achieving an effortless, cool, and very sexy look.

 

 T-shirts with messages on are now everywhere, and they are a typical vintage item. My suggestion is that if you want to have a more original shirt than the ones you can get on the high street, go to a Vintage store where you can find the perfect one.

 

3) Movie Coat

The retro coat: it may sound silly but this is the main difference between the two kinds of girls who are experts in vintage. You can either have the fur coat; a key piece for anyone who likes simple outfits, but wants to look stylish at the same time. Or the American baseball jacket; amazing in itself and as soon as you wear it you become the centre of attention.

-A Fashion Tip: It can be difficult to decide which style you want to wear, but my advice is to wear the Marilyn Monroe style fur coat on weekends with a small bag, and the Grease-style baseball jacket on the weekdays, styled with a pair or Converse or sneakers.

If you are the type of girl that sees pictures on Tumblr and immediately wants every single piece of clothing… then this is your style.

 

I hope this quick guide will help you find exciting uses for old clothes and new ideas on how to combine them.

 

All photo credits Silvia Calvo: https://www.instagram.com/silvis_cs/

 

Author: Silvia Calvo