Clothes make a man because they have the ability to improve his appearance,  image and even credentials.  The right clothes can enhance a man’s positivity and confidence, serve as a protection, disguise, or even inspiration. Looking magnificent harnesses feelings of achievement that inspire success. 

Invest In The Man You Want To Be

One of the great joys in life is shopping but I am not entirely sure most men would agree.  However, I really believe there is not a man alive who does not love how he looks in new, well chosen clothes.  Therefore, in order to look the part, a certain amount of retail exposure is required but is it really necessary to go to all the trouble of trying things on and searching through rails of garments?

Dressing well is a skill which can be acquired but this takes an investment of time, energy and a certain amount of enthusiasm. In order to hone this skill, the apprentice sartorial specialist must be willing to learn, explore and most importantly make the odd fashion faux pas, as this is part of the initiation into the fraternity of style.

This hard work and dedication is always rewarded and the earlier experimentation begins, the better; some individuals can take a long time to learn about their particular style whereas others take to dressing like a fish to water. 

A really good piece of advice is to take some shots of yourself in the various designs and looks that you feel attracted to.  Lay these shots out alongside each other and make comparisons, be objective and honest in your criticism, let yourself be informed and the result will be a really good beginning of your own personal style. 

Do not be afraid to experiment, if you like it and it feels right then go for it.  Are you thinking of Cary Grant in his fine silk cashmere sweater, baggy chinos held together with a loosely rolled silk scarf, in place of a traditional leather belt.  Do you remember how elegantly he rocked those moccasins without wearing any socks?  Who would have said that this look would work and yet it does, it has such an elegant refined quality worth emulating. 

All The World’s A Stage

According to Mr William Shakespeare: ‘the apparel oft proclaims the man’, in fact our contemporary notion, of a man’s identity being defined by what he wears, is not a new one.  During the 16th century what you wore was such a potent indication of your wealth and social status that it was considered an essential element in defining a person’s class.

Clothes are vastly more affordable today but what a person decides to wear does nevertheless reveal a lot about their personality and can, whether it be for the good or ill, define an individual.  Clearly image can be enhanced or damaged so readily by what we wear that it is worth taking the time to consider this before we allow ourselves to be characterized.

The way we dress speaks volumes to the world; we can say we feel a little glum today as we shuffle along in our baggy jeans and hoodie or on the other hand present an energetic vibrant front in our fresh muscle bound T and slim-fit blues or reveal a dynamic originality by reaching for a smooth supple leather biker jacket, soft cashmere neck scarf, and rolled up chinos.  

The savvy dresser may simply turn to the polished elegance which can only be found in a finely tailored suit because in the immortal words of ZZ Top we are all ‘…crazy ‘bout a sharp-dressed man’.  When you put an effort into your appearance the world treats you differently;  you are given more respect and dignity which bodes well for thinking carefully about how you present yourself.  Dressing well and creating an image which you feel comfortably defines your individuality becomes easier with practice, it is liberating, not to mention useful and is definitely worth capitalizing on.

Doors Open Up For A Sharp Dressed Man

Everybody wants to be seen talking to the best dressed guy on the street, in the room or at a nightclub.  This is the man who has an air of success and distinction, the one whom we all agree is going places or has perhaps already arrived.  The key to success involves maintaining this façade which requires dedication and commitment.  

The image once contrived is like a mask and should never be let slip as it forms a public perception of the individual and deviation may induce suggestions of doubt.  

All this sounds a little taxing and the difficulty is of course sustaining motivation, however, there are many advantages to maintaining this public face: trust, recognition, enhanced reputation, respect and inclusion.   Once the individual begins on this path of identification with image it becomes clear that large amounts of discipline and dedication are required in the initial stages.  After a period of time it all becomes much easier as habits and routines form. 

Soon you become aware of the benefits of dressing in a distinctive style and begin to appreciate the knowledge of knowing what to wear and how to wear it, at this point you have ownership of your persona and can take control of how others perceive you.  

Devoted To The Image

The suit, though not the solution to every occasion, is traditionally a firm favorite when one wants to make a serious impact.  Conspicuous and yet subtle, it is no coincidence that the suit became firmly associated with success; it provided a façade behind which true identity is hidden and its uniformity assured its acceptance and confirmed it as a shape synonymous with success.   

In his self help guide Dress for Success, John T MolloRhonda Byrne’s The Secret (links to Amazon.com) where it is recommended you imagine your best future, whether that be sitting behind the wheel of a Ferrari or sitting on your terrace in Monaco.  

Manifesting a new reality using visualization can truly support the individual in search of an identity with which to connect and embrace.  Creating a mood board using images, colors and styles which are inspiring can really help to clarify and hone individual style by anchoring it to particular looks the wearer finds attractive.

It Is All In The Eye

Most of us are heavily influenced by the visual and it is said that we make up our mind about an individual in the first three seconds of meeting them.  

Clothing, be it a simple, relaxed, finely knit sweater, cleverly emblazoned sweatshirt or conservative suit, can act as a vehicle of self promotion for the wearer, nonetheless, one point remains clear in all research conclusions; quality counts.  In other words the great general public are perfectly capable of distinguishing between a refined quality item of clothing and a mass-produced, off-the-rack garment and will evaluate the wearer based on what they perceive them to be wearing.

In research, conducted by Professor Pine, the general public were asked for their instant response to two separate images of a man, whose face was hidden.  It became clear that although the man’s face was not shown and the suits were almost identical, the public could determine which image they felt made the greatest impression: the tailored suit in preference to the ready-made suit was the outright choice.  The findings of the test confirmed for Professor Pine ‘…that people are influenced by subtle features, such as the cut of a suit, which has a powerful impact on judgements of personality and professional status.’

Ask yourself why any diplomat, leader or businessman arrives wearing a suit for briefings, interviews and meetings.  These leaders have found that a conservative, invariably navy, well tailored suit speaks to the public and confirms for them that their trust is well placed and they, in being entrusted with the mantle of responsibility, are anxious to fulfill expectations.  The suit has the capacity of being able to communicate messages of authenticity, competence and dependability and it ensures that the wearer presents every appearance of being able to execute their role successfully.

The individual and in this case the man, who does not carefully consider the image he projects to the world is doing himself a disservice.  Although admittedly all this may sound superficial, visual communication is commonly used in the animal kingdom, to ward off intruders and of course to impress, and we human animals share the same instincts, albeit in bespoke suits! 

What is it about clothes that makes us happy?  Could this feeling of satisfaction really come from simply wearing colors or patterns that lift our mood or could it be attributed to the ease of cut or design that makes our day that bit more comfortable or is it that we find a psychological support from our clothes that cannot be derived from anywhere else?  Can the design of clothing empower or even create a facade or protective armor behind which we can hide the real fragile self?

Clothes make you happy because they enable the wearer to assume an identity to portray to the world; dressing can be a form of escapism and what we wear may or may not be a true reflection of how we feel or who we are but clothing is a form of protection in every sense of the word.  

Who Do You Want To Be Today?

Do you remember your dressing up box when you were a child?  What fun assuming a different identity at will; this morning a nurse, this afternoon a teacher and tomorrow I will be a shopkeeper.  What dynamic lives we led as children but somewhere along the way that fun, spontaneity and variety is replaced by the relentless repetition of mundane routine and responsibility.  There remains, however, one all embracing release from this imprisonment of adult sobriety; clothing and color open the doors to imagination and escape.   

Even if you must wear a uniform or are restricted by company rules while you are at work, you can still find a form of self expression through your clothing, be it your underwear, travelling to work clothes or how you decide to dress in your free time.  Dressing is a form of escapism and empowerment which we can use to our advantage.  

Science Supports The Theory

Experts in the field of psychological science have conducted studies on how what  individuals wear impacts on their attitude and performance.  In their now famous lab coat experiment of 2012 Adams and Galinsky studied the influence that the exact same white lab coat had on the individual and their attentiveness.   

In one part of the test individuals were divided into three groups: one group were given what they were told was a doctor’s coat to wear, the second group were given what they were told was an artist’s painting coat and the third group were told to simply look at a white doctor’s coat lying on a table in front of them.  

The test revealed markedly different results; those who wore what they understood were doctor’s coats were more observant and did better than those who believed they were wearing painter’s coats or indeed those simply looking at the doctor’s coat on the table.  It seems that the first group who wore what they understood to be doctor’s coats were influenced by associations they made with that garment.   

The study inspired Adams and Galinky to first coin the term ‘enclothing cognition’ which describes the effect and impact that clothes have on the wearer’s emotional and intellectual activity.  

Another study by Professor Karen Pine concluded that the color and clothing design you wear on a specific day is a reflection of your mood and can in turn not only influence how you are perceived by others but also affect your behavior and as a consequence impact on personal happiness.  

Thus it appears that scientific studies concur with the fact that clothing can exact a mental and behavioral persuasiveness on the wearer and consequently this suggests that the wearer’s frame of mind can be modified by their choice of clothing.  

It Is Just Common Sense

These studies while useful and supportive to the theory that clothes make us happy do not really present any fundamentally new concepts and in fact a lot of this is just common sense which our predecessors were fully in agreement with.

Who hasn’t heard the expression: ‘ get your glad rags on!’ or the old proverb: ‘fine feathers make fine birds’.  In fact I remember seeing magazines in the 1980s regularly emblazoned with the logo: ‘Dress for Success’, as inspired by John T Molloy’s book of the same name.  In the early 80s Molloy’s subsequent ‘77 edition, which gave advice to women, formed part of the inspiration which assisted women in the strategy of dressing for business.

Dressing Like You Mean It

It was during the eighties, a decade of legendary shoulders, and heroic earrings, echoing the rotund robustness of Captain America’s shield that women began to explore a new found identity and independence which brought a freedom and feeling of self-worth that inspired feelings of importance and value. 

Women learnt to compete in a previously male dominated environment supported by the power suit, giving them the attitude and courage required to succeed in business.  Those shoulders gave one the feeling of being bigger, more powerful and capable of taking on the world.  Women began to visualize success and climbing the corporate ladder became a reality for the well suited career woman.

Identification and Visualization

When inhabiting a character, actors come to rely on and appreciate the value of props and in reality that is exactly what clothes are, a type of prop or support for the actor.  The actor’s inspiration for their character is often informed and enlightened by the costume department’s choice of clothing.  

Norma Jeane Baker revealed that she created her own alter ego the iconic siren Marilyn Monroe and when she removed the guise she could quite literally melt into a crowd without fear of recognition.  

The glamorous facade that she created inspired that walk and breathy speech that became so synonymous with the actress that eventually her true identity became almost indiscernible.  

This ability to take on a new identity simply by wearing clothing which inspires looks of admiration and desire exemplifies the power of clothing in creating a brand new unique external appearance.  The power to manipulate how people judge or perceive is in the wearer’s control as is the mantle of happiness associated with having that autonomy and power..

Color Lights The Way

We all have our color preferences; some people like to dress in conservative shades of navy, black or beige and others throw themselves into wild colorful jazzy patterns which although lively are not always flattering.

Color analysis, advice and guidance proved to be big business in the 80s and early 90s when it reached its zenith; I remember feeling quite sorry for those women who came armed with cards of colors limiting them to specific shades, confiding that they were ‘a light spring’ or ‘a warm spring’ and watching their faces drop in disappointment when the jacket they fell in love with just was not the exact shade of blue they were permitted to wear.  

Personal color analysis is not an exact science and although perhaps a useful way to encourage an individual to coordinate their wardrobe, it is rather restrictive.   By limiting the wearer to certain shades, the benefits of the joy, spontaneity and self expression associated with allowing oneself to be enveloped by a particularly uncharacteristic acidic shade of yellow or vibrant orange is lost.  There is no point in wearing the exact color that matches your skin tone if you are miserable doing so.

Chromotherapy or color therapy, a practice from antiquity, addresses and treats mental or physical illness and is accepted as a complementary medicine.  It is an area within which there is still a lot of study to be done but RLT or red light therapy has been accepted as a treatment for helping to rejuvenate the skin. 

Many in the cosmetic industry now extol the benefits of light therapy; in particular those of yellow light therapy which increases wound healing and also with blue light therapy which targets acne causing bacteria.  

The benefits of the natural world clothed in harmonious shades and hues is undisputed and all of us have at one stage or another found ourselves wandering along a leafy path feeling a quiet calm descend over us as we are enveloped in green.   Color can therefore as we have experienced guide your mood in a positive direction.

Put On The Person You Want To Be Today

In order to feel a greater sense of worth and well being an individual should dress for success or for a successful outcome as dressing in uninspiring clothing and colors can only produce negative results.

The right clothes enfold your body in the arms of comfort, enhance your mood and confidence.   If you feel good about how you look and what you are wearing you can deal with any event throughout the day.

When you wake up tomorrow, go to your wardrobe and pull out that outfit you are keeping for best or better days because that is today!  Happiness is a feeling you deserve right now, so create it for yourself by wearing that outfit that will take you there.

If as they say you are what you eat then YOU can be what you wear!  

To wear vintage clothing be a total purist, assume the complete look of the period, include fragrance, hairstyle, cosmetics or bring a vintage piece right up to date with the latest styling and accessories, alternatively realize successful pairing with contemporary high street and vintage high end.

The Purist

I remember in the late 80s in Dublin there was this young woman who caught my and everyone else’s attention. Why did she stand out from the crowd?  

Fashion in the 80s

Imagine a mullet haircut or big perm, thick eyebrows, wide shouldered voluminous unstructured shirts and jackets, big plastic earrings, wide legged gathered or pleated culotte pants, rara skirts, chained crucifixes, or shapeless sweatshirts and pants. 

A dedicated follower of vintage

Against that background picture a slim petite pixie faced purist, sporting the clean sharp lines of a mod bob, complete with heavily defined kohled eyes, false eyelashes, finely plucked eyebrows, dressed in a chic semi-fitted double breasted box jacket and an A-line mini skirt, green opaque honeycomb tights and square low heeled Mary Janes.   Have you got Mary Tyler Moore in your head?

Purity is a commitment

Now this young woman lived up to the 60s mod image that she obviously identified with and she deserves the name purist as she presented her vintage look impeccably right down to the gloves and handbag.  

I often wondered how long it must have taken her to get ready in the morning and how challenging it must have been for her to find new pieces that represented how she felt and still helped her to maintain that retro look that she was so committed to.  

Letting the mask slip

In fact she grew older with this era and a decade later she was still to be seen sporting the 60s mod but it just didn’t seem to work as well on her as she aged, that crisp freshness was missing and I could never work out if she had let her standards slip or if she had grown a little tired of maintaining her purist philosophy towards vintage.

The moral to this story is if you are going to wear vintage then you have to decide how committed you are and if you are going to be able to maintain it.  Nothing looks more gruesome than a half hearted attempt at purist vintage dressing, it just looks jaded.  

The Coordinator

There is of course an alternative way to approach vintage which involves taking a piece, be it a suit, dress, coat or even coat dress and combining it with the latest and most up to date styling; shoes or boots, bag, scarfs, belts, jewelry, complemented by contemporary hairstyles and makeup. 

Thereby bringing the total look right up to date whilst being totally original and unique at the same time.  

Wearing vintage in the 90s

The idea of combining vintage and contemporary is not a new one and was common in the mid 90s.  The fashion world called this look ‘Grunge’, a title I have never liked as it sounds like some unwanted surprise you have to scrape off your shoe upon your return from a walk in a public park.  

Grunge

Actually I remember when ‘Grunge’ hit the catwalks, and was being publicized in all the top fashion magazines; how very disappointed I felt when I made the comparison between it and the clean lines of the mind blowing highly desirable designs from Versace made popular by the ‘fabulous four’: Naomi, Claudia, Helena and Linda. 

Think of the Versace safety pin dress, or the cute little citrus boucle single breasted mini suit, so inspiring and empowering.  What a relief in 1994 when Herve Leger who, along with his iconic Bandage dress, pushed against Grunge and its drippy attempted imitation of the 70s hippy look.

Being a victim of vintage trends

Grunge really did culminate in looking as if the wearer had rolled out of bed and pulled on any old jumble found lying around, what a mess. 

Unless you were a statuesque, long limbed, waif-like creature, you ran the risk of looking as though you were dressed in your big sister’s cast-offs and were feeling so miserable about it that you could not even manage to brush your hair but rather let it fall straggly and unkempt in your eyes.  

Finding the correct combination

In fact there were those who wore the Grunge that actually looked as though they were homeless but on the other hand, other more imaginative dressers found the joy of layering a 20s silk chiffon tea dress over a fine knit ivory sleeveless lycra wolford bodysuit, combining it with stripped or floral leggings and thick soled doc martins or shorts, and invariably topping the whole look off with a pale blue cropped fitted denim jacket and accessorizing with shades and ivory straw baseball cap trimmed to compliment, thus creating a successful pairing between vintage and contemporary.  

Sourcing the look

That was the one real bonus about 90s grunge, there was a lot more early vintage to 

choose from out there and being so readily available it was priced realistically.  Meaning that it was possible to source those twenties and thirties gossamer tea dresses and pair them very successfully with 90s leggings and leather jackets. 

Sadly now it is almost impossible to find vintage from this era in a wearable condition at an affordable price.   

Coordinator par excellence

A successful vintage coordinator will know which eBay seller, thrift shop or online vintage vendor to go to when searching for that unique item that they will work around, combining with contemporary high street pieces to create a look which is unique and invariably affordable. 

Think Laura Ashley’s 70s Prairie dress combined with this season’s hiking boots; the 80s Lady Di high necked frill blouse layered under a  2021 pants suit; Escada’s 90s military boleros and jackets teamed with contemporary jeans or cropped pants. 

The Soloist

This special individual is that fashionable talent that can recognize and utilize quality, whether it is a vintage courtier piece or perhaps one that carries the prestigious label of Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel.  

The skill of the Soloist is to carry off a vintage piece with such aplomb that we mere mortals are left feeling confused and question if it is hot off this season’s couturier catwalks and if so how did we miss such a jewel?

A flair for fashion

The ingenuity of the Soloist is such that they have a natural instinct, a sort of  intuitive timing.  While at one with the mood of a moment, very often they are ahead of the curve and the vintage piece they wear invariably seems to either have distinct parallels with the more visible contemporary versions or are very soon followed by similar styles.  

The correct measure

One of the key attributes of a Soloist is the ability to recognize the moment when less is more and this is where they get their name as they are famed for using one key vintage piece to make a statement.  The impact is heightened by the caliber of the item. 

Success lies in selecting a distinctive yet subtle piece which has the attributes of quality whilst paradoxically at the same time being of such distinct style it is impossible to assign to any particular period.  

Who makes the grade?

If the item is a quality piece any age group has the ability to wear it successfully without it being obviously fashion from another era.   Excellent fabric, cut and finish will assure that the vintage item will be capable of carrying the burden of passing off this look as one of the moment.

Vintage Icons

Think of the quality of a vintage Chanel jacket teamed with a crisp white cotton shirt and jeans or McQueen’s iconic 1995 single breasted swallow jacket worn over a plain turtle neck and fitted skirt in color block of ivory or black; Christian Lacroix’s jewel embellished dresses from the late 80s lend themselves to any age and always command stunned gazes of admiration as have my personal favorite Claude Montana and his edgy silhouette executed in color blocks giving the female form the greatest power and visual impact. 

The Soloist knows that quality will carry you anywhere and enhances the wearer.  

Obviously it may not always be possible for everyone to afford to acquire such famed vintage paragons of fashion, sourcing quality vintage items is a definite skill which requires dedication and contacts, many of whom you stumble across in online quests for vintage apparel. 

Essentially the fewer mediators you involve in sourcing your piece the more affordable it is.  Researching and unearthing less well known fashion peers from an era will bring rewards of uniqueness and timeless style.  

Buy vintage at live or online auction sites -eBay, Etsy or from individuals on Instagram. Charity stores, Markets, house clearance or commission a vintage fashion hunter to source a piece on your behalf.

The advantage of many online sites is that there are usually a variety of pictures and detailed descriptions of each item and therefore you have the surety of making an informed decision about a prospective purchase. 

The Best Online Sites

Some sites such as eBay have sellers who give a complete history of the item which is fascinating in itself and many are estate finds, as they are called in America, and these are usually low cost items because the sellers are often unaware of the true value of their vintage piece.

eBay has a large selection of sellers who are interested in a particular period of fashion history and if you follow them online you will be able to select what you want from that particular era.

Other sellers just love the romance and quality of items from the past, they might sell everything from vintage Mickey Mouse comics to coins and stamps. However, somewhere in between there will be a vintage dress or bag waiting to be snapped up.

The following are some vintage fashion ebay sellers:

• lucyloveslove_vintage
• sgh2274 (Victorian, Edwardian and 40s fashion)
• vintageviking1 (beautiful vintage dresses here)
• jemierose (a mixture of all eras)
• onlinevintageshowroom
• jamiexmas
• applebyvintage

Etsy is another excellent site which I have found to be very user friendly and the vintage pieces here are usually better photographed than on eBay and a little easier to examine online. 

In the past I have found Etsy to be reasonably priced overall and sellers are happy to communicate and open to buyers approaching them for a better price. As with any other online vendor it is very important to read the reviews and feedback of a seller before you take the plunge.

Key Search Vocabulary

Key search words are important when hunting vintage fashion. Buzz words such as retro will bring up predominantly modern cheap imported copies of original styles.

However, using the key word vintage before the items or the period you are hunting will bring up a vast selection of fine quality finds. For example entering key words such as vintage dress, vintage 1940s dress, or entering for example ‘1940s’ in the search box and refining search to ‘clothing’, not forgetting to launch the search as ‘worldwide’ will open a vast array to browse from.

Online Site Bargains

I have found featured charity shops on eBay to be very fruitful. In fact if you keep a close eye on these sites you can source real bargains.

Communication is important when dealing with these sellers. If you see something that you like, get in touch with the shop. These featured charities are only interested in getting the cash in, there is no emotional investment in the item which is good news for the buyer.

Be decisive and strike early in the listing before other hunters pounce on your find and take you into a bidding war, ramping up the price.

In my experience some sellers that list items are badly informed about the true value of an item and often dream up a price which sounds good to them but is in fact excessive or conversely if you are lucky undervalued.

Then there are the listings of job lots which contain predominately vintage items; these can be quite fruitful when it comes to accessories but when it comes to clothes, it is less successful.

Social Media

Instagram is a great location to source those vintage sellers at home and abroad.

It may well be an advantage to you to make contact with these online entrepreneurs to help them get to know your style so they can keep an eye out for finds tailor made for you; It is like having your own free stylist!

This site is especially popular for sourcing high end designer bags which are always a fantastic investment. If you care for your designer bag properly it can end up earning you a return on your investment. It is well worth scouring online vintage clothing and accessories sites for high end brand names such as Gucci, Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Hermes as these always hold their value.

Always ensure that you are confident that your purchase is the genuine article. There are many ways of checking that a designer bag is original:

• serial/date code
• brand monogram/logo and location on bag
• logo embossed stamp on leather and printed quality lining
• metalware quality and branding
• grain and surface of leather which should feel dry, not oily or slippery
• immaculate stitching of equal quantity, no back and forth stitches
• detailed brand catalogues

If you do your research and check customer reviews and an online seller’s reputation, then there is every reason to shop with confidence.

Remember too that when you use PayPal you have extra insurance if the product is not what you were promised.

What to Buy

A Gucci handbag from the early 80s for 50cent, am immaculate Burberry trench coat complete with plaid wool zipped inner lining and silk neck scarf emblazoned with the brand logo, all 12 euro, new Chloe leather T-bar courts a mere 25euro, Temperley silk blouse with tags 1 euro; these are all examples of vintage fashion finds as well as some modern classics from thrift shops.

If you have a good eye, follow your instincts about the piece and do not be afraid to ask questions about the condition if you are buying online. Most sellers are very happy to give further details and you may even find that you build up a rapport which may well lead to an offer of a discount or further vintage finds that the seller wants to show you and has not managed to get round to listing.

On most of the well know popular online auctions the seller will have a quantified feedback, so you can check them out before payment to make you feel more secure about buying from them. 

Choose a secure method of payment such a PayPal which offers insurance on your purchase and postage reimbursement, especially when dealing with new sellers in far flung locations.

Modifying a vintage item

Many items are made from the most beautiful fabrics, too beautiful to throw away but perhaps the design is not quite right for you.  Over the decades fashion has thrown up some very ugly design fads, which many from that era would admit to feeling embarrassed about having ever worn.

Some die hard vintage heroes believe in the integrity of the item and will never alter it, as after all, it is a piece of history.  Others who run immediately to the dressmaker or alteration clinic can be forgiven for feeling it is impossible for them to visualize themselves in mid 70s lapels, flares or 80s jackets adorned with enormous shiny gold buttons and shoulders radiating the type of power usually witnessed on an American football pitch.

However, it is better to make adjustments to a piece and wear it rather than cast it to one side.  I have fallen in love with items that were just to small for me or far too big and have made alterations to them to make them fit. 

Obviously it is a lot easier when the item is a bigger size and the remaining material can be utilized as a trim for another matching accessory.  If the item is far too small then the only option is to make it bigger which is quite possible with vintage pieces as they have a larger seam allowance.

If the item is way too small and you love it too much to live without it then I suggest taking it apart and sourcing a material as close as possible to the original, using it as a template and remaking it in a larger size.  Any quality seamstress would be equal to the task. 

In fact many well known contemporary fashion designers commission vintage fashion hunters to source pieces that they will make a pattern from, rework and tweak ever so slightly and reenter it onto the fashion circuit again.

Green Goddess

One of the benefits of being willing to buy vintage and working with it to make it fit is that you are obviously contributing towards the life of our planet, leaving a fainter carbon footprint, creating an original style that may be admired but would prove almost impossible to replicate or imitate as it is your vision and hunting that has pulled this look together.

Admiring stares, envious glances and head to toe inquisitions, topped off by tactile fabric sampling as you twist and pivot on the imperative: ‘Where; When; How much; How old?’

‘Wow!’

That is certainly what you will hear by the time your admirers learn the truth behind your high end original; that is if you choose to share and reveal the truth. An air of mystery commands the type of respect matched only by the quality and integrity a vintage item can inspire.