Top ten tips for buying vintage

Top ten tips for buying vintage

An expert shares shopping advice

Always loved the retro look, but scared of shopping vintage? Finding the best pre-loved pieces can be tricky - with high pricing, confusing sizes and must and moth-holes all dilemmas for the vintage novice. So we asked the UK's leading vintage stylist, personal shopper (and author of new book Style Me Vintage) Naomi Thompson to create a guide on finding the best items. Don't hit a jumble sale, vintage boutique or second-hand market without it.

1. Be prepared

2. Always hold garments up to the light

3. Always check the armpits

4. Look at the fastenings

5. Talk to the sales assistants

Don’t be too proud to ask for advice in a shop, especially if you are looking for era-specific garments.

6. Go for the best you can afford

Resist the temptation to buy in bulk. Despite years of collecting for the sake of it, I now wish I had stuck to buying garments that were 100% wearable and in my size. My repairs bag is huge and you can’t ‘rescue’ everything. The less you buy, the more you can spend on those show-stopping items!

7. Don’t pay any attention to sizes on labels

8. Always check the bottom of shoes

9. Don't buy anything that needs a lot of repairs

10. Don’t be scared to try anything on