With clothing styles changing by the year, some styles of vintage clothing, from eras gone by, continually grow in popularity. Shopping for quality vintage items can be a task, but if you set about it with the right approach, know both what you are looking for, and know how to decipher the details, you can find quality vintage garments at prices that will not leave you penniless.

Condition Counts

Too often, when shopping for vintage attire, we can be blinded by an item's first impression, or its intended impression. Maybe you saw a similar item elsewhere and it was in prime condition. Until you take the time to inspect the item in hand, you will not realize that the piece is sorely lacking in other ways, especially quality, and as the saying goes, quality counts! A leather coat that has the potential to look fabulous and has the cut you have been searching for forever, even the stitching you dreamed of, is of no value if the leather has not been cared for through the years. On close inspection, the stitching may be falling apart; the leather itself may even have an odor. If the item previously resided in a smoker's household for example, it may be nearly impossible to remove that smell.

While some damage can be repaired, it may be impossible to repair damage that affects the overall structure of an item. Material that is so damaged it has become brittle has little value, as does an item that is stained in an area that cannot be altered in a way that the stain is removed or hidden, or the stain itself is beyond removal from the fabric. If the item is made of leather and has the hair intact, for instance a vintage cowhide jacket, check to make sure that the hair is not falling out. It may look intact, but that could be because it has been hanging in the back of someone's closet, relatively untouched for decades. An item that will never be worn, and only hung in a closet, is not worth purchasing, even at a deep discount.

The same item that has been well cared for, but worn to the point the zipper is broke, or buttons are missing, can be a bargain. Zippers, buttons, even small holes on the interior of an item, can all usually be repaired. Even an item that has damage across the bottom part could have that portion cut away, if the item will still fit at the shorter length, and the remaining part of the material is in good condition. If you are going in search of a particular item, and you realize that damage of this kind may exist on items you find, it may be of benefit to you to inquire of a seamstress beforehand on what items could be considered repairable, and what may not be.