Vintage for Everyone - Everyday!!

I have been wearing vintage for over 30 years before it became trendy and you had to trawl through piles of rubbish at jumble sales or charity shops. There were very few specialist vintage shops or Ebay or Etsy.

Then came Kate Moss, Sex in the City and movie stars who started wearing second hand clothes – now there is a vintage shop in practically every town, you can buy and sell world wide on line and the charity shops that clothes once went to die in are now the go place on the high street.

From about the age of 12 or 13 I have had a passion for fashion – the styles, fabrics and patterns have always held a fascination for me. I wanted to wear the creations that I found in the pages of the glossy magazines that I spent my allowance on. My mum was a keen dressmaker and we used to the Hollywood muscials and film noir together on a Sunday afternoon – which is how my interest in all thing vintage and retro was sparked.

Although I love the 30's and 40's Old Hollywood Glamour, and re-create the look of the era for events. It is part of my lifestyle – running a vintage fashion and lifestyle company lends itself to a full on vintage wardrobe. 

 But having worked in the fashion industry for many years I will always love the buzz I get when the new seasons trends are show on the runways in New York, London, Paris and Milan – I have never been or never will be a slave to fashion but seeing how the designers incorporate the past into the collections, taking elements from history and creating something different but with a vintage twist.

My everyday wardrobe is a mixture of favourite vintage pieces but with a modern fashion twist - taking the old and adding a pair of amazing shoes, a designer item or a trend from the high street.

So what could be more fabulous than taking the original inspiration and giving it a modern vintage vibe. I love mixing up my vintage pieces with a pair of killer heels or something from the high street. But I do wear vintage everyday whether it be a full on period outfit or carrying a fabulous bag.

There are many out there like me who live and breathe a bygone era but I think that vintage can and should be part of any wardrobe.

Even if it is something that you would never think of buying or wearing everyday - it can work for every occasion – how many times have you seen the same dress from the high street on someone else – never with vintage each piece you buy will be a one off and totally individual. It is a fabulous to be unique and find an outfit that no one else will have.

You will find the quality of the fabric and cut so much better. Clothes were not mass produced back then; to find comparable quality now would be high end designer brands. A beautifully cut wool suit from the 40's or 50's would set you back around £175 – 200 - how much on would cost from a designer? You will find amazing pieces in a vintage shop or websites that would cost a small fortune for the equivilent fabric, style or cut if you bought it “new”.

Imagine wearing a fitted 50's suit with a pussy bow blouse or sharp 60's shift to the office, a bias cut 30's dress to the Christmas ball, 70's sun dresses are very trendy but why buy one from the high street when you can have one off original. When everyone is lusting after the new “it bag”how cool would it be to own a totally one off vintage one that no one has? There are so many ways that you can add vintage to your wardrobe.

 

So it is my mission to get EVERYONE in vintage EVERYDAY - this page is the beginning on a project I am planning - it is under wraps at the moment but here is where I will share my inspiration, ideas and updates on the exciting new project hopefully if all goes well to be launched at Norwich Fashion Week 2015.

 

Please keep checking back and I would love to see pictures of how you wear your vintage and mix it up - send your photos to me and I will feature them on the page - karen.jameswelton@btinternet.com

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