Foto MacMillan Books.
There are many books available on vintage fashion and it can be a daunting task trying to find the right one to suit your needs. I recently picked Shopping For Vintage by noted fashion writer and vintage connoisseur Funmi Odulate. Odulate has contributed to major fashion publications like Vogue, Harper Bazaar, In Style, and Sunday Times Style. Although this book was first published in 2008, there is nothing dated about the information packed inside. Whether you're a novice or self-proclaimed expert, when it comes to vintage, this book is beneficial to everyone.
Odulate starts off by giving a brief yet detailed history of fashion designers and their relevance throughout history. From Charles Worth in the 1800's to Comme Des Garcons. It's very interesting to learn how each designers' creations were directly influenced by the happenings in the world at their given time. The beautiful illustrations throughout the book by Richard Merritt, allow you to feel like your transported back in time to each era mentioned.
Learning how to buy vintage is a work in progress. As time goes on you hone your skills and discover things you may not have known in the beginning. But, before you embark on this journey its helpful to know the basics. One important tip that she offers in the book is, "Anything less than a quarter century old is not vintage". This is important to remember. Midway through the book, she explains that collecting vintage is important to the sustenance of vintage fashion. Well known houses like YSL, Gucci, and Missoni have always maintained the ability to resurface years later by reviving "vintage" pieces from their archives. But indie designers are not exempt when deciding which pieces to archive in your vintage collection. To get an idea of what to look for in a collection, she names a few designers and elaborates on why each has become known for their past collections. For accessory lovers there is a whole chapter dedicated to vintage jewelry, handbags, and shoes. She also gives a brief history of designers like Coco Chanel and Kenneth Jay Lane. Odulate goes a step further to explain how to spot fakes from original pieces.
All Illustrations {c} Richard Merritt.
The ending chapter is an extensive directory of vintage stores, fairs, and markets across the globe. With over a hundred pages, including addresses, websites, and brief reviews on some of the top vintage stores around the world. She literally left no stone unturned. There are also a few vintage publications that I've never heard of. I highly recommend this book. It's become my "vintage bible" and I plan to take it along this summer as I travel.
If you would like to purchase a copy of Shopping for Vintage, please visit here and here. Happy reading!
