As you may know already I adore vintage, and what's better than trying to hunt for vintage pieces yourself in a charity shop or car boot sell. Going to a shop that finds all the vintage gems you could ever dream of, and selling them at a price that won't leave your purse crying. I couldn't tell you how many years I've been shopped there, but it's well over a decade. I think a lot of vintage shops tend to be a bit of a mess, you can spend hours searching and still not find what your really after. Clothing can be really overpriced, and not in great condition it can be a massive waste of time and money.
Beyond retro is really well organised, by style and decade, granted you still may need to try on pieces to get the right size but it's easy enough. But overall quality is good and items are true vintage, and they are very clear on anything that has been made from reclaimed materials. This is were their Beyond Retro Label was born, giving new life into vintage pieces. When they asked me if I wanted to take part in their #mydreamvintagedress challenge, I was excited to see what I would end up with.
Were to start, with rows of colourful dresses ever where you can feel a little like you have won a golden ticket to the chocolate factory. But instead of chocolate it's dresses, and instead of a ticket it's your eyes darting around to find the one before someone else snaps it up. I decided to go in order of decade to narrow it down, starting with the 60s and so on. I do like the 50s, but the colour palette just isn't me I prefer bold prints and colours.
If you have followed my blog for a while, you will know that my style is very mixed which just makes it even harder. From my love of 70s acid colours and flower power prints, to 90s grunge and pretending I can pull off the kinderwhore tea dress look. The choice is just endless, so my golden rule is to try it on, as different decades mean different sizing and the fit of a dress can vary massively. Here are some of the dresses I tried on, all amazing but sadly some did not fit me on the top - Never force a zip, if it doesn't go up with ease than put it back for someone else as double cleavage is never cute plus your boobs will thank you. The key to investing in vintage, is getting a great fit.
I always check items over, as it's good to take into account if they need any repairs or if you want to alter them. If your buying a dress that does runs big, you can alter yourself with darts etc. If your unsure you can always take it to a tailor, who will work their magic for a bespoke fit that will fit you like a glove. Just be aware of cost, but if it's vintage than it will be pretty rare (depending on what decade it's from) so worth that extra investment.
So which dress did I end up getting, you will have to wait and see. I can't encourage people enough to buy vintage, it's eco friendly not to mention the fact the rush you'll get from finding a piece of clothing that is truly unique. The way I see it is, these clothes have remained in tack for this long and need to have a new life. Keeping a balance between throw away fashion and eco friendly clothing is always my goal. It doesn't have to cost you a fortune and it can be something you can enjoy for years. I love my collection of vintage dresses and it's always wonderful finding a new one. Which decade would you pick from?
