3 Unexpected Places to Find Vintage Clothing for Less

It's no secret that vintage clothing can be pricey.  The few times I've ordered from etsy or similar vintage apps, I'll spend nearly $100 on a dress to find that once it arrives in the mail, it doesn't fit.

But fear not!  Down below I'll share three places I find vintage clothing and accessories for only a few dollars each.  So the next time your wardrobe can use an update or your bank budget is running low, try one of these places to find new goodies!

 

Image from blog.tuppencehapenny.co.uk

Thrift Stores
Believe it or not, thrift stores are the most common place I find vintage clothing aside from vintage stores.  Even places as common as Goodwill have hidden treasures.  The key here is to look in towns with a largely elderly population.  Oftentimes, when people remain in the same house for a long period of time, they collect stuff without realizing it.  There's never a need for them to go through it or get rid of it so they'll hang onto things decades old -- perfect for vintage collectors.  Once seniors are placed in a nursing home or pass away, these items are donated to local thrift stores.

I've found beautiful items from my local thrift stores, including two mint-condition Evan Picone skirt suits from the early 1950s, numerous knee-length skirts, and a one-of-a-kind handmade 1960s shift-dress.

Garage / Estate Sales
Everything said above about thrift stores applies to garage and estate sales.  Some people don't want a hassle and choose to donate everything, but others try to sell what they can before donating.  Once again, the best finds will be in towns with a largely elderly population.

A plus to these sales is in addition to clothes, you can often find vintage furniture and household goods as well, like sewing notions, pyrex cookware, and more.

Your Grandparents' Closet
This is probably your best option for vintage clothing because it's free!  Older people know how much stuff they have and often want to get rid of it, but its not easy to let go of memories.  In this case, they likely haven't worn the clothes for years and will be overjoyed to see it in use by someone they care so much about.

Unfortunately, both my mom's and dad's parents moved a long ways (one in the mid 1960s, again as recently as 10 years ago, and the other in the early 1980s) so their collections are more recent than my taste, but I've come across a beautiful poodle skirt and petticoat from my Nana's closet.  Crazy the things that people hang onto.

If you're in the same boat as me, you can also look into the wardrobes of your grandparents' friends.  This may also help if you and your grandma are a different size.

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I hope these three places have inspired you to shop a bit more!*

*I don't often promote consumption (very unsustainable) but in the case of used goods, the material extraction and manufacturing has already happened.  Depending how old it is, it could have been made in the United States with fair labor laws (rather than today's method of exploited overseas labor).

Cleaning White Canvas Shoes With Common Household Ingredients

A nice pair of white shoes can be very versatile.  They're as classic as black flats but match with the lovely pastel dresses of spring and summer.  But some might shy away from them because they become dirty so easily.  Doesn't it seem like your feet are stepped on more frequently when wearing white sneakers?  There's a whole branch of science dedicated to this idea that things naturally become less perfect (or more chaotic) over time -- known as entropy.  In short: it's supposed to happen by the laws of physics.  But while science may soil them, we can also use science to clean them, as well as 5 common household ingredients.  

[before and after pictures to come once they dry]

What you'll need:

1. Soilove (ok, so this may not be as common as baking soda, but this is the best stain-remover I've used and should be a common ingredient in all homes. Click here for safety information)
2. cotton ball, rag or spray bottle
3. 3/4 cup baking soda
4. 1/4 cup water
5. scrub brush or old toothbrush - don't plan to use it for your teeth after this

What to do:

1. Remove initial stains by rubbing Soilove onto a small cotton ball or rag.  If you have a spray bottle, you can also cover spots with a light spray.  Wash hands immediately after using Soilove - it can irritate skin after a while.  If you are using the spray bottle, you won't be able to use it again for cooking, baking, watering plants, or similar activities.
2. Leave shoes to soak in Soilove for approx. 15-30 minutes. If stains don't appear to fade after 10 minutes, apply another coat. 
3. Rinse shoes completely with cold water directly under a faucet, rubbing on stains with hands. If any spots are still noticeable, apply another coat of Soilove and wait 10 min. 
4. Rinse shoes again, this time with hot water.  Stains will be removed by either hot or cold water, depending on the stain.  Chances are there's more than one type on your shoes, so do both to remove both.  Some stains (like blood) will set with hot water so be sure to rinse cold first. 
5. Combine baking soda and water in a bowl.
6. With brush, scrub the mixture all over the shoes.  This will help brighten shoes and keep white from turning to cream. Let shoes sit for about 5-10 min. 
7. Rinse shoes with warm water, and leave to dry.  They will likely take at least 24 hours to dry, so don't clean them if you plan to wear them the next day.

The science behind it:

Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. When added to water, it ionizes into a solution with hydroxide ions - making it basic.  Most common household cleaners, like body soap or floor cleaner, are basic solutions with a pH level between 11-14 - known to be the target range for removing oil and grease.

So whether you cook with grease and oil often, roll around in the grass with your pets, or simply have the laws of physics working against you, you need no longer fear to wear white shoes. 

Coming soon: Wrap-Around Pencil Skirt Tutorial

If there's one thing you should know about me (aside from my love for dogs) it's that I'm a fairly timely person. Except when it comes to gift-giving. Usually I buy gifts months in advance to try to avoid this problem. Case and point: my good friend Kristy. For Christmas, I said I'd make her a skirt, tailored just to her liking. And now as we approach the middle of January, I'll be starting it later this week. Here are a few photos she gave me to reference:

A simple, fitted wrap-around skirt. This will be especially great to make for another person because wrap-around skirts are very easy to adjust the fit. I've found making clothes for others can be tricky since I'm not as familiar with their size. I made five ill-fitting dresses for myself before I had my size down to a 'T'.

As I make the skirt, I'll be photographing the progress to share on Stationary Suitcases, so you can make this on your own. Expect the post in about a month from now (I'm sorry, busy college student!).