If you’ve never stepped foot into a vintage or thrift store, you’re missing out!  In addition to the high/low trend that has taken off in the fashion world, mixing vintage with your new pieces is a great way to save some money and express your own unique style.  My aunt used to take me antiquing as a kid so I’m no stranger to scouring for treasures and I’ve come across some great finds that I always get complimented on.

After attending a vintage fashion show put on by Lost & Found Vintage at Cliff Bells this weekend, I got to thinking about what advice I would give to someone that’s new to the experience.  So, I’ve come up with a list of key items to invest in, some general tips on what to watch out for, and a few great places to start your hunting.  Add your own tips and favorites!

 (Models from Sirens of the Solstice show at Cliff Bells, hosted by Lost & Found Vintage. Photo courtesy of Jillian Gibala.)

Key Items:

• Belts My personal favorite purchase. Use them to belt your dresses and tops – so make sure you look out for various sizes and styles.
• Shoes Worn heels and soles can be replaced!
• Bags Make sure zippers/clasps are intact and that handles are not worn out at the seams.
• Coats You can always replace buttons for cheap, but zippers are another story.
• Skirts Work appropriate tweed and wool skirts are abundant.
• Jewelry Not all pieces can be salvaged using jewelry cleaner so beware. 

Tips:

• Watch for holes and rips in the seams along with odd smells and stains because chances are neither will come out.
• Try things on, the marked sizes don’t always reflect current proportions.
• Haggle! Most places will drop the price or group items if you negotiate with them.

Best places to look:

• Vintage Stores 
  • These tend to be a bit pricier but the selection is better since it's been handpicked by someone else.
  • Some Detroit-area favorites:
    
    • Lost & Found Vintage, Royal Oak
    • Getup, Ann Arbor
    • Star Vintage, Ann Arbor

• Secondhand Stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Value World)
  • Try the stores located outside of trendy areas if you want a less picked through selection and better pricing
• Flea Markets
• Garage and Estate Sales
  • Check newspapers for listings. Veer away from mentions of baby clothes as that usually indicates they’re selling new items.  Get there early!