Fashion: Vintage, Green, and Beautiful

The Gift of Givenchy

By Raquel Lynne
QuailBellMagazine.com

I attended a friend’s dinner party the other week, and had an interesting conversation about vintage clothing with one of the guests. With a disgusted frown on his face he declared, “I would never wear clothes someone else wore. That is just disgusting." This guest obviously did not understand vintage clothes, vintage dressing and the vintage community. Vintage clothing isn’t just popular amongst women; men—and everyone else along the gender spectrum—enjoy this trend as well.  

When I was six, my paternal grandfather gave me my first vintage handbag. I didn’t understand how cool that was until my teens when I was introduced to the world of vintage shopping. My knowledgeable teachers included my mother and her sister, Aunt Gertrude.  

Fast forward to my 16th birthday, when I received a stunning green, sleeveless, satin, vintage Givenchy cocktail dress as a present from my Aunt. I was on cloud nine when we landed in Curaçao to celebrate Christmas with my father’s side of the family. I’ll always remember the look on my parents' face when I came to dinner wearing my dress. I think they shed tears. I felt so beautiful and glamorous that evening, and every time I had a chance to wear my dress.

As an adult I still vintage shop. What are some of my top reasons?  

1.       Affordability. How else could I purchase a pair of barely worn Jimmy Choo booties for less than $100?

2.       Being green.  For those, like myself, who are concerned about being green, buying vintage means you are recycling. Did you know that many times old clothes end up in landfills? Buying and making fresh use of them, keeps this from happening.  

3.       Quality. I love and invest in high-quality clothing, but that comes with a price tag.  Those of us who recycle our clothes to vintage shops typically take those pieces we’ve paid big bucks for. The person shopping at the vintage shop who purchases these pieces is one lucky duck.  

4.       The Vintage Community.  It’s so refreshing to find so many blogs and networking sites that are devoted to vintage conversations (like, well, Quail Bell.) Being able to share your latest finds and recommend great shops is so much fun. It also makes you a smarter shopper—something all of us need to be in this economy.

5.       Making Extra Cash.  Many vintage shops offer consignment. The shop determines the value of your piece and sells it for you. The shop retains a percentage and you get the difference. My favorite shop donates their percentage to a local charity.  

6.       It’s Trendy.  It’s really cool. My most recent purchases are a pair of Prada Kitten heels and a DVF wrap dress. My next social event, I will be looking so on the mark and trendy!

If you have never been vintage shopping, I encourage you to go. It's the Quail Bell(e) way to wisely indulge your label addiction without feeling an ounce of social or financial guilt.

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