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5 Reasons to Fashion Shop Online

Vintage Evening Dresses
5 Reasons to Fashion Shop Online

When the Internet was young, people didn’t shop online. There were many reasons for this; not least because the general public didn’t have a clue how to use the Internet (or indeed a computer), but also horror stories of card fraud and identity theft populated the headlines.

Then, with the advent of sites such as Amazon, consumer confidence increased as did their knowledge of how to navigate websites. But it wasn’t until the late 90’s that clothing and fashion websites started to appear.

Having being dismissed as a potential online business model, clothes shops began proving that people ARE willing to buy their t-shirts, jeans and whatever else through websites, and not just in-store. This paved the way for a great many websites offering their products online, and with it, a shedload of consumer advantages…

Shopping for clothes online is brilliant because:

1) You can browse all the brands under the sun in the space of 30 minutes – which would certainly take you all day on the high street!

2) Comparison shopping has been made much easier, with the introduction of specially designed websites that compile regularly updated lists of new products and where to find them at their cheapest prices.

3) Giving away your e-mail address to a mailing list gives you regular access to offers and news. This is better than receiving it through the post as it’s more up to date and is more environmentally friendly.

4) Short of actually trying the clothes on, more and more websites are allowing users high quality pictures and even 3D renditions of the items.

5) It’s extremely convenient and there is no hard-sell. You can bookmark special items, share them on social networks and add them to wish lists.

Shopping online gives added value for a whole host of other reasons, including larger sale sections and much more choice – so get off the high street and in front of your computer!…

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My Vintage Spring/Summer 2011 Vintage Trend Report

Vintage Casual Dresses
My Vintage Spring/Summer 2011 Vintage Trend Report

As London Fashion Week draws to a close and New York seems a distant memory, we give you all the best tips for dressing on trend the vintage way…

70’s Chic

This season, the catwalk is full of seventies inspired designs – and we love it! But this revival is less disco and boho secretaries are sexier. Imagine thin and smooth pussybow blouses paired with long pants or high waisted shorts. Large floppy hats and hippy dresses will certainly be a summer staple and maxi dresses are here to stay. Another recent resurgence trend is a jumpsuit that will be bigger than this year. And don’t let us forget wedge heels – summer footwear must!

Bold color

Black is good and good but we are very happy to see the bright and bold colors return to the runway! Especially orange, yellow, blue and pink beams! There are some great vintage findings in bright colors. For oranges and yellows, the best era is the swinging sixties era and the electric pink and blue colors are no more than eighties and separate cocktail dresses. Take color and experiment – the brave will conquer this summer!

Elegant bare

To get a finer trend in 2011, being naked and sheer is a must. If you are pale-skinned, then stick to creamy white nudes, tanned and olive-skinned girls should turn toward peach-skinned nudes and mixed races and dark skin color should be used to bare with golden color. Think of light chiffon, thin silk and thin satin for true glamor and style.

Club Tropicana

Moving on from the common flower trends last spring / summer, this season’s floral prints are bolder, brash, and tropical! Bright shades, big palms and a sense of hoola are a must! Look for a fitting fifties dress, vintage pencil skirt and vintage silk scarf to create a tropical trend.

Into the blue

Maybe the upcoming Royal Marriage has excited us, but the only color that really matters this spring / summer is bright blue. Elegant, tight dresses, matching jackets, thick heels and light blouse – all in this amazing color. Look carefully at all eras because there are gems to be found!

And stay with us from last season …

Lace

Think vintage and you very often think lace – so there has never been a better time to embrace the old school style. Lace has been seen everywhere this season, skirts, leggings, tops, dresses, gloves and even body suits. When shopping vintage go for feminine pastels, feminine fifties or dramatic black Madonna-esque eighties. And don’t be afraid to mix and match several pieces of lace in one ensemble.

Animal instincts

Fall and go out of fashion but there is always great pleasure when we can dig up animal prints once again! Designers are going crazy for big cats this season, especially holding on to black, gold and brown. Finish with a leopardskin print dress or dip your toes in water with a bag or a cute scarf. Mix with …

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Vintage Wedding Ring – Where to Buy and What to Look For

Vintage Casual Dresses
Vintage Wedding Ring - Where to Buy and What to Look For

As more and more people are choosing a vintage wedding ring, the sellers are getting increasingly greedy.

Of course there are some traders out there is who are honest and are not trying to rip you off. However, this cannot be said for all of them.

Because more people want to find a vintage wedding ring, more people want to sell them. The problem here is that some of these people do not know as much as we would like to think about the products.

Where to buy your vintage wedding ring

If you are visiting markets for your vintage wedding ring – be very careful. Some traders at markets will have retail outlets as well, these are the most reputable of the traders and you should not buy your wedding band from anyone who is just a stall holder.

If you are going to buy your ring from a shop, then there are two types of shops. There are vintage or antique shops and there are jewellery shops. Jewellery shops will have standards and experience in all types of jewellery. Vintage shops are not going to have experienced jewellers working their, the staff in these places will probably have less knowledge than you.

The best place to buy your vintage wedding ring is at a retail out let where the jeweller has a specific interest in the era you are looking for. You may think that these people will be hard to find. But they are worth the effort of finding, because they will have the best selection and they will be selling the best quality for the right price.

A word of caution

Just because a ring has survived along time it doesn’t mean that it is sturdy. Before buying your vintage wedding ring it is worth giving the structure as well as the design a good look. Look for places where it has been repaired. Check that all the stones are firmly in place and that they match. It is important to look at any jewellery containing stones in natural light as well, as they can look different and imperfections can sometimes be seen which would otherwise have gone unnoticed.

Overall, don’t rush into buying what you are not sure about and be absolutely sure about the person you are buying from; with these simple aspects covered I am sure that you will find the perfect vintage wedding ring.…

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Vintage Style Clothing – Making a Fashion Statement

Vintage Evening Dresses

Choosing vintage style clothing allows you to create the image you want to create, one that is uniquely you.

Making a statement means not finding others wearing your same outfit. We all cringe at the thought of seeing ourselves coming and going. I remember, at my high school graduation party, seeing another girl wearing the exact same dress as me. I wanted to disappear.

You can avoid that disaster by choosing a vintage style dress and pairing it with a genuine vintage handbag or shoes.

Vintage Style Clothing - Making a Fashion Statement

Or choose vintage-like accessories to add to an authentic vintage dress.

In either case, you are placing elements that surprise and add to the costume. You are making a fashion statement. You are recognizing truly dated clothes and adding the touch that brings them up-to-date.

There’s lots of leeway for you to personalize your style by picking what is comfortable and looks right on you.

You can also create your own vintage style clothing by using something you currently own and redesigning it with a updated flair.

Or you can take a picture of a genuine vintage dress and make it or have someone make it for you adding an up-to-date fabric and design.

By going vintage, you don’t have to look like anyone else. But, buyer beware, you also don’t want to look old-fashioned.

Vintage style clothing consists of pieces that are inspired by authentic fashions of yesteryear. Making a fashion statement requires a style sense and a knowledge of fashion history.

Where to Find Genuine Vintage?

You can find happy hunting at garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores. You can go also go online to find directories such as Vintage Where? Or simply Google vintage stores, your city, on Google.

Garage sales might have some of the later vintage products from the 70s or 80s.

Estates sales will sometimes of garments that are 30, 40, 50, 60 years old for reasonable prices.

Don’t forget to look in your grandmother’s attic, always a great place to start.

What about Vintage Style?

You can get unique and beautiful clothing in excellent condition because its new, like having your cake and eating it too.

Vintage inspired garments have the lines of the authentic but will have an up-to-date feature such as a new neckline or length. You can find such stores, such as The Red Dress, online.

Fabric, colors and design all play an important role in fashion and you will find changes from one decade to another.

A 20s lace dress has a different design pattern, weight and look than a 2010 lace dress. If you wanted to repair some damage (not advisable) of a 20s dress, you more than likely wouldn’t find a matching lace.

I think I have said enough to get you to put your own imagination to work to create a look that is reminiscent of the past and uniquely modern.

What’s more it’s a lot of fun. So go to it, play and swing out in your own vintage …

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Take Care of Your Vintage Party Dresses

Vintage Party Dresses

Vintage party dresses are one of the most delicate ways to show your sense of style. These outfits have a classical quality in them and therefore, when you are wearing these dresses, you are distinguishing yourself from others with a unique flavor. However, a vintage dress is old by definition which means that you must be very careful in maintaining it. It is very natural to find lose seams, holes and other issues that can make the dress vulnerable to rough use. So, when wearing these dresses, you should always be very careful. Sometimes, people wipe hands on the cloths, or even drop food on them and you must do your best to protect your vintage dress from them.

If you have vintage party dresses in your wardrobe, you must make sure that you also have an emergency repair kit. Generally, this kit would include needles, thread, scissors, pieces of fabric in different shapes and colors and talcum powder. This kit will help you repair any small holes and vulnerability in the seams. Remember, these are important issues that you should check for every now and then to ensure that they are not getting big enough to spoil the entire dress. Also, after wearing a vintage dress, you should hang it up in padded hangers or inside garment bags.

Washing is another challenge for vintage party dresses. First of all, you have to understand that the vintage dresses should not be washed after every wear. Ideally, you should be washing the dress after every 2 or 3 wears. Given that, when you are washing the dress, make sure you are not using the washing machine. Remember, the threads and seams of these dresses may not withstand the turmoil inside the washing machine so be sure to wash them with your hands. Don’t soak the dress in detergent for too long. On the other hand, if you don’t have the time to hand wash them; make sure that you have put the dress inside a wash bag.

After the washing is over, you have to dry the dress properly but don’t use any dryer to dry vintage party dresses. This is because many dryers shrink the fabric. Also, you can’t leave them in the sun to dry as well as the color of the vintage dress will fade very quickly under the sun. So, the ideal way is to dry it in shade. Make sure to follow all the steps I outlined above and vintage party dresses will soon become your best friend!…

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