Vintage fashion blog
What to do during self-isolation! Part1 If you're self-employed like me and mainly work from home, you're probably quite familiar with the need for self-discipline. Following a routine is essential, as it's far too easy to find distractions. A walk with your beloved pooch or a lengthy perusal of your favourite seller's page on Etsy. Do these things and just watch those hours ...
The 1940s DuBarry dress and its versatility. The DuBarry brand was known in the 1940s - 1960s for simple yet elegant evening gowns, cocktail and prom dresses, as well as mother-of-the-bride wear. Today the label is synonymous, amongst us vintage girls, with the best that ready-to-wear vintage has to offer. I love how easy it is to dress up or down the DuBarry ...
How to date vintage clothing
Establishing the year in which a particular vintage garment was made, can be a very tricky and daunting task, especially when there are no tags attached, as is the case with a lot of garments made in the 1930s-1950s which were often handmade or the tags did not survive the wear and tear of time. Some of my most valuable 1940s suits were clearly made to measure by a seamstress and judging by the fabrics used, as well as the incredible craft that went into making them, the clients were undoubtedly very well to do.
As much as the topic of the history of vintage clothes is a never-ending learning curve for me, there are certain ways by which I’m able to identify and date most but not all of my collected pieces. I’ve been asked many times by readers to write a post about that very topic and I hope my tips will be useful!
How to take care of vintage clothes!
A few months ago I was devastated to discover that my favourite authentic Victorian funeral cape, bought in near mint condition several years earlier at a vintage fair in London (you can read about vintage fairs here), had seemingly overnight, developed brown spots all over. Doing some online sleuthing, I was able to ascertain that my mistake had been to store it using a recently purchased plastic garment cover. This was a crime! As it transpired that what I thought were spots, was actually a layer of silk that had deteriorated because of a reaction with the plastic.
How to clean vintage clothes!
Caring for vintage clothing can be a rather daunting and nerve-wracking experience. In particular the cleaning part.
Not so long ago, I wrote an in-depth article about “How to store vintage clothing like a pro”, and I hope that it will help answer a lot of questions regarding the dos and don’ts of storing your precious vintage pieces the proper way. For the purpose of giving my readers the best advice on storing vintage that one possibly could give, I interviewed a textile conservator with over twenty-five years of experience in handling antique textiles in museums.
I’m the founder of It’s Beyond My Control vintage fashion blog with a modern twist. I love, wear & write about fashion from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.
Read More About Me
