The Dos and Don'ts of Wearing Vintage

January 11, 2009

From the trick to making a $12 thrift-store bargain look like a designer-label splurge to the number one rookie vintage shopper mistake, the ladies of Slaves to Fashion give you the 411 on how to go retro—without looking like you're frozen in time.

1/14

Don't wear vintage head to toe

Yes, the Mad Men style is in. Yes, this is a cute, runway-worthy look. (And yes, that '60s fur coat is faux.) But if you hit the streets in Betty Draper-esque dress, coat, hair and heels, folks might think you're in costume for Halloween.
2/14

Do dress around one dramatic piece

Take one head-turning vintage find—in this case, a glamorous faux-leopard coat—and use simple black clothes and accessories to make it wearably low-key.

3/14

Don't be fooled by an old drab dress

Most vintage virgins would skip right over this shapeless denim dress with sickeningly sweet rosette buttons.
4/14

Do give thrift-store buys a mini-makeover

Replacing the buttons can totally change the look of a vintage coat or dress. We added tortoise buttons and a shiny patent belt to this semi-boring denim dress, which turned it into a flirty little number in no time flat.

5/14

Don't take things too seriously

Just because those silky vintage shirts are called secretary blouses doesn't mean you should wear it in a strict Working Girl kind of way.
6/14

Do have fun with layering

Leave the buttoned-up look in the past and wear a cozy sweater over a bow-accented blouse like this one. It'll look playful—not prissy—especially when worn with a cute denim mini and flat boots.

7/14

Don't try to wear a retro sundress at work

Those ladylike Jackie O dresses may be conservative enough for the office, but depending on the color and cut, they might be too festive-looking for big meetings.
8/14

Do use dark colors and layers to earn office-appropriate status

Add dark tights, smart heels and a sweater to turn a summery Jackie O-style dress into a perfect Monday-through-Friday wardrobe option.

9/14

Don't wear anything too dated

Disco hits from the '70s will always be classics, but don't get too carried away with the era's dancing-queen dresses. Shoulder pads and a plunging neckline? Last we knew, that look worked only in Saturday Night Fever.
10/14

Do use a tailor to update old styles

To make a pretty retro dress like this look bought-at-the-mall new, take it to a seamstress and ask her to remove the shoulder pads and cut about six inches off the bottom, so it hits somewhere above the knee. Then add a solid-color belt to create a sexy, modern silhouette. And if the neckline doesn't look right, try wearing it backward, like we did!

11/14

Don't take the trendy look too far

Unless you're the lead singer of an indie rock band, wearing a vintage Members Only-style jacket, snarky T-shirt, skater shoes and hipster shades is not OK. Even then, we're not sure if the painfully (read trying-too-hard) hip thing works.
12/14

Do mix old with new

For the perfect date-night look, pair an edgy retro jacket with a flirty dress and heels. When he compliments your casually sexy look, it'll be the ideal opportunity to drop the timeless "Oh, this old thing?" line.

13/14

Don't be afraid of the frumpy stuff

Pinch your nose and give the old-lady section of your local second-hand store a good look: Some of those tweedy two-piece suits can be fashion gold. The trick is not to wear the librarian-worthy skirt and jacket together.
14/14

Separate a vintage suit to get two cute new looks

When headed into the office, a pleated skirt paired with a button-down and boots will make you look cool, classic and totally promote-able. Then at night, DO slip a fitted blazer over a tee and jeans for an uptown-downtown (aka Hillary Port-inspired) style.

For ideas on where to find amazing retro clothes and accessories online, check out Lucky magazine's favorite vintage shopping sites.