Hello lovely,
There comes a point in almost every vintage lover’s life when you open the wardrobe and realise you have plenty of clothes, but somehow nothing quite goes together.
I know the feeling.
Vintage shopping makes it particularly easy to get carried away because you rarely know when you’ll see something again. Sometimes you never see it again – and you think about those pieces all the time. (Ask me how I know!) Suddenly that beautiful 1960s brocade cocktail dress is less of a purchase and more of a rescue mission. And what about that 1940s handbag? Well, obviously you can’t leave her behind.
And this is exactly how a wardrobe full of wonderful individual treasures can become surprisingly difficult to wear.
A vintage capsule wardrobe gives everything a bit more direction. Not in a strict, minimalist sort of way (unless that’s your thing). Instead, the idea is to build a wardrobe where the majority of your clothes genuinely work together, while leaving enough room for the one-off pieces, like ridiculous hats, kitschy handbags or impractical evening dresses.
Because personally, I don’t think any wardrobe should be too sensible – we could all do with a bit more whimsy!
Start with the Vintage Style you Actually Wear
Before buying anything else (I know!), have a proper look at the clothes you already love and reach for.
There can be quite a difference between the decade we love looking at (the 1950s for me) and the decade we actually enjoy wearing (late 1960s to 1970s).
You might adore photographs of glamorous 1930s bias cut silk evening gowns, for example, but find yourself more at home in the wide-legged trousers and fitted knitwear of the 1940s. Or perhaps you’re always saving pics of 1960s minidresses, while your real-life wardrobe is filled with 1970s blouses and midi skirts.
That tells you something.
I wouldn’t worry about picking one decade and sticking to it (I definitely don’t). Real life and real wardrobes are rarely that tidy. Instead, choose a broad period, silhouette or mood (1970s stylish architect is my inspo) to give your wardrobe some consistency.
You might find yourself drawn to:
- 1930s softness, bias cut shapes and romantic details
- 1940s tailoring, knitwear and practical separates
- 1950s fitted waists, full skirts and neat cardigans
- 1960s clean lines, shift dresses and playful accessories
- 1970s earthy colours, printed blouses, tailoring and flowing shapes
I particularly like to mix neighbouring decades. We all do it in the modern era, so I guarantee that real people did it back in the past. A predominantly 1940s wardrobe can happily borrow a blouse from the 1930s or a cardigan with a slightly more 1950s feel without everything suddenly falling apart.
Historical accuracy is fascinating when you’re recreating a particular look. Your everyday wardrobe doesn’t have to be a museum display though.
Build Around Clothes that Earn their Keep
This is where I think traditional capsule wardrobes get something 100% correct.
You need to think of your purchases as an investment – and some clothes simply work harder than others.
The exact pieces will depend on your taste, lifestyle and preferred era, but a useful vintage wardrobe might include:
- A skirt that works with several of your tops
- A good pair of high waisted trousers
- Two or three blouses or shirts
- A cardigan or neat knit
- A simple day dress
- A jacket, blazer or coat that works with several outfits
- One fabulous dress for evenings, events or when you simply want to feel overdressed
The important part isn’t just owning these exact items. It’s noticing which pieces allow you to create several new looks.
Personally, I would rather have (and do have) one beautiful blouse that works with four skirts and two pairs of trousers than five extraordinary tops that only look right with one particular outfit.
That doesn’t mean everything has to be plain. A tartan skirt, printed 1970s blouse or wonderfully shaped 1950s jacket can absolutely become a wardrobe staple if you wear it often enough.
Give your Wardrobe a Colour Story
You don’t need to create a colour palette worthy of a B&Q paint chart. But a little bit of colour planning makes getting dressed so much easier and from my experience, makes you unmistakenly yourself. Start with colours you’re naturally drawn to, and more importantly the ones that give you that glow when you hold it near your face – trust me, you’ll know!
Perhaps your wardrobe gravitates (like mine) towards chocolate brown, cream, rust and olive. Maybe yours is navy, burgundy, ivory and forest green. Or perhaps you feel happiest surrounded by powder blue, pink and soft grey.
Choose a few colours that comfortably mingle with one another, then let prints and accessories introduce the chaos.
One thing I wouldn’t recommend is choosing colours purely because they feel appropriate for your previously chosen decade. If mustard makes you look vaguely unwell, you are under absolutely no obligation to wear pieces in that colour purely because you love the 1970s. Don’t forget, the colours have to suit you too.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Accessories
This is where your vintage wardrobe really becomes fun.
The same dress can feel surprisingly different with a silk scarf and loafers one day, then a brooch, structured handbag and heels the next. And unlike a winter coat, a brooch doesn’t take up half your wardrobe space by itself.
Look for accessories such as:
- Vintage or vintage inspired handbags
- Silk or printed scarves
- Brooches
- Belts
- Costume Jewellery
- Gloves
- Hats
- Hair scarves, combs and clips
- Sunglasses
- Shoes that complement the era that are wearable (not uncomfortable or costume-like)
Accessories are one of my favourite (and lower cost) ways to experiment with an era before committing to a whole wardrobe. If you’re becoming slightly obsessed with the 1960s, start with a scarf, handbag or pair of oversized sunglasses. See how they feel with the clothes you already own. Sometimes, that can be enough to discover a whole new direction.
Make Sure Your Vintage Wardrobe Works with your Real Life
If you don’t remember anything else, try to remember this – it’s probably the most important part.
There’s very little point in building the perfect wardrobe for an imaginary version of yourself.
If you spend most of your week at work, you need vintage clothing you can wear to work. If you walk everywhere, you need sensible shoes. If you live somewhere rainy (like me in the UK), the eventually, we have to discuss coats. Tragic, I know.
When you’re considering a new piece, ask yourself where and when will you actually wear it. Can you wear that blouse with a skirt for work? Could that dress be dressed down with a cardigan? Are you able to comfortably walk, drive or catch the bus in those trousers? Does the fabric work for your lifestyle and the weather where you live?
You don’t need to turn every shopping trip into an interrogation. But thinking about your actual life stops you accidentally building the stunning wardrobe for someome who spends every Tuesday afternoon drinking cocktails at The Savoy.
Unless you do, in which case… carry on!
Layering Makes Vintage Much Easier to Wear
Some of my most favourite vintage clothing have become far more useful the moment I stopped thinking of them as complete outfits, and started to look at each item as an element.
A summer dress can be worn with a cardigan. A sleeveless dress can usually be worn over a blouse. A fine knit sweater can slip underneath a jacket. A scarf can add warmth without hiding the whole outfit.
Modern basics can help too. Your underwear, tights, camisoles and thermal layers don’t have to be vintage (although buying vintage style undergarments can help you channel the decade) simply because the clothes on top are. I’m quite happy for the modern conveniences to remain modern.
The end goal is to wear and enjoy your wardrobe, rather than nobly suffer for historical accuracy.
Mix Genuine Vintage with Vintage Inspired Pieces
There is absolutely no rule saying that a vintage capsule wardrobe needs to contain only genuine (or true) vintage. In fact, I think mixing old and new makes a wardrobe much easier to live in.
True vintage can bring beautiful fabrics, construction, prints and little design details that are difficult to replicate. Modern clothing can fill practical gaps, particularly for everyday basics, shoes, knitwear and pieces that need to be frequently washed.
Vintage inspired clothing can sit somewhere between the two. And sometimes the best piece for your wardrobe is the one that fits properly and gets worn. Labels matter far less to me than the overall effect.
Shop the Gaps, Not just the Pretty Things
Look, this one has taken me a long time to learn.
Vintage fairs, charity shops and online marketplaces are very good at convincing you that what’s in front of your is precisely what your wardrobe has been missing.
Newsflash! It’s probably not.
Before shopping, look at your wardrobe and notice what would unlock more outfits. Perhaps you have several skirts but very few tops. Maybe you keep buying pretty summer dresses, when what you actually need is a good winter coat (I get it babe, honest).
I keep a little list on my phone of these gaps so I can check when I’m browsing. It doesn’t stop me making spontaneous purchases completely, and frankly I wouldn’t want it to, but it does make me slightly harder to seduce by beautiful things that I will never wear. Slightly.
Be Picky About Fit
With vintage clothing, the label really is only the beginning.
Bodies, sizing systems and clothing vary enormously, so your measurements are far more useful than the number sewn into the garment.
And even when something technically fits, ask whether you feel comfortable wearing it. Can you move? Can you sit down? Do you spend every second of the day adjusting it?
A spectacular dress that makes you miserable everytime you wear it isn’t earning it’s spot in your wardrobe.
Yes, alterations can turn an almost right piece into something wonderful, although I would be cautious about making irreversibly changes to especially rare, or even potentially historically significant garments.
For ordinary wearable vintage, I am firmly in favour of clothes fitting the person, rather than the person trying to fit the clothes.
Look After the Pieces You Love
A smaller wardrobe naturally means that individual pieces get worn more often, so looking after them matters. Vintage clothing can require a little more thought because fabrics, dyes, trims and constructions vary enormously from garment to garment.
Check each piece before cleaning it. Don’t automatically assume that something can go into the washing machine, or even that handwashing is always appropriate.
Between wears, airing garments can help you avoid unnecessary cleaning. Deal with stains carefully, store clothes somewhere dry and protected, and learn a few basic repairs such as replacing buttons and securing loose hems.
I also think knowing a good tailor, cobbler and specialist cleaner is one of the least glamorous but most useful part of loving old clothes. A tiny repair today can save a favourite piece from becoming unwearable later.
The Best Vintage Wardrobe Looks Like You
This is probably my biggest secret. A good vintage capsule wardrobe shouldn’t look as though you;ve ordered the complete contents of a particular decade and dutifully put it on.
It should be personal, and filled with items you love to wear.
There might be a 1940s jacket next to a modern pair of trousers, your grandmother’s brooch pinned to a reproduction dress, or a slightly ridiculous 1960s kitchy handbag (I have one that looks like a tin of Campbell’s soup) that goes with absolutely nothing you own but makes you happy everytime you see it.
That’s the good stuff.
Use the capsule wardrobe idea to make your wardrobe easier to wear, easier to shop for and more connected. But don’t edit out all of your wonderful personality in pursuit of perfection.
Life is far too short for that!
And if you do fall hopelessly in love with a sequinned 1980s blazer that fits into none of your carefully considered plans?
Well…
Sometimes you have to buy the blazer!
Do you have a favourite vintage piece that somehow works with everything? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
And you can follow along on my Facebook page, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest for more vintage fashion, beauty and wonderfully impractical inspiration.
Until next time, stay delightful, darling.