When I first started shopping for vintage. I was amazed at how many pieces were available in my size. Unfortunately, these pieces usually didn’t fit! The people who wore them before may have been shaped very differently from me. So it wasn’t always possible to use the same measurements to help determine. If an item would work for me. This problem is made worse when you try to shop online. Because often all you get are front views of clothing cropped white denim jacket and no idea what shape anything is under there.
How did they expect us, curvy girls? To know if we could fit into their piece?! After finding myself unable to purchase many items. That caught my eye because they wouldn’t zip up. I decided that I needed some standard measurements that. I could keep it in mind while shopping to help me pick pieces that would fit my body.
The first measurements
The first measurements I started working with were bust, waist, and hip measurements. These three measurements can be used on their own or combined to give you a better idea of how something will fit your body shape. The next set of measurements I added to my arsenal was shoulder width. Neck width, sleeve length, torso length (from high to low hip). Along with the corresponding inseam lengths for skirts and pants. These are not meant to replace your current fitting methods. But rather work as guides to help determine. If an item will fit you before you buy it. When shopping for both vintage and contemporary clothing try looking at these two main indicators.
How to Wear a Tie
Embrace your inner flapper, sailor, bank robber or whatever character you’ve always wanted to be! Ties are having a major moment right now so go with it! It’s time to bring back those ties you had in the back of your closet and figure out how to tie them. There are so many different ways to wear one but this is just one way that I like.
For this look, I’m using two old circle scarves that were sent to me for review by Stitched In Vintage. The first scarf has alternating light blue, white, and dark blue panels that measure about 37″ long and 13″ across when laid out flat. The second scarf has red and white stripes on one side with navy blue zig-zags on the other and measures 47″ long and 13.75″ laying flat.
Fold your scarf in half lengthwise, ideally so that both ends are even, to determine how long you need to cut your second strip of fabric. In this case, my larger scarf was folded into a point at one end so I decided to keep it that way for aesthetics and only cut off the other end.
The Suit Jacket
I’m taking inspiration from Claire 20-something who wrote this amazing post on how to wear the man’s white denim jacket mens. Her method for wearing a suit jacket is more of a no-fuss way to get your thrills from menswear without looking too masculine. I have been seeing these jackets everywhere and have been dying to try one myself so it seemed like the perfect opportunity. All you need is a full suit or just a dress pants/shoe combo and a plain white button-up shirt! The great part of this look is that there aren’t any rules so play around with different pieces until you find what works for you!
Basic Men’s Shirts
Some of the best vintage for women are men’s shirts. They’re typically designed to fit a man’s body and give you more of the oversized look that is popular right now. If you get something made from a sturdy material, like oxford cloth or denim, there won’t be any issues with things popping open while you wear it.
Lay your shirt out flat and take a measuring tape to determine how wide you want each of your panels to beCut the width of each panel, making sure that they’re all even so that it comes together in a nice rectangle. Now measure from the collar down the center around to where you started at the top of the shirt. Depending on how fitted you want it to be, you may need to cut an inch off either side of this measurement (darting if needed). Now is when things get fun! It’s time to add your panels that will show off different parts of the print or pattern on the front and back.
Dress Shoes for Men
Dress shoes for men are the perfect vintage find! They’re usually in great condition and because modern designers tend to keep their styles pretty classic, you can wear them today without too much fuss. I think they go best with all-black outfits but pair them with other colors if that’s more your thing or what works best with your wardrobe.
