Do you remember how, when a little girl, you liked to rummage in your grandma’s commode or posed before a mirror trying on your mom’s shoes and beads? You dreamed about showing up in front of your friends in all your “beauty” but were told to wait until you “grow up”. Now, when you are finally “old enough”, go back to those forgotten desired things and fulfill the childhood fantasy. Whether you’re a true fashionista or just fascinated by a certain era, these days you have a great opportunity to take advantage of the flourishing popularity of vintage look. Uniqueness, provocativeness, and style are the keywords that accompany this original fashion trend.

Fashion for vintage started about 15 years ago, when some celebrities and socialites of America and Western Europe like Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman, Kim Bessinger, Natalie Portman and Madonna started to appear in haute couture dresses from the 60s and 70s. It was an overturn in fashion and the beginning of renascence for old things.

Definition of the word “vintage” describes “wine of high quality that was made in a particular year” or “a car made between 1919 and 1930” or something “of high quality and lasting value”. The words “rarity” and “virtu” can also be applied. But not only lacy fans, corsets and hats with feathers deserve to be called vintage, as well as not only clothes and accessories may be included in this category. It can be anything ranging from cars to vinyl disks.

Surely, there are no firm time frames for the term, but, still, things younger that 20 years would not yet be considered vintage. Vintage apparel refers to clothing and accessories from a different era. But vintage things differ from antiquarian, as they do not have artistic value and can be bought at a second-hand store or flea market. But while looking for a vintage piece, try to go for authentic vintage stores or quality thrift shops to avoid digging a mass of stuff passed up by Salvation Army. Vintage items range in quality and price. But if you don’t plan on buying a 10-thousand dollar designer dress from 1947, you have a chance to find something exclusive at a relatively low price. Pay attention to details like workmanship, cuffs, seams and buttons as they are usually good indicators of the item’s quality and authenticity. As a “beginner” you can start with accessories. But simply owning a vintage item won’t make you look stylish. Moreover it may make you look odd and even ridiculous. It is crucial to know how to match your vintage item with modern clothes. Check out the latest fashion magazines to find out what era is “in” and what the popular fashion trends are. Also avoid wearing more than one vintage piece per outfit. Make your “new” motley belt or velveteen purse and exclusive element of your guise and people will take notice of your sense of style.

Every vintage item is more than just clothes. It has a story behind it. And if you don’t know it, your imagination creates your own tale. For those who are not interested much in the stories about the past, there is a pseudovintage category. Fashion designers keep looking back for inspiration and incorporate vintage looks and details in their collections. They update the styles but use the same concepts from previous decades and even centuries. Moschino, Burberry, Prada, Alberta Ferretti create lines, which at first glance are composed from 50-year-old pieces. But in reality those are just excellent duplicates of old models. Great variety of materials and modern technologies allow making a copy of any old attire. Besides, they also make it possible to age the material and give it a faded look. As a result, new jeans get a “washed-out” look and a new pair of gloves seems like long-worn. In a similar way the sketches from old adornment and jewelry catalogues are used for reproduction of stylish bracelets, pendants, beads, brooches, belts and purses with original buckles and embellishments.

You can find unique items of apparel, accessories and home decor at Anthropologie stores across the US, whose style combines vintage fashion with bohemian flair. Laura Ashley, though made a more modern appeal to clothing, is still offering vintage, romantic style. Nataya’s romantic apparel, which you can find at specialty boutiques and shops, is also inspired by Victorian and Edwardian designs, blending them with elements from various cultures. So, now, when you have such a wide range of options, from your grandma’s drawers to designers’ boutiques, you should remember a couple of rules. First, don’t take fashion too seriously. Secondly, fashion is meant to be striking and entertaining. And lastly, fashion is a field for constant experiments. If you accept and follow these rules, you should enjoy the creation of your own vintage wardrobe.