Monday 25 January 2010

Tips on collecting vintage watches

Some vital elements have to be taken into consideration while buying antique watches. It makes no difference whether the aficionado is planning to buy just several watches to add to their collections or fill the house with a galaxy of vintage watches.

The price, the size together with the condition are among the various factors to be noticed. The price is inculpably the greatest criteria in purchasing. Pricing guide is beneficial to watch collectors in deciding the reasonable price for watches.

Also, it is imperative that collectors should do enough research to know about the recent prices for certain watches. Vintage watches are available in diverse forms such as the flea market, antique stores or even at conventions. For those people who are interested in vintage watches they might attend the national convention held by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors each year.

Collectors should also have a clear ideal about the restoration process of various vintage watches. It is highly recommended that every little bit of the repairs and restorations be carried out by a talented technician. It will be quite easy for the collector to fill up his collection if he has a good knowledge of the items that they are collecting. When putting your vintage watches into restorations you should find a reputable and trustworthy individual to avoid damaging your cherished lamb.

Adding these vintage timepieces to your collection also requires frequent exam and lubrication to make sure the watches still work efficiently. Also, the movements of the watches should also be checked meticulously to see whether there is any need of repair.

I'm a watch addict who like share any information and design toward replica Rolex watches and other replica watches. Hope you can share any thinking and comment toward my original articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cherry_Laura

Friday 15 January 2010

Vintage couture shoes and vintage inspired creations

Vintage is classic. The old is now the new. Vintage couture shoes and vintage inspired shoes are now back again with us. Vintage spells history, art, passion for style and creativity. The need to look good and stand out in the crowd. Vintage couture is also a breath of fresh air for those of us fed up with the limited options that the high streets provides, and those of us who care about our environment.

I may be opinionated, but, the most important piece of item in the whole outfit ensemble are the accessories. Shoes, an accessory, will make or break the total and final stylish look. Put on a plain, dull shift dress, a unique wide-belt around the waist. Now put on some classy pumps, be it vintage, or vintage inspired, and voila! you will look almost ready for the catwalk. You look the part of a stylish and chic woman.

I've always been a fashion and style freak. Even with my ever lean purse. Vintage shoes especially. I don't really follow any trend. I just create my own style. This could be firstly attributed to the fact that i am creative naturally, and secondly, because i dare to be different in all things i do.

I remember back in the late 70's, my favourite shop in the whole wide world, situated in Atlanta Ga, was a vintage haute couture shop called 'Putting on the Ritz'. This vintage boutique takes you back in time to the 30's, 40's and 50's couture. Step into this shop, and you are transported back in time.

People would ask me where i got my unusual and unique shoes from. I was always a little naughty about revealing my special finds. It was my well kept secret. I wanted them all to myself at the time.

I would find a unique couture shoe, the one i really, really want, but half of the time, i never get my size, a size 7 (or 40). That's how i realised that people had much smaller feet at the turn of the 20th century. How much smaller could they have been centuries before then! I still wonder. The couture dresses tops and trousers were never really a problem. It was always the shoes.

I would say about 80% of all the stocked items were either fairly used, which primarily means, worn once. Most of the haute couture items were worn by actresses and actors for some great movie or theatre play. The new, un-used items, especially shoes, some which came in their original shoe boxes were all in great condition. Any wear you may notice was always only the slightest scratch on the undersole. The only problems were the small sizes as i earlier mentioned.

So when getting a right size is difficult, or impossible (as the case usually is), go for the vintage inspired creations. It's your next best option to original vintage or antique.

Great shoes are like a beautiful piece of art on the feet. You will not achieve a chic look with just any shoes. No way will the 'just regular comfy' shoes compliment your attire. My favourite shoes are the Italian shoes. I believe they produce the best in couture shoes and bags.

There is also the choice of vintage shoes, made from antique and vintage materials, recycled, re-cut and re-used, to make beautiful chic handmade couture shoes. The ones i love are the ones made from antique Japanese Kimonos, some a few hundred years old, but still in near perfect condition due to the unique way of its preservation. These exquisite fabrics are used for the upper of the shoes. Colours and textures chosen always depict a story, a grand occasion, or, simply the seasons of the year.

Vintage couture shoes, or, vintage inspired creations are a cut above all other shoe styles. It has become bigger than ever as we now see more and more bygone styling coming onto the catwalks.They tend to be a bit pricey in some boutiques, but you can get much better bargains online. A lot of these shoes are timeless pieces, and, a great investment in couture.

Create Your Own Style. Choose your vintage inspired shoes carefully and wisely.

This emerging spring is a good time to plan out your own fashion style. If you are lucky enough to come across jumble sales, boot sales, attic sales or, estate sales, grab them. The opportunity may never come again. An injection of retro or vintage styling into your wardrobe can immediately update your look with exclusive and original concepts of fashion and style.

Scour those second-hand shops for vintage finds, or failing that, cheat! Remove all the hard rummaging work by visiting an online vintage store. You won't believe your finds, and at great prices too. A lot of online stores offer you great promotions and savings now and then. Most ship the goods to you free of charge.

Ideas to build up your wardrobe abound online. Also look out for vintage fairs which take place in all the major fashion cities around the world. Have fun in creating a new look you!

Thursday 14 January 2010

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Vintage clothing - the best of each decade

Vintage clothing has become very popular recently. This is partly due to the timeless nature of many vintage items and qualities such as the detail and craftsmanship used in the production of vintage clothes. It is also due to trends for vintage styles made popular by celebrities like Dita Von Teese, Kate Moss and Julia Roberts.

Each era or decade has it's own styles or vintage pieces which are particularly coveted. Perhaps this is one of the key attractions of vintage clothing. The best of each decade or era is preserved as vintage clothing and the worst falls by the wayside. You could think of vintage clothing as a kind of natural selection of the fashion world where only the fittest or most lovely clothes survive.

Most vintage dealers consider anything from the 1920's to 1970's as vintage although many also now consider clothes from the eighties as vintage. Clothing from certain iconic designers will become vintage very shortly after it has been produced.

The twenties conjure up images of beaded flapper dresses. This style is particularly significant for this decade as it symbolises the girls who embraced the new modern style of dress with shorter (than previous decades) dresses and danced the night away at jazz dances. Silhouettes in the twenties were also very masculine with shapeless dresses and de emphasised busts and waists. Coco Chanel was the most influential designer of the twenties and the label still has strong connections with this era.

Fashion in the thirties and forties was dominated by the conditions caused by economic depression, war and rationing. Key pieces of clothing were military inspired and classic styles that were practical and did not go out of fashion. The wasp waste and Dior New Look began in the forties but did not really become popular until the fifties.

The fifties had a number of key styles that have become popular in vintage clothing, these include Dior New Look, Chanel boxy jackets and suits, denim jeans and circle skirts. The fun and young styles were made popular following the end of the war and rationing.

Key vintage pieces from the sixties are those that bring images of Carnaby Street and the swinging sixties to mind. Mod dresses and mini skirts, May Quant and Pucci psychedelic prints. The seventies followed with hippy styles, disco outfits and flares.

It is really interesting to consider what current fashions and styles of this decade are likely to survive the test of time and become vintage in years to come.

This article was written by Ceri Heathcote for posh-swaps.com, a website for swapping, buying and selling second hand and vintage clothing.

Clothes swap parties and buying and selling second hand clothes is a great way to reduce the impact of fashion on the environment and to save money.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ceri_Heathcote

Tuesday 12 January 2010

Mixing retro with contemporary in NYC

Tips for finding the perfect vintage handbag by Kim Allarie

Vintage handbags have made a comeback in a big way. In fact, it's quite common to see celebrities carrying them at both special functions and for casual wear alike. Even if you're not interested in imitating the stars, this funky fashion accessory will most certainly round out your collection of purses.

There is a huge assortment of these handbags to choose from. And frequently you can purchase one for a remarkably low price.

There are a number of things to look out for when purchasing this classic accessory. First, you should only deal with a reputable merchant that is known to sell authentic pieces and, at the same time, is fair and honest in its dealings.

You must also ensure that the item that you are thinking about purchasing is sturdy and is able to handle everyday use.

In addition, you must also determine if the bag is in good condition. If you notice stains or indications of deterioration on a prospective buy, you should pass it up. However, if the wear and tear is negligible, it might be possible to repair and restore it. Still, it is rarely a good move to purchase anything that needs a lot of effort to make it serviceable.

Another important consideration when it comes to purchasing a vintage handbag is to make sure that you are paying a suitable price for the bag. It should be priced according to its uniqueness, condition, rarity, and design. Make sure that you check out the level of workmanship that has gone into crafting the product.

Before you head to the checkout with your find, be sure that it actually qualifies as being vintage, and is not simply a used and discarded bag.

Another place to find good buys and great selection is on the internet. A Google search for vintage handbags comes up with over 350,000 entries, so you're sure to find something that will appeal to you. Of course, you'll want to be sure the site is secure before handing over your credit card number.

With the vintage handbag's classic design, it will always be in style, no matter what the era. If you love to adopt a traditional look in this contemporary age, and prefer wearing something that makes you stand out from the modern trends, this style is for you. The vintage designs hold unfading popularity because of their classic and traditional approach.

So many handbags, so little time. Before you buy your next handbag, do your research and get shopping tips and advice from Shopping for Handbags to help you make your decision.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Allarie

Welcome to vintage shopping tips

Hi Guys

I've been shopping in vintage stores for a number of years now and have found some fantastic finds all over the world.

Some of my favourite vintage shopping is when I'm not really looking and find a real gem that I just have to have! Of course, this rarely happens and vintage shopping can become a little disheartening when you can't find what you're looking for, so here on my blog I aim to compile the best hints, tips and ideas from vintage shoppers all over the globe and post them for all to see.

Happy hunting xxx