Mixing vintage with new is the best way to update a wardrobe without outlaying too much cash and the added bonus is you will be completely unique while also supporting the revolving door of fashion and not adding to the waste. Vintage shopping means supporting charity, recycling and being creative - three things we should all be doing regularly. This also leaves room to purchase quality over quantity when it comes to building a strong wardrobe, shopping locally and saving up for well made items which will be kept forever.

I have a few "lucky" op-shops which I seem to always score a bunch of amazing pieces at. I don't know why this is, there is no real difference in demographic or location but I find some better than others. The key is to very focused on quality and fabric. Purchasing something cheap is a guarantee it will end up right back in the clothing bin. Markets are also great places to find vintage pieces as there tends to be a well thought out, curated range of pieces on offer rather than racks and racks of rubbish. I recently wrote a post "How To Op-Shop Like A Pro" which details some of my tips and tricks to successful vintage shopping and decided to offer a few quick tips on styling these vintage pieces once you find them!

Keep It Simple

Often vintage pieces have a quirky, bold or unique factor which is why we love them so much. This means we should let our vintage piece do all the talking and keep everything else minimal. I styled this pre-loved lame' skirt with a white tee and white sneakers. The shape of the skirt is elegant and so for day time, the white tee pares this back and makes it wearable. The sneakers are an unexpected item with such a statement skirt which makes it cool rather than over the top. Sneakers with dresses and skirts has been a big trend for the last few years and it is well worth hanging onto. All about that comfort, casual, cool.

Contrast

The metallic shine of this skirt needs some weight and grounding which is done easily by adding a little contrast. I achieved this by styling in an embroidered clutch bag. The textural details contrast perfeclty against the fabric of the skirt. The two pieces are chalk and cheese, opposite in every way so while it is a very considered pairing, it seems like a relaxed accident. The clutch look is very relaxed too, I always work with a clutch for a "just walked out the door with my essentials" feeling.

Tone

This grey scarf is one or two shades lighter than the skirt but the same colour. Playing with tone is always aesthetically pleasing - working from a single colour pallet in varying shades pulls everything together and creates visual harmony. This is also another play on contrast with the knit being completely different than the metallic pleats. Tonal dressing is such an effective way to look leaner, longer and ensure everything flows. Any colour works but I usually like to stick with grey, navy, denim or black.

Relax The Rest

I rarely wear my hair up but certain outfits call for the most simple styling in hair and makeup. Effortless...there is that word again! Vintage can be fussy if it is over styled. The idea is to make it modern rather than costumey and this means keeping the face, hair and general styling pared back. Think "just threw this on" every time you play with vintage, don't make too much effort and let the piece speak for itself.