Are you curious about how I find unique vintage clothing and accessories for my brick-and-mortar store? In this video, I’m sharing my favorite tips and tricks for sourcing one-of-a-kind vintage treasures that my customers love. I’ll take you through my go-to strategies for uncovering hidden gems. I’ll also share what I look for when sourcing: quality fabrics, timeless styles, unique details, and those rare pieces that tell a story.
Whether you’re a seasoned vintage seller or just starting out, this video is packed with tips to help you stock your store with items that stand out. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more vintage business tips!”
In this video I sourced items from 2 thrift store while visiting my family in Upstate New York.
-The Salvation Army, Gloversville, NY
-Helpers Community Services, Gloversville, NY
Here are a couple of resources for dating garments based on their labels.
- https://vintagefashionguild.org/resources/
- https://sammydvintage.com/vintage-style/union-labels-ilgwu/
What I'm looking for:
- Items that are in excellent condition and very high quality.
- Vintage clothing & accessories 20 years old or older.
- Contemporary clothing & accessories less than 20 years old that are unique and blend well with a vintage aesthetic.
- High quality fabrics, preferably natural materials like wool, silk, linen, cotton, denim or leather
- Unique details such as beading, buttons and tooled leather
- Handmade items including sewing projects, hand-knit, hand-crocheted or embroidered items.
- Leather bags have authentic wear and are broken-in but not stained, very clean inside.
- Scarves are not stained and do not have strong perfume smells, prefer silk, rolled hem, eye-catching patterns
Quality Checks:
- Items that do not need major repairs.
- Items that do not need excessive cleaning/spot removal.
- Items that do not have strong smells.
- All button are present. If not, check to see if extra buttons are sewn into garment.
- Zippers work.
- Seams and hems are intact.
- Linings are in good condition.
- No moth holes.
- Pockets do not have holes/broken seams.
- The garment hasn't been altered extensively.
Key Considerations:
- Buy at low prices to allow for a sufficient margins while keeping prices fair for the customer
- Buy at somewhat higher prices for "hero" items that will attract more interest
- When possible take advantage of store sales or frequent buyer programs for additional discounts