Style that never fades

The 1990s were different – fashionably speaking.

There was no definite style to look back on and say, “Now, that’s from the ’90s,” said Sherry King, owner of Yesterdaze Vintage Clothing & Antiques.

But what the decade did offer, King said, was an eclectic fashion pool that drew from everything vintage.

Some attribute the growing variety as a sign of the constantly changing fashion world. Not every sweater tag says GAP, nor does every pair of jeans say Structure. Perhaps one of the greatest perks to buying vintage is getting away from the cookie-cutter appearance. King said customers like to know they walk into her store and purchase an item that isn’t easily bought someplace else.

“Everybody that walks through the door has a different thing going on,” she said. “That’s what’s so interesting about (vintage).”

King’s interest in vintage clothing came back in the early 1980s. She said she started out working at an antique mall. She would pick up vintage items here and there. When she saw the positive response to the vintage she began selling, she looked for vintage everywhere she went. Four years ago, she opened her store.

“I can spot a fake, just like this,” King said, holding out her fingers and pretending to feel the fabric on two different garments. “I’ve been doing it for so long, there a lot of little things – clues. Sometimes, it’s just a feeling. Can’t exactly tell why.”

Prices for vintage items can range well into the hundreds of dollars. King said price depends on the era of a particular garment plus its condition. She said, for example, a dress from the 1940s that’s in good condition can sell between $35 and $55, depending on the fashion. A dress from the ’60s or ’70s that is in good condition, goes for less – between $25 and $55, King said.

King suggested going to a reputable vintage shop and speaking with its staff before heading around town to garage sales and flea markets on vintage buying sprees.

“We know when metal zippers started being used … when nylon zippers came into use. Go see what the good stuff looks like first,” King said.

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