How to buy the perfect vintage T-Shirt

Chiara is a huge fan of vintage t-shirts, and so are Kendall, Gigi, Bella, Lady Gaga and many other celebrities. Actually, I am a fan of those t-shirts myself, and I love my vintage t-shirts more than some designer pieces I own. Everyone should have at least one vintage t-shirt in their wardrobe, because they are utterly original, and manage to lend a cutting edge to any outfit, with their unique character. It’s not so easy to get the right one, though: you can’t just walk into any secondhand store and just grab the first one you find. So, what to do, then? Why not start by reading my guide to choosing the perfect vintage tee for you?

Material
My favorite is cotton, which I find way better than anything synthetic, especially when dealing with secondhand garments. You will sometimes come across t-shirts that have tiny holes, or faded prints, occasionally with traces of paint. Most people tend to see these little flaws as a problem, but details like these actually add value to your “new”shirt by making it unique and special: you will be the only ones to own that particular shirt. Multiple brands actually got inspiration from the kind of flaws we just mentioned, and started producing new tees that come with a worn look… But it often doesn’t work out so well, actually those t-shirts really look fake.

Production years
My favorite decades to pick from are those made between the first half of the 1960s and the end of the 1990s. T-shirts made in the 60s and 70s have usually a skinnier fit, while those from the 80s and 90s have a more relaxed fit , and sometimes come in very original cuts. My tip is, start taking a look at photos from this decade online, or even better, go and find your family’s old photo albums in the attic. If your parents aren’t too good at clearing everything out every few years, you might even get lucky, and find some gems in their old wardrobes… For free, YAY! 🙂

Prints
Iconic bands, cartoon characters, logos of old brands, or even just club names from American schools… There’s a huge variety of prints to choose from. What you should go for depends on your taste. A black band t-shirt is always cool and very versatile. If you buy an oversized one, you can also make it into a sexy little dress, try it with heels! If you’re creative, you could buy a large men’s one and cut out the sleeves, or cut out a portion of the cloth to make a crop top. Prints cut in half are super cool, and they will be even cooler after a few washings. Mickey Mouse is a classic, but why not try to find your favorite childhood cartoon character? Sweet! I also really like those (mostly American) t-shirts with restaurant addresses, school club logos, and so on. I find them really ironic, and I like to imagine the previous owner’s life. I wonder what they might be doing today.

What do you think? I am very curious to find out what you will buy. Never forget: those who seek shall find! 😉