1. Westley – Layered Business Casual
Of the crew, I think Wes has the best eye for finding cool, wearable vintage pieces. He lives in a neighbourhood with some great shops and pops in on a regular basis.
“Frequency is key…you never know what your going to find on a given day”.
He’s found some truly awesome pieces. This military officer’s coat, for example, is one of the coolest vintage pieces I’ve seen.
It’s the perfect take on a classic navy peacoat. The design details are awesome: brass crest-engraved buttons, hidden zipper side-vents, western shaped button-through pocket flaps, metal anchors for old badges/medals, and of course it’s made from a super sturdy and durable military wool.
My favorite detail, though, is the split side panel. See the “princess” seams curving down the back side-body of the jacket? That’s brilliant pattern-making which ads shape to the jacket allowing for a smoother transition, and greater difference, from chest size to waist size. Visually, these seams give the wearer a more “fit” and “authoratative” appearance. Notice how the jacket hugs his body and follows the curve of his lower back, even with the jacket worn open!
These are details you would only find on high-end designer jackets today, for $1,500+. He paid less than $100.
Second-hand shops are usually full of eccentric “statement” pieces. The real trick is combining these with more versatile everyday pieces, like the neutral shawl sweater and basic chinos.
This vest was a couple dollars, but Wes makes it look like Michael Bastian from Barneys.
The best part is, since you didn’t pay much for it, you don’t have to be afraid to change or alter it.
“This denim shirt was awesome but it had this huge funky 70′s wing collar. So I cut the collar off and wear the shirt as a band collar/henley now and it’s awesome for layering”.
Vintage down vest. Vintage Officer’s Coat. Vintage Johnston & Murphy Tassle Loafers. Second-Hand Shawl Collar Sweater by JCrew. Second-hand chinos with no label (tailored). Vintage denim shirt (cut the collar off). 2. Dan – Easy Weekender
When you find a great statement vintage piece (like this bomber, or like one of these) don’t forget to look for basics that will compliment and let it shine.
Tassel loafers, like penny loafs, haven’t changed much over the past few decades. These versions by Johnston & Murphy were built to last and are flooding some vintage stores.
In fact, in this post Wes, Towni and I are each wearing our own pair of vintage J&M tassel loafs we scored for $25-40.
Vintage wool bomber jacket by Pendleton (tailored) via Tidwell & Perryman Collection. Vintage Levis jeans. Vintage tassel loafers by Johnston & Murphy. White tee by Rich in Clothing (M). Grey crewneck sweater I’ve had for years, no label. Vintage Hugo Boss shades via Noel Vintage Boutique3. Townsend – Creative Business
Towni, with an outfit from his internship days at GQ. When art meets business you get some cool outfits.
For the record, we allowed “second-hand” and “thrift” to count as “vintage” for this post – those lines are blurry anyway.
With the number of resale, thrift and consignments shops in NYC you can find deep discounts on items that are basically brand new.
I love how Townsend combines old items (like the shoes, belt, tie, bag) with new items (like the jacket, watch and glasses).
It’s a classic look (blazer, v-neck, beige chinos) with a statement vintage piece to make it more creative and unique.
Shirt vintage Ralph Lauren oxford. Pants thrifted from prohibit nyc (tailored by The Tailoring Room NYC). Shoes vintage Johnston & Murphy. Tie vintage. Belt and needlepoint watch strap are hand-me-downs from my father (80s). Sweater and jacket are resale JCrew. My father’s old gym bag. Glasses from Garrett Leight4. DJ – NO JV
“When I thrift, it’s not about the name on the label, it’s about quality peices that I know can fit into my wardrobe…”
“…plus, I know I won’t see anybody with the same items. It’s a Win/Win!”
Don’t forget to look in the accessories section. Things like watches and belts often get better with age.
Don’t forget that fashion is cyclical and the staples always return, with slight modifications. These saddle shoes are vintage, but you can find an almost identical version in stores today.
Vintage varsity jacket (no labels). Shirt second-hand Prps. Vintage cardigan. Vintage chinos by Dockers (tailored). Vintage belt by Gucci. Vintage saddle shoes. Vintage watch by Gucci (from my grandfather). Scarf vintage Christian Dior Monsieur. 5. Alex – Southern Gentleman
The first things I look for in vintage stores: outerwear and tweed jackets.
Harris Tweed never dies, and never shows pinholes after alterations.
Alex has an awesome knack for adding a personal touch to his look – like the vintage Texas-shaped tie pin here.
The beautiful watch is a family heirloom. He plans to pass it down. Gotta love that.
Don’t skimp on the alterations, you’re already saving enough by purchasing used clothing.
After you leave the vintage store you should head to the dry cleaners, then to the tailor.
Vintage Harris Tweed Jacket. Vintage Lacoste Cardigan. Vintage yellow lace pocket square. Cole Haan Bucks, Vintage tuxedo face rolex with crocodile band, and burgundy wool knit tie all passed down from my father. Vintage Texas tie pin. Vintage Yashica Mat 124 G camera (which I still shoot with). J. Crew denim jeans (resale). Bushmills Whiskey limited edition tote. sursa:thestyleblogger.com
