Your Online Vintage Clothing Guide

Buying vintage clothing is becoming ever popular and more mainstream by the day. And we don't all live in uber cool cities with bags of vintage shops to choose from. So most of us, through choice or not, are looking to buy vintage clothing online. So lets embrace this, put our feet up, make a cuppa and take a look at what vintage clothing the world wide web has to offer.

A good vintage clothing company will be run by people who are as passionate about their business as you are about buying their clothing. Such high feelings for vintage are great because any questions you have will be easily answered. You should also feel free to contact these companies if you would like advice on particular styles of vintage clothing or how to put certain items and outfits together. Most of these sellers have a real eye for fashion, cut and style as well as heaps of knowledge and experience of many decades of clothing.

The real bonus of using an online vintage clothes shop is that all the available stock is clearly laid out in relevant sections, with multiple photographs and descriptions, giving you the chance to browse in detail at your leisure. Most websites will sell a combination of mens and womens vintage clothing and many now also sell a range of retro clothing too. Another good tip is to search all sections of the website - as there may be hidden gems throughout. Bargain, clearance and sale sections are also bursting with vintage clothing - check these areas particularly if you are very petite or plus size.

Buying online is fantastic if you are the kind of buyer who likes to mix vintage clothing with high street pieces. Whether it's dresses teamed with killer high street heels, or designer denim combined with vintage knitwear - you can easily cross reference between a whole array of different websites. Much more fun than trailing from one side of town to another in four inch stacks!

Vintage clothing websites are available twenty-four hours a day giving you access whenever it suits you. Once you have then found your desired piece(s) of vintage clothing, simply purchase online and let them do all the hard work! Orders can easily be tracked and within days, your fabulous new vintage clothing will be delivered directly to your door.

Vintage websites can also save you a packet! Internet only boutiques have lower overheads (no shop rent, rates, utilities etc) and therefore can afford to offer top quality vintage clothing for even less money! There will probably be a small postage charge but even this tends to be wavered if you spend over a certain amount.

Always check the terms of your chosen website, but most will  have easy to understand policies for returns and exchanges and are happy to help if you come across any problems.

All things considered, buying vintage clothing online is an easier, more comfortable and hassle-free way to get your hands on the clothing you love. So have a good surf, find your favourites and get clicking - who knows what treasures you might find.

My Vintage are a leading online vintage & retro clothing retailer. Visit http://www.myvintage.co.uk for a wide range of vintage & retro clothing for men & women.

Copyright 2009, My Vintage. May be reprinted in its entirety with full credit given to My Vintage and a link to http://www.myvintage.co.uk

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Fashion Goes Vintage - A Guide to Vintage Clothing

Everyone's wearing vintage style from the girl on the high street to A list celebrities. Even high street shops are now following suit with their own ranges of vintage inspired clothes. But why is vintage clothing so popular and how can you get the vintage look?

Vintage clothing is described by Trudie Bamford, author of Viva Vintage (Carroll & Brown) as clothing made between 1920 and 1970. Anything before 1920 is antique and anything after is retro. Although many people use vintage as a term to describe clothes that are not brand new. The popularity of vintage clothing is currently huge with large numbers of people owning at least a few items of vintage clothing and some people only ever wearing vintage clothes. Celebrities have fueled the popularity of vintage by wearing vintage designer clothes like Julia Roberts in her Vintage Valentino gown, worn for the Oscars in 2001. In the High Street Oasis and Next have also created there own vintage inspired clothing with similar styles and colors as clothing from various different eras of fashion.

The popularity of vintage clothing is probably due to three factors. The individuality of vintage pieces is a real attraction to many people. The range of clothing on the high street almost always follows the seasons trends. You are much less likely to see someone wearing the same or a similar outfit if you wear vintage clothing. Many will use one key piece of vintage clothing or an accessory to give an outfit bought on the high street an individual twist. Vintage clothing has also proved popular as many love the beautiful , delicate and detailed ladylike styles that can be found when buying vintage clothing. Many vintage clothes lovers have a keen interest in the history of fashion and finding vintage clothing is an interesting hobby.

Key looks such as 1940's Dior New Look frequently inspire designer and high street main stream collections and those who wear vintage clothing have the benefit of wearing the 'real thing'. Finally the beauty of vintage clothing is often in the quality of the garment. The vintage clothing that has stood the test of time and has managed to remain in a reasonable and wearable condition will usually be of a superior quality to many clothes mass produced in the present day. Clothing made before 1960 is probably handmade and quality natural materials such as silk and wool were used as man made and synthetic materials were not available. Styles and trends of clothing did not change as frequently as it does today so clothes were made to last.

Buying vintage clothes can be a time consuming business. Finding the right item takes time. There are many shops specializing in vintage clothes, charity shops and flea markets are also good hunting grounds. The internet provides an excellent resource for finding vintage clothes. eBay is treasure trove for vintage clothes and you can often get a real bargain if you look hard enough. There are also many online vintage shops which make it easier to find the item you are looking for but are likely to charge a bit more for the privilege.

A word of warning, there are some key pitfalls to watch out for when buying vintage clothing. Do not automatically trust the sellers description of the item. Check for indicators of the age of the items such as metal zippers and buttons instead of plastic on pre-1950's clothes, any clothing with a care instruction label will be post 1970's. When buying designer vintage you will need to do your research to ensure that the item you are purchasing is genuine. It also important to consider the quality of any vintage clothing that you would like to buy. When buying online you will not be able to assess the quality so should ask key questions to make sure you are happy with your buy. Due to the very nature of vintage clothing, it will be in varying conditions. Wear and tear can range from the easily solved tear along a seam or small moth hole to less desirable underarm perspiration stains.

Finally sizing can present a problem when buying vintage clothes. Sizes have changed quite a lot over the years and a size 12 item from the 1950's may be the equivalent of a side 6 or 8 now. It is also possible that clothing can have shrunk in the wash making it even smaller than expected. If unable to try the item on use a tape measure to measure yourself and ask the seller to do the same with the clothes.

When you manage to find the beautiful vintage item that you really love, look after it well. Check the type of material and find out how it should be cleaned. If in doubt take it to a professional dry cleaner. Store carefully using acid free tissue paper for very delicate items and moth balls/ cedar wood for wool.

This article was written by Ceri Heathcote for Designerhighstreet.com For all the latest fashions including party cocktail dress [http://designerhighstreet.com/partyandpromdresses.aspx] and ladies evening dress [http://designerhighstreet.com/partyandpromdresses.aspx]

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A Brief Guide to Vintage Port Wines

For the wine connoisseur there is something especially attractive in the identification and appreciation of a truly great vintage port wine. As you would expect, vintage ports are made from grapes that are all harvested in the same, generally exceptional, growing year. Overall, vintage ports account for only around 2% of the total port wine production in a given year and so they are rightly cherished.

Vintage port wine is a beverage that has a uniquely idiosyncratic nature. Whilst the overall characteristics of a growing season in the Upper Douro valley will clearly be the same for all producers, there are a surprising multitude of specific local conditions that can greatly affect the overall quality of each individual harvest. The Upper Douro comprises a tortuous system of valleys and ridges that allow for a great deal of local variety, whatever the prevailing conditions of the season may be.

Hence the declaration of a vintage is a matter for each port shipper alone, and only in some exceptional years will there be a general declaration of vintage. But to attain its potential as a truly great vintage port, the wine must be stored and allowed to mature in bottle for several years, and sometimes even decades. This is a requirement that was only discovered by chance.

The Development of Vintage Port

In the early days of port wines, vintage ports were not available. The demand for ports in the mid 18th century was such that no shipper would seriously consider the long term storage of the beverage given the presence of a thirsty market, and the advantages of ageing had not as yet been discovered. Whilst some shippers had discovered the benefits of in-cask ageing and of leaving the wine in-bottle for up to 2 years before release, it is thought that the true potential of vintage port was only discovered by chance due to the cellars of wealthy buyers becoming overstocked and the subsequent years worth of in-bottle ageing that often resulted as the wine languished in the cellar.

Until this time, port wine had been regarded as a moderate quality beverage. The effects of ageing elevated them to the ranks of true excellence, and led to the conscious development of high quality, vintage port wines for the appreciation of the discerning classes. This was aided in no small measure by the legendary vintage of 1820, which produced wines of such quality and ferocity that they set the benchmark for subsequent expectations, and indeed produced wines of such increased alcoholic strength that they resulted in a subsequent increase in the quantities of fortifying brandy used in the preparation process. By the mid 19th century, a requirement for 10 to 15 years of in bottle ageing for high quality vintage ports had become established practice.

At the turn of the century, a run of excellent vintage years in the Upper Douro (1896, 1900, 1904, 1908 and 1912) helped to position port wine, correctly stored and aged, as one of the great wines of the world. At the same time, several producers had attained reputations for excellence and quality, so that the identification of a port from a highly regarded vintage and producer was much sought after.

The production of port wines was formalised to some extent by the regulations issued after the Second World war by the Port Wine Institute (IVP), requiring that all ports be bottled in the second year following the grape harvest. This subsequently (in 1974) became a requirement for all ports to be bottled in Portugal, in an attempt to regulate the standard of ports by removing the variability that may be introduced by different port merchants' bottling procedures where bottling abroad took place.

The Production of Vintage Port

As with most things regarding wines, the correct ageing of port is a matter of conjecture and debate. As a general guideline, a vintage port wine can be said to have reached its peak maturity at an age of around 20 years. There are many examples of vintage ports that have proved to be excellent long after this guideline period though, and likewise there are many who appreciate the fruitiness and strength of a vintage port sampled well before the 20 years have elapsed. Vintage ports with reputations for quality well beyond the timescale that might have been expected include the 1927, 1934, and 1945.

When a port wine producer believes that the port from that year's harvest is of a sufficiently high standard, a declaration of vintage will be made. On the average this will happen around 3 times each decade, although some of the less prestigious producers apply a policy of making declarations in all but poor years. Hence a declaration by one producer may not be matched by other producers, and for this reason you will hear the term "general declaration of vintage" for correspondingly good production years, to reflect the fact that not all producers may have declared. Likewise, some years that are not generally declared may yet harbour vintage ports from specific producers. Given the improvements in growing technologies and weather prediction, it is likely that even in the worst years there will be at least one or two port wines that are declared.

Should a vintage have been declared, it is likely that the preceding year provided a cold and wet winter followed by a warm and dry spring. This would have culminated in a hot summer with little significant rainfall, although the truly excellent years will typically have some rainfall in late August or early September, and good weather conditions at harvest time.

After harvest and initial production of the prospective port, it is aged in wooden casks and periodically assessed for quality by sample tastings. If, after around 16 months, it is considered of a sufficient quality the wine will be submitted as a candidate for approval as a Vintage Port Wine. This is granted by a panel of experts appointed by the Port Wine Institute, and if it is received then the producer can declare the vintage port. Subsequent bottling will then take place between July of the second year after the original harvest and the end of June the following year. This limited time spent in barrel contributes to the characteristic retention of a dark ruby colouration and of fresh and fruity flavours in vintage port wines. The bottling process takes place without filtration, and so the solids and suspensions that are naturally present will remain, such that a vintage port should always be allowed to settle and then be decanted prior to serving.

Single Quinta Vintage Ports

Single Quinta vintage ports (where the term "quinta" is referring to the estate where the grapes were grown), are a particular type of vintage port that serves one of two purposes depending upon the motives of the producer. Generally the larger port houses will produce a single quinta port, from their best quinta, for those years in which a declaration of vintage for their main, blended port is not attained. Given the intricate geography of the Upper Douro, the port houses know which quintas are more likely to sustain a single quinta vintage and so will produce this as a fall back in the event of a flagship port vintage being absent. An example would be the 1996 Dow's Quinta do Bomfim.

These single quinta ports are generally excellent value for money, being cheaper than the classic vintage ports but bearing most of the characteristics and qualities of blended quinta vintage ports. These offerings will also typically be ready to drink sooner too. They will be labeled with the name of the port house and of the quinta itself, such as Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos.

Single quinta vintage ports are also produced specifically for the quality wine market, typically by the smaller producers but also increasingly by the larger port houses. These will be routinely produced and are typically identified by the quinta name only. A classic example of this is the Quinta do Vesuvio port which has been declared as a vintage in each year apart from 1993 and 2002.

Port Houses

The companies that produce port wines have each developed their own, closely guarded methods and styles for ports, be they vintage or otherwise. In a future article the characteristics of these 'shippers' will be examined in depth. For now, here is a list of the more notable port shippers that should be tried by any port wine lover:

Calem; Churchill's; Cockburn's; Croft; Delaforce; Ferreira; Fonseca; Niepoort; Offley; Quinta do Noval; Ramos Pinto; Royal Oporto; Sandeman; The Symington Family Estates (including Graham's, Warre's, Dow's, Smith Woodhouse); Taylor, Fladgate and Yeatman (generally known as Taylor's)

Experience is the key, so begin your examination of port wines from a variety of shippers and vintage years, to find that truly exquisite vintage port wine.

Freelance article writer, internet marketer, and big fan of Vintage Wines and Ports

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A Brief Guide to Vintage Port Wines

For the wine connoisseur there is something especially attractive in the identification and appreciation of a truly great vintage port wine. As you would expect, vintage ports are made from grapes that are all harvested in the same, generally exceptional, growing year. Overall, vintage ports account for only around 2% of the total port wine production in a given year and so they are rightly cherished.

Vintage port wine is a beverage that has a uniquely idiosyncratic nature. Whilst the overall characteristics of a growing season in the Upper Douro valley will clearly be the same for all producers, there are a surprising multitude of specific local conditions that can greatly affect the overall quality of each individual harvest. The Upper Douro comprises a tortuous system of valleys and ridges that allow for a great deal of local variety, whatever the prevailing conditions of the season may be.

Hence the declaration of a vintage is a matter for each port shipper alone, and only in some exceptional years will there be a general declaration of vintage. But to attain its potential as a truly great vintage port, the wine must be stored and allowed to mature in bottle for several years, and sometimes even decades. This is a requirement that was only discovered by chance.

The Development of Vintage Port

In the early days of port wines, vintage ports were not available. The demand for ports in the mid 18th century was such that no shipper would seriously consider the long term storage of the beverage given the presence of a thirsty market, and the advantages of ageing had not as yet been discovered. Whilst some shippers had discovered the benefits of in-cask ageing and of leaving the wine in-bottle for up to 2 years before release, it is thought that the true potential of vintage port was only discovered by chance due to the cellars of wealthy buyers becoming overstocked and the subsequent years worth of in-bottle ageing that often resulted as the wine languished in the cellar.

Until this time, port wine had been regarded as a moderate quality beverage. The effects of ageing elevated them to the ranks of true excellence, and led to the conscious development of high quality, vintage port wines for the appreciation of the discerning classes. This was aided in no small measure by the legendary vintage of 1820, which produced wines of such quality and ferocity that they set the benchmark for subsequent expectations, and indeed produced wines of such increased alcoholic strength that they resulted in a subsequent increase in the quantities of fortifying brandy used in the preparation process. By the mid 19th century, a requirement for 10 to 15 years of in bottle ageing for high quality vintage ports had become established practice.

At the turn of the century, a run of excellent vintage years in the Upper Douro (1896, 1900, 1904, 1908 and 1912) helped to position port wine, correctly stored and aged, as one of the great wines of the world. At the same time, several producers had attained reputations for excellence and quality, so that the identification of a port from a highly regarded vintage and producer was much sought after.

The production of port wines was formalised to some extent by the regulations issued after the Second World war by the Port Wine Institute (IVP), requiring that all ports be bottled in the second year following the grape harvest. This subsequently (in 1974) became a requirement for all ports to be bottled in Portugal, in an attempt to regulate the standard of ports by removing the variability that may be introduced by different port merchants' bottling procedures where bottling abroad took place.

The Production of Vintage Port

As with most things regarding wines, the correct ageing of port is a matter of conjecture and debate. As a general guideline, a vintage port wine can be said to have reached its peak maturity at an age of around 20 years. There are many examples of vintage ports that have proved to be excellent long after this guideline period though, and likewise there are many who appreciate the fruitiness and strength of a vintage port sampled well before the 20 years have elapsed. Vintage ports with reputations for quality well beyond the timescale that might have been expected include the 1927, 1934, and 1945.

When a port wine producer believes that the port from that year's harvest is of a sufficiently high standard, a declaration of vintage will be made. On the average this will happen around 3 times each decade, although some of the less prestigious producers apply a policy of making declarations in all but poor years. Hence a declaration by one producer may not be matched by other producers, and for this reason you will hear the term "general declaration of vintage" for correspondingly good production years, to reflect the fact that not all producers may have declared. Likewise, some years that are not generally declared may yet harbour vintage ports from specific producers. Given the improvements in growing technologies and weather prediction, it is likely that even in the worst years there will be at least one or two port wines that are declared.

Should a vintage have been declared, it is likely that the preceding year provided a cold and wet winter followed by a warm and dry spring. This would have culminated in a hot summer with little significant rainfall, although the truly excellent years will typically have some rainfall in late August or early September, and good weather conditions at harvest time.

After harvest and initial production of the prospective port, it is aged in wooden casks and periodically assessed for quality by sample tastings. If, after around 16 months, it is considered of a sufficient quality the wine will be submitted as a candidate for approval as a Vintage Port Wine. This is granted by a panel of experts appointed by the Port Wine Institute, and if it is received then the producer can declare the vintage port. Subsequent bottling will then take place between July of the second year after the original harvest and the end of June the following year. This limited time spent in barrel contributes to the characteristic retention of a dark ruby colouration and of fresh and fruity flavours in vintage port wines. The bottling process takes place without filtration, and so the solids and suspensions that are naturally present will remain, such that a vintage port should always be allowed to settle and then be decanted prior to serving.

Single Quinta Vintage Ports

Single Quinta vintage ports (where the term "quinta" is referring to the estate where the grapes were grown), are a particular type of vintage port that serves one of two purposes depending upon the motives of the producer. Generally the larger port houses will produce a single quinta port, from their best quinta, for those years in which a declaration of vintage for their main, blended port is not attained. Given the intricate geography of the Upper Douro, the port houses know which quintas are more likely to sustain a single quinta vintage and so will produce this as a fall back in the event of a flagship port vintage being absent. An example would be the 1996 Dow's Quinta do Bomfim.

These single quinta ports are generally excellent value for money, being cheaper than the classic vintage ports but bearing most of the characteristics and qualities of blended quinta vintage ports. These offerings will also typically be ready to drink sooner too. They will be labeled with the name of the port house and of the quinta itself, such as Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos.

Single quinta vintage ports are also produced specifically for the quality wine market, typically by the smaller producers but also increasingly by the larger port houses. These will be routinely produced and are typically identified by the quinta name only. A classic example of this is the Quinta do Vesuvio port which has been declared as a vintage in each year apart from 1993 and 2002.

Port Houses

The companies that produce port wines have each developed their own, closely guarded methods and styles for ports, be they vintage or otherwise. In a future article the characteristics of these 'shippers' will be examined in depth. For now, here is a list of the more notable port shippers that should be tried by any port wine lover:

Calem; Churchill's; Cockburn's; Croft; Delaforce; Ferreira; Fonseca; Niepoort; Offley; Quinta do Noval; Ramos Pinto; Royal Oporto; Sandeman; The Symington Family Estates (including Graham's, Warre's, Dow's, Smith Woodhouse); Taylor, Fladgate and Yeatman (generally known as Taylor's)

Experience is the key, so begin your examination of port wines from a variety of shippers and vintage years, to find that truly exquisite vintage port wine.

Freelance article writer, internet marketer, and big fan of Vintage Wines and Ports

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Vintage T-Shirts 101 - An eBay Buyer's Guide

If you're looking for a specific and genuine vintage t-shirt, you probably aren't going to luck out at your local thrift store. Take my word for it - I was just there and grabbed all the good stuff. Besides, eBay makes it so much easier to get the exact shirt you want immediately. So now that you're serious about finding that authentic New Kids on the Block tee you've always wanted (seriously?), we've compiled an informative little lesson to help you along the way.

PASS THE SEARCH BAR EXAM

Use the search bar to find your item and go with the most basic search terms possible, such as "New Kids vintage t-shirt" If that initial search brings in too many results, you can narrow your focus by adding words like "NKOTB," "concert," or other related words.

Sometimes shirts are described in different ways. For example, a Led Zeppelin shirt could be listed as "vintage Zeppelin jersey" and wouldn't appear in your search results if you entered "Zeppelin vintage t-shirt " Go ahead - and enter each one of those queries and you'll see how they fetch different results. Remember that varying your search by leaving out the word "Led" may also increase your hits. Make sure to mix up your search terms as much as possible and be creative to broaden your search outcome.

SELLERS WITH GOOD GRADES

If you find something you like, make sure the seller is reputable. You wouldn't buy a watch from some dude on a street corner wearing a trench coat, would you? Most eBay vendors don't specialize in vintage shirts sales; thus they may not grade their items accurately. Some sellers are fly-by-night reproduction operations while some luck out by raiding their granny's closet and find out she was a closet death metal fan. These dealers usually won't provide sizing data or photos of an item's brand or flaws.

Transactions with a seller like this can be hit and miss, too. Sometimes you'll receive an item that doesn't fit, is in poor condition, or is not a real vintage article. Always check out a seller's eBay rating and comments. If you see a bunch of buyers who have complained about receiving a fake item, one in poor shape or the wrong item, take those comments as a sign of a bad trend.

If the merchant is listed as a "power seller," it's an added bonus. This designation means the seller has a more consistent selection of products and maintains a 98% positive feedback rating. This rating is difficult to achieve if you aren't honest about the condition of your shirts, especially when it comes to vintage clothing.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Don't get us wrong - there are plenty of professional vintage outfitters to choose from on eBay. With these organizations, the guideline is: what you see is what you'll get. Most have a strict policy of not dealing in reproductions or fakes. (Repros and fakes make us genuine vendors angry... Almost as angry as Axl Rose was when some fan threw a water bottle at him during a G 'N R concert.)

Honest sellers take the time to accurately photograph and grade their vintage t-shirts. They also provide measurements so you can compare them to an article of clothing you already own. It's not a good idea to "eyeball" your size, since each t-shirt seller has a slightly different method of determining sizes. To make it more confusing, in general, a vintage large is a medium by today's standards. In other words, always compare chest and length measurements to ensure the item will fit. Most sellers won't accept returns due to sizing issues. And if they do, you'll most likely lose out on the shipping fees and wasted time.

Understand that you are purchasing a "vintage" shirt which has been worn to different degrees. That is, unless the item is listed as "new old stock" (NOS) or "deadstock." If the shirt is NOS, it has not been washed, so factor in slight fabric shrinkage when measuring. New old stock usually exists as a result of a retailer who stored away the clothing decades ago because it wasn't selling. However, also be aware that some counterfeiters are claiming their repros are new old stock to justify being in mint shape. In this case be extra cautious in making sure it's a true vintage brand. When you receive the shirt make sure its the exact brand pictured in the auction as some sellers are pulling the ol' switch-a-roo.

Always check the sellers past auctions to find out if they keep listing the same questionable items over and over. This can be done by selecting "list" on the right hand side of the specific sellers auction page where it reads, "View Sellers Other Items". After it fetches their current inventory - along the left hand side within the yellow "Search Options" area check mark, "completed items" then click, "show items".

Also get to know your favorite seller's grading terms. View several of their items and take note of how products are listed using different descriptions, such as, "mint," "excellent," "good" or "poor." In the same way sizing can vary, some vendors have their own grading system.

SAY NO TO REPRO

Reading this guide is an essential step in learning to "say no to repro." Making sure your item is genuine is tricky sometimes, since listings can be misleading.

The recent surge of counterfeit vintage shirts on eBay breaks our hearts. Some of these operations sell very convincing fakes (we're actually amazed) as well as genuine pieces. Others print new designs on plain vintage shirts. Many of these dealers buy repros in bulk - so you'll notice multiple sellers carrying many of the exact same prints. With all these creative and sneaky techniques, it's become even trickier to get the real deal.

Often, the listings will not display the tag - it will be removed, or look like an uncommon, yet vintage-esque brand, ie. "Mahagamage." It's gotten so out-of-hand that designs originally printed on only one colour of shirt are starting to appear in an array of other colours. If Bill and Ted were to chime-in now, you can bet they'd say, "Bogus!"

If the written details and photos in the listing are scarce and non-descriptive, do your research. Keep in mind some listings misuse "vintage" as a keyword to generate exposure for other items. Look for sharp close-ups of copyright printing and date subscripts. Consider the actual look of the printing, as many reproductions use just one color. Also inspect the quality of the printing - watch for inaccurately sized, wrongly placed, poorly coloured or pixelized prints.

If you understand the screen printing process you'll spot the knock-offs more easily. Screen-printed items are made in stages, with each colour printed separately. So when a shirt has a 5-colour design, it's passed under 5 different screens to add the appropriate colour to the specific locations on the fabric. Think of it like a jig-saw puzzle, where each colour is a separate piece, and when put together, makes up the total design.

What does this analogy tell us about identifying fakes? First off, most counterfeiters don't have the original image to work with, so they scan a copy of it. The integrity of the design is compromised because colours and fine lines aren't matched properly. Sometimes entire colours or details are omitted if it's too difficult to pick up or used very little in the original design.

Given these indications of forgery, the example below shows a comparison between an authentic design and a forgery, with close-ups of their subscripts. Notice how the copyright symbol is missing from the fake. When compared side by side, it's obvious to see which is which. On their own, though, it's less apparent which is the repro. Do comparative shopping.

Also factor in the shirt's material. A lot of vintage shirts are made of a 50/50 poly-cotton blend, while the 100% cotton blends are a more recent trend.

Get to know your vintage shirt brands by the tags. This labeling is a great indicator because many of these companies are no longer in production. Names like Screen Stars, Springford, Sportswear, Touch of Gold and Ched are good examples of genuine tag names. Hanes, while still in production, has seen different phases of labels over time which can easily be identified with a particular era.

If all else fails, politely ask the seller if an article is genuine vintage, as this factor is an important element in deciding on a purchase. When confronted with a question of this nature, merchants will probably respond with their honest opinion.

Additional information:
Vintage T-Shirts

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Your Online Vintage Clothing Guide

Buying vintage clothing is becoming ever popular and more mainstream by the day. And we don't all live in uber cool cities with bags of vintage shops to choose from. So most of us, through choice or not, are looking to buy vintage clothing online. So lets embrace this, put our feet up, make a cuppa and take a look at what vintage clothing the world wide web has to offer.

A good vintage clothing company will be run by people who are as passionate about their business as you are about buying their clothing. Such high feelings for vintage are great because any questions you have will be easily answered. You should also feel free to contact these companies if you would like advice on particular styles of vintage clothing or how to put certain items and outfits together. Most of these sellers have a real eye for fashion, cut and style as well as heaps of knowledge and experience of many decades of clothing.

The real bonus of using an online vintage clothes shop is that all the available stock is clearly laid out in relevant sections, with multiple photographs and descriptions, giving you the chance to browse in detail at your leisure. Most websites will sell a combination of mens and womens vintage clothing and many now also sell a range of retro clothing too. Another good tip is to search all sections of the website - as there may be hidden gems throughout. Bargain, clearance and sale sections are also bursting with vintage clothing - check these areas particularly if you are very petite or plus size.

Buying online is fantastic if you are the kind of buyer who likes to mix vintage clothing with high street pieces. Whether it's dresses teamed with killer high street heels, or designer denim combined with vintage knitwear - you can easily cross reference between a whole array of different websites. Much more fun than trailing from one side of town to another in four inch stacks!

Vintage clothing websites are available twenty-four hours a day giving you access whenever it suits you. Once you have then found your desired piece(s) of vintage clothing, simply purchase online and let them do all the hard work! Orders can easily be tracked and within days, your fabulous new vintage clothing will be delivered directly to your door.

Vintage websites can also save you a packet! Internet only boutiques have lower overheads (no shop rent, rates, utilities etc) and therefore can afford to offer top quality vintage clothing for even less money! There will probably be a small postage charge but even this tends to be wavered if you spend over a certain amount.

Always check the terms of your chosen website, but most will  have easy to understand policies for returns and exchanges and are happy to help if you come across any problems.

All things considered, buying vintage clothing online is an easier, more comfortable and hassle-free way to get your hands on the clothing you love. So have a good surf, find your favourites and get clicking - who knows what treasures you might find.

My Vintage are a leading online vintage & retro clothing retailer. Visit http://www.myvintage.co.uk for a wide range of vintage & retro clothing for men & women.

Copyright 2009, My Vintage. May be reprinted in its entirety with full credit given to My Vintage and a link to http://www.myvintage.co.uk

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