Melody Fortier

This little book is an excellent guide for anyone who is interested in vintage clothing, whether it be to wear or to collect. Fortier provides many useful tips for buying in a variety of stores, online or at auction, and she clearly knows what she is talking about.

While no one book can make you an expert at identifying vintage clothing and materials, this is a fine start. Fortier discusses how to date clothes by the type of closures and the labels, how to determine what fabric a garment is made of, what construction to look for, general rules of pricing and how to care for your vintage find. I appreciated the sections devoted to hats, shoes and other accessories, because, as a self-styled "accessory queen", I believe that these items lend the finishing touch to any outfit. (That pair of vintage gloves gives a certain "je ne said quoi" to any modern suit.)

One area that I haven't seen mentioned in other books on the subject is "reinventing" vintage. If a garment is damaged, or a very common style, Fortier sees nothing wrong with customizing and updating it, and shows several examples.

The only real quibble I have is that I would have liked more illustrations to supplement descriptions of technical terms. But overall, this is definitely a book I'd recommend for inclusion in the library of anyone with a serious interest in buying vintage fashion.… (más)

If you've read a few fashion magazine articles or any other book about vintage clothing, and you can recite generalities of its appeal, how to shop for, what to pay, etc..., then The Little Guide to Vintage Clothing will not be a wealth of information, but more like a good summary of the fundamentals. The way the book is presented online one would assume you could throw it in your bag as a nice reference during an afternoon of shopping. And it probably would fit in your bag, as it is a tiny little book. And that is my chief complaint, I simply wished there was more to it. The author never really digs into any topic beyond a few antidotes and recommendations. I would have liked more pictures, more handy reference charts, and more celebration of the vintage market. Instead the author doles out a lot of generalities. Otherwise, it is adequately charming, and a great starting point for beginners. Particularly helpful are the sparse reference guides allowing one to determine in a glance the evolution of twentieth century fashion or price ranges for popular vintage items.… (más)