How to cultivate a vintage archive with the Save Your Wardrobe app

WORDS BY CLOTILDE MOULLEC

20 Oct 2021

1. Find the era and the subculture that you are most inspired by

Grunge, disco, roaring twenties, flower power… so many eras and subcultures that you can get inspired from! To get a better understanding of what ear and subculture fits your personal style, don’t hesitate to go look at nostalgic fashion instagrams such as @vintagefashion or @90ssclassy.

Another great option is pinterest, just type vintage inspiration or any other era to get a whole load of photos that you can use for inspiration. And if you like items from different eras, why not create an edgy look by mixing them?

2. Do your research and find what you love on resale and curated vintage websites

Once you have found items that you would like, the next step is to check if you already have this vintage item in your closet. You don’t, then on to thrift shops or online secondhand shopping. Nowadays, there are mountains of options, whether Thrift+, Depop, Vestiaire Collective, Vinted or Cudoni (to name a few).

Want a specific model or brand? Online shops’ interfaces will enable you to search for the item that you love easily. Type into the search bar and you will find related items, which you can even filter by price or condition.

3. Create your ‘Vintage’ folder on SYW and start uploading your pieces

To have a view on your growing vintage collection, start uploading your vintage pieces to your digital wardrobe. You decide how to upload the item, either directly styled onto you, or a simple picture of the item on a hanger.

Once you have uploaded them all, use our folder function to create an easy access collection to all of your vintage pieces. Name it however you like! We went for something simple, using Vintage, but you can be more creative, using a certain year or song name!

4. Filter your pieces by year and designer

One very important tip we have while you are uploading your pieces is to add the year and the designer. Why? Well sometimes you just HAVE to wear your vintage Jean-Paul Gaultier today.

When uploading your picture, you will have the possibility to add in details including the brand, product name, category, size and colour. By adding the year/ the decade of the item in the product name, you will be able to search for the item just by year or decade.

5. Restore pieces if necessary by booking a repair with one of SYW’s service providers

Debating whether you should buy a piece because it has a minor imperfection? This shouldn’t be an issue anymore! Once your pieces are uploaded to SYW, use our services tab to choose the service you would like to have done on your item.

For a hole in a vintage piece, look at our repair and alterations tab. If they have a few stains, use our cleaning partners for eco-friendly cleaning offerings. These services will enable your vintage piece to look good as new!