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Something which has always fascinated me about vintage clothing is the history behind each piece. Who wore it before, what occasion did they buy it for, even what type of closet did it hang in? It's sad that so much of the time we can't know the answers to these questions, but I have a real treat for you today. Not only was this vintage swimsuit made by Elsa Schiaparelli, one of the most influential and sought-after designers of the 1930s and 40s, but it was owned by the gorgeous skating star Melva Block. Block (pictured below) was a national roller skating champion from Detroit, back in the day when roller dancing had aspirations to be like figure skating. She won the national championships twice and then went to Hollywood to follow in the footsteps of Olympic skater turned movie star Sonja Henie. Not only was the swimsuit so beautiful, it was in perfect condition in its original box with the original Schiaparelli label still attached. Plus that beautiful gold lamé, wow! Is it perhaps the perfect piece of vintage? I have another Schiaparelli swimsuit in store at the moment, with gorgeous red fringing from the 1950s. Which is your favourite? [caption id="attachment_433" align="alignnone" width="550"] A Signed Photo of Roller Skating Champion Melva Block[/caption] [caption id="attachment_432" align="alignnone" width="906"] When Melva Block met Sonja Henie[/caption] [caption id="attachment_431" align="alignnone" width="584"] Roller Skating Champion Melva Block modelling swimwear[/caption]   Vintage Gold and Black Schiaparelli Swimsuit [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Vintage Gold and Black Schiaparelli Swimsuit[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Vintage Gold and Black Schiaparelli Swimsuit[/caption]

If you'd like to introduce a little vintage into your wardrobe, a pretty vintage handbag is a great way to do that. They are usually quite reasonable, and on top of that, no one else will have one exactly like it. From the bigger shopper totes of the 60s and 70s to  tiny beaded evening bags popular in the 1920s and 30s, vintage purses are such a lovely thing to own! 1920s and 1930s In the 20s and 30s purses tended to be small, pretty and intricate. They could be made of metal mesh, satin, beaded, embroidered or appliqued, but they were always little works of art. One of the foremost and collectible labels of the era are Whiting & Davis, makers of beautiful mesh bags. 1940s Handbags from the 1940s evoke that age of Hollywood glamour and style. Leather was popular for daywear and velvet and satin clutches for evening wear. Wicker and bamboo bags were also popular for summer and beachwear. Whimsy was also the theme for many bags of the era, in colorful designs and unusual materials. 1950s Purses from the 1950s vary wildly from the iconic leather Kelly bag to super-sophisticated clutches and also some really fun and whimsical fashions. What do you think of the Whole Alligator Bag below, complete with head, legs and tail? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="544"] Vintage Whole Body Baby Alligator Purse Organizer Shoulder Style 1950s[/caption] 1960s and 1970s The Sixties and Seventies were a great time for quirky fun fashion, and this shows in the wonderful choice of handbags from this time, I particularly love the wooden bag which looks like a miniature sideboard! The wonderful thing about vintage handbags is that each one is so individual.  You're very unlikely to come across another person with the same bag as you and that makes it all the more special!

I'm delighted to share that we're offering 15% off all our vintage purses with the voucher code BAG15. We've got everything from antique evening bags, to 1950s clutch bags and even a 1970s red telephone bag (just like Lady Gaga's!). Grab yours quickly because, as with all vintage, there's only one of each and you'll never find the same thing twice! Take a look at our vintage handbags here.

1920s fashion wasn't just about flappers and fringed dresses.  Traditional designs from China and Japan had a big influence on Twenties style with trends like kimino-style coats and robes and richly embroidered fabrics becoming popular. Here are some of my favourite Chinese and Eastern-inspired vintage. Aren't they fabulous? The embroidery is just exquisite! Chinese designs were also really popular in the 1950s so you can dress these fashions up any way you like! They can look very glamorous with skinny jeans or leggings and a vintage slip used as a long sexy camisole.   Jewelry Not all women in the 1920s wore long strings of beads and bangles on their arms, the Chinese influence was also found in jewelry with carved bone, ivory and mother-of-pearl.   Decor The Asian influence in the 1920s was confined to fashion. Homewares with Chinese detailing were also popular. I adore this hand-embroidered antique Chinese wall hanging. At 12 ft long I can't begin to imagine how long it must have taken to create - isn't it special? All of these items are currently available to buy in our store.  If you'd like to see our full range of Chinese-style vintage fashions you can take a look here, most are from the 1920s but there are also some from the 1940s and 50s.

Brooches and pins have fallen out of fashion a little in recent years, but they were incredibly popular in the 1950s. Nothing adds a vintage touch to your outfit like a pin on your lapel, and the right brooch can turn an ordinary outfit into something quite spectacular. Of course you don't just have to wear a brooch on your coat, there are lots of other ways to wear a vintage pin.  You can use it to keep a neck scarf tied, pin one to a hat or wear a chunky brooch at the neck of a button-up shirt (in place of a tie). Wear one on your jeans cuffed up. Pin one to your fabric handbag. Or how about pinning one in your hair to decorate a chignon, onto a ribbon headband for a fabulous hairpiece or even pin one onto a clutch-bag to add a dash of instant glamour! Here are some of my favourite vintage brooches in store at the moment. How would you wear them?Send me your ideas for using a vintage brooch to accessorize your wardrobe!   And we have lots more! You can see our full range of vintage brooches here,

Grace Kelly is one of the greatest style icons of the 20th Century. She exuded a glamorous sophistication, which was only emphasized by her roles as Hitchcock's favourite ice-cool blonde. After starting her career as a model she became an actress at age 22. Amongst others, she starred in 3 Hitchcock movies: Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954) and To Catch a Thief (1955). Her last movie was the fabulous High Society in 1954 with Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra before she retired from acting to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco. She tragically died in a car accident in Monaco (the crash is rumoured to been on the same stretch of road featured in 'To Catch a Thief') at the age of 52. Grace Kelly's style perfectly encapsulates the lady-like chic of the 1950s. She was always immaculately turned out, and impeccably feminine. I've picked my favourite Grace Kelly style dresses to share with you today, if you fancy stealing a little of her enduring style. Just pair any of these gorgeous vintage 1950s dresses with some delicate kitten heels, a string of pearls and some little white gloves and you'll be marrying a prince in no time (probably)... To see more vintage 1950s dresses take a look here Grace Kelly image source and copyright: This work is in the public domain in that it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 and without a copyright notice.

At the moment vintage fashions from the 1960s and 70s are very popular, partly because it's very easy to find vintage clothing from that era. The synthetic fabrics used over the last 50 years mean that these fashions from these decades are more durable will be around for many years to come.  Mid-century fashions are also very popular as are 1920s styles, but the further back in time you go, the rarer true vintage clothes become. Don't despair though, it is possible to find genuine (and quite often unworn) items of clothing from the pre 1920s. Anything older than 100 years is classified as an antique and antique clothing from the Victorian and Edwardian eras is a real privilege to come across. The Victorian era includes anything from the late 1830s through to the turn of the century (Queen Victoria died in 1901). Edwardian follows on for this until the end of 1910. If you think of Edwardian fashions think of the movie Titanic (which was set in 1912) and you've got the right idea. Speaking of "Titanic", many vintage  items found in our local area around  Williamsport Pennsylvania made it into the 1998 film of the same name. Victorian  white tea gowns and day dresses also make exquisite vintage themed wedding gowns. So one-of-a-kind-unique! Pretty and demure, dresses from the Victorian and Edwardian eras were long and often embellished with lace and ruffles. Take a look at the genuine antique clothing below to get some inspiration - which is your favourite? All the items listed below are in stock in our store at the moment and you can see our full range of antique clothing and accessories here.       All the items listed below are in stock in our store at the moment and you can see our full range of antique clothing and accessories here.  

How do you fancy winning a $50 gift certificate to spend online at The Best Vintage Clothing? You do? I thought you would! How to enter: So, how to you win yourself this fabulous prize? All you need to do for your chance to win is: Follow us on Facebook and then take a look on our website. Pick the item you'd spend your $50 gift voucher on, then Post a link to it on our Facebook wall. Good luck!, I can't wait to see what you choose! We'll randomly pick a winner when the competition closes on Friday 24th January 2014. Competition rules: Entries close at midnight on Friday 24th January 2014. The winner will be randomly selected. The competition is open to entrants worldwide. The gift certificate can be spent online at The Best Vintage Clothing. The winner will be contacted via Facebook about their prize, if they have not claimed their prize within 3 months of it being announced we are under no obligation to still offer the prize. This competition is also listed on: Loquax Competitions and ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Wearing fur was enormously popular in from the 1920s through the 1950s and remained very much mainstream (and aspirational) fashion until the 80s. While I don't condone the modern slaughter of animals for their fur, wearing vintage fur is a way cherishing these beautiful items and I love the glimpse into our society’s history that it offers. Times have changed and “new fur” is less and less acceptable but we can still enjoy a wonderful range of vintage fur. With this in mind I wanted to provide a guide to the different types of vintage fur, how to identify them and what they looked like. It's worth noting that all of these gorgeous and unique items are available to buy on The Best Vintage Clothing and there is currently a half price sale on all fur coats!  If you would like to find out more about any of the items pictured below just click on them. Mink Mink is a flattish fur, long narrow pelts, abundance of guard hairs, very shiny wet look, hard-wearing, expensive, wild or farmed, more abundant guard hairs than musquash, strong pile, variety of colours. Fox Fox fur is naturally a rich,russet colour, wild or farmed, variety of colours. A dense fluffy coat, common. Full pelts used as stoles very popular in 1930's and 40's complete with head and feet. Please note that the 'silver' fox is very dark brown with silver guard hairs and is often confused with the 'blue' which is almost white. Beaver Beaver fur can be dyed or natural (usually natural for vintage items). Glossy and hard wearing. Rabbit Silky soft, abundance shiny longish guard hairs, a bit like a domestic cat to the touch, not a very strong pile, variety of colours, usually farm bred but may be wild. Muskrat Muskrat (or Musquash) are slightly larger pelts than mink, shiny guard hair but not so abundant as mink - the base fur can be seen clearly, not as hard-wearing as mink and in vintage item sometimes goes bald on well used areas like collars and pockets. The undercoat lumps together slightly. Sable Sable is usually Russian, similar to mink, shiny, natural dark tan colour, very expensive, trapped. extremely hard wearing Raccoon Raccoon is fox-like fur, naturally dark brown, tails have golden rings and are often used for trimmings Thanks to the eBay guide to identifying furs and The Vintage Fashion Guild. If you would like more information on this topic I would recommend their sites.

Fabulous news! We're offering 50% off all our vintage coats and furs with the discount code BESTCOAT50. The bad news is that each item is a wonderful unique piece of vintage so once it's gone you've missed your chance - best buy your favorites quickly if you don't want to miss out! Here are some of my favorites. If you'd like to see the whole range you can take a look here.     If you'd like to see the whole range you can take a look here.