Valuable Vintage: The Insider's Guide to Identifying and Collecting Important Vintage Fashions

by Elizabeth Mason

The definitive guide to vintage couture and designer-made clothing, including how to recognize the most coveted items and what to pay for them.

Vintage clothing is the hottest trend in collecting, with major auction houses regularly holding well-attended auctions, and women on the cutting edge of fashion flocking to boutiques that specialize in second-hand designer garments. In Valuable Vintage, Elizabeth Mason, owner of The Paper Bag Princess in Los Angeles,a favorite shopping spot for Hollywood’s hottest celebrities and models, presents a comprehensive guide on the subject.

Mason describes the elements of design and style that make it easy to spot the work of specific designers at a glance, identifies the most popular designers in today’s collectible market, and offers informed predictions on trends. She provides great tips on buying, selling, and bartering, as well as expert advice on caring for your treasures. An easy-to-use index covers more than 150 of the most important and collectible designers through the 1990s, and a detailed price guide lists the most recent prices of hundreds of items sold at auction. Whether they’re collecting for fun or profit, all vintage clothing fans will want to have Valuable Vintage at their fingertips.

368 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care for this book; it felt or seemed more like an inventory of clothing for sale or pieces that had been sold, listing the asking price or the auction price. I supposed it's good for people interested in getting in the business, but not for anyone solely interested in collecting clothing to wear and not resale later.