The trends on the catwalk this season are drawing inspiration yet again from the past; from 40s glamour to 60s mod, so the high street is awash with reproduction vintage pieces. But why buy copies when you can have the real thing?! Shop ‘vintage’ and you can keep bang on trend, snapping up unique and original pieces rather than the mass produced copies that everyone else has, and save yourself some money in the process! Plus vintage garments have been made to last a lifetime and are great quality so they really are investment pieces.
There are some adorable vintage blouses in all styles out there – from pussy bow to contrast collar, from floral to polka dot, stripy to lacy, all colours shapes and sizes, they are so versatile. For a great day look tuck one into your high-waist shorts with tights or leggings, boots and cardi, or into wide leg trousers. For the evening add heels, a skinny belt and accessorise with some statement earrings and a tan leather handbag.
Reworked vintage highwaist leather shorts are a cheeky nod to the fetish trend. Snap up a pair soon and you can wear them with a cropped top or vest top and flat sandals for end-of-the-summer rock chick chic. Then in autumn pair them with a pair of tights, a pair of lace up boots, a top, and oversize cardi for a great day look or skyscraper heels and a sheer blouse tucked in for an edgy chic
evening look.
Leather handbags are also a great investment piece, if you can get your hands on a vintage one all the better, for that unique look. Leather, like denim, gets better with age. For weekends away and stylish travel a vintage vinyl or leather holdall. These bags ooze style and originality, with added strength for carrying all your weekend essentials!
Also leather and tartan rucksacks are a gorgeous and practical addition to any wardrobe. Tartan is another trend set to be big this season, and if you don’t fancy donning head-to-toe tartan, a rucksack is a great way to combine it into your wardrobe.
Knitwear is another trend set to be huge this Autumn/Winter. From fair isle to cable knit, navajo print to crochet knits, the high-street versions pale in comparison to the vintage originals.
Each one unique, they look great with skinny jeans or leggings for a cosy and comfy day look. The oversize jumpers and cardigans we stock are one of our best sellers, the quality and the originality of these pieces just can’t be found elsewhere on the high-street.
A great way to jump into the androgynous trend is to don a skinny tie with your buttoned up blouse, and adding a tweed flatcap – tweed is set to be another massive trend this season. Also vintage braces are a great look with a blouse and high-waist trousers. It’s all about raiding the boyfriends wardrobe for this look!
When choosing your autumn/winter staples my advice is definitely to buy vintage, it will last you more than just a season as it’s great quality, if you go to the right places it can be cheaper than the high-street alternatives, plus nobody else will have the same thing as you!
About the Guest Author
Jenny Skilton runs a vintage shop in The Grafton Centre, Cambridge. She absolutely LOVES all things vintage and loves sharing this passion with her customers. Over the last few years vintage trends have exploded onto the mainstream market, making vintage more desirable than ever. Jenny’s mission is to bring the coolest and most unique pieces to the lovely people of Cambridge at the best possible prices. After studying Philosophy at Nottingham University Jenny moved back to her home town of Cambridge and set up a vintage stall in the Fisher Hall, followed by Cambridge Market, and in April 2010 opened the shop. Jemporium Vintage is open every day and offers a steady stream of lovely affordable and wearable vintage clothing and accessories from the 50s to the 80s for men and women. Follow Jemporium – Twitter: @JempoVintage – Facebook:  www.facebook.com/JemporiumVintage