VINTAGE IS WHERE IT’S AT
I have been a huge fan of vintage.
It truthfully is a trait I inherited from my nana. She loved everything old, classic, beautiful and crafted. If it looked like a treasure, it probably was, and should be collected. I love vintage. If it has a story? Even better.
Give it all to me. History, romance, craftsmanship, era, icon, I love it all.
Over the past 10 years vintage designer stores have gained serious momentum and it has truthfully been so fun to watch. I love seeing small businesses succeed, but also love seeing second-hand clothing/accessory love. Why not take something that once was and make it new again?
Not to mention, there are some real gems out there.
When I first moved to Montreal one of my favourite activities was to walk around the city, discover its streets, cafes, bookstores and vintage shops. Not only were there an array of ones to explore, but the quality of what you could find was incredible. With Montreal being a bit of a fashion-city, there were some really amazing pieces that could be found even at stores like the Salvation Army and Value Village. My first designer pair of shoes I ever bought were white Salvatore Ferragamo’s kitten-heeled mules with dark navy blue croc on the toe box. They were $5.79. I found an old Lanvin cocktail dress, sequinned galore with an impression of a deer (that I still have) for $40 and even found a gorgeous silk Prada dress that was much too small for me, but was priced at the reasonable cost of $30. Those were the glory days.
Today, the vintage market has changed and has totally boomed post-pandemic with people wanting to sell off what they weren’t using, trade-in the less trendy for something new or even simply purge from having excess. We might still be experiencing a resurgence of the nineties-noughties, but the desire to have more, More and MORE has definitely subsided. Now it’s about personal taste, personal style and holding onto less to derive more joy from the piece. It’s all about quality which, is again, why I love vintage.
And fall just happens to be one of the most perfect seasons ever to find, buy and sell consignment/vintage. People are clearing and cleaning out their closets as they transition from spring/summer to fall/winter. It’s not yet cold enough for winter coats, but the layers are gradually starting to come in. And with layers, that means having the kind of handbag that you can pack with that cardigan you are taking off, the sticky socks you need for Pilates and of course you water bottle, necessities and essentials that you will need throughout the day. Hence, my picks for fall handbags.
I am so excited to start pulling out my fall handbags because they are true vintage gems that started me off on my collecting journey.
Whether it’s an unknown piece, an archival treasure, a celeb-cult fave and/or just a cool bag that is so my style, there is something so satisfying about finding the right piece, picking it out and making it mine.
Here are 5 vintage handbags that I am so stoked to use this fall (and a bonus clutch, because I had to add it in) that are useful, practical, stylish and perfect for fall. Not to mention, steals and deals when it comes to the prices some designer handbags fetch today.