Sorry, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London. A new competitor is ready to take your crown as the hottest vintage shopping mecca. While many of you know this electrifying city to be the go-to hotspot for all things high-tech and kawaii, Tokyo is a rising hotspot for vintage clothing hunters.
While many of us see vintage clothing as unfashionable castoffs from our parents and grandparents, never did we anticipate that celebrities like Bella Hadid and Alexa Chung will travel to Japan’s capital city to find some treasures to add inside their closet. As the Japanese like all things neat and well-preserved, there’s a high chance that you can score runway-ready rarities in greater condition than whatever you see in our local thrift stores.
If this is your first time going on a vintage shopping trip, here are some rules to remember:
1. Expect some wears and tears
No vintage garment is perfect as most of them have been worn-in for you.
2. Don’t be scared to try on anything
Most stores have sent them to be laundered, dry cleaned and repaired for any discolouration, stains and/or smells for hygiene purposes. (This is being covered by the price tag!)
3. Pack them properly
Most fibers from older garments are sensitive from previous environmental exposure, so you need to pack them in a laundry bag to prevent any future problems.
4. Ask the employees anything
They can tell you what era an item is from, which season a Chanel piece is from, the fit of the garment (as vintage sizing runs smaller than today’s size charts) and give you tips on how to take care of your new purchase.
5. Wear them on the day you leave
Since expensive vintage pieces are at risk of being misplaced or mishandled during luggage inspection, it’s best to wear it on the day you leave Japan.
Now bookmark these stores and book a flight!
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