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Author Jill G. Hall had no idea that discovering a vintage black coat in a consignment shop would change her life. The coat came home and while admiring it she started thinking about who had originally worn the 1920’s velvet jacket. It led to developing a character who’s followed her into the pages of a trilogy. The latest book, the Silver Shoes, was inspired by a vintage pair of heels. Jill’s embraced second hand style and hunted for bargains from California to Budapest where the markets immersed her in antiques, curios, and the Hungarian culture. She often searches for specific pieces that she can wear for events and speaking engagements. Where I’ve found myself shopping for items that blend with my travel style, she’s searched, for example, for a jacket that matches the silver shoes on the cover of her recent novel.
Jill G. Hall and the black coat that inspired her book series.
Travel is freeing. When we’re in a new place we can reinvent ourselves and do that with what we wear as well. While I live in yoga clothes for comfort in my California home office, I wouldn’t think of dressing that way on the road, especially outside of the United States. It makes packing a bit harder to coordinate but my second hand style makes it more affordable.
Author Jill G. Hall with her book, The Silver Shoes
Some of Jill’s second hand style inspirations include:
- It’s not important to buy a brand name or designer, but something that fits well.
- Be comfortable whatever your age and as style changes.
- When I travel I like to buy scarves because they’re really good keepsakes and travel well. I wear them and remember that place and experience.
Searching out second hand style in a Budapest marketplace. Photo: Jill G. Hall
Second hand style high and low
There are many shops, open markets and special sales which focus on vintage, used or designer pieces. Resale and consignment shops tend to curate their offerings. If you’re looking for a name designer you might find a great bargain in a consignment shop compared to list prices but you’ll also spend more than thrift stores. Thrift stores tend to be the least expensive way to develop second hand style. They can also take the most time as you dig through racks, boxes or stacks of items.
Check out my short video about a vintage fashion exhibit at the Maryhill Museum:
Since thrifting is also a past time of mine I wondered if Jill had any other suggestions for making it a success. Here are some of her suggestions:
Strategies for second hand style
- Examine the style – Is this going to work on your body?
- Hold it up to the light. Look for snags, balls, and moth holes
- Look for stains like champagne or tea. Those are impossible to remove in many older fabrics.
- Does it match something in your closet to wear with it? Go back after you find something that matches.
- Consider if something in your closet matches it or you might be drawn to something and try out a new style inexpensively.
- Feel the fabric – if it’s scratchy don’t get it! You won’t wear something that’s uncomfortable.
- Sniff it –Â Can you smell smoke or is it musty? Do you smell mothballs? Those won’t wear well.
- Try it on whenever possible. Ask for a dressing room or use the restroom.
- Does it fit a purpose? Work wardrobe? When you see something you really love ask yourself where will you wear it or make a plan to go to the opera.
- If it doesn’t fit then have it tailored.
- Is it washable? Do you do a lot of dry-cleaning or can you hand wash?
- Do a closet edit. Collect a bag full and donate it to the shop.
Second hand travel. Photo by Faith Keay, Flickr
More about second hand style:
Like some others have mentioned, I don’t think about clothes that often, but I appreciate Jill’s advice! Especially to buy something that fits well instead of focusing on the designer or label. I also agree about getting pieces tailored — I used to avoid buying clothes that I liked because they didn’t fit in one or two spots, but getting things tailored has opened up a whole new world for me! PS: Love the photo of Jill with her book!
Yes, Julianne, I love the idea of tailoring as well. So glad you liked the pictures and post.
I love finding treasures when I travel. I’m like you: I buy a lot of scarves. They are great reminders of places you’ve been. Even when I’m home and wear them, I feel a little more exotic.
This post reminded me of my mom. She was really into second-hand style for a while back in Taiwan and somehow able to find some great items. I like her strategies. Next time, I will keep an eye out if I come across a flea market or second-hand shop!
What a fun post. I used to always go to secondhand shops in Alaska and the Midwest and found such great clothes. I stopped going where I live as the first few times I went I wasn’t impressed. This post reminded me I should give it a try again. BTW- I love the vintage fashion exhibit at Maryhill!
Great post, Elaine. I love vintage clothes, and really enjoyed reading about Jill and Silver Shoes — love that a old coat found a new life AND inspired a series of books. The tips for shopping vintage fashion are spot on as well. AND — loved your your video on scale model fashion exhibit at the Maryhill Museum.
I used to love scouring the markets for interesting items, but I stopped going to them a couple of years ago. I find far too many things to tempt me and there is really only a limited amount of “stuff” any house can accommodate. I also tend to buy scarves when I travel, but I now have 2 draws full! I guess that I am going to have to slow down on those as well 🙂
I love peeking around flea markets and second hand shops when I’m traveling. I like the idea of incorporating it into my jetset style too! I used those older type of suitcases for my travel themed wedding 🙂
I used to shop second hand a lot, but not so much the last few years. I have actually recently been thinking I need to take a trip to the consignment shop as I have a few clothing items I’m looking for! So these tips were great. I also love the tip to buy scarves during travel – I love to travel with scarves!
“Travel is freeing. When we’re in a new place we can reinvent ourselves and do that with what we wear as well.” I love this statement with and without the “with what we wear as well” part. It is so freeing and I love reinventing myself but I also love clothes and shoes and finding new additions in my travels. However, I will admit that I do wear yoga pants almost everywhere (in and outside of the US) if it doesn’t call for a dressier situation. I’m just comfortable in them and I can stuff my phone in my pocket and just go. But, I love that Jill’s findings have inspired her book series. That’s just plain awesome! Lately, I’ve bought sundresses and shoes in my destinations. I love remembering the country whenever I wear these items. Her three best thrifty shopping tips: Sniff it, see what it matches in your closet and donate a bag of your own stuff!
Oh I love this! Sustainability is so important to me and you’ll rarrrely ever find me buying new clothing. I love browsing thrift stores and finding amazing pieces – whether vintage or not. If I can’t buy used, I always purchase from sustainable and ethical clothing brands.
I love picking up clothes from thrift stores and other second-hand sources — in fact, my favorite skirt for traveling was a $0.25 thrift store find! Unfortunately I’m usually too lazy to worry too much about style or to look too hard…
What a great way to go shopping in on your travels! The idea of bringing home a vintage piece from a new city is a great way to remember your time there for years to come! I totally agree I really don’t care about designers or labels, but I also don’t have a good enough fashion sense to put vintage outfits together!
I have zero patience for shopping otherwise I would be right there with Jill. However, my hubby is going to drag me around the marche des puces in Paris in October to look for some vintage/classic French pieces so wish me luck. I do want to read Jill’s books!
I found this choice of topic very interesting. Vintage and antique stuff always catches my eye and we find ourselves pottering around flea markets wherever we go. Attractions of old things never cease.
I am not really a big label person so that piece of advice is easy. Each year as I get older, comfort is more important. Scarves are also a great way to add colour and some variety to basic pieces. If we need a piece that will have a limited life (e.g. a coat when we forgot one), then second hand stores are great to meet the demand. We are also big on donating clothes when we are at home. The closets get an audit at least twice a year. A good blog post topic!
Like those tips for shopping second hand! I am not much of a shopper but like browsing markets as they are a great way to experience a new destination.
Very interesting post. I never thought about wearing second-hand clothes, mainly because I don’t think about clothes that much at all, but I enjoyed reading your tips on finding my style at markets. I loved the outfits in the pictures too.
Thanks, Sarah. Glad you enjoyed the post.
Oh! I love this post, Jill’s personality really comes through in this. Why not explore the world in your own unique wardrobe. I used to be a second-hand junkie (lover!) but somehow I got way too practical and boring! You stirred something up inside of me with this post – thanks for the inspiration!
Dorene, your comment makes me so happy. Glad that Jill’s inspiration got through.
What a lovely lady – great stye tips too. I think I shall turn into a vintage rose too – it rather suits a mature lady methinks! That said, I need to heed Jill’s tips and do a closet edit first
Yes, Fiona, it suits many of us. My son, Millennial, also enjoys thrifting when he goes with friends. Closet edits are always a great idea too.
Any interesting story and thanks for sharing with us; it’s nice to have an amazing find, especially in the vintage store and then learn about the fascinating back-story. It makes the experience much more meaningful and inspire you in many ways. @ knycx.journeying
Thanks, Knycx. Thrifting can be fun part of travel when looking for something authentic. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
There is definitely something in our DNA that loves hunting for a rare, second hand piece and getting a killer deal! My wife and I took a road trip through New Zealand and it turned out to be a lot colder than we anticipated. Picking up some warm (and stylish) at the second hand stores in Auckland definitely saved our trip. And it gave us some cool souvenirs!
These days we’re in Asia and the second hand clothes don’t tend to fit us as well but we still love checking out little antique store trying to find cool, unique souvenirs to take home.
Thanks, Nick, I’ve had a few trips when I didn’t have the right clothes for the place and a good second hand store saved the day. Asia sizes are definitely a little small for most Westerners I’ve found too.
I do like Jill’s style. She wears herself well. Fascinating story about scarfs. I haven’t picked very many up but I do remember scarf lost on travel. I (Ed) was in Olso long before I met Jenn. My lover and I were visiting at the end of September. The trip started out beautifully with warm sunny weather. During a visit to a Munch exhibit, my friend must have caught some of his insanity. She bought me a keepsake replica of “The Kiss” and lost her scarf on the bus.
The weather turned and so did our mood. By the last night, we were going through the matriculations of one of the nicest breakups I have ever experienced while watching revelers on Karls Strauss Blvd party on despite the driving rain. It was our last night together. I still have The Kiss, which Munch himself describes as a kiss goodbye, and memories of scarfs lost on travel. Just proof to the point that memories key to changes in clothing equilibrium.
What a bittersweet memory. Scarves and screams. Thank you for this and here’s to future scarves and happier times.
I love flea markets and finding some cool things for my home and sometimes wearable accents that are also fantastic keepsakes. It really is part of the fun to have a personal experience and talk to vendors that really connect with you on a personal or collectibles interest.
I love interacting with vendors too. So much more memorable than picking something up at the airport. Thanks, Noel.
I love browsing through second hand stores who sell vintage stuff like this. It’s very interesting to see how people of talent find inspiration in very trivial things. I would have never thought about who had originally worn that velvet jacket. Or if I did, that would have never led to a novel. Great read, Elaine. You always find these very unusual subjects.
Thanks so much, Anda. The girl can’t help it…
I actually found this post quite interesting. Usually I am not to reading about clothes and possesions but its amazing that one item of clothing can change somebody’s life. I am simiiar, I dont go for designer brands etc but she is right, as long as you like the item and it fits, then life is good. 🙂
Thanks, Danik. My travel buddy (he) doesn’t care for shopping much but get him into a garden store and he’s in bliss. We picked up a few seed packets in Slovakia at a street market that he still enjoys growing – oregano and beans. You just never know!