How to Find 50s Clothing
Whether you're dressing up for a special costume party or simply love the look of 1950s clothing, it can sometimes be a challenge to find pieces from the era that are in wearable condition. By using a little imagination and doing some legwork to explore every possible avenue, you can obtain '50s clothing suitable for men, women and children - whatever your needs. Additionally, it is worthwhile to consider finding patterns for '50s-style clothes and creating your own pieces when you have explored all of your other options. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Research the clothing styles and fabrics of the 1950s (such as poodle skirts and sweater vests) to assist you in recognizing what you are looking for when shopping. There are a number of books available at libraries or bookstores that cover '50s clothing and many resources with pictures can be found online. Watching movies from the 1950s can also help you get a better idea of clothing styles and how different pieces were worn.
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Visit your local vintage clothing stores, thrift stores, costume shops and antique stores. Often clothing from the '50s is donated to charitable thrift stores after an estate sale or when someone cleans out an attic or basement. Costume shops or antique store owners may also keep a lookout for '50s clothing and have private means of obtaining these items, so consult with them about what you are looking for as they may have insider resources they can share.
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Go to yard sales, especially in neighborhoods with a retirement-age population as they may be more likely to have older items for sale including '50s-style clothing or clothing patterns. Check out estate sales and community auctions as well.
Additionally, ask older relatives such as grandparents or neighbors and friends if they have anything from that era in storage.
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Search online stores like eBay and Etsy for vintage '50s clothing, or check out online specialty vintage clothing stores like RustyZipper.com. If a particular clothing item is not available, these types of stores usually have patterns available for purchase, some of which are original patterns from the 1950s and others that may be reproduction patterns. Fabric stores may also carry some of the reproduction patterns for '50s clothing styles.
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Place an ad on craigslist or in your local newspaper classified section describing the kind of '50s clothing you are looking for (for example women's dresses, men's suits).
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