Vintage Shopping I

Are you one of those who love rummaging through thrift shops? Love to find treasure amongst a pile of what most people would call junk? Vide-Dressing might as well become your new BFF.

For those unaware of what Vide-Dressing is, it's actually a form of 2nd hand shopping, vintage shopping popularized in France a couple of years ago. One of the most popular websites for Vide-Dressing in Montreal is Coin Dressing.
 It is also often done from personal blogs, such as And Secondly.                .

So if you're new to this, here are a few pros and cons, as well as a few tips to get you started.
Throughout the years, I've personally found many treasures shopping vintage and second hand, such as my Chanel and Marc Jacobs sunglasses, a pair of beautiful Italian made Oxfords...all for MUCH cheaper than what I would of paid retail, 80$, 40$ and 40$, respectively. 

Pros:

• find some amazing treasures are extremely affordable prices
• find very interesting items that are one of a kind
• allows you to update your wardrobe without busting your budget (especially if you're a student)
• meet new people who are interested in the same things as you
• you can often bargain for an even lower price 

Cons:

• beware of people with fakes! always double check your sources!
• you have to go out of your way some times to get the item
• very often the item is shipped to you (I personally hate this, because I don't get to see what I'm getting before purchase)
• most of the time it's a final sale, unless you have a previous accord with the seller

Those are basically the most obvious pros and cons, now, to keep you safe and a happy vintage shopping, here are a few tips from personal experience.

• if you are to meet someone to exchange the item, do it in a public place. no matter how great an item seems, safety first. 
• always ask if you can see the item before confirming that you will be purchasing. Many sellers don't like to have to go somewhere, only to have not sold the item. 
• always ask for the condition of the item, if not already mentioned in their ad, and request clear pictures if possible.
• when you've decided upon a place to meet, always ask for the cell number in case of last minute emergencies and you cannot make it. It's not nice to make people wait for nothing. 
• ask for the dimensions and size of items (especially for bags and purses)
• carry cash on you! I hate it when I meet with someone, and they have to go to an ATM to get money...and then get change...because I don't have change for them...and then I waste a lot of time for nothing...boo.
• That's it! Obviously make don't make silly purchases just coz they're cheap! make sure it's something you'll end up using, otherwise it's a hassle to try to resell it. 

Happy Shopping,
                      Yaya