i'm no expert with vintage and labels and i think that site will help me out too! thanks anon and LM :) your labels sure look vintage though~ i think i'll pay more attention to my vintage finds from now.

I can pick true vintage - but I still persist in calling stuff from the 70s and 80s vintage. It's just because I hate the word "retro"!

I guess if you got something positive out of that comment, then it's a good thing.

I had always thought that twenty years of age made something vintage, and that one hundred years of age made something antique, but I'll be researching all this now.

At any rate, I love all your things and how you wear them.

ohhh i love the details on all of your clothes! you have some truly fantastic pieces there. i agree with skye, i hate the word retro so i just call my clothes vintage just because it's easy!!!

Oh you funny thing. You have some lovely pieces. As has rightly been pointed out by the resource you linked to "what's in a label". We get that you're saying it's not new spring 2008 frocks. Oh and while you have a gorgeous collection, invest in better hangers my dear. Those wire ones will rust, snag, leave marks ... they're OK for the short term but I know you can do better. And how beautiful are some of those labels. Time has been spent on the typography and branding. Little pieces of art in themselves.

Hi LM

I've been wondering this for a while.

You post occasionally about your 'maids.'

Do you actually have these said maids? And do you really take them around shopping with you?

Or do you post 'the maids' in a different light, representing perhaps friends/family members forced to follow you around carrying your purchases, and cleaning up?

Fantastic!
I wish i have more vintage great pieces like that too! they are so cool!!!

a kiss my friend!
Love your blog!

This is great, I'm really looking forward to learning a bit nmore about vintage clothing as you learn and post! It's true - we can really appreciate your clothes that much more seeing them in such beautiful detail. I generally refrain putting the label "vintage" on anything I own, even if I know it's dates pre-1960 simply out of fear of critisism from vintage purists!

Haha and whoever scolded your use of wire hangers is so right - you can do better than that Lady Melbourne!!!

To be honest, I really don't care if my clothes are true "vintage" or not - semantics are not going to interfere with my wardrobe!

Thank you for this - it was a really interesting post. I'm not a vintage purist either, and I love the way you mix thrifted, vintage, new and designer clothes in your outfits. It's very inspiring, and it's a real-world way of doing things - most of us don't get our wardrobe from one source.

Love to the 'maids'! :)

I only have a few things in my wardrobe that I call vintage...they are vintage to me but I'm no vintage expert or collector!
I imagine that site would be a fab resource for those that are fans though.

LM perhaps you should get your butler to address the issue of your maids?!

After reading this post I have stopped to think what vintage means to me... For me vintage is anything from an era of fashion that i have not worn as an adult - this means anyhting that dates back to when I was a child and before - so basically anthing pre 1992 would be vintage for me.

Oh yeah - go to Ikea for hangers. I know there are loads of people out there who swear by wooden coat hangers - but unless you have metres and metres of rail space - don't bother as they take up loads of space. I only use them for jackets - otherwise sturdy plastic hangers with nice rounded shoulders are the go.
Also avoid cheap wooden hangers!!! I know from experinece that a wire hanger is more delicate on a silk dress than a splintery bad quality wooden hanger!

such a great post! im definitely guilty of overusing the word vintage.

Im really really bad at telling people where i get my clothes from. I need to go back through my posts and do that. What a handy website by the way :)

That first dress is very lovely, indeed.

Hi Lady Melbourne,
I follow a few Melbourne fashion blogs and I was wondering if you ladies work. Clothes are so expensive and I wonder how you guys afford them all? All you the wonderous, glamorous lot with rich parents, boyfriends or do you have a really good job or own a great business? I wish I could afford this sort of stuff myself. I seem to go clothes shopping once a month and only get a couple of things.

Well it's interesting to know how to classify vintage's clothes and accessories. Your guideline are a good idea and how beautiful vintage clothing you've got!

i have only just noticed... when did you start selling vintage on etsy?!! :O
i want everything! the black and white heart print dress, the denim skirt!

I am a recent convert to your blog, I LOVE it, keep up the fab work. I am a regular visitor to Melbourne and adore your city.

Now that your all worded up on what to buy Lady Melbourne best keep her sticky fingers out of Imelda's wardrobe...I still have the swaddling the Little Baby Jesus was wrapped in.

im so jealous right now! but retro is more like bright fun colours and think vintage and retro are completely different terms

Oh man, people leave weird comments on your blog--I have to hand it to you for taking it so well and going to the Vintage Fashion Guild to do research instead of getting mad like I would have.

Anyway I think you do a lovely job of representing vintage already--and I'm not a vintage purist either so I don't find anything wrong in calling a '70s dress vintage.

But I love love love the idea of taking photos of the labels more. They're so lovely--half the fun of finding vintage dresses in thrift stores is checking out the pretty little embroidered labels in them. Thanks for going through all that trouble to show us! :)

I know I'm very late on this one, but bravo on your open mindedness. I have to agree, (as you know) that unless it is at LEAST 30, preferably 40 or more years old, it is not Vintage in my book. Retro OK, but not Vintage.The VFG is an invaluable resource and I suggest you get yourself a pro membership pronto. There are so many hints, tips and incredible insights not available to mere mortals.

On another note entirely, I hear you are checking out the Stop Staring dresses and are just hovering with the mouse. Get yourself over to Vicious Venus on Smith street and try them on for real. That will surely help.. or just create more problems!

Hi LM:)
loved the post, and thanks for pointing me in this direction...

I will post a link to your post on my site:)

Looking forward to your next Friday video:)

Have a good day - SP