average prices?

[kamikat]

I think I need your help, ladies. I'm sure most of y'all know that I make all my "vintage" dresses, so I don't have much experience buying them. Hubby gave me some money to buy some clothes for a trip. I am surprised to find a ton of dresses on eBay in my size. However, I keep losing. Am I being unrealistic in thinking I can get a decent day dress for less than $45?

 

[retrogirl1941]

A couple years back, I used to pay up to 40 for a day dress and you could!I think at one point I picked up dresses from under 10 dollars. But alas, that time is no more. I no longer collect vintage clothing other than what I already have(I repro everything b/c of price and size issues). Average price for a day dress I think now is about 50-60 dollars. When I get clothing money half goes to fabric and half goes to buy knit tops(I am a sweater addict). Then I make the bottoms. I am much happier this way. I get what I want and it fits completly!Imagine that!lol

Samantha

 

[KittyT]

It really depends on the dress and the size. Larger sized items tend to go for more money because there are fewer of them available. Super small items tend to go for less because there are fewer people who can fit into them.

I tend to not buy clothing on Ebay much because it always seems to go for more than I can find it in my local shops, which is around $55 as an average price.

Good luck! Sometimes you just have to keep looking before you find the right thing at the right price. Also remember that vintage listings are down following the boycott. Many vintage sellers have started to move their sales elsewhere.

 

[kamikat]

Good luck! Sometimes you just have to keep looking before you find the right thing at the right price. Also remember that vintage listings are down following the boycott. Many vintage sellers have started to move their sales elsewhere.

None of my local stores tend to carry older things, mostly 80s-90s stuff.
Where are some of the sites that they've moved to?

 

[KittyT]

My understanding was that sellers were going to try to agree on one site to move their business to. I have not heard any updates on that, but there is a list of alternate auction sites at http://www.psunite.com/auctionsitewatch.php/.

 

[Foofoogal]

check out the other sources on this powder room thread for vintage clothing that is sticky at top of page.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=16962

 

[The Shirt]

Kamikat - I really find that the buy-it-now option has let me stay in that $50 range. I generally can find a few things in the M-L-XL sizing range. Typically they are not the dressiest choices out there. If I'm looking for dressy - I consider a steal to be around $75 for my size. There are bargains out there - but it is few and far between.

 

[Shearer]

Unfortunately, this is also a bad time of the year to buy. There always seems to be a rush a couple of months before VLV... There's a lot of people now trying to add last minute additions to their wardrobe or first-timers looking for VLV clothes to wear.

 

[kamikat]

oh, well, I give up! I'll spend my extra cash on fragrances and sew up the fabric I have

 

[The Shirt]

VLV is a great point Shearer. That's why I'm in a buying mood. Kamikat perhaps you just wait 3 weeks and the mad rush should clear up.

 

[imoldfashioned]

I've found prices go through cycles but on average for the larger size dresses would be around $40-$50 for plainer dresses, $60-$70 for novelty prints. I've seen nicer examples going for $120-$150 but that's too rich for my blood. However, you can get bargains--I snagged one of my favorite dresses for $9.99 during VBO on ebay.

 

[kamikat]

VLV is a great point Shearer. That's why I'm in a buying mood. Kamikat perhaps you just wait 3 weeks and the mad rush should clear up.

My trip is the week before VLV. I guess I'll resign myself to living in shorts and too-large t shirts. I have one dress from my pin-up shoot that still fits, so at least I can look good for our fancy dinner. I'll renew my search when I get back.

 

[Shearer]

I dunno if I would give up just yet. It always pays to be vigilant I'd also try Etsy.com.

I haven't looked for clothes on there in a while, but every so often some vintage or very good repro items will pop up on there.

 

[The Shirt]

If you lived closer, I would say come on over and dig thru my closet! Have you tried some of the vintage listed sites in the primer? I've had some luck at a few of those.

Regardless - I'm sure you're a doll in a t-shirt or a dress. Have fun on your trip!

 

[kamikat]

If you lived closer, I would say come on over and dig thru my closet! Have you tried some of the vintage listed sites in the primer? I've had some luck at a few of those.

Regardless - I'm sure you're a doll in a t-shirt or a dress. Have fun on your trip!

I looked around, but didn't find much in my size. I'll have fun in my shorts and tees, but we're going out to dinner with a sorta ex, so I want to knock his socks off

 

[Paul]

The price of vintage could be set to rise, like anything it supply and demand, a few vintage fashion dealers are not putting as much now on Ebay as they once did cutting supply,
Also vintage fashions are been featured more on the Antiques road show slightly more than before both in the US and UK this can have two effect
a) increasing demand by making the wearing of vintage fashion/collecting more popular
b) increasing prices as it gives the private seller some indication what there dress might be worth where before in a special area like vintage fashions they might not have been aware of.
My advice is sometime to make contact with vintage seller and dealers privatly and give them a wants list

 

[ShooShooBaby]

My advice is sometime to make contact with vintage seller and dealers privatly and give them a wants list

getting to know dealers is THE way to get good stuff at fair prices. i would estimate that 80% of my best stuff came from the same person - and most of it never hit the sales floor!

 

[Paul]

getting to know dealers is THE way to get good stuff at fair prices. i would estimate that 80% of my best stuff came from the same person - and most of it never hit the sales floor!

Also they get to know your size and know if someting stands any chance of fitting before they show you , saving time and money all round.