Vintage handbags will always have their strong followers because people love fashion. Vintage clothes have their limitations in that you may not be able to fit a lovely outfit but I’ve never met a handbag that I couldn’t “wear.” Unless we’re talking about a handbag circa 1970s that I may not want to wear?
Strictly speaking, vintage refers to a period of time when used in the fashion industry. So you could have a 1980s vintage clutch just as easily as you could have a 1920s art deco style handbag (although the 1920s handbag will be lot harder to find).
When you talk about Vintage handbags, besides actual vintage bags, you may find vintage inspired styles that are on the runways right now or you may find Indie designs using vintage fabrics.
Vintage handbags have been getting so much hype lately that vintage store owners have found prices rising 10% to 30% over the past couple of years. The auction house, Sothebys, held its first handbag auction in October 2004. They sold 163 items for over $262,000. If you do the math, that’s over $1,500.00 per item. Some of the bags were not that old, spilling out of the 1980s and 1990s. Hermes handbags did very well.
Here are some of the styles or materials that you will typically find when you’re talking vintage handbags:
1990s. Nylon, minimalist designs were popular. Baguette by Fendi.
1980s. Shiny patent leather and vinyl reflected the new wave in music and fashion.
1970s. Mother earth, natural colors, lots of denim and leather. Soft slouchy shapes like hobos and satchels were popular.
1960s. Modern lines, shiny plastic black handles with very structured shapes. Very Jackie.
1950s. High glamour. Satin evening bags in black or blue with fancy hardware.
1940s. Clutch pocketbooks are big from this era.
1930s. Half moon shaped bags are very popular from this decade.
1920s. Mesh evening bags from Europe are very popular to pick up if you can find one.
If you’re looking to buy vintage as investments, stick with couture names such as Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, or Louis Vuitton. Within those names, go for the classic iconic look that that fashion house is known for.
Make sure you get good advice on how to care for your vintage handbag. When in doubt, don’t do anything before you seek an expert’s advice in its care. You may accidentally harm your vintage bag, and thereby lower it’s resell value.
Finally, if you see something you like and you just must have it, that’s okay. Not all vintage handbags have to be seen as investment purchases. Sometimes handbag owners just want to have fun.
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