Preparing For Party Season? Here’s Why Shopping For Vintage Pieces Is Your Best Bet

There is much that can go wrong during party season. You could get appallingly drunk in front of your colleagues (and tell then what you really think). You could end up forking out for a x5 Uber surge. You could make a big mistake under the mistletoe. For many of us, however, the party fail we’d choose to dodge above all others is turning up in the same dress as someone else – although owners of a certain Zara dress may beg to differ.

There is a way to avoid it, however: buying vintage. And thanks to fashion’s renewed appreciation for second hand clothes, it’s no longer the arduous hunt it once was. Vestiaire Collective recently opened its first offline boutique in Selfridges and Ralph Lauren has collaborated with Depop. Farfetch has its Second Life scheme, which offers its customers the chance to trade in their pre-loved handbags, that are then resold on the site. No wonder even clan Kardashian – traditionally devotees of the newest, latest pieces – have become vintage aficionados.

Leading the charge of the vintage revival, and championing the luxury end of the market, is Marie Blanchet, CEO of William Vintage. Visit William Vintage’s Marylebone boutique and you’ll find rare Alexander McQueen showpieces alongside Christian Dior couture. Meghan Markle and Amal Clooney are fans of Blanchet's expert selection, ruthless edit and masterful curation. ‘I see William Vintage, not as a vintage business which sells old clothes, but as a fashion brand that makes fashion without actually making the clothes, instead sourcing them and making an edit of pieces that are not only relevant historically and within each of the designer’s careers, but also pieces that look strikingly modern,’ she explains.

And now William Vintage has launched its dropped its second edit in collaboration with Matchesfashion.com. Just in time for party season the new drop has a decadent, after dark edge – a 1983 Versace chainmail dress, a 1963 coral-trimmed Givenchy gown and matching coat, and a 1960s Courrèges vinyl trench. ‘A vintage edit that speaks to the woman of 2019,’ is how Blanchet describes it. ‘It is magical and extremely fun how you can reinvent fashion of yesterday by the way you style it’. In our words: all we want to wear this party season.

If you’re wondering where to start, then take note from Blanchet. A ridiculously chic Parisian with a weakness for Yves Saint Laurent, she is the best ambassador for shopping vintage this party season. ‘A late ’80s, very low, black Le Smocking jumpsuit from Yves Saint Laurent has been my go to for years, dressed up or dressed down,’ she says. She also loves ‘a 1930s black silk velvet cape that is as comfortable as a dressing gown while chicer than anything. And I love Alaïa stretch mini dresses, Azzedine Alaïa made the women's body look more empowered and beautiful than anyone.'

Blanchet might have her run of haute designer purchases but the five pieces she advises you look out for this festive season are 1980s smocked jumpsuits, long silk bias dresses from the ’30s, late ’70s wrap dresses (extra points for Halston), mini dresses from the ’80s and ’90s and 1980s power shoulders.

In order to avoid looking too literal, Blanchet advises that you don’t do a total vintage look. ‘Go for one strong piece only,’ she says, ‘Party dressing doesn't mean fancy dress, or costume. As much work as there is behind putting the look together it needs to feel effortless, very natural and more importantly very “you”’. Heavy make-up and over-accessorizing are also a no-no. ‘Elegance is all about comfort,’ says Blanchet. And don’t be shy about customizing: ‘Making it modern is all about mixing vintage with current or past season key pieces. Don't hesitate to have the piece tailored or slightly adjusted to your taste, for example removing some too intense shoulder pads from an ’80s jacket or shortening the length of a ’90s cocktail dress’.

So why the appeal? ‘Party season is all about being bold, owning your femininity and having fun,’ says Blanchet. Plus, when better than now to embrace a bit of fantasy? ‘I do believe that going back in time is somehow a great way to free ourselves. Imagine going back to Paris before the Second World War by wearing a 1930s ivory silk long bias dress, or to New York in 1979 by wearing a gold Halston wrap dress. You could be in Miami at the height of Gianni Versace or feeling like Donyale Luna pictured by David Bailey while wearing 1960s Paco Rabanne.'

Buying vintage also ensures you’ll have your place on Santa’s nice list. ‘It’s a sustainable and ethical fashion option,’ says Blanchet. ‘By buying vintage for party season, you are buying a piece that holds, in itself, stories of those decadent and somehow more free times’. So much more of a thrill than panic buying something new, wouldn’t you agree?

Party season vintage is a no brainer. We can promise you won’t run into someone else wearing the same piece, but as for getting too drunk in front of your colleagues – that’s on you.

SHOP: The Best Vintage Pieces For The Holiday Season