Laura Von Behr has loved vintage forever. “I think my love for clothes probably started in my granny’s dressing up box. I found a 1920s kimono in there which is one of my favourite things ever.”
After working as a stylist for TV, she turned her hand to a career in vintage. She sold at fairs and online, before establishing a unique in-person shopping experience. “It was my friend Dolly Alderton who inspired me to invite women over after we spent an evening together trying on my stock. We found her a dress and since her posting about it, I have spent the last 6 months dressing lots of women.”
Laura’s collection is beautiful; she handpicks everything she sells, and is always on the look out for a new gem. If you want to hear more about Laura, and her experiences dressing women in vintage, please have a listen to the latest episode of the Clothes & The Rest podcast. Here, Laura shares some of her vintage shopping expertise…
“The first thing I would say is don’t rush. You’ve got to go into a shop with the expectation of spending a few hours. Take your time, and try on as much as possible.
“Definitely take a tape measure. It’s devastating thinking you’re going to fit in a certain pair of jeans when actually, they’re about five sizes too small. It’s really hard to tell on the rail if something is going to fit, and it’s so heart braking, especially with vintage, if something doesn’t, because you can’t just get another. Measuring is a really good way of avoiding that problem.
“If you’re nervous of vintage, a nice place to start is with a jacket or a coat. A vintage coat is amazing; it will often be made of wool and cashmere and be so much better quality than you could find on the highstreet.
“Always make friends with your local dry cleaner and seamstress. It’s amazing how much you can change something just by shortening a maxi into a midi, or other small alterations. Often a tiny nip in of a dart will completely transform the shape of a garment, so it worth doing.”
If you want to find out more about Laura, or book an appointment with her, please visit her website for details.
Clothes & The Rest 