8 Beautiful Ideas to Style Your Vintage Clothes for a Modern Look

Lace Blouse High Waist Pants Silver Boots Outfit
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Do you have a rack full of vintage clothes passed down to you from your grandmother or another relative? If so, that’s a treasure to hold. Your grandmother must have some phenomenal vintage outfits that you can use to create new looks. Yes, you can use those classic and elegant pieces of clothing to create a look similar to your personality.

Creating a modern look with vintage clothes is easy and fun with some inspiration and tips. However, since not everyone likes to wear vintage clothes in their entirety, making them fit the occasion and your personality is important. Here are a few tips on how to make vintage clothes look modern and stylish.

Ruffle Tank Brown Hat Floral Flared Pants
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Tip 1: Use garments that look like current trends

The first tip for styling vintage clothes in a contemporary style is to pick garments that look modern or are on trend. Yes, this works because even fashion companies and designers have a massive stock of vintage clothes, which they use as inspiration to create modern garments.

Thus, when you are thrifting through stores or looking at your grandmother’s closet, find garments that represent the current trend. You will look stylish when you wear vintage clothes similar to ongoing trends. Also, styling and accessorizing them is a lot easier.

Tip 2: Vintage dresses with modern accessories

Another way to style your vintage dresses is to use modern accessories. This will automatically create an ensemble that looks chic and elegant. For instance, a vintage dress with raffia accessories looks quite trendy and retro at the same time.

Tip 3: Use vintage jackets with modern clothes

Does your relative have the most fantastic coat or jacket? Do you want to wear it but it’s also vintage? No problem! You can style the vintage jacket or coat with a simple twist to give it a modern look.

How? By wearing modern pieces of clothes under the jacket or coat. It makes the coat/jacket look like a statement piece without making you look retro.

For instance, dusters are a great vintage piece that you can style with jeans, pants, or even a dress. We love the idea of combining vintage and contemporary pieces. Pair your vintage piece with a sleek blouse or a fitted t-shirt to create a fashion-forward ensemble.

This combination perfectly balances retro charm and a modern twist, allowing you to make a statement with your outfit. 

Fashion Tweed Jacket Blouse Hair Clips
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Tip 4: Jacket with black pants

Do you own a vintage print jacket with shoulder pads? Then use it as it’s perfect for brunches or luncheons with friends and family. To style it in a contemporary way, you can simply pair it with black leather pants, a top, a colorful bag, and boots. Go with minimal accessories, and you will look chic, fashionable, and elegant.

Tip 5: Style vintage tops with modern bottoms

If you own a few vintage tops with unique patterns, like prints or florals, use them. The result is simply fantastic when you pair them with modern bottoms, like skirts, pants, jeans, or even shorts.

Also, mixing these two doesn’t take away the uniqueness of the vintage top. Thus, you create a perfect outfit for yourself for any occasion.

Model Trench Coat Turtleneck Beret Outfit
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Tip 6: Turtleneck dress with a trench coat

You will find many vintage dresses with turtlenecks. They come with sleeves or sleeveless and with a flared hem. If you find such a dress, use it for cocktail parties or a night out with your girlfriends.

The best way to make it look modern is by adding a trench coat to the mix, which complements the color. Also, add boots, minimal accessories, and a bold-colored bag. The entire ensemble will make you look splendid and classic.

Tip 7: Vintage bottoms with modern tops

Another way to make an outfit with a mix of vintage and modern is to go with this idea. Find the best vintage bottoms. The skirts and pants from the retro era are to die for. Once you have a few good bottoms, find simple tops that go with them without taking the attention away from the bottoms. It’s a simple and striking way to create an outfit.

A pro tip: Start layering this outfit with modern boots or accessories, but don’t overdo it.

Woman Floral Dress Hat Sunglasses Tight Crop
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Tip 8: Mix the eras

Vintage means using clothes from any era. So, mix and match clothes from different periods as it gives you more options to choose from.

There are days when going full vintage is great. However, most girls prefer a modern look using vintage clothes because this provides a new look altogether. These classic pieces are perfect for styling any outfit without spending too much.


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