When it comes to fashion, one of the best things about style after 50 is having decades worth of fabulous outfits and accessories to call upon. Do you agree, dear readers? Which is why maintaining vintage clothes is so crucial.

No, I don’t keep all of my clothes and jewelry for decades, but I certainly have cherished pieces that are arguably more chic today than they were when I first happened upon them.

The definition of vintage is, “denoting something of high quality, especially something from the past or characteristic of the best period of a person’s work.”

You may recall that I previously wrote about my USA Sweatshirt, my Geoffrey Beene jumpsuits or the Chanel backpack that I have owned and loved for decades.

I must say that I do believe, in the wise words of Coco Chanel, that while fashions change, style is eternal. I think that’s one of the reasons that our gorgeous, classic, staple pieces can be worn for years and do in fact deserve to be called “investments.” (No matter how much the average man disagrees!)

So today, I am not only sharing some of my tips for maintaining the items that you hope to be life long fashion treasures but, I’m also asking you, dear readers, to share your timeless pieces with me. I would love to see what gorgeous vintage clothes and accessories you have in your closet. Please head over to my Facebook page and share a picture — if you’re comfortable — or a comment describing the items that you have found to be truly timeless.

Tips for maintaining vintage clothes

Many women make the mistake of washing clothes by color when in fact fabric type should determine how you sort laundry.

Yes, color is also to be considered but only after sorting cottons from denim from linen, etc.

Side note: Did you know that Readers Digest recommends adding a teaspoon of pepper to your wash to keep colors true?

Here’s another tip… zip it! Zippers can destroy other articles of clothing in the wash so be sure to zip it up before laundering.

Vintage style is in the bag!

As I have mentioned before, Scotchgard is a must to protect new bags.

Should Scotchgard not cover you completely, here’s how to remove stains from bags via WhoWhatWear.com…

Food stains: Crush white chalk and let it sit on the stain overnight. Brush off with a clean cloth in the morning.

Oil stains: Put cornstarch on the stain immediately, rubbing it in to create heat from friction, which will help the oil absorb. Brush the powder off with a clean cloth after you’ve rubbed it in—don’t let it sit on the stain.

Ink stains: If the stain is fresh, use a white eraser to immediately erase the spot, without applying too much pressure so that the color doesn’t come off. If the ink is already set, you’ll need a professional. An eraser also works for dirt stains.

Water stains: Blot water stains, let them dry naturally, and bring your bag to a professional for removal.

My “vintage” outfit

And, because I practice as I preach here are the details about my outfit above.  The pants are Zoran and I’ve owned them for over 20 years! The top is, once again, Geoffrey Beene.  I adore this alligator bracelet by Barry Kieselstein. My shoes — about 20 years old — are Manolo Blahnik and the earrings also have been mine for over two decades and they are classic Tiffany and Co.