Ten Tips for Finding Great Vintage Clothing on eBay   by Mary Kincaid

I've been buying and selling vintage clothes on eBay for five years. It's fun...and sometimes frustrating. Here are some tips to help you find the best vintage clothes on eBay.

1. SEARCH REGULARLY

Ebay allows you to list auction or fixed price items for 1, 3, 5, 7, or 10-day periods. Most sellers choose longer periods because they are buying more advertising for their money but I'm finding more and more 3-day auctions. So try to do your searches at least every 3 days.

2. SEARCH MISSPELLINGS

It's easy to misspell Furstenberg and to type Pulizter instead of Pulitzer. If you can find a quality designer item that has a misspelling in the title, you will probably compete with a much smaller pool of buyers for the item.

3. DON'T JUST SEARCH THE VINTAGE CATEGORY.

Not everyone offering vintage clothing is a vintage dealer. Sometimes people are just clearing out Aunt Anna's clothes from the attic and don't have a lot of experience with either vintage clothes or selling on eBay. Often you'll find these items buried in the Women's Clothing category which appears before the Vintage category in the eBay listing process. So search for VINTAGE VICTORIAN BLOUSE in the Clothing & Accessories category rather than VICTORIAN BLOUSE in the vintage category.

4. SEARCH TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS

Not all sellers include the word VINTAGE in their auction titles. To be sure you find all the VINTAGE VICTORIAN BLOUSES, be sure to check the box under the search field to search both titles and descriptions.

5. GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR SEARCHES

It's easy to find high-end vintage by searching for a designer's name but you can also find high-quality items by searching on fabrics (brocade, velvet, mink, cashmere), searching for high-end department store names (Saks, I. Magnin, Bonwit Teller) or searching for ESTATE SALE buried inside auction listings.

6. USE AN AUCTION SNIPING SERVICE

Sellers, of course, want you to bid on their items as soon as possible. Their hope is that several bidders will become interested in the piece and bid up the price. Smart buyers take a different approach. Instead of entering their highest bid early, and watching it get bumped up by other bidders over the next few days, they wait until the final seconds of the auction. Even better, use an auction snipe service. For a small fee, these companies will place your bid in the last few seconds of the auction and you don't even need to be at your computer! No more forgetting that you wanted to bid on something--the snipe service does it for you. I like these services because if I enter my highest proxy bid too early, someone can keep bumping up the bid trying to discover what my highest bid was. If I enter it in the last few seconds, I may end up getting the item for a lot less than if I bid in the first few hours of the auction.

7. ALWAYS CHECK SELLER FEEDBACK

Again, not everyone offering vintage clothing on eBay is a vintage clothing dealer. If someone has great feedback but has been selling auto car parts, it might be wise to ask the seller a few specific questions about the item before bidding. What you think of as Mint condition and what they're calling Mint condition could be vastly different. Also, as a seller who talks to other sellers, I know that sometimes negative feedback is left for sellers that is unwarranted. Or things like Katrina happen and your auction item never gets sent. A negative feedback or two every couple of years is not a big deal. What you should be wary of is a pattern of recent negative or neutral feedbacks. Drill down and read why they were left. If you are unsure about a seller's responsiveness, send a simple question to them and see how quickly and accurately they respond.

8. KEEP A LIST OF YOUR FAVORITE SELLERS

You can add a seller to your list of Favorite Sellers by clicking on the link in one of their auctions. You can also sign up to be emailed when your favorite sellers add new items. You're never out of the loop and it makes browsing a lot more fun when you are looking at items that you consistently like.

9. BROWSE, BROWSE, BROWSE

Browsing eBay can be just as much fun as browsing at the mall. Looking for bargains? Browse through vintage by Lowest Price First. Want to see the crème de la crème? Browse by Highest Price First. If you have lots of time, do what a friend of mine does: every day, EVERY day, she browses the Newly Listed vintage category items and stops when she reaches the first listing she saw the day before. She wants to make sure she never misses out on a great item.

10. PIGGYBACK ON ANOTHER BUYER

Do you find you keep losing auctions to the same buyer? Do you find that the same people seem to be bidding on the same auctions as you over and over? Piggyback on them by doing a SEARCH BY BIDDER. Enter their bidder ID and you will be able to see a list of all the items they are currently bidding on. Chances are good that they have found a great vintage item that you missed!

With these tips you should be able to find all kinds of vintage clothing and accessories on eBay. One final tip: be sure to pay for your items quickly and establish good feedback of our own so you can continue to buy vintage bargains on eBay.

Mary Kincaid has been buying, wearing, and collecting vintage clothing for over a decade. Visit Zuburbia, her Vintage Clothing Blog, to see her Vintage Pick-of-the-Day and get tips, info, and insights on vintage clothing.

Copyright 2005, Mary Kincaid. May be reprinted in its entirety with full credit given to Mary Kincaid and a link to www.zuburbia.blogspot.com.

About the Author

Mary Kincaid has been buying, wearing, selling and collecting vintage clothing and accessories for a decade. She is the editor of Zuburbia, a Vintage Clothing Blog that features her Vintage Pick-of-the-Day (VPOD) and tips, information and insights for current and future vintage fashionistas.

Hip Hop Clothing   by John White

When it comes hip hop clothing, you are not looking at a passing fad. In fact, it was never even meant to be something that lasted as a trend or a type of clothing. It started as a simple way to experience the feelings and the thoughts of those that were truly living the street life. For those that want to know, today, the hip hop clothing line has grown from its small roots into a huge success. It is more than a billion dollar industry, stretching around the world, around the block and through many types of people. Anyone that wants to wear hip hop clothing can and they can easily get what they need to do just that.

This type of clothing is essentially a piece of history. It started more than twenty years ago when individuals in the Bronx came together to design and create one of the largest takeovers of the world of music and sound. That was, of course, the hip hop clothing lines. They did more too. They created a new music, full of the sounds of those that were living life on the street in this poor, run down community. They were all to familiar with the treacherous way of life and for that created one of the largest movements in the music industry: hip hop.

The clothing line, though, has a lot to do with the style of the day. Yes, you will find high top sneakers and looks of completely comfortable clothing here, but today the hip hop line has grown to include some excellent designers and their clothing is anything but authentically cheap. You'll pay for these looks. But, if you want a great piece of advice, chose the pieces that you really love and remind you of true hip hop. Don't go for the over priced stuff, not when you can choose some of the best out there for much less.

So, what does hip hop have to offer? You'll find individuality coming through in these pieces. You'll find sweat suits that are fly and causal clothing that allows a person to break dance in them. You'll love the look of the tee shirts, the lazy, dropping jeans and the unique qualities that each piece has to offer. The clothing that is authentic to the time will feature uniqueness, an individuality of the person that made it. It is this that made hip hop so great even all these years later.

About the Author

John White, the webmaster of paperpuppet.com, is a part of the Sharing Information Group that provides useful information to the public through the syndication of free articles.

Outdoor Clothing   by John White

Outdoor clothing should be carefully chosen. It is the protection that you will wear on your body against the many elements that are outside. It is not something that is done as a choice, but as a need. Yet, there is also that element of fashion that many individuals are in need of as well. With all of these together, you get many of benefits to your well being and to your trendy nature. There are some important points when it comes to choosing the right outdoor clothing, though. Doing so can help to benefit you in many ways.

Outdoor clothing must be the right product to protect you from the various elements. For example, if you are planning a hiking trip, you will need to carefully plan what you will wear. If it should rain, you will be soaked if you do not have a water proof coat and clothing to wear. You should look at the level of warmth that they will provide too. The temperature in the evenings can drop many degrees, even considerable differences. This means that you should insure that you have warm enough clothing that will protect you in the cold of the night as well as in the sun's rays during the day.

The clothing that you wear includes your feet too. If you will be trekking through the snow, doing so with anything less then high quality winter boots will leave your feet cold and wet and incapable of carrying you to where you plan to go. If you are heading out to a trail for some hiking, you need hiking books as these will protect your feet from things that you may accidentally step on as well as give your ankles the support that they need for a long journey. If you plan to do any amount of walking, it is very important that your outdoor clothing includes comfortable, broken in shoes that are the right style for walking. Sure, you can lounge around the pool with a pair of flip flops, but you need boots to head into the wooded areas.

Outdoor clothing should always be chosen based on the needs that you have with the assurance of quality. Make sure that the product will work right, such as with zippers and hoods. It can be very beneficial to purchase a higher quality winter coat that will last several seasons providing you with the protection that you need each year instead of purchasing a low costing coat and using it for only a year as it breaks. There are many high quality products available to you that you can easily benefit from. Take your time to insure that you purchase the right products including the right shoes, gloves, hats, coats, pants and leggings for your next outdoor adventure and your body will thank you.

About the Author

John White, the webmaster of outsidegift.com, is a part of the Sharing Information Group that provides useful information to the public through the syndication of free articles.

Children Clothing   by John White

One of the most challenging things for parents is buying children clothing. The clothing that you purchase for your child needs to be several things. First of all, it needs to be well fitting. If the pants are too long, the child may fall. If the sleeves are too long, then they will be covered in grime. There are many other aspects that have to be taken into consideration when it comes to purchasing these as well. All in all, taking care of your child is your main concern. Dressing him properly can actually be easier than you think.

Here are some things you'll want to consider when it comes to children clothing.

* When it comes to sizes, many children do not fit in that one size fits all theme. Some are taller and will need one size of pant while they will need a smaller top. For others, they may be a little rounder in the waist and need a larger size for that, but not in arm or pant length. It is wise, then, to purchase individual pieces rather than sets unless you know the child will fit well into it.

* Kids play hard. That means that the clothing that they wear should also be hard playing clothing. For example, you will want to make sure that the elbows and the knees of the clothing are reinforced. You can actually do this on your own by simply adding an additional patch of clothing to the inside areas of the clothing.

* Durable. Not only do they rip through the knees on pants, but kids also like to get into situations where they can rip the clothing. You may want to insure that the material is heavy duty as well. For example, if it is very thin or has thin straps, it may just rip.

* Growing happens so fast, it is hard to keep up. Many families struggle with small children because they grow so fast that they need a new wardrobe every season. Yet, to remedy this, provide the child with clothing that is slightly bigger than what they start with at the beginning of the season. This will help the children clothing to last at least part way through the next season too.

* Cost, like growing, happens to keep getting bigger. Instead of purchasing a lot of clothing that is pricy, pick out a few cute outfits and go for the rough and tough clothing for at home play. They will be more comfortable, it will last longer and you will spend less on it.

These things can help any parent to purchase the right clothing for their children. Taking the time to pay attention to these details really can help you.

About the Author

John White, the webmaster of childrenstreet.com, is a part of the Sharing Information Group that provides useful information to the public through the syndication of free articles.

Survival Clothing For Outdoor Emergencies    by Steve Gillman

Maybe you don't need to learn about survival clothing. Maybe you always hike with a spare jacket. Perhaps you never go out into the wilderness overnight, but just for day hikes. Or you bring lots of warm clothing when you do go backpacking.

Nonetheless, hundreds of people die or come close to dying every year from exposure. They thought they were prepared. They didn't expect their clothes to get wet from falling in a stream, they didn't think they'd be out there for the night, or they get lost for days.

Coming down from Mount Whitney I met several young men in t-shirts on their way up, determined to get to the top. They had no gear, and not enough time, but they probably made it there by sunset anyhow. They also certainly didn't make it the eleven miles back to their car before dark. It was below freezing that night, so I imagine they were uncomfortable at best.

Quick Survival Clothing

What survival clothing could they have made in that situation? One of them did have a light jacket. He could have used his t-shirt as a hat (a lot of heat is lost through the head) and filled his jacket with the fluff from the cattail seedheads for insulation. (Cattail down was once used to fill those old orange life preservers.)

Insulation is the important principle here. You can stuff a jacket, shirt, sweater or pants with dry leaves, milkweed down, bracken ferns or almost anything that creates a lot of "dead air space." It's better if you have two layers to sandwich it between, but being itchy is better than being frozen in any case.

In a jam, you can also use the flat leaves of cattail plants to weave a vest that will block the wind and some rain. Two bread bags full of milkweed down or other silky plant fibers make warm mittens (tie them at the wrists). A plastic bag full of the same could be tied onto your head as a hat.

Usually, you'll do better to look first at what you have, before looking to kill animals for their skins, or weave grass skirts. If you have a sleeping bag, it can double as a coat - just wrap it around you. Socks can be mittens, and garbage bags can be made into snow pants.

A garbage bag can also be a raincoat. Otherwise, tie bunches of grass tightly together along a string or strip of cloth, and then wrap it around your shoulders. This will repel a light rain. You can fashion a rain hood of birchbark as well.

In the desert you can make a sun-hat of large leaves, like those from a fan palm. String some together to wrap around your shoulders to prevent sunburn.

You'll probably never have to use animal skins for survival clothing. You might never lose your shoes and need to glue tree bark to your feet with pine sap, for hiking. Still, knowing how to improvise a few basic pieces of survival clothing can make you more comfortable, and possibly save your life.

About the Author

Steve Gillman is a long-time advocate of lightweight backpacking.

Clothing Accessories   by Chaim Ringer

Clothing and Accessories - Outdoor and Travel Clothing Accessories 'Colossal' is perhaps the apt word that describes the outdoor and

travel clothing accessories collection at TheMall123. Find that

perfect pair of jeans (in a variety of shades and cuts) or a range of

T-Shirts, tops, sportswear, shorts and more at TheMall123.

Coming from the best-known brands, well cut and tailored, these clothes

are designed to give you the maximum comfort during your outdoor

activities and travel. Available in men, women and unisex segments,

these fashionable garments offer so much comfort that you can be in

them for long periods of time. Pick your sizes, colors and models from

the many sites, linking through TheMall123 and avail of great

bargains.

Sites such as Gap.com, RoyalRibbons.com and www.SportsMansGuide.com,

offer you a range of choices in men's, women's and unisex outdoor

clothing and accessories. Here you can buy casual wear, sportswear and

accessories for travel and leisure. Outdoor and travel clothing for men

include long sleeved shirts, short shirts, sleeveless shirts, active

pants, jeans, sweatshirts, casual shirts, shorts, polo's and other

outerwear. You can also buy useful travel and outdoor accessories such

as card set, wallets, belts, hats, ranger belts, holsters, gloves and

mag pouches. Women on the move can also use most of these, since most

are unisex models. Travel and outdoor clothing specific to women

include traveler shorts for women, Capri's, skirts, dresses, camisoles,

halter-tops, tank tops, flutter tops, cardigans, sweaters and tunics.

Buy also from a range of knickers, Bermuda shorts, ultra low-rise

jeans, scarves and gloves.

T-Shirts are available in a variety of sizes and shapes at

TheMall123. Choose from V-neck, seamless, scooped, striped and

long sleeved T-shirts among many others. The jacket collection is also

huge. You can buy hooded jackets, fleece jackets, fringe jackets and

suede coats. Pullovers in attractive colors and all sizes, leather

vests, socks, and footwear are also available in a range of designs and

models. At ColdWaterCreek, which caters to all comfort wear

needs, buy sporty jacket pants set, piped walking suit, lightweight

sport set and a variety of sneakers.

At TheMall123, you are guaranteed high quality and durability

of apparel and accessories. You also pay much lesser than you would pay

anywhere else, online. Now, travel smart and make your outdoors a fun

and memorable experience. In fact, when you buy from

TheMall123, your apparel and accessories may last much longer

than even your memories!