Walking into a vintage store can feel like traveling back in time, with unique and miraculous artifacts of different eras filling the room. For those who enjoy sturdy, often hand-crafted goods, vintage gifts can be perfect. Finding vintage goods in cities with rich histories and cultures lets you travel back in time to different fashion eras. Vintage Los Angeles, New York, or even Denver gifts exist in many forms such as 80’s sportswear, coats or jackets, or even shoes and sneakers. With so many excellent options available, how can you narrow down the list to find a truly memorable gift?
Here are some helpful tips to help you choose the perfect gift for the people in your life who mean the most:
Know Thy Giftee
The truth is, if you do not understand the personality and interests of the person for whom you are buying the gift, you are pretty much taking a shot in the dark. While vintage gifts can be incredible and memorable choices, some people consider them “old things” or have an aversion to possessing second-hand items.
Before choosing a vintage gift, it is good to test the water with casual conversation. Of course, if you are considering a vintage present, you likely already know much about the person in question. If you know they are amenable to these treasures, then it’s more about pandering to their personality. You can consider buying vintage dishes and serving ware. Besides this, locally sourced, artisan goods such as assorted hand-crafted candles, furniture, pillows, and coffee table books are some pretty gift ideas. Find the best gift stores near me to get the best gifts that can be cherished for years to come.
When you know someone well, your eye can sometimes fall on an item, and you know in your gut that you have found the perfect gift. This innate power often comes through frequent association with the person and a discerning eye. For example, if you notice that they decorate their home with a specific theme, such as ships and the sea, when you see that hand-crafted lighthouse, you know it is likely a perfect fit.
One of the best ways to truly get a read on their vintage tastes is to invite them to join you on a shopping expedition and stop by vintage stores as part of the adventure. While visiting, keep a close eye on any items they pick up or make observations about, as this will likely help you narrow down their tastes. They may even seem drawn to something particular but decide it is too expensive or frivolous to purchase.
If so, they may have inadvertently given you the perfect gift idea!
Choose an Item They Would Not Buy Themselves
The best gifts can be the ones that the person may desire, but due to expense or hesitation for one reason or another, they will not get them for themselves. They will be pleasantly surprised and often secretly pleased that you were willing to help them step out of their box and enjoy something different.
For example, your prospective giftee likely has hobbies that they enjoy. They may love everything about sewing and spend their free time performing this activity by hand or using a machine. While at a vintage shop, if you notice an antique sewing machine, that may be a prime target.
The person may be unlikely to think about visiting a vintage store to find one themselves, or they may like it but not feel they should spend money on such items, yet they would enjoy having it.
However, be wary and use good judgment. Often, people would not buy a gift for themselves because they don’t want to possess that object.
Social Media Mavens
Vintage items can carry a “cool” vibe with the younger generation, depending on what they are. If you have family or friends who are into social media platforms such as Instagram, you may notice their favorite trends by paying attention to what they have in the background or what they wear.
If you see a lot of vintage music items such as records or a jukebox, that person will likely enjoy other period music pieces. You could find a nice victrola to give them another authentic historical piece, or at the very least, you can find them additional records to add to their collection.
For clothing, if you notice that they tend to wear throwback styles, pay attention to what they are, so when you are exploring your favorite vintage stores, you can keep an eye out for fashion that fits the mold.
Decadent Decade Gifts
Sometimes the giftee displays a penchant for a specific period, such as the 1960s or 70s. That makes it easy to find a gift as you have an entire decade to explore!
Explore the items or themes they gravitate toward, as this will give you an idea of what they already have and may enjoy. Even if the gift you choose seems outside their current collection selections, if you use these options as a baseline, you may find the perfect gift to expand on their interests.
If possible, provide some visual or written reference, especially if you think it’s a gift they may not wholly understand. What, at first, may be a confusing, unfathomable gift may become a fascinating treasure once they know what the object is and how it was relevant during their favorite era.
Conditioning Your Gift
Naturally, anyone can reasonably expect a vintage item to have a few dings or wear; after all, the object has been around for some time. However, before giving the item as a gift, do what you can to spruce it up.
If the item is an article of clothing, try to repair any holes or tears and ensure it is properly washed and has a pleasant smell. If it is a furniture item, do what you can to clean it up and give it a nice, attractive sheen.
In short, the point is to make the gift as rich and appealing as possible for your giftee, having it in a condition optimum for display or use before they lay eyes on it.
The Bottom Line
There are vintage gifts for all tastes and pleasures. Still, the key to finding the right one for your giftee is to take the time to understand their personality, know their interests and hobbies, and choose something that they would enjoy but would not necessarily purchase for themselves.
Once you have the item, clean it up as much as possible, performing what repairs you can to receive the best version of their new vintage treasure possible.
