These clothes smell funny.

One of the most often voiced criticisms of vintage shopping is the clothes and stores seem to have an odor that takes hold in one’s mind, forever associated with vintage or used clothing. Don’t buy these items – the smells that can be associated with old clothes can be extremely difficult to get out even through repeated washing and dry cleaning.  Mold can grow in fabrics not visible or sniffed out by the average shopper – if the item seems to have been cleaned that cleaning aroma may be more present than the mold but if the item gets slightly damp or warmed up from being worn the mold smell will be more present and become noticeable to you and others.  This is one of the bad hazards of used clothing. Be extremely careful when buying vintage or any used clothing – buy only from reliable merchants who have experience with the issues concerning textiles and their storage. Ask if the item turns out to have any unwanted odors can you return it? See what the answer is and why. Some vintage dealers take pride in presenting highly desirable pieces in fantastic condition and are happy to tell you why their items can be worn with confidence.