VINTAGE clothing was often manufactured using much higher quality materials than those we find on the high street today. How else would these items have lasted so long and so well?

I've compiled a list of the most common vintage fabrics with some helpful hints on how to keep them looking younger for longer (if only it was as easy for ourselves!)

Silk

This natural fibre is luxurious, elegant and extremely high quality. Smooth, soft and floaty, silk hangs beautifully. Due to the delicate nature of silk, dry cleaning is strongly recommended. You can also hand wash in cool water with a gentle detergent designed specifically for silk. Do not rub stains or spot clean as this can leave permanent marks. Hang or dry flat and iron on cool. Never steam.

Wool

Another natural fibre, wool is a warm, insulated weave. Wool items are highly sought after for their quality and longevity and certain wools such as Welsh wool are particularly collectable. As with silk, wool should be dry cleaned or hand washed. Use cool water as hot water will cause shrinking. If you have a washing machine with a wool setting, you can use this with a gentle wool detergent. Do not iron, simple hang and pull into shape if necessary.

Cotton

A very popular fabric, cotton is easy to wear and easy to care for. Machine wash and iron on cool. There's not a lots you can do wrong with cotton, but it does tend to crease easily.

Rayon Rayon is the name of a family of semi-synthetic materials. It is a comfortable fabric which can be made to imitate the texture of more expensive textiles such as silk, wool and linen. Follow care instructions as per the label or dry clean if unsure.

Polyester

Another extremely practical material, polyester is unlikely to shrink or stretch and is easy to care for. Clothing made from polyester can be machine washed on warm. Polyester dries quickly and is wrinkle resistant, retaining heat-set pleats and creases. Most vintage clothing from the 60s and 70s will be made from polyester but it's more wearable thank you might think, don't shy away from it!