Dress Me Like One Of Those SATC Girls #1
the best vintage finds under $100
Whenever I share the cost of my vintage clothing finds with friends, their reactions are often along the lines of, "I thought Prada was an expensive brand" or "Did you really pay that little? Aren't designer clothes supposed to be pricey?" The answer is both yes and no. Over the past four years of collecting vintage pieces, I’ve learned that if these items might not always drain your wallet, they will certainly cost you time.
For example, it took me three years to track down the iconic Prada lipstick skirt from their spring-summer 2000 collection. You might wonder why it took me so long. A quick Google search reveals at least three different online stores offering this skirt in various sizes and colors. The typical price range is $1000$ —$1500$. I wasn’t willing to spend that much.
Each morning, as I sip my coffee, I make it a habit to visit my favorite vintage online marketplaces: Vestiaire Collective, The RealReal, Depop, Ricardo (sadly, only available in Switzerland), and occasionally Vinted or Poshmark (sadly, they don't ship to Switzerland). I browse the new arrivals and add anything that catches my eye to my favorites. This has become my daily ritual.
I understand that not everyone has the time, perseverance, and/or patience to search the internet daily for vintage fashion gems. That’s why I’ve created this Substack, where I plan to regularly share my discoveries and fashion insights. These are things that I would gladly buy myself if it weren’t for one of the following reasons:
I already own something very similar, often from the same collection.
The item isn’t in my size.
I’ve already maxed out my monthly clothing budget.
Additionally, I’ve set myself one condition: nothing on this list will cost more than $100. My goal is to make vintage shopping more accessible and easy. Therefore, I would kindly ask you NOT to purchase these items simply to flip them online for three times the price. Please note that I have no affiliation with any of these platforms or sellers.
Amalita Amalfi
Miss Amalita Amalfi is my absolute favorite guest character in the entire SATC universe. I’m forever fascinated by her magnetism and energy and her ultra-chic Italian fashion style. When she first appears on screen, she’s dressed in Emmanuel Ungaro's spring-summer 1998 string halter dress with a matching cardigan. I managed to find a knitted top from the exact same collection.
Emmanuel Ungaro Amalita-esque blazer and Emmanuel Ungaro ss 1999 top (from the same collection!)
Marni ss 2000
This is my personal favorite Marni collection. The designs are youthful and fun and full of eye-catching, colorful prints. Even Carrie Bradshaw wore a dress from this collection in the third season of SATC.
Marni Spring 2000 silk top
Prada ss 1999
Pieces from Prada’s final spring collection of the previous millennium are some of the most sought-after and desired by vintage Prada collectors. This collection, which marked the runway debut of Prada’s sports line, Linea Rossa, juxtaposed elements in a way that became synonymous with Prada’s style: full canvas skirts paired with nylon fanny packs, romantic chiffons contrasted with technical fabrics and broad, pleated-ribbon-edged summer dresses offset by heavy leather boots.
Prada Spring 1999 dress
Vivienne Tam ss 1999
Vivienne Tam's Spring 1999 collection showcased the designer’s signature blend of Eastern and Western influences. The collection combined traditional symbols with a modern, sporty aesthetic, prominently incorporating windbreaker jackets in a variety of prints and colors. Similarly to Prada, Tam integrated materials like nylon and zippers, embracing the futuristic mood of the approaching millennium.
Vivienne Tam Spring 1999 shirt
Miu Miu fw 2000
Here’s what an editor at Vogue wrote about the Miu Miu fall winter 2000 collection:
Miuccia Prada reworked some of the most outstanding concepts of her signature line into accessible looks for Miu Miu, her diffusion label. It was an eminently wearable, simple and refined collection, centered on sweet, girly dresses—pale-rose chiffon slips, some gathered or bunched--and the season's all-important essential—the perfect jacket. Loose coats with rounded shoulders, ample shiny skirts and fitted tweed suits successfully acknowledged the '40s-inspired elegance present in much of the Fall collections. Pleated wool skirts were worn with casual striped tees, and optical-printed skirts and tops were playfully mixed and matched. Once again, Prada proved that diffusion lines can often compete with the best of the rest.
Miu Miu fall 2000 wool skirt
Prada ss 2011
Prada Spring 2011 collection was a standout moment in Prada's history and a defining influence on fashion trends of the early 2010s. It is renowned for its bold use of vibrant colors and eclectic prints, including bananas and baroque motifs. Here are two fun tops from this collection.
Prada ss 2011 top #1 and Prada ss 2011 top #2
Thanks so much for reading and enjoy your vintage shopping!
Kasia xx