Choosing, mixing and matching new and less new items, trendy and vintage designer labels, is the secret for creating an inimitable style at half the price and with twice the satisfaction. And who better than Fabiana Giacomotti, a fervid collector of bolts, slang for fabrics, evening dresses, vintage shoes and jewellery – as well an expert on the history of Italian fashion – can teach us how to do it? Because mixing with elegance is not easy. You need to know how to find the right clothes and accessories, preserve them correctly, recognize fabrics and workmanship, not be taken in by fake labels. And above all, you need to identify the era, the lines and the colours that are best fit for your physical characteristics and your personality: that’s the only way to construct a distinct, vintage style that will highlight your good points and cover your defects. In this complete vade mecum of style and fashion, the author offers us the designer labels, the addresses, the world dates for vintage, but also the voice of the great names in the sector and tricks to avoid being scammed and for choosing only what looks good on us. She tells us how to match styles and details, how to wear an accessory, how to tackle foreign sizes, how to preserve vintage items, how to organize a wardrobe, how to create an efficient network for swaps and re-sales. And, above all, she reveals how to recognize the fabrics, the workmanship, the details that make the difference between an ordinary garment and an excellent garment. Amusing, very informed and complete, a wealth of cinematographic anecdotes and uncommon behind the scene episodes of fashion shows, Mix & Chic is not just a preparatory guide to vintage, but an indispensable instrument for learning about the history and protagonists of 20th century fashion. A book to read and consult. A book to understand yourself better.