Like all sentimental people, my grandma keeps ev-er-y-thing: postcards, letters, photos, and albums. Personally though, my favorite thing she has held onto throughout the years is her amazing clothing collection she accumulated from the 1960s to the 1990s. A few months ago I went to her storage room to look through some old family albums and stumbled across a closet full of fabulous items, which even included my mom's prom dress from 1984!

My grandma's sense of style spanning those three decades was classic and elegant, but she definitely had a good mix of all the trends from each period. I mean, as a mother of four girls she was always up to date on what was in vogue: A-line dresses, shoulder pads, faux-fur necklines—you name it. She loved her shopping adventures in New York City, especially the stores on Fifth Avenue. (Same.) Her top picks were Chandler Shoes and Lillie Rubin, which are both sadly out of business now, but she also hit up stores that are still around like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks; she bought most of her clothing and accessories from these four retailers because she was nothing if not efficient!

grandma's style

After going through her impressive collection (and after she so kindly let me take some things for myself), I was inspired to wear the vintage designs and style them with a more, well, modern approach. But basically, this is my PSA that your grandma's, great aunt's, and great-great grandma's wardrobe is truly a treasure. Or you can even hit up your grandpa's, great uncle's, or great-great grandpa's closet; hello, stylish blazers! Since Thanksgiving and the holiday season is officially here, where everyone will be gathered together (albeit safely), it's the perfect time to do a deep dive through their collections.

For me, wearing these pieces made me feel much more connected with my grandma and even the time period they were worn in. Forget watches or expensive jewelry! Clothes can definitely be special heirlooms to pass down from generation to generation. See how I styled four different items below.

The Black Turtleneck Dress

The first piece I pulled was a black sleeveless turtleneck dress with a flared hem that had such a mod look to it. My grandma recalled wearing it to casual cocktail parties in the late 1970s. I wanted to update it a tad and opted for a white faux-fur coat, western-inspired boots, bold hoops, orange-tinted glasses. To add a splash of can't-miss-it color, this aqua Brandon Blackwood bag was a definite yes.

how to style vintage clothing
Ruben Chamorro
how to style vintage clothes
Ruben Chamorro
Faux-Fur Jacket
superdown Faux-Fur Jacket
$95 at Revolve
Mini Duffel Bag
Brandon Blackwood Mini Duffel Bag
Icon Boot
Thursday Boot Co. Icon Boot
August Sunglasses
Lexxola August Sunglasses
Flower Power Earrings
bea bongiasca Flower Power Earrings

The Sheer Open-Front Cardigan

Another item I gravitated towards was this sheer leaf-printed cardigan (very autumnal!) with textured fur at end of the sleeves. According to my grandma, it's supposed to be paired with a matching full-length formal gown (how fancy!), but I thought it was incredible on its own. I chose a black mini slip dress and burgundy Dr. Marten combat boots to add some edge, and then the rich brown Simon Miller bag channeled the fall colors of Manhattan.

how to style vintage clothes
Ruben Chamorro
how to style vintage clothes
Ruben Chamorro
Short Slip
Merlette Short Slip
1460 Smooth Lace-Up Boots
Dr. Martens 1460 Smooth Lace-Up Boots
Vegan Bonsai Clutch
Simon Miller Vegan Bonsai Clutch

The Belted Blazer

Okay, how amazing is this snow leopard print Calvin Klein belted jacket? Of course, it wouldn't be a vintage design without shoulder pads. My grandma wore this piece to several ladies luncheons either with pants or skirts because of how versatile it is. I decided to go with black leather pants to freshen it up and accessorized with a structured, bright green Mansur Gavriel bag and heeled boots.

how to style vintage clothing
Ruben Chamorro
how to style vintage clothing
Ruben Chamorro
The Bisous Leather Pant
L'ACADEMIE The Bisous Leather Pant
PENCIL BAG
Mansur Gavriel PENCIL BAG
Franco Vesi Block Heel Bootie
Franco Sarto Franco Vesi Block Heel Bootie

The Puff-Sleeve Dress

The more dramatic—and very clearly '80s—item I stole from her closet was this black silk mid-length gown with major puff sleeves. She remembers wearing this piece to a fundraiser in Washington D.C. around that time period, so it's definitely an item you want to bring out for the right (read: dressy) occasion. I had thought about getting this hemmed to be a shorter length, but actually with the chilly temperatures approaching, the longer hemline helps in the warmth department. I went with platforms from Larroude, statement mismatched earrings, and a pink velvet mini bag to accessorize with color.

how to style vintage clothes
Ruben Chamorro
how to style vintage clothes
Ruben Chamorro
grandma
Velvet Scrunch Mini Bag
Pretty Little Thing Velvet Scrunch Mini Bag
Dolly Sandal In Black Suede
Larroude Dolly Sandal In Black Suede
Midnight Dance Earrings
Notte Jewelry Midnight Dance Earrings

Now to share an adorable snippet from my grandma: "Sharing this adventure and excitement with my granddaughter, and seeing a bit of my life though her feels like I have passed a baton on to the next generation." So this is your sign to ask your G-Ma about her clothes over the holidays—and if you can please please steal borrow them.