After eight months away from YouTube, I have finally returned—and I wanted my first video back to celebrate something very close to my heart: vintage Salvatore Ferragamo.
My love of vintage fashion has never been about simply owning old clothes, shoes or jewellery. For me, every piece carries a story. It reflects the materials, craftsmanship and attitude of the era in which it was created.
Today, I am sharing some of the most special pieces in my personal collection: a heavy Ferragamo bracelet and matching earrings from the 1980s, together with a rare pair of silk, leather and cork Ferragamo heels dating from 1994.
These are not quiet accessories.
They are bold, substantial and beautifully made—the kind of pieces that remind us why genuine vintage designer fashion continues to feel so special.
Inspired by the Ferragamo Museum in Florence
Any fashion lover visiting Florence should make time for the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum.
Florence is a city where craftsmanship is visible everywhere, from its architecture and leather workshops to its jewellery and fashion houses. Ferragamo’s story belongs naturally within this city.
The museum is not simply about beautiful shoes. It celebrates innovation, imagination and the relationship between design and the human body.
Salvatore Ferragamo understood that a shoe could be both functional and artistic. His creations often experimented with unexpected shapes and materials, while still being designed around the movement and structure of the foot.
That spirit of experimentation is visible in the vintage Ferragamo pieces I collect today.
My Heavy 1980s Ferragamo Earrings
The earrings are everything I love about 1980s fashion.
They are large, confident and impossible to ignore.
This was an era when jewellery was not created to disappear politely into an outfit. Earrings framed the face, bracelets made a sound as you moved, and accessories were part of a woman’s identity.
These Ferragamo earrings feel wonderfully substantial. The weight is noticeable as soon as you pick them up.
Modern jewellery is often designed to be as light and inexpensive to manufacture as possible. Vintage designer jewellery can feel completely different. There is a sense of substance, permanence and importance.
When I wear these earrings, I like to pull my hair back so that their shape can be properly seen. They do not need competition from a complicated hairstyle or too many other accessories.
They are already the statement.
At 55, I am not interested in becoming invisible or dressing according to somebody else’s rules about age.
I love bold jewellery now more than ever.
With age comes confidence, experience and a clearer understanding of personal style. I no longer need to ask whether a piece is too dramatic.
Sometimes, the drama is exactly why I want to wear it.
A Ferragamo Bracelet Better Than a Modern Charm Bracelet
The matching Ferragamo bracelet is one of those pieces that needs to be held to be fully appreciated.
It is heavy. It moves beautifully around the wrist, and every detail feels connected to the overall design.
This is what separates a beautifully designed vintage bracelet from many modern charm bracelets.
Popular charm bracelets allow the wearer to collect individual memories, and I understand why people enjoy them. However, the result can sometimes feel like a collection of separate objects rather than one complete piece of jewellery.
My Ferragamo bracelet tells one strong design story.
Every element belongs together. It feels cohesive, deliberate and unmistakably luxurious.
For me, it is far more distinctive than a bracelet covered in modern Pandora charms.
It does not need dozens of additions to make it interesting. Its beauty comes from the original design, its weight and the way it moves on the wrist.
This is jewellery with presence.
How I Would Style Vintage Ferragamo Jewellery
The easiest way to wear a powerful vintage bracelet is to keep the clothing simple.
I would style it with a crisp white shirt, rolled sleeves, black tailored trousers and a beautiful pair of shoes. The bracelet should be visible against bare skin rather than hidden beneath fabric.
An all-black outfit would also provide the perfect background. A black dress or roll-neck allows the gold tones and sculptural details of the jewellery to stand out.
For summer in Italy, I would wear the bracelet with a white linen dress, oversized sunglasses and simple leather sandals.
Vintage jewellery does not need to be reserved for formal occasions.
I would happily wear this bracelet with jeans and a plain white T-shirt. The contrast between casual clothing and exceptional jewellery can make the piece look surprisingly modern.
You could wear it to lunch in Florence, an exhibition, a beautiful hotel, a fashion event, a cocktail bar or an elegant dinner.
The most important thing is not the occasion.
It is how confidently you wear it.
My Rare 1994 Ferragamo Silk, Leather and Cork Heels
The shoes in my new video date from 1994 and combine silk, leather and cork.
They are now more than 30 years old, yet they still look imaginative and relevant.
The silk gives the shoes elegance, while the leather adds structure. The cork introduces texture and reflects Ferragamo’s long history of using unusual materials in footwear.
This is what makes genuine vintage designer shoes so compelling.
They were often considered from every angle. The shape of the heel mattered. The interior mattered. The balance of the shoe mattered. Even the parts that were barely visible received attention.
These heels were not designed to look impressive for one season and then be forgotten.
They were made with an identity.
When people talk about luxury, they often focus on logos and prices. But true luxury can be found in proportion, materials, stitching and construction.
A large logo can be copied.
Craftsmanship is much harder to imitate.
How to Wear Vintage Shoes Without Looking Like a Costume
Vintage fashion should not make you look as though you are attending a themed party.
The secret is to mix vintage pieces with modern clothing.
I would style these 1994 Ferragamo heels with wide-legged tailored trousers, cut just short enough to reveal the heel as I walk.
They would also work beautifully with a simple silk dress, although I would avoid matching the silk too precisely. The shoes should be allowed to have their own character.
For a more casual look, I would wear them with cropped jeans, a white shirt and the vintage Ferragamo bracelet.
That combination respects the history of the shoes while bringing them firmly into the present.
Why I Still Love Collecting Vintage Fashion
I have loved vintage fashion for many years.
I enjoy the search, the research and the moment when I discover something rare that somebody else may have overlooked.
Every vintage piece carries a little mystery.
Who bought it originally?
Where was it worn?
Why was it kept?
How did it survive all these years?
That curiosity is also why I created VintageStyleFashion.com.
This website is a place where I can celebrate the individuality, quality and history of vintage clothing, jewellery and accessories.
Vintage is not about living in the past.
It is about choosing the most beautiful pieces from previous decades and allowing them to become part of a modern life.
At 55, I know what I love.
I love strong accessories, rare materials, Italian craftsmanship and pieces that create conversation.
I am not trying to dress younger.
I am dressing as myself.
Watch My Ferragamo Collection on YouTube
In my new YouTube video, I show the earrings, bracelet and 1994 Ferragamo heels in much greater detail.
You can see the weight and movement of the bracelet, the scale of the earrings and the combination of silk, leather and cork used in the shoes.
After eight months away, this feels like the perfect collection with which to return.
Watch the full video
Please leave a comment and tell me which piece you would wear.
Would you choose the dramatic 1980s earrings, the heavy Ferragamo bracelet or the rare 1994 heels?
And do you agree with me that a beautifully designed vintage bracelet can be far more special than a modern collection of charms?
Style does not have an expiry date.
Wear the jewellery. Wear the shoes. Create an entrance.
