1. Look down. Sounds obvious, but a lot of people don't do this. Most people look forward at eye level when they shop. Some of the best deals I've scored have been items that were shoved in the bottom of a shelf. Last week I found two reasonably priced items in really good condition tucked away--vintage Audrey Hepburn-esque Givenchy shoes and a circa 1890s Victorian fairy lamp.
2. Buy what you like. Another one that sounds obvious. Don't worry if you think your friends or your mother will hate it. Trust your instincts. Surround yourself with what you like. I'm always amazed out how some people won't buy what they like because they're afraid of what others will think of it. Also be sure to buy it when you see it. I found a couture vintage Neiman Marcus wedding dress and I figured I'd go back and get it later thinking that no one else could possibly want it, but sure enough it was long gone when I returned.
3. See things out of context. Sometimes the gems are surrounded by some really ugly stuff, so your eye might lump the gems into the ugly category. A couple of weeks ago there was a pair of vintage Henredon chairs surrounded by some really ugly furniture, and had I not been paying attention my eye might have skipped right over them without even realizing it. Try to see beyond the musty and dusty so that you don't miss the really great stuff. One of the beautiful things about vintage pieces is that most of them are not made in China so you're buying quality items instead of those that are mass-produced and mediocre.
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