In terms of buying, you have a few options with vintage men's fashion: second-hand stores, vintage fashion stores, rummage sales, and eBay.

Now, each method has its pros and cons and is preferable depending on what item of vintage men's fashion you're looking for.

If you are in the market for two- or three-piece suits then you're best bet is to find a store dedicated to vintage men's fashion. These stores exist in every reasonably sized city and typically operate by purchasing and then re-selling quality pieces of vintage men's fashion. You can easily find full suits of extraordinary quality from decades past. These stores are usually well-organized and the clothes are accessible and of high quality -- for this, you'll pay a premium. Don't expect to find suits for less than $100 in these stores.

For jackets and blazers, I recommend second-hand stores. While these stores (such as Value Village) rarely have a selection of suits, they do carry many jackets ina variety of styles. These usually sell for around $15, so if you can find a jacket and a pair of trousers that match (for around $10) you'll have a new outfit for $35. That's a pretty good deal. It's not uncommon to find high quality jackets that no longer fit people (as the trend is to get larger), so this is a good option for shorter or thinner men.

I have found that the selection of shirts (dress and otherwise) is usually lacking at second hand stores. The popularity of these stores means that quality shirts are usually hot sellers. Rummage sales, on the other hand, usually happen over the course of one day and so it's much easier to find quality shirts at a low price -- usually a couple bucks. I recently picked up a blue Ralph Lauren oxford in my size at a Church rummage sale for $2. One note: since you usually can't try on shirts at rummage sales, make sure you know your size and understand proper dress shirt fit.

Look for pants at second-hand stores and rummage sales. It's easier to find pants that fit than shirts or suits -- there are less variables. With a shirt, you need to examine the sleeve length, the cuffs, the amount of material around the torso, the collar's tightness, and so on. With pants, you really only need to focus on fit around the waist. If it fits around the waist, it will most likely fit around the leg, and if the length is wrong, it can usually be hemmed or extended (at least by a couple inches).

There are vintage men's fashion stores that specialize in shoes, but again, these can be difficult to find. I find eBay to be a good source of shoes if you are confident in the fit -- try going into a store, wearing the shoes, and then buying the same size and model on eBay. You'll get a discount and they should fit. However, if this is too much of a hassle, look in second-hand stores like Value Village. Usually you'll be able to find at least one pair of nice, high quality shoes at a low price that fits you. I recently got a pair of cordovan Florsheim brogues for $10 in this way.

Ties can be found through any of the four ways I mentioned above. I like to use eBay if I'm looking for a specific tie. Buying that way will usually cost you $10, but you can find pretty much any style and colour. Vintage men's clothing stores usually sell ties for about the same price but carry much less selection. Rummage sales and second-hand stores will often have an enormous selection of ties (literally hundreds) all for a few bucks a piece. The problem is, for the most part, they're lousy ties -- that's why someone is getting rid of them in the first place.