“From Rags to Riches”
What
is vintage and what can it do for you?
Three common misconceptions about vintage
fashion:
*
If it’s vintage, it must be worn out, dirty, and outdated.
*
All fans of vintage are fastionistas and regularly dress as if they’re
on their way to a costume party.
*
People would give you strange looks if you wore older, eccentric
styles.
The truth
about dressing in vintage
The definition of ‘vintage’ is very dynamic, making it hard to define.
Technically, every decade that passes carries with it a new collection of
vintage styles. By current definition, what we call authentic vintage
merchandise dates back no earlier than 100 years and can be as young as 20*. Ancient, on the other hand, defines all
items that are older than 100 years old.
Over the past few years wearing vintage has become a growing fashion
trend the stretches all the way out to the red carpet with examples such as the
models Kate Moss, and Agynes Deyn who are often
seen sporting vintage-inspired attire. Karen Elson, model and wife of Jack
White from the White Stripes, is also well known for loving vintage. She used
to own and may still be running her own vintage shop in Nashville, TN. Vintage fashionistas such as “Retro Chick” have also
been quoted happily flaunting the vast array of positive compliments and
admiration they often receive on their eccentric attire.
Some
customers prefer the retrospective or ‘retro’ aspect of vintage merchandise
that references the fashion styles of previous generations. However, many
online sources are suggesting that the true charm of the vintage style is the
absolute uniqueness and character of each individual piece. Shelley, the owner
of the Rag and Bone in downtown State College, PA, has never sold two of the
same pieces of merchandise in nearly twenty years of business. She once
discussed with our group that few people dress entirely in vintage on a daily
basis; however, it is more common for many of the Rag and Bone’s customers to
shop for smaller pieces that they can incorporate into their wardrobe. They are
sharing history and adding character to their style; one vintage accent at a
time.
*For
reference: The Rag and
Bone boutique is always looking to purchase high-quality vintage merchandise
from the 1920s through the 1980s to add to their inventory.
Quality vs. Quantity
When considering purchasing
merchandise that has been gently used it would be in your best interest to be
careful where you buy. Thrift shops may offer a cheaper price tag, but they
don’t usually take the time to wash and repair their items for sale. Specialty
vintage boutiques, on the other hand, usually take more care in preserving
their inventory.**
Have
you ever bought a fancy shirt from a retail store only to discover that it has
gotten stretched out after the third washing? Older, vintage clothing is
typically made of higher quality materials than most clothing made today due to
the genuine labor put into the design of each piece, and unavailability of many
artificial materials for use at the time. Plus, doesn’t it make quite a
statement for a piece of merchandise to have survived all of these generations
to remain in such great shape today?
**If
you are concerned with the cleanliness and
quality of any store’s merchandise, managers and the owner of the store will
gladly answer your questions.
All that Glitters is not Gold
One
factor to take into consideration with the current popularity of vintage styles
is that famous clothing manufacturers have been starting to “bring back” the
retro look. This means that more articles on the market are over-priced vintage
look-a-likes that could be falsely advertised as being authentic. Designers
have been known to charge a couple thousand dollars for vintage-inspired
clothing. Ironically, you could find a similar item of authentic vintage
clothing at a specialty boutique (like the Rag and Bone) for under $100 that is
often better made than the modern designer piece.
Some
of the following high-end designers that sell vintage-inspired attire, and may
be familiar to you, include: Ralph Lauren, Prada, and Nina Ricci. Even Banana
Republic did a “Madmen” collection. If you’re looking for a store that also
sells vintage looks “Anthropology” may perk your interest. However, as
mentioned above, just be wary that all of these are options going to come with
a high price tag compared to buying a vintage original.
Secrets to identifying authentic vintage attire
from Shelly herself
“Don’t
you Label Me”
- Vintage labels may look unusual based on: color, size,
print, how it’s attached, etc.
- If a label claims that the piece is made overseas in
places such as Thailand or Indonesia, it’s not vintage
- Labels with a long list of washing instructions are
typically post 80’s
“Zzzzzzzip
It”
- The use of plastic zippers became common in clothing
starting in the mid 70’s
- Metal zippers were included up until the early 70s.
“Spin Me a Yard”
- Aside from the popularity of polyester in 70’s styles,
vintage clothing is typically made of cotton blends, linen and rayon.
Keeping these tips in mind, how about giving those flashy 70s
earrings a chance? For guys, what about adding 60’s necktie to your style? When
the chilly wind blows, a 50s peacoat or 80s biker jacket would keep out the
cold.
Every vintage piece tells a story;
why not add some punctuation to your
style?
Still to come…
Need to feed that insatiable appetite for
vintage fashion? Keep reading for our later article about determining the era
of vintage attire, and learn fun facts about culture of the time.
If
there are topics that you would like us to write about,
Leave
a comment and we will post about it!
Thanks for your
support!
Haley, Katie, Janel, & Shelly
Sources Cited
Kane, Ashley.
"What is Vintage?." About.com.
N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. <http://vintageclothing.about.com/od/glossary/g/Vintage.htm>.
Seagar, Gemma.
"Brave Enough for Vintage?." Retro
Chick: Vintage Fashion & Retro Style. N.p., 17 Aug. 2011. Web. 22 Mar.
2012. <http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2011/08/17/vintage-brave/>.
Seagar, Gemma.
"What is 'Vintage' Anyway?." Retro
Chick: Vintage Fashion & Retro Style. N.p., 14 Oct. 2011. Web. 22 Mar.
2012. <http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2011/10/14/what-is-vintage/>.
Terry,
Laura. "Vintage Fashion: The New Trend." Female First: Celebrity Gossip & Lifestyle magazine. N.p., 20
Nov. 2008. Web. 22 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/lifestyle-fashion/styletrends/vintage-6096.html>.
"Vintage
Clothing." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d.
Web. 22 Mar. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vintage_clothing>.
