Like au courant fashion lovers, I have a serious relationship with vintage clothing; a relationship that began before I was born and has stayed with me to this day. I didn’t initially wear vintage because it was hipster thing to do or; for me it was sheer necessity and force. My mother made us wear vintage clothing because with 5 children to clothe, thrift stores and consignment shops were the natural solution.
At first I rebelled, being a typical child wanting to blend in with my peers; no one was wearing polyester blend pants in the 3rd grade. But my mother soon allowed us to come on thrift store jaunts and Saturday flea market trips with her. Not only was this bonding time but I became transfixed with the power of vintage. Here are my reasons why I love vintage clothing.
1. It never goes out of style: Fashion is constantly repeating itself, so why waste money on new reproductions of old styles when you can wear the old styles themselves
2. It is one-of-a-kind: While this is not completely true, you’ll still be hard pressed to find someone wearing the exact same piece, albeit, in the same way.
3. It can be inexpensive: I’m no Daddy Warbucks and while I’m waiting on my lottery winnings, I’ll spend my coins on the inexpensive vintage that I love. There is higher-end vintage and when my winnings come I’ll buy those pieces as well
4. It has a unique smell: So I know I’m probably alone on this but I love the way Goodwill and Salvation Army stores smell. It’s intoxicating and gets me amped to go through racks after racks of clothes
5. It’s environmentally friendly: I’m not the biggest eco-champion, but I try to do my part. And wearing vintage recycles clothing and stops wasteful spending
6. It reminds me of my Mom: My mom introduced me to fashion and vintage clothing and while our styles differ greatly, flea markets always remind me of our Saturday trips when I was younger
7. It’s like jumping in a Time Machine: Let’s do the time warp again! Playing dress up with vintage clothing is like stepping back in time and being someone else for a day
8. It’s the Thrill of the Hunt: Finding a gem out of a hundreds of pieces is like a modern day treasure hunt and makes it much more treasured
9. It’s a great Business Model: There are thousands of vintage business stores because there are millions of vintage pieces floating around the world and Read #1 and #2
10. There’s so much Variety: Vintage encompasses so many eras and time periods that there is a style for all types of vintage lovers; 40’s retro, 80’s hipster, 20’s flapper and the list goes on
How did your love affair with vintage begin? What are you reasons for loving vintage?
Vintage just has a certain appeal…I guess knowing that everyone won’t be wearing what you have is the biggest draw for me. It’s so involved just to find and really exciting once you get something you really like. =D
@Alicia: Yeah, originality is one of the biggest draws for me!
I have always loved vintage and I love your reasons, I too had a Mother who took us to the thifts shops and I hated it, but when I became a fashion designer and having the desire to be unique I found myself seeking vintage clothing and sharing this with my children.
Vintage is the best! Shopping for it feels like discovering buried treasure or something.
There’s also a certain amount of nostalgia that goes with it–I just bought a bunch of pants that remind me of my 2nd grade teacher. It’s weird, but it works for me!
~Tamia
TheStyleSample.com
I too love Vintage clothing! I’ve found that you don’t need to spend extra money, just spend a little time searching out the really great treasures. I just love always looking unique and vintage is a great way to do that. Thanks for re-affirming all the reasons I love vintage!
agree with all 10 completely ….everyone’s always like OMG where’d u get that?! I always reply, “Goodwill, St. Vincent, Flea Market!” I hate the mall,i’d pick a smelly thrift store over a mall any day. I get lost in a thrift store, when I’m there, nothing else matters, except my finds of course.
[...] and the care and detail that was taken in looking good. These are a few of the many reasons why I love vintage clothing. Why I swoon for hours at pin-up photography and why despite my sometimes blunt disposition, I [...]
[...] advocate buying vintage from independent sellers — whether in a brick or mortar or an online shop like Carmen & [...]
I love that vintage clothes fit my body type better. Plus there is a greater range of shapes to draw from. I love to create new silhouettes by mixing vintage pieces of different decades.
This is a great list and I agree with it all! Another reason I’m inspired by vintage because I think that the materials and construction are so superior to many mass-produced garments today. You can pay hardly anything for fashions that are of the quality of ready-to-wear in many cases. Especially if you are willing to do a little hemming and sewing of your own!