What is Vintage and Why?
There is one sure way to make a lifelong friend of me: “I love your purse. Is it vintage?” Someone asked me this last week and my heart stopped.
Over the last five years I’ve heard pretty much everything when I describe my interests:
“Oh, I thought you looked dated!”
“Is that dress…old?”
“Oh it’s vintage? Did you make it?”
Very few people seem to know what “vintage” fully means and why that’s cool. At least why it’s cool to me. And some other people.
Most folks in the community will agree that vintage clothing ranges from the 1930s — 1980s. Anything older is antique and anything newer is gross. Just kidding. I’m not an elitist. I do know a few folks who don’t own a single item from the last four decades, but I like jeans and t-shirts as much (okay, a little less) than the next girl.
Yes, most days I’ll be prancing around in a) a cotton day dress from the 1950s or b) a house (or hostess) dress from the 1940s.
There are a few reasons why:
- Vintage clothing (or slow fashion) is sustainable and green. I’m sure you’ve seen that video that went around Facebook about how the fashion industry is clogging our landfills with literal tons of clothing.
- Older clothing is built to last. If it’s still chugging along 80 years after it was created, why the heck stop wearing it now?
- It’s beautiful — from home-grown seamstresses to more mass-produced designs, styles from the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s (and even some from the 80s) are thoughtfully and beautiful created. Fashions now are made to look good on a hanger. Older fashions were created for the human form.
I grew up watching old movies. My first film memory is watching Singing in the Rain at age 5. When I found out I could wear the clothes I admired so much, it was like the world opened up to me.
