In our first part of our “Guide to vintage” we discussed how somebody who is interested in purchasing vintage clothes and accessories should proceed in order to get the best vintage pieces and not just “used stuff”.
It’s funny how some people consider vintage to be “used” things, and this is why we decided that our second part of the “Guide to vintage” is going to be about the cultural aspects of purchasing vintage clothes, accessories and other items and why you should (or should not) opt for such things. Here are some cultural aspects of vintage clothes, items and objects in general:
Vintage pieces have cultural meaning
There is no doubt that the older an item gets old, the more it has a cultural and historical significance. In today’s art world, an item that is taken out of its context is considered by some to be art, so for example, if you were to take an object and give it another purpose or another context, it would become art. Vintage pieces are exactly that: they are taken out of their cultural and historic context and placed into a new era (and sometimes a new space as well). Their meaning changes, as they no longer have the significance they had back when they were new: if a certain piece was a cultural symbol at the time it was made (for example a military jacket from a war), nowadays that item is a reference to that happening and its meaning is given by the wearer: does he wear it as an irony or as a statement that he stands by the values of those he references?
To give you an example, Tony Logan is a guy who is currently re-contextualizing items from the past. He is currently gathering money on his Kickstarter project in which he is creating “style trunks” out of vintage trunks, which we fills with amazing clothing pieces. We really like his work, because he puts a lot of passion into it and is genuinely creative using very limited resources. In today’s world, where everything is easily accessible, “hunting” for vintage items is something special and it makes the end result only better and more emotionally charged.
One of Tony’s trunks.
Vintage items are (almost) unique
If you are one who wishes to feel like one of a kind, wearing vintage clothes or accessories is one of the ways you can get this feeling. If you bought a vintage item while you were on a holiday or simply browsing through vintage shops in your area, what are the chances that you’ll meet someone wearing the same thing? The older the object, the less likely it is that there even is a similar item anywhere in the world. And, if you know the item’s history, then you can track it back to see who your peers are. But, in case the jumper you are wearing was one of a kind in its era as well, you can be sure that you are the only one in seven billion who is wearing such a piece on any given day.
Vintage clothes are clear fashion statements
And, because we mentioned irony earlier, we need to say that being ironic is a very hard thing, which we will discuss in an upcoming article. Mocking and being “too subtle” won’t work to your advantage, so make sure that if you are wearing an item to be ironic, people will get it. Otherwise, you will be sending a very very very wrong message across.
There are some things that don’t work to be worn ironically at all, no matter how hard you try. From the no-no list, we can mention KKK masks, clothes and accessories worn by specific religious groups (remember the scene in “Bruno” when he went to Israel? Sacha Baron Cohen was aware that some things can’t be taken lightly, so he did it because he was sure he would get that reaction).
Vintage pieces usually have a high quality
Pictures from Tony Logan’s project.
A lot clothes today have a rather poor quality, especially cheaper ones. Going through high-quality vintage stores (remember from the first part of the guide that a vintage store is not a thrift store), you might be able to find higher quality pieces at the same prices you would find poor quality, but new items. If you can’t afford to buy new clothes that are more expensive, but will go a long way, buy vintage ones. You should know that synthetic fibers were not even available before the 1960s, so anything made before that time is better than any synthetic sweater you will find today.
We generally recommend that you buy more expensive new clothes than cheaper or used ones, but if you really can’t a afford them; buying vintage is your next best option. You might be surprised of the quality of the pieces you can find, so don’t hesitate if you are having second thoughts!
Vintage clothes are eco-friendly
The clothing manufacturing industry is generally not very eco-friendly today, especially when it comes to mass-produced items. You might not know that the average t-shirt takes about 150 grams of pesticide to produce. In the USA, two quadrillion pounds /907184740000000 kilograms of used clothing are being thrown away each year. These are good enough reasons why you should buy vintage clothes from time to time. Not buying as many new clothes, will lead to less carbon emissions and less garbage in the world. It is important to value your clothes, should they be new or vintage and you should try to maintain them as well as possible.
Vintage fashion, in any shape or form, whether it’s trunks filled with clothes or accessories found at a fair, will add a touch of originality to any wardrobe, whether it’s for one who wishes to be outside the trends or for one who wants to express his personality through style. Whether you will consider actually buying something next time you go to a fair or to a well-established vintage shop, it’s up to you, but we can assure you that even just browsing will boost your inspiration and will make you reconsider what clothes you buy the next time you go shopping to a mall or department store.
Don’t forget, that if you buy designer labels and wish to spend a lot of money on vintage Dior, Hermes, or a similar brand, you should do it with a specialist. Otherwise, it might be just “used stuff” for which you paid a whole lot of money!
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Now that you have all these reasons, we want to hear from you: Do you like to buy vintage clothes? Why do you like/dislike vintage items? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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