Vintage clothing, by it's very definition, is by no means new. But the concept of vintage fashion has gathered real momentum and settled nicely into it's guilded place on both the high street and the internet.
So what is it that we love so much about vintage clothing? Let's explore some of the reasons behind the worldwide vintage clothing phenomenon.
Celebrity Culture
Whether we like to admit it or not, we are living in a world where celebrities are king, with more influence and status than most royals! Be it actors, singers, TV personalities or social media influencers, our screens, feeds and magazines are filled with the latest looks from celebville. For a number of years now, celebrities have been turning to vintage clothing more and more and boy have we been following suit... Whether it's vintage dresses, vintage knitwear, vintage jackets, vintage shoes, vintage skirts, vintage tops or vintage accessories, if something is in vogue then we will do our best to find similar. It's also made vintage clothing more accessible, more mainstream and more fashionable than it ever has been before.
Individuality
Cast your mind back for a moment to our pre-pandemic days. You've spent weeks preparing for the party of the year, carefully and lovingly choosing what to wear, how to style your hair, what make up and scent to wear... The night finally arrives and feeling a million dollars you arrive with that air of confidence– only to find your worst nightmare. Another girl is wearing exactly the same dress as you! It's a horrible feeling and one we all dread, but a perfectly realistic side effect of 'fast fashion' on the high street. So how can you assure you will be the only girl in THAT outfit? With vintage clothing of course! When you buy a piece of vintage clothing you are buying an item that has one very important factor – individuality. Sure you can buy pieces that follow key trends but it's almost impossible that anyone else will have the same vintage item as you. Your vintage clothing can come from any corner of the globe and from any era of time so it's bound to be super special. There's also that super smug feeling you get when someone asks where you got your outfit and you simply reply "oh, it's vintage".
Global Awareness
From the way we power our homes to the way in which our rubbish is collected, we have all become much more environmentally aware in recent years. We've adapted to simple things like splitting our waste into different categories and invested in solar panels, insulation and energy saving light bulbs. We've stopped leaving our TV's on standby when we go to bed and become aware of the issues of single use plastic. One of the biggest changes we have made is re-using carrier bags for shopping and finding more alternatives to the old fashioned plastic bags, all in the hope of reducing landfill and shrinking our carbon footprint. But being greener doesn't end there... vintage clothing is a fantastic way to recycle. Just imagine how much quality vintage clothing is out there, thousands and thousands of pieces just waiting for new homes. You can even sell your own collection on – whether it's your too-short sixties minis or your dodgy eighties batwings, vintage clothing companies like us love to hear from you. We can all do our bit to help each other and the planet. The fundamental principle being that reusing and recycling clothing that has already been made is a huge saving of resources and is therefore an environmentally sustainable choice.
Money Matters
As the old saying goes – look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves! If you're financially savvy then you are probably buying vintage already. To buy good quality fashion on the high street can cost enough, but designer labels can really break the bank. Buying vintage clothing is an excellent way to get the look and the labels you want at the fraction of the normal price. There are many mid range designer labels that were very expensive in their hay-day such as Gina Bacconi, Laurel, Jaeger, Mondi, Laura Ashley and more. These are designed, curated and very well made but if you are savvy then you can find them for the same prices as shopping at Next! You can also source high end vintage fashion from the likes of Dior, Chanel, YSL, Burberry, Fendi and Givenchy.
You are also actually making an investment when you buy vintage, whether it is designer or not. Like fine wines, works of art or pieces of antique furniture, as your vintage clothing grows older it increases in value. You could buy a good quality piece of vintage clothing such as a dress and enjoy wearing it for several years, keeping it in good condition and then sell it on to make ways for more in your wardrobe.
So there we have it – save money, look super stylish AND individual, keep the planet happy and follow as many trends as your heart desires – it may sound too good to be true but vintage clothing really can offer the perfect fashion and lifestyle solution. So the only question is – if you're not buying vintage clothing already – why not?!
Until next time
Emma x
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