what is vintage clothing?

What is vintage clothing?

I remember a few years ago after a trip to my local vintage store being excited with my vintage 1980s track top. Friends mocked me "vintage 80's indeed you're having a laugh" they said. you look like a cross between Bjorn Borg and Wham.

To a lot of people vintage is commonly associated with really old things vintage cars, vintage wines or clothing from the Victorian era though to the 1940's and these days they would safely add to the list add the 1950's and 1960's and perhaps the 1970s. But the 1980's or 1990's no chance they would consider any clothing from these decades as vintage.

Vintage or Retro?

In my mind vintage clothing refers to an original garment / item from a given period in time be it pre1940's,50s,60.70's or 80's. At the time of writing this blog there were 6036 items under clothing on the UK ebay that are listed as vintage 1990's!!! (to be honest not a term I've ever used).

Retro on the other hand refers to an item produced in the modern day that is inspired or a direct copy from another era. Many companies such as adidas, fila, ben sherman ,levis to name a few  reissue previous classics to meet the demand.

In recent years there has been a shift with designers and the high street. No longer content with reissuing classic lines. "New Vintage look clothes" have filled the shelves and rails with  faded and frayed items  becoming popular.and the student / indie vintage look becoming high fashion.

But to the vintage clothing lover out there the appeal is with an original vintage item. This is true of collectors and wearers alike. As for the trackie top my friends mocked I did look like a Swedish 80's pop star in it as it was a BJ Fila original with routinely sell for upwards of £200+ these days. Very funny indeed!!

To check out our vintage clothing offerings visit our shop http://stores.ebay.co.uk/dig-our-scene

Until the the next time...