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Vintage in vogue

Other | Wednesday 4th November 2009 | Osh

"It's vintage!" When asked "who are you wearing?" this seems to be the response these days. But what is vintage, really? When we hear the word "vintage" used in the context of clothing, a great portion of the population likely thinks two things: old and used. But vintage is more than just repurposed fashion. While it is used as a catch-all phrase for all second-hand clothing, by definition clothing which was produced before the 1920s is referred to as antique clothing and clothing from the 1920s to 1980 is considered vintage. Retro usually refers to clothing that imitates the style of a previous era, and clothing produced more recently usually called modern. Opinions though vary on this. En vogue at the moment, you fashion-savvy peeps out there are donning a contemporary look that incorporates blending vintage with what’s new in the high street. But what’s so special about vintage anyway? Personally, I never really ‘got it’ until I was in my late teens. Before that I just equated vintage with granny-wear – the look minus the zimmerframe. Well somehow that didn’t really appeal. A random, impromptu visit to Portobello Road market however changed all that. I stumbled upon a pair of some really rather worn pointee-toed 1950s kitten-heels, and for the massive sum of 5 pound! Bargain. I didn’t have a clue what clothes in my wardrobe could possibly match but I thought ‘what the heck I’ll try them on’, and sure enough they fitted. Like a glove –no need to push and no need to shove. Money handed over and one pair of shoes bagged later, I’ve been a self-declared vintage junkie ever since. Image: Eric pictured here outside Spitalfields market: “I bought this entire outfit from vintage shops and stalls here, all for less than £100 and in an hour.” The appeal of vintage comes from getting something a little different - each piece has been on a journey, unique for its own era. And maybe, just maybe, it will be one of a kind. After all, no-one wants to run the risk of making that major fashion faux-paux of wearing the exact same thing, at the same time, as someone else do they? If you’ve ever been in that situation, you know said scenario begs THAT question - who looks better wearing IT? Recoil! Moreover, when you buy vintage you’re giving it a new lease of life. In the UK alone, nearly 2m tons of clothing and shoes go to landfill sites each year. So you could say that shopping vintage is good for the environment. Call it ethical consumerism ;) Well there you have it. Whether a twenty-year-old dress is classified as vintage or not doesn't really matter. If the dress fits, one should just wear it, non?

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