Product Code Database
Vintage clothing is clothing that originates from a previous era. The term vintage clothing can also be applied in reference to second-hand , e.g. in "vintage clothing store". While the concept originated during World War I as a response to textile shortages,From Goodwill to Grunge: A History of Secondhand Styles and Alternative Economies. The University of North Carolina Press, 2017. vintage dressing encompasses choosing accessories, mixing vintage garments with new, as well as creating an ensemble of various styles and periods. Vintage clothes typically sell at low prices for Luxury goods name brands.
Vintage clothing can be found in cities at local boutiques or local charities, or on the internet through digital second-hand shopping websites. Vintage fashion has seen a reemergence in popularity within the 21st century due to increased prevalence of vintage pieces in the media and among celebrities, as well as consumer interests in sustainability and slow fashion. ]]
/ref> This sense of history allows consumers to express sentimental nostalgia for fashions of past eras and for aspects not common with modern items like craftsmanship.
Vintage items are considered different than antique, which is used to refer to items 100 years old or more. Retro, short for retrospective, or "vintage style," usually refers to clothing that imitates the style of a previous era. Reproduction, or repro, clothing is a newly made copy of an older garment.
Clothing produced more recently is usually called modern or contemporary fashion.
With the rise of the digital world and social media, the consumption of Vintage clothing has rapidly expanded, with e-commerce websites leading to growth in consumer accessibility of vintage pieces.Turunen, L L M, Leipämaa-Leskinen, H & Sihvonen, J 2018, Restructuring Secondhand Fashion from the Consumption Perspective. in D Ryding, C E Henninger & M Blazquez Cano (eds), Vintage Luxury Fashion: Exploring the Rise of the Secondhand Clothing Trade. 2, Palgrave Advances in Luxury, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 11-27. The internet has drastically increased the availability of specific and hard-to-get items and opened up prospective markets for sellers around the world. In the last 20 years, social media in particular has become the most popular medium for consumers to obtain information about, and interact with vintage fashion.
Popular places to acquire garments include online auctions, multi-vendor sites, online vintage clothing shops, specialist forums, and social media sites, where consumers can like, share, and purchase vintage goods from their smartphones. Many vintage clothing shops with physical locations also sell their goods online. In a world filled with fast fashion and "new" being the most popular choice, vintage style has found a way to stay popular. This has a lot to do with celebrities and influencers following this trend, making it a desirable choice for the general public as well. Famous brands, such as Gucci, have made choices like cutting down the number of yearly fashion shows, in order to move the fashion industry toward greater sustainability. The seasonal fashion cycle that the industry has followed for years is being broken down to favor a more environmentally conscious approach to fashion.
Typically in the United States, vintage clothing shops can be found clustered in college towns and artsy neighborhoods of cities. In contrast to Charity shop that sell both vintage and contemporary used clothing, vintage clothing shops are usually for-profit enterprises, with the market mixed between small chains and independent stores. These stores typically range from 200 to 5,000 square feet in size, and will usually have a fitting room. Vintage clothing stores may obtain clothing from individuals in exchange for cash or store credit.
The term "vintage" in relation to "vintage fashion" and "vintage clothing" was first used in 1997 by Matthew Adams who founded Frock Me!, the first vintage fashion fair in the UK.
During World War I, the United States launched a conservation campaign, with slogans such as "Make economy fashionable lest it become obligatory". One result was an approximate 10% reduction in wartime trash production.
Into the 20th and 21st centuries, vintage clothing has seen increased popularity throughout media and pop culture. The tides of popular fashion create demand for ongoing replacement of products with something that is new and fresh. Once known as secondhand clothing, is now seen as vintage clothing. This is due in part to increased visibility through media, film and television, and celebrity influence. In the past 20 years, vintage fashion has been featured in leading fashion and lifestyle magazines, including a 2011 publication of Marie Claire. The popularity of within film and television has also contributed to trends of vintage fashion. The authentic portrayal of 1960s fashions in the 2007 award winning series Mad Men sparked a resurgence of glamour in consumer interest. This was reflected in a prevalence of 1950 and 60s fashions in 2010 runways, and increased sales at vintage shops. In the early 2000s, celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Renee Zellweger brought vintage clothing into the media by wearing vintage pieces to red carpets.
In the past decade, vintage clothing has become part of the movement towards Sustainability and sustainable fashion, and is an aspect of slow fashion, a concept coined in 2007 by Kate Fletcher. Vintage fashion appeals to consumer interests of ethical clothing as it falls under categories of reusing, recycling and repairing items rather than throwing them away. Vintage shopping became a sustainable option with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian popularizing the trend. Vintage shopping has become a key alternative to fast fashion.
Vintage shopping trends have also seen a transition to E-commerce. When new retailers try to enter the market for vintage clothing, they face certain barriers unique to this segment of the fashion industry. For example, authenticity and exclusivity are two very important factors that vintage clothing consumers look for, so guaranteeing these qualities is of greatest importance for the retailers. Knowing and disclosing the origin of the clothing is a crucial component of succeeding in the vintage clothing retail industry.
Those who purchase vintage clothes may wear them frequently or use them as showpieces of great value within their wardrobe. These tend to never be worn, rather appreciated from their new home in the owner's closet. While some people may keep these clothes in their possession for a long time, others may look to repurpose, mend, or pass these items to new owners.Meacham, Samantha. "I FEEL LIKE MY LOVE RUNS TOO DEEP: VINTAGE CONSUMERS, SHARED VALUES, AND THE CLOTHING CONSUMPTION PROCESS". The University of Georgia. 2013.
Historically based sub-cultural groups like rockabilly and swing dancing played a part in the increased interest in vintage clothes. In Finland the vintage scene resulted in a registered non-profit organization called Fintage, from common interest in the preservation of material culture and the environment.
Vintage fashion can be understood as a response to fast fashion, in which garments are mass produced. Vintage shopping allow consumers to find unique pieces and create a sense of individuality. Vintage clothing is also meant to evoke an emotional connection to clothing, especially connecting pieces with feelings such as nostalgia and memories. The individuality and sense of style that a person tries to convey by building a wardrobe around "vintage style" is something that drives the trend forward. Meraviglia, Laura. "From fast fashion to fashion vintage". Global Fashion 2014. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy. 2014.
Even luxury clothing consumers have made a shift toward a sustainable approach to luxury clothing, and vintage style has contributed greatly to this. Influencers and celebrities gravitating toward branded items that are second-hand or vintage, have pushed consumers to own unique pieces that are more environmentally friendly, rather than shopping for cheaper fast fashion. Giving vintage clothes a strong value in society and fashion has been crucial to making it a desirable choice for the greater public. This has helped create brand desirability in a market which may have not had this component earlier. Especially with the general public who have tighter budgets than celebrities, second-hand luxury items seem to be an appealing path into the world of luxury brands.
The fashion industry ranks as the second most polluting industry in the world after the oil industry. worldbank.org Consequently, a trend in becoming more conscious and sustainable shoppers has emerged through the years. The interest and demand in vintage shopping has grown significantly. The rise of popularity of vintage clothing has been linked to a growing demand for sustainable fashion. Vintage clothing gained traction in 2020 as consumers became eco-conscious. In 2020, the term "vintage fashion" was researched 35,000 times on Lyst. One way of reducing waste and limiting the negative impact of fashion on the environment is the reuse and recycling of clothes. Vintage stores make fashion more sustainable. One used item purchased as opposed to one new one reduces CO2 emissions by 25% on average per use.
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