Are you a Vintage Purist? Do you only wear true authentic vintage?
If your answer is a resounding “Yes!” then what qualifies an item as true, authentic vintage?
On Etsy, to be considered “vintage” an item has to be at least 20 years old. And if you listen to some folks on Twitter, then you shouldn’t dare call anything younger than 20 years old “vintage” because that would make it “Retro.” Not “vintage.” Retro.
And then you have antique clothing, widely considered to be anything over 100 years old. Are these items also considered true authentic vintage?
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that each fashionista probably has her own idea of what vintage means to her. And while conventions in the industry are nice, there are a lot of young ladies out there who consider anything they buy in a thrift store, consignment boutique or Goodwill to be, well…you guessed it, vintage. And yes, that means even clothes just manufactured last season.
I suppose one can be a Vintage Purist and limit oneself to let’s see…as of today…only garments manufactured prior to September 9, 1990. But that could keep a girl from purchasing some mighty great finds!
For instance, since Karim Bonnet moved to a fashion college in Bastille in 1989, all of this designer’s beautiful Impasse de la Defense hand-painted dresses, including today’s halter-style VPOD, don’t qualify as pure “vintage.” Well, not yet anyway. But only time will tell if this man’s talent will become as collectible as other vintage designers that we covet today.
In the investment world, the mantra is “Buy Low, Sell High.” That’s good advice for the vintage clothing world, too, but I’d add a second mantra: “Buy Early, Sell High.”
And that means you may want to indulge in some not-quite-yet-vintage finds and sit back to hopefully watch all the Vintage Purists clamor for them in another decade.
It’s a strategic way to shop for a vintage fashionista!
Available at Shop Curious.
P.S. I’d love to hear how you define “vintage.” Please leave me a comment below.
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This sundress is so pretty. Halter design accents women’s neck line.
In my opinion, the value of any item of clothing is in the eye of the beholder. To me, this dress is a unique work of art, along with most of Karim Bonnet’s designs.
I recently read an article by Kate Spicer entitled ‘Vintage? Goodbye to old tat’. However, the first sentence says it all, “The second-hand shops and stalls of Portobello Market have always been about the ability to sort through the jumble and dig out a nugget of wardrobe gold.”
Here’s a dress that dates from the late ’90s which wouldn’t look out of place today – what’s more it’s unworn except by our model, is a one-off creation, an original artwork and available at a remarkably reasonable price. Congratulations for spotting this amazing investment opportunity!
Years ago I bought a ’90s dress in a resale shop. It was pricey, but it’s a Yeohlee and I like her designs, so I got it. Looking at it now–about 15 years later–it looks completely timeless yet very 90s.
I’m in the “20 years old or older” camp, however, I often find good things from the mid ’90s that I willingly offer on my site because they have significance in terms of style, designer or construction of the garment.