Whether you're new to the vintage scene, or a seasoned retro wearer - there are so many reasons to love vintage clothing. From the fabric to the fit, to the sustainability aspects, and the one-off charm. The hunt for the perfect vintage piece is as rewarding as it is special, no matter if you find it by scouring thrift shops or browsing online stores; the perks are endless and evident!

Okay, Sure, I may be a touch bias at this point in my vintage loving/wearing/selling career - but in a world that is forever speeding up, there's a bit of magic in wearing a piece of clothing completely frozen in time.

Continue below to find out why I love vintage

While I could talk about vintage all day long, I’ve tried to keep it snappy for you. Here are 6 reasons to like LOVE wearing vintage clothing:

1. The Range

When you think of vintage clothing, usually a distinct style or era will instantly pop into your head. For some it’s Y2k femme or it’s 1990’s street wear, others it’s 1970’s flares or what your grandma use to wear.

What I love about vintage is the fact that as time goes on, the umbrella of what we consider Vintage, Retro, and Antique just gets bigger. Meaning, more often than not, there will be a certain style that will work for you - if not many! Which not only makes it easy to mix and match vintage into your wardrobe, but gives you room to play with new looks and evolve your style as tastes change.

Unsure of what style of vintage will work for you? Read our diary entry: 5 Items to Start Your Vintage Wardrobe

Read It Here

2. It’s Always on Trend

As fashion is moving at an all-time pace, vintage clothing can easily be dismissed as out-dated. But here’s the tea: it genuinely can’t go out of “fashion” - and that’s not my bias talking.

If you look at the way fashion has evolved, you’ll see that there’s an infinite cycle of trends. Everything you see popping up as modern has been sampled from vintage designs. Take the Gen Z resurrection of Y2k fashion for example - I bet you never thought you’d be seeing low rise jeans, butterfly clips, and dresses over pants again. BUT did you know that the original y2k style was heavily influenced by the 1970’s? And that 1970’s designs had both 1930’s revival and late 1800’s samples?

Like it or not, almost everything in fashion has been done before, whether that’s going back 20 or 200 years. If you feel like staying up with trends or would rather make your own, vintage has you covered.

3. They don’t make ‘em like they use to

You’ve probably heard this saying before and it could not be more relevant for vintage clothing. In fact, I pretty much say this every time I find myself with a beautiful 1950’s mohair coat in hand, or a 1980’s leather skirt.

The quality is partially to do with the proud precision an item was made with, the careful craft, the choice of fabrics, and even the silhouettes chosen. Most vintage has been manufactured to LAST. Not just for a trend, or a season, or even a few years. I have found 100 year old items in better condition than clothing made this year. Which seems crazy, right? Well actually… it’s not.

Modern clothing is made to last an average lifespan of just over three years. That’s the real crazy.

4. It’s Better for our Planet

How you feel in your clothes often goes beyond simple aesthetics, its about how they were made and who made them. If I can help it, I don’t want to contribute of the over production of 100 BILLION new garments produced yearly, or support an industry that generates more pollution than international aviation and shipping alone.

And don’t get me started on the ethical side. Did you know that 80% of apparel is made by women between the ages of 18 and 24? Who frequently work up to 16 hour days, 6 days a week, in unimaginable conditions for as little as $1.58 per hour.

There’s serious underlying, or rather, very evident overlying issues around the fast fashion industry. While buying vintage doesn’t directly solve these issues, it doesn’t contribute to the unsustainable production of new clothes, or the mistreatment of factory workers. On this point, wearing vintage FEELS as good as it looks.

5. Imagine all the stories our clothing could tell

I know some people get a little put-off by the idea of wearing someone else’s old clothes, but have you ever thought about the memories these items hold?

Have they twirled in ball rooms or marched in protests?
Was it meticulously saved for or made by their mothers hands?
Were they worn when someone had their first kiss or landed their dream job?
Was the fabric spun from local wool or perhaps parachute silk (like my Nana’s war-time bridal underwear!)

My love of the fashion history comes from being both a tad sentimental and a touch of a history buff, but you don’t have to be either to appreciate the life vintage clothing has lead, nor to feel lucky to give these old clothes another spin around the sun.

6. Thanks, It’s Vintage

Last, but not least: Vintage, if nothing else, is pure fun - sometimes subtle, and other times entirely obnoxious. There’s unusual shapes, eccentric fabrics, contrasting textures, frills, and shimmer (oh my!). Every feature has been purposefully chosen to the point that even the label tags are full of character - Why we ever stopped adding golden stitching and illustrations to tags will always stump me.

Some styles can make you head turn, or require a little imagination. Some pieces make you do a dance in the thrift shop, or like magic they transform from frumpy to flattering when tried on (sometimes the opposite, but we take the small wins!).

You genuinely never know what you’ll find, or how far a vintage designer will go. It’s like a bottomless treasure box, and what’s best? Most of the vintage is one-of-a-kind or in short supply, so you’re likely to be the only one wearing it!

Looking to add some fun to your outfits?
Shop our Vintage Wardobe

I could go on but I won’t threaten you with a good time. There are SO many reasons to add a bit of vintage into your wardrobe rotation, and hope that maybe you’ll begin to love wearing it as much as I do.

Until next time, Vintage Lovers xx

6 Reasons To Wear Vintage Clothing