In 2007, when the TV show Mad Men started airing on AMC, people were simply obsessed with the characters’ impeccable sense of fashion. Since then there has been a lot of great storylines on TV, but none of them came close to the je ne sais qui of the fashion of the ‘60s. Soon enough you could see women walking down the street in tweed pencil skirts and gingham printed dresses, and men wearing fedora hats. However, the ‘60s are not the only decade that gives us the fashion envy; all things old are now in fashion. Let’s see what’s so special in vintage and secondhand fashion that is making the world go gaga over them.
Appreciating the individuality
If you walk into any of the larger clothing retail shops right now, you find a bunch of the same things. When you walk out of it, you will see a bunch of people in the same or similar outfits. In fashion magazines, there will be more of the same. So, what do you do when you want to look unique and express your personality through your outfit? It’s simple: you visit a vintage or a secondhand shop and discover hidden treasures that can come in the shape of the well-preserved designer or quirky unconventional pieces. The best thing about shopping in such store is that they usually sell one item in one size, so you can be sure no one else will rock the same outfit you do.
Fashion is a circle
While many people think fashion is a straight line that runs from the past toward the future, that is actually a mistake. Fashion, in fact, keeps going in circles and always comes back to old ideas. People have already come up with groundbreaking ideas such as jeans and the little black dress, and all we have to do now is a return to them. In vintage and secondhand stores you will always find something that is currently in vogue, and at great prices too.
Value for the money
Clothes can be very expensive, especially for someone who likes to keep their wardrobe full of different options and for little kids who grow out of their outfits in a matter of months. If you want clothes of great quality, you need to go turn to renowned brands or designers that charge a lot for their work. On the other hand, you have vintage and secondhand shops where you can find both stylish adult attire and kids’ near new clothes. In the majority of cases, these are clothes of top quality that are made to last. This is something new generations appreciate, especially due to the current economic climate.
Sustainability
Sustainable fashion includes the ways clothes are produced and consumed. While a significant part of the industry is turning to eco-fashion, organic materials and responsible treatment of the workforce, that still doesn’t mean we don’t have problems with too much waste. By buying used vintage fashion clothes, you are contributing to reducing the amount of waste, which is very important for the generation of millennials.
The appeal of vintage and secondhand stores
Only a decade ago secondhand vintage fashion shops were feared by buyers because they were usually dark, cluttered and full of unpleasant odors. With the growth in their popularity, these shops have started to take a new form, one that resembles high-end boutiques with old-style mannequins, wooden floors, shabby-chic décor, floating shelves and other appealing features. Now you can enjoy the very experience of shopping.
Celebs love them too
Despite million-dollar checks and being muses of famous designers, many celebs love thrift shopping and vintage fashion. Maybe it’s because of the thrill of the hunt for unique things or maybe because they are greening up their purchase habits, but A-listers like Jada Pinkett Smith, Julia Roberts, Zooey Deschanel and Lara Spencer, regularly buy one-of-a-kind items in secondhand shops, and they are not ashamed to admit it.
If you too are in search of a unique style at a low cost, visit a vintage or secondhand shop and check what all the fuss is about. Who knows, maybe you’ll become a regular customer?
Tracey Clayton
