Imagine a young girl dancing the night away, her skirt swaying to each beat. She’s having the time of her life. Her hair is in an updo – now imagine you’re in the 1800s wearing a dress so full of magnificent color and a giant hoop skirt. You’re dancing with a beautiful partner in a luxurious building. The dress fits you like a glove, the hem of the skirt is touching the polished ground following you like a puppy twirling around as you dance. Now imagine – you get what I mean already. Fashion is a unique and sensational piece of art. It allows you to create a scenario.
However, today’s clothing is manufactured in a way that it’s indistinguishable from each other. There is no variety. And when people are bored with the clothing they got, they throw it away which then gets dumped into the landfill. Vintage clothing on the other hand is unique, having different patterns, different shapes for the body, and depending on the era it can have multiple layers as well. Vintage clothing also follows the reduce, reuse, recycle method which is more ethical.
People who tend to gravitate towards vintage clothing is because of the idiosyncratic patterns and the way the clothing is designed. Vintage clothing allows people to reminisce about the past and because of the wide range of styles, it allows them to connect either to the idea or feeling of how the past was. By wearing vintage garments, individuals break away from the cut-and-paste aesthetic that many mass producing clothing industries do. Each piece carries a history , a story, allowing people to express their individuality and stand out from others. For instance, to quote a student IsabelArmstrong, ¨There’s a lot of ‘80s nostalgia going on in our media right now, we’re a generation [that’s] trying to find our voice … so we’re trying to find our voice [through] fashion.” People can experiment with unique, one-of-a-kind designs that can’t be found in regular retail stores. Whether it’s a vibrant 70’s jumpsuit or a delicate, intricate Victorian blouse, vintage clothing allows individuals to wear clothes that represent their personality and tell their own story.
Another reason why people tend to wear vintage clothing is because it’s eco-friendly. With the fashion industry being one of the main contenders of environmental pollution, vintage clothing provides a sustainable alternative to wasteful practices unlike fast fashion. Individuals can partake in reducing the carbon footprint associated with the fast fashion industry, if they choose vintage. A quote that supports this is from Jackie King, the executive director of Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART), “the used clothing industry is more sustainable than fast fashion.” Vintage clothing promotes the reduce, reuse, recycle ethos. Reusing garments decreases the demand for new clothing, preventing further strain on natural resources and reduces textile waste. Stacy Henderson, founder and chief executive officer of ForZilch agrees with this due to them saying, ¨The used clothing industry is good for the planet. It enables society to recycle items, reuse items, live green, and it decreases the number of items going into landfills.” Instead of ending up in landfills, high-quality vintage pieces find new homes, extending their lifespan and reducing the environmental impact of fashion consumption.
Vintage clothing is a wonder. It allows people who can’t afford to spend too much or for those who just want to be nostalgic about their youth. Its purpose gives people a chance to experiment with different types of styles they have never seen before. It’s efficient for the environment and can make a story for people. That’s why vintage is an important key for the young or old.