Walter Alice Store Blog

Who can truly say what the future of Vintage will look like? I know the term ‘future Vintage’ sounds like a bit of a contradiction. But it really is an interesting thought. When we are old and grey, (I mean really old and grey, not just a couple of rogue greys we are currently hiding with strategic trips to the hairdresser), what will be considered Vintage then?

Photo Cred: @tarachandra_

The Question Of Vintage
Fashion of the 70s was not vintage in the 70s, it wasn't even considered Vintage in the 80s. But was it considered Vintage in the 90s?

There is no denying that 90s fashion is back in a big way. But is it back as Vintage clothing, or as something else? That is a point that is up for debate in the Vintage Fashion community.

When does Vintage clothing actually become Vintage? This is a question with no real answer, but a few people in the know have tried to pinpoint it.
There are a lot of words floating around in the clothing space that relate to clothes worn in days gone past. Antique, Vintage, Retro… do they all mean the same thing? The answer is, they kind of mean the same thing but with some distinct differences.

• Antique - This is the only term with a cut and dry definition. Antique means old, like really old. It is widely accepted that something can only be called an antique if it is more than 100 years old. If it can’t be officially dated as more than 100 years old, then it doesn’t make the cut as an Antique.
• Vintage - Because Vintage is a term that was coined to describe wine, it is very much linked to years. So it makes sense that to be considered Vintage, clothing must be distinctly categorised as belonging to a certain time period. So you can have ‘Vintage 70s’ clothing, or ‘Vintage 20s’ clothing.
  No one truly knows what can be considered Vintage and what can’t be. But it has been suggested that anything more than 20 years old can be considered Vintage. So the majority of the 90s sneaks in there! Which is like totally cool (see what I did there).
• Retro - Retro is the term for any item of clothing that looks out of place in today's fashion, but is not old enough to be considered Vintage or Antique. So it could be something from three years ago, or it could be something from 15 years ago.

It appears that there might be some overlap between the Vintage and Retro categories as the definitions are not absolute. So I think personal opinion comes into play when defining if something is actually Vintage, or if it is Retro.

I don't know about you, but when I think of Retro, I think late 60's-70’s and nothing else!

Confusion
Maybe someone needs to come up with completely new names in the future for fashion that comes from the 80s, 90s and 00s. Are they Vintage, are they Retro, or are they something else entirely… or may be it just goes - Vintage, Retro, 80’s, 90’s and Double 0's, think about it, they are all very distinct eras… What’s next though? ‘Vintro’?’.

We can pinpoint iconic looks through all the decades, but what is the fashion now? In 2017, we have embraced a lot of fashion from past decades, so what will be the lasting impression. Will this decade have its own style, or will it be homage to previous decades? I guess only time will tell!

Are we currently in the # era of "Anything Goes"

(always wanted an excuse to put Jared Leto wearing #Gucci into my blog)

Twenty years ago, Vintage shopping was nowhere near as popular as what it is now. If you knew where to look, you could find amazing things, even designer pieces.

#GIRLBOSS

But... the rise of vintage popularity has seen an inevitable decrease in availability. Often you will see the clothing racks at the secondhand shops filled with cheaply produced items from the last five years. Collectors hoard the amazing pieces, big companies with buying power dominate the space, and great finds often cost more than a brand new item.

So what does the future hold for Vintage shopping? The great fashion pieces are still out there, but you are now more likely to find them online, and they are probably not available at your local Op Shop.
As a buyer I am seeing this more and more, and the op shop ladies now know what the good shit is worth, so bargains are less and less likely to be had!  

Here's a scary thought.  Before we know it 2017 will be Vintage!   What does that mean?  What will make the cut as vintage 25 years from now?
Will everything be thrown into a recycling fabric/matter-obliterating machine that spits out a Star Trekish outfit that fits you perfectly, meaning there is no waste in the world and things don't get hoarded??

Also, the way that clothing is produced has drastically changed. With fast fashion dominating the fashion industry with cheaper manufacturing methods, some items of clothing will probably not stand the test of time anyway.

A brain teaser ending… The fashion from the 90s is back in now. So will that mean that vintage in 25 years will be 90s fashion from the 90s, or from 2017?

Vintage or New Tommy Hilfiger- its all in...#alwaysnailingit (Photo Cred: TH)

 

 Written with some much needed help from Gemma Knight Writes