I have to admit that I came in my 20’s to buy second hand just because my taste level was inversely proportionate to my financial capacity.
So I startet checking second hand-shops, flee-markets and vintage-stores long before the internet or even the expression „vintage-fashion“ was born.
As I came from a quality-obsessed family it was always easy for me to recognize types of fabrics, making- standards and even design-quality.
So I went for it.
Advantage #1 : You can assume that the quality of vintage clothes is better, than most of the contemporary ones. Proof is that they are still alive after 30+ years!
Tiny anecdote: A friend of mine bought a 3 pairs of „made in china“- sneakers for a fashion shooting.
At the end of day all 3 of them were torn.
Furthermore the ways of productions have been directer and slower.
The fabrics and threats have been also produced with more care. The suppliers knew their customers in person and therefore felt more obliged to deliver quality.
Last but not least: The customers these days were interested in clothes that could be worn for years.
Either by themselves or later on by their children, sibblings or employees. Clothes were not to be thrown away like the fast fashion is meant to be…
Advantage #2: When you buy a preloved piece, you do not support the very dubious ways of exploitation and pollution of nowadays productions. Sure, there are good ones, especially tiny brands often care, but most of the big players do have a certain moral…
And: Instead of becoming waste a vintage piece is saved and got a new live. There are the most beautiful things out there that are given away because they do not fit physically or style-wise in somebodies life.
Advantage #3: Is the already introduced design-quality. As the productions were allowed to cost more time and money, the designs have often been very thoughtful. And clothes and jewels have not been produced in such masses. That’s why you will get more or less unique pieces for a really good price/value.
Alright, I have to admit that you will have to spend a bit of time and you will need a bit of luck to find your special piece that suits you and fits you in size. But this is what I personally like a lot, that it is rather a hunt than consumption and your catch a treasure not a purchase.
So now why do I think buying vintage is modern?
Because it suits the Zeitgeist, to care for environment and working conditions. Because everybody will find its shape or style within the decades. Because you can express yourself individually.
Because there is a global possibility to get your pieces from almost anywhere.
Because broken pieces still leave such good materials that you can redesign it or have it redesigned.
What is your reason?
