Why Vintage Clothing is Making a Comeback
Vintage clothing is becoming increasingly popular—it’s no longer just “old, weird-smelling things,” but a sought-after item for those who appreciate unconventional shopping. We explain why buying vintage is great and where to find the best.
Eco-friendliness
There’s increasing talk these days about the environmental damage the clothing industry is causing. For example, when you wash a polyester garment (the most common material used in inexpensive clothing) in the washing machine, microfibers, essentially plastic particles, end up in the water and then in the oceans. Most cotton grown is treated with harmful chemicals and pesticides that pollute the air (organic cotton accounts for less than 1% of the world’s total production). The clothing industry is also responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions—roughly the same as the entire European Union.
Furthermore, the problem of overproduction is extremely acute: 80 billion new pieces of clothing are purchased worldwide every year, a 400% increase from two decades ago. Yet, most of these items end up in landfills, often without even being worn (remember the recent Burberry scandal). In short, there really is an abundance of clothing in the world today, and its volume is growing every year: fashion is a profitable business.
The question arises: why buy new items that you’ll want to get rid of next season or that will simply become unusable within a couple of months, when we’ve inherited so many great old pieces from the past? The word “old” refers more to their age than their visual quality—it’s not uncommon to find unworn items with tags still attached at vintage thrift stores and thrift shops. By giving these items new life in your wardrobe, you (at least partially) break the vicious cycle of production and consumption—especially considering that 20-30 years ago, this process was much more humane.
Authenticity
On the one hand, the mass-market industry has allowed us to dress fashionably at a reasonable price without much effort: just pop into a store and buy everything we need. On the other hand, this accessibility has led to most of us looking rather stereotypical: we wear the same dresses, shoes, and bags. No one’s saying this is bad, but if you’re looking for variety, vintage and secondhand stores are the most cost-effective way to fill your wardrobe with truly unique pieces that, in all likelihood, no one else will have.
Of course, this process takes time: you’ll have to spend hours rummaging through piles of junk to find something truly worthwhile. But the pleasure of the purchase will be many times greater. Treat vintage shopping as an adventure: you might not find a real treasure on your first try, but it’s a great inoculation against compulsive shopping.
Trends
It’s no secret that today’s designers are inspired by pieces from past eras, and sometimes even outright copy them: just look at the collections of Gucci, Vetements, Balenciaga, and other trendsetters. If you visit any European vintage store or a Moscow second-hand shop like Megastyle, you’ll be surprised at how many runway-era replicas you’ll find there.
Modern fashion is largely built on recycling and reimagining existing heritage, so why pay tens of times more when you can buy an authentic piece that’s indistinguishable from store-bought? Cowboy boots, office suits with knee-length skirts, hoodies, and oversized coats—all of these can be easily found at a regular thrift store or online flea market.
Brands
The fact is that the value of clothing and accessories, including designer ones, declines over time due to the increasing production of new products. Furthermore, the modern fashion industry is primarily geared toward the younger generation, for whom, say, a Dior saddle bag is a seasonal novelty, not an iconic design from 20 years ago. Consequently, these people find it easier to buy such an item in a store than to search for a vintage equivalent on eBay, even though the price will be significantly lower.
However, this rule doesn’t apply to all designers—for example, authentic Versace, Maison Martin Margiela from the era of the fashion house’s founding father, Raf Simons, or Helmut Lang from the 1990s will cost a pretty penny. In short, the opportunity to buy designer pieces at prices comparable to mass-market ones is real, but it takes time and luck.
Price
Brand hunting aside, vintage is generally budget-friendly. Silk shirts for 10 euros, Levi’s jeans for 30, leather jackets for 70—there’s plenty of this stuff in European vintage shops and on online markets like Etsy. If you’re not ready to sift through piles of questionable junk, you can turn to stores with a ready-made selection of good items, like I Am That Shop. Prices there are at least twice as high as the actual cost, but remain on par with the same mass-market options. Needless to say, the quality is incomparable: what else can you expect from clothes that are older than you and still in excellent condition?
How to Wear
Some vintage enthusiasts intentionally dress in total looks from a particular era—simply because they’re drawn to the style of the 1950s or, say, the 2000s. If you don’t have that goal, follow the rule “stir, don’t stir.” Mix vintage pieces with modern ones—for example, a “lady bag” paired with high-waisted jeans and a white T-shirt, a 1980s-inspired coat paired with sneakers, or a Peter Pan collar dress paired with trendy shoes. Don’t try to “quote” past styles verbatim—pairing opposing pieces looks much more interesting and less straightforward.
