When we talk about vintage, our minds go straight to when Kate Moss arrived at a 2003 New York fashion week dinner, looking perfect in a pale yellow dress, worn off-the-shoulder, by 1950s French couturier Jean Dessès. At the time, the big flea markets and thrifting trends were very trend-based, season-based and within the throwaway culture.
Nowadays, the popularity grown around vintage shopping comes from consumer’s education and the rejection of fast-fashion. People are now looking for ways to keep on shopping whilst caring for our planet. In the age of fast fashion, it can be the key to identifying your own unique style.
At Cherchez La Femme, we have put together what we believe to be the benefits of buying vintage or pre-loved.
According to the charity WRAP’s research, an estimated 350,000 tonnes of clothing goes to landfill in the UK alone every year. By shopping vintage and second-hand instead of new, we can help take the pressure off the high street and alleviate the amount of perfectly good clothing that goes to waste after only a few wears. It’s not just shopping vintage though, it is also about making sure to donate those items that are just sitting in our wardrobes.
From lovingly-handmade pieces to reinforced denim and leather, lots of fabric benefits from the natural wearing process and can look even better when it’s been already worn.
Our tip when shopping vintage?
Make sure to try things on as sometimes, old sizing charts are not the same as the ones we are used to now after the high-street boom!
As long as you put in the effort and the time to look for the perfect pieces, you’ll be able to find your most wanted hero products, but vintage. The best part is that they’re way cheaper than what you would spend for a new item, as well as most durable.
Try Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair and The Vintage Kilo Sale if you like to shop in person, otherwise head to eBay, Depop or Etsy’s websites.
As we all know, all fashion trends come and go and all of them are meant to make a comeback eventually. Our tips? Keep an eye on the seasonal catwalks and have a look at your nearest thrift store, we’re sure you’re always going to find that super trendy and fashionable piece!
Fashion is all about having fun and showing the world who you are. This is much easier to do if you’ve got a great wardrobe of items that you truly love and know you won’t see on anybody else. The eclecticism of vintage will encourage you to experiment outside of your comfort zone!
Released from the hegemony of trends and the endless march of the high street, buying clothes is becoming a source of joy and real creativity and individuality again.
At Cherchez La Femme, we have recently launched our founder’s 90s vintage collection. Make sure to sift through our online pages to see if there’s something that catches your attention and if you’re not sure about the fit, you can check the measurements by emailing us here. With the 90s fashion trends coming back into play, especially within Millenials and Gen-Z, we highly doubt you won’t find your hero piece.
[info sourced on readersdigest.co.uk and bbc.com
All images sourced on canva.com]