Why you should wear vintage?

Vintage clothes are smelly, moth-eaten rags that make you look both weird and cheap. This is basically what I first thought when I heard about the vintage scene. And truthfully, sometimes vintage clothes have been stored away for decades, are poorly maintained or are from the peak 80s neon galore. However, investing in vintage is so much more than this. Not only is choosing vintage a sustainable fashion choice, but it is also an instant creativity booster. While wearing a literal piece of history is intriguing in itself, combining a vintage garment with more modern pieces gives you almost instant access to creating your own personal style. Looking weird (or dressing in 80s galore)  is no longer an issue for me – I want to look like me.

“As for carbon emissions, the [fashion] industry is responsible for more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.” (Link here)

1. SALVAGING DIAMONDS FROM THE DUMP

Did you know that the clothing and textile industry is the second largest polluter in the world? Just to be clear: the fashion industry pollutes more than the airline and maritime shipping industry put together.

Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned.

I strongly believe in wearing my values, meaning that I don’t support fast fashion outlets. In any form. Even though buying secondhand items is a great way to find modern pieces, spicing it up with good quality vintage items sparks my slow fashion wardrobe joy.

2. WEARING LIVING HISTORY

I love the feeling of having a vibrant storybook as my wardrobe.

Being a hopeless romantic and having a wild imagination has its perks. When I find a vintage garment that I truly, madly, deeply love, I think of its past:  Who was the previous owner(s)? Where did it come from? Who has designed it? If it is handmade: why was it made? For a specific occasion? 

For me, it is intriguing to ask these questions and wonder. Even though the garment cannot talk, it sure does have a story to tell. 

3. CREATING AUTHENTIC STYLE 

“Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are.” - Quentin Crisp

I believe that our styles should reflect our inner creative being. In my opinion, this is never accomplished by merely copying what is in fashion. Forming a creative style is always a journey within. 

It is about finding the colors, shapes, and silhouettes that make you come alive.

The easiest way to this is to go into a boutique filled to the brim with unique garments that each differ from the next. You get to choose what your wardrobe is about, not the ones designing the latest new fad. Finding your style is part of finding yourself, and I for one will not let someone else define it for me.

*photograph: Les Anderson

What are your thoughts on vintage clothing? Let me know in the comment section below. I would love to hear. ✨