Why Vintage...Why Not?
I started my vintage store over 6 years ago and I have seen the interest in vintage grow and grow. While I originally focused on home goods and glassware but I soon ventured into vintage jewelry, which is really where I have made a name for myself in the vintage world. Then around a year ago I added vintage clothing, a path I honestly never thought I would go down, but more and more customers were asking about vintage fashion so....here we are.
While I have seen more customers than ever, I still get customers hesitant about buying vintage (or "used things", as I think they see it) so I wanted to explain some of the incredible things I have learned about vintage while embarking on this journey. Why Vintage....
Unique Romantic Nostalgia
First and foremost, for the sentimentalists out there, like me, it is the history and the story behind the pieces. When I go to auctions and estate sales sometimes I am lucky enough to talk to a family member or owner of something I am buying and I hear the most incredible stories.
Let's take this beautiful diamond cluster ring for example. When I purchased this ring it had only been owned by one family and had been worn by three generations and it had a name... "The Fireball". Sadly there were no generations left in the family for the ring to be passed down to and the owner no longer wore it. What she really wanted, was the story of the ring to live on and for it to go to someone who would really love and appreciated it. I promised her the story would follow the ring and "The Fireball" sold very quickly to someone that loved the ring almost as much as she loved the story.
It is a sentiment that I come across time and time again, people that I buy from want their most beloved items to be just as loved wherever they end up. While "The Fireball" has found its new place to be loved Scotch Street Vintage plenty of others in our Diamond Cluster Ring Collection.
In the examples above we have two vintage gold bands with engraved messages and while I do not know the specific story behind either, you know there is a story which brings me to another point, vintage is one of a kind. The value that these stories bring to vintage pieces is immeasurable because it makes them truly unique and for many knowing you will never walk into a room in the exact same dress or an almost identical piece of jewelry is a huge value. See all our Vintage Gold Bands here.
Impeccable Design & Craftsmanship
"They don't make things like they used to" might be something you heard your grandfather say at least once a day but I'm here to tell you...IT IS TRUE! I have always preached about the better quality of jewelry pieces from the past but vintage clothing also meets a much higher bar when it comes to quality.
Let's take this stunning Miss Elliette Linen Cocktail Dress from 1950 for example. It is an off white linen fabric fully lined in satin. The ribbon detail is a felt hand sown in this incredible pattern. A dress with this level of detail obviously could be found in today's world but it would be $1,000+. And one of the best things about vintage clothing...they have very generous seam allowances (for the most part), that can give up to an inch of ummm "wiggle" room to play with. That does not happen in clothing today.
Sustainability
Roll your eyes if you like and I promise this is only a little lecture because I own "Fast Fashion" and "Questionably Ethical Gems" too, but lets explore this a little. "Fast Fashion" is as it sounds, quickly and cheaply made garments with the intent to get trends from the runway to the store ASAP. The items are usually very trendy and often do not last either because of changing styles or poor quality. So where do they go...many times the landfill and that is not the only problem with the increase of clothing manufacturing there has also been a significant increase in toxic dying chemicals polluting waterways.
I am not saying you have to buy everything vintage, I am not even saying that sustainability should be your main reason for purchasing vintage. I am saying every time you buy a vintage piece you are diminishing demand for "Fast Fashion" and an item that made well from quality materials...just saying.
This is the first in a new blog series we are starting called Questions Answered and we would love to answer your questions too. Please ask away you can contact us here.