Whistling Woods International- School of Fashion & Design: True Vintage

Vintage is a vital part of the fashion world and is fascinating for a great number of people. Vintage in general is a term associated with objects that originated from and belonged to a previous era, which includes garments and the style of the clothing of that time. Antiques are specifically used for objects or clothing created before the 1920s. Similarly, fashion belonging to the timeline from the post 1920s to roughly two decades ago can also be classed as vintage. It is important to understand that the definition of vintage is not set in stone. But in essence vintage simply means something belonging to another era.

More often than not, all haute couture is vintage or even vice-versa. Good brands or a custom made garment can qualify as vintage. Things in fashion at a certain time, like a certain style of skirt or a particular kind of sleeves, can also qualify as vintage. There is an air of mystery and elegance around vintage clothing that has been alluring for many. Genuine vintage clothing that is available nowadays has been previously worn, but there is a very small percentage that has not and they have been an object of desire for many fashion enthusiasts and collectors.

In fact, this small number of vintage clothing is considered to be an investment, an asset. This gives the right to the buyer to know the authenticity of the clothing, when it was created and who wore it. There are many brands that recreate the old time fashion that is labeled as vintage too, but the difference is that these cannot be considered as an investment. So, while looking at an economical point of view vintage has the potential to be an investment. Dresses worn in famous movies of the ‘30s to ‘60s are classic examples of true vintage.

Vintage fashion has created a great impact on the coming generation; in fact, the influence is very visible on fashion today. The pleated skirts, the tea length skirt, the bow, the list is very long!