Vintage fashion has been all over social media. Everywhere you go, people are dressed in all different styles ranging from Y2K to the ‘80s goth aesthetic. Today, we have so many ways to transport back in time, reviving all kinds of creative trends and iconic pieces from the past. But what actually qualifies as vintage?
“[Vintage fashion is] the original concepts of modern stuff,” Cooper Shoe (10) said. “I don’t think fast fashion can be considered vintage.”
When dressing in older styles, people typically try to emulate a specific look to be as similar to the original as possible. After a recent surge in popularity, vintage fashion has made quite the comeback for itself. With the assistance of technology today, it has become easier for people to explore and appreciate styles from past decades, allowing them to adopt what resonates with them. Additionally, vintage fashion has become a significant form of self-expression, helping people shape and flaunt their identity.
“[Fashion] is the best and easiest way to express who you are, especially off [of] first impressions,” Henry Tang (11) said. “It’s a good way for people to show what they like or who they are as a person without having to explain.”
The way someone dresses is similar to selecting a book. In many cases, people can usually tell what they are interested in by observing a pattern in what they choose to design themselves with. As a result, many people start to associate with a certain genre of fashion, influencing a person’s unique identity. However, in fashion, no concrete guidelines stop a person from exploring other styles, allowing the freedom of expression with just clothes.
“When I see someone dressing a certain way, I immediately place them in a group,” Shoe said. “I don’t think there’s a way not to attach yourself to how you dress.”
In older years, a lot of vintage styles had a very distressed and worn look. However, there is controversy on whether clothing must always obtain this characteristic to classify as vintage.
“I think true vintage has to be worn, but a vintage style does not,” Tang said, “It’s a style; I don’t think the pieces of clothes have to be from a certain time, it just has to look like it.”
Many styles require a certain “iconic” or classic clothing piece to fulfill a particular style. In vintage clothing, of course, old statement pieces such as leather purses and traditional loafers help attain the feel of vintage styling. However, reflecting the look itself can be done without the possession of these specific articles of clothing. For instance, some people spend plenty of time collecting fragments and name brands over time, while others buy newly sewn clothes that, although are new, still display the vintage look.
“I feel like people don’t realize how easy it is to find vintage fashion and how really accessible it is,” Kyra Richard (12) said. “If you know what you’re looking for, you can easily find something.”
Fashion isn’t only skin deep, but instead has an immense amount of culture and meaning behind it. For more specific styles, such as alternative and goth fashion, many people will find many subcultures and ideals behind them. They allow their wardrobe to make a statement because they draw out all forms of ideals and can easily be misrepresented. Sometimes, these styles create a community, and people use their fashion to represent their views and lifestyles. With the recent increase in popularity, these views may get washed out, losing that sense of security in these groups.
“Poser was a word originated in the alternative group to define someone who dresses alternatively but is not alternative,” Shoe said. “They are very closed minded and not a good person.”
This does not mean someone cannot dress in these styles, but when they claim to belong to these niche groups, it can water down the group’s purpose and create an overflow of harmful stigma. Fashion is often used as a way to welcome and display one’s true self.
“[Styling outfits] is like cooking with love,” Tang said. “It’s the best form of expression and there’s a very small percentage of people who actually love what they’re doing.”
