Whether at an estate sale, garage sale, or thrift store, it is crucial to know what to look for when searching for vintage. To identify if a piece of clothing is vintage, there are several factors to consider such as the age, style, tag, and fabric.
Age: Generally, vintage clothing refers to items that are 20-100 years old. Anything older than that is considered antique.
Style: Clothing from different eras often has distinct styles and details that can help identify its age. For example, all over print, double-sided tees are very commonly seen in vintage. Additionally, the year the article was produced may be printed on the item which is an indicator that it is vintage.
Label: Vintage clothing may have labels that indicate the manufacturer or designer and the era in which it was made such as an RN number. Look for tags or labels that indicate the brand name and date. For example, items that are made in the USA with a low RN number are commonly vintage.
Fabric: Clothing made from certain materials or with particular patterns can also be indicative of a specific era. For example, a shirt that is single-stitched is telling that it was made around 1995.
Overall, identifying vintage clothing can take some practice and research, which may take hours in a store or accidentally purchasing an item that is modern. Although, by paying attention to these factors and looking at small details, you can develop an eye for spotting vintage pieces!
References:
Wang, A. (2022). How To Tell if Something is True Vintage. Flux. https://www.fluxmagazine.com/tell-if-something-is-true-vintage/
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