It’s no secret that fast fashion has overtaken the fashion industry over the last decade. With trends constantly changing, the demand for new, mainstream pieces has skyrocketed, resulting in record-breaking material production and waste that takes an irreversible toll on the environment and garment workers.
Fortunately, there’s been a widespread rise in ethical consciousness to combat mass production. Ethical consumers are looking for ways to sidestep the fast fashion phenomenon and opt for more sustainable alternatives. One of the many solutions? Vintage fashion.
Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of vintage fashion and how it can positively impact your closet, the industry, and the planet.
What is vintage fashion?
Vintage clothing refers to pieces that were manufactured multiple decades ago. Vintage garments are also known to feature premium quality to withstand many years.
How old should clothing be to be considered vintage?
Opinions often differ on vintage qualifications; however, anything made over 25 years ago is fair game. So, your velour tracksuits from the early 2000s still have a ways to go before you can deem them vintage!
A few benefits of vintage fashion
It’s sustainable
One of the strongest benefits of investing in vintage clothing is its eco-friendly status. Recycling and reusing pre-loved pieces reduce carbon emissions and preserve water, energy, and other resources. Plus, it prevents more garments from winding up in landfills and reduces manual labor, where employees are subjected to unfair working conditions and minimal pay.
It allows a deeper engagement with history
Vintage clothing is an excellent way to honor history. Wearing these pieces enables you to feel more connected to the people of the past, granting you an opportunity to be a time traveler and weave your own stories.
The search for vintage clothing yields hundreds of fun finds, from a pair of ’70s sky-high platforms and an early 20th-century corset to ’30s high-waisted sailor pants and full-skirted tea dresses from the ’50s. You can pair these garments with more modern pieces in your collection, opening the door for endless styling possibilities that pay homage to other eras.
It ensures a unique style and improved quality
You don’t have to sacrifice style when shopping vintage. On the contrary, vintage pieces allow you to adopt a one-of-a-kind look, taking self-expression to a whole new level. Additionally, their quality is often far superior to today’s fast fashion, as they’re made to last.
Not to mention, vintage clothing is extremely rare, meaning your wardrobe will be unique and individual to you. With these pieces, you don’t have to worry about arriving somewhere in the same outfit as someone else!
If you’re considering hopping off the fast fashion bandwagon, investing in vintage pieces is a can’t-go-wrong alternative to practice fashion sustainability. Whether you’re buying pre-worn clothing or giving new vintage pieces a try, they’ll allow you to reduce your carbon footprint while making a unique statement nonetheless. So, give vintage pieces new life by adopting them to your own style — your closet and the environment will thank you for it!
