Vintage clothing is a popular trend in garment collection because, often, the detail, skill and creation of the item are of higher quality. To be considered a vintage garment, the item usually originated between 1920 and 1980.
The price of these items is often high because they hold an important significance to the past. They showcase some of the best and influential fashion from various eras. Examples of vintage clothing include Victorian lace dresses, Hawaiian print shirts from the 50’s and bell-bottom jeans from the days of Woodstock.
A common trend in collecting vintage clothing is to seek out haute couture (high fashion). This type of clothing was most popular during the 40’s and 50’s. A dress with fancy stitching or needlework will fit into this category. Usually, these dresses and other garments were tailor-made to fit the proportions of the person wearing the clothing.
These items are special because it could take hundreds of hours of handwork to complete one piece of clothing. Beaded gowns from Paris are an example of this. When collecting vintage clothing, you will want to pay attention to the detail and quality of the clothing.
Quality of Materials
There are many different ways to classify a piece of vintage clothing. Those in the best condition are called “mint”. This means no visible damage can be seen. It might have also never been worn. Near-mint garments show only the slightest signs of wear, usually caused by aging.
No damage to the structure and normal wear is classified as “excellent” condition. Garments in “very good” condition may show a minor blemish, such as a stain. Then, there are “wearable” pieces of vintage clothing that allows use. You may wear one of these garments to a costume party.
Cleaning Vintage Clothing
Cleaning this type of garment requires patience and delicacy. You always run the risk of ruining the detail. These items cannot be cleaned in the same way you do everyday laundry. When washing vintage clothing, the original tags should be removed. Tags are one of the things that make the clothing special. This is something you should think about. Washing may also lessen the value or appearance of the clothing.
Some things to ponder: Glazed cottons have been known to lose their finish. Velvet clothing is especially hard to manage. Shrinkage may occur. Vintage items should not be put into a washing machine or dryer. Rayon items should be dry-cleaned. Pay careful attention to various wool and silk items.
Laces may lose their edge when cleaned. Be aware of wrinkling after cleaning. Choose your ironing jobs carefully. Do not tumble dry your garments. Overall, the best way to clean vintage items is to hand wash. This gives you better control over the job.
Vintage Designer Clothes
Since items before the 1980s are usually the norm in regards to vintage clothing, there are a couple of exceptions. This can be seen when a Versace dress is labeled vintage after only a few years in existence. Usually, the term is meant to refer to any piece of clothing that truly reflects a particular time period or public appeal. In this case, today, it is quite remarkable to have one of your garments dubbed as ‘vintage.’
Summary:
Vintage clothing is usually a garment that was produced or worn between 1920 and 1980. This includes Victorian dresses or bell-bottom jeans. This type of clothing is popular with collectors. Some of the things to pay attention to when collecting are the detail and quality of an item. Cleaning of the garment is also of some concern.