HOW TO TELL IF SOMETHING IS VINTAGE

Walking into a nice vintage store, you might be met with some sticker shock. True vintage — especially when it’s been curated, cleaned, and valued by an expert — can cost a pretty penny. But, you can save a ton by doing that labor yourself digging through your local thrift store. But what is the difference between vintage and something that’s just old? And how can you tell?

What Is true Vintage?

Anything that is 20-100 years old is considered vintage, which means that items from the early 00s now qualify (sorry to break it to my fellow Millennials). However, fast fashion began in the 1990s, so though an old pair of Mud bell bottoms may bring you back to the good old days, they probably aren’t worth much. Look for older items by a few key markers. A coveted “Made in USA” tag places pieces back to the mid 90s or earlier. You can also date a garment by decade: Rayon was popular in the 1940s, and by the ’60s, more manmade materials were all the rage. Think nylon, Spandex, polyester, and acrylic.

How to date a piece

Finally, a little fashion knowledge will come in handy when determining an era. Look for the silhouette: high waists in the ’90s, low in the aughts, shoulder pads in the 1980s and ’90s. Then, examine style — bold patterns and corduroy the 1970s, loud graphics in the ’80s, ’90s grunge. Look out for metal zippers, which date pieces earlier than the mid 1960s, when most manufacturers made the switch to plastic. And if you don’t recognize a brand name, Google it. You can also search old logos of popular brands today to pinpoint the era. Finally, sizing can be a good detector, so always try on vintage before purchasing it. For example, a size 8 in the 1950s would be a 00 today. Happy hunting!

Photos by Amanda Mace Photography