Vintage style is a huge trend right now. There are countless sellers online selling vintage and vintage-inspired garments, but just what is the difference?
The term vintage refers to garments that date from about the 1920s to early 1990s. These items are usually pre-owned and have been worn before, and are nostalgically regarded as having a history. The word vintage in this case is a more glamorous term for “old”.
Vintage-inspired or vintage-style pieces are something else. These garments are new and unworn, usually inexpensively mass produced, but take inspiration from past fashions of the vintage era, in the form of the cut, fabric or detailing of the piece.
So what’s the difference, really?
Authentic vintage pieces, from the 1920s to 1990s, are more coveted than those which are vintage-inspired. The original items are no longer manufactured, meaning they are more difficult to find and due to many having been discarded, may even be one of a kind. Some vintage enthusiasts even regard vintage-inspired pieces as fakes or knock-offs of original vintage. Wearing real vintage is also a more environmentally option than buying newly manufactured goods. (For more reasons to wear vintage see this previous post).
Vintage-inspired garments aren’t all that bad however. They are an easy way for someone who appreciates vintage style, but may be squeamish to the idea of wearing a pre-worn garment, to wear the trend. These types of garments are more widely available than original vintage pieces, but surprisingly can cost more, especially if you’re buying hand made pieces from a boutique.
Here at Lehza Vintage, you will find only quality vintage and pre-owned garments and accessories, with the exception of a few new bags and pieces of jewellery, which have all been hand-selected, cleaned, restored if needed and best of all – loved.
