fashiontoday
Vintage Clothing
the LOUDEST
conversation in fashion
By Jet Hall
Resale shopping attracts consumers from all economic levels. There is
no typical resale shopper, just as there is no typical resale shop. No one is
immune to the excitement of finding a treasure and saving money. According
to America’s Research Group, a consumer research firm, about 18% of
Americans will shop at a thrift store during a given year. For consignment/
resale shops, it’s about 15%.
The resale market is blossoming thanks to value and sustainable conscious
consumers. As concerns over the environmental impact of fast
fashion increase, consumers recognize the inherent sustainability
factor of shopping resale. We are progressing from a disposable
society to a recycling society—a change that has
enormous market potential for the resale industry as a
whole. After all, "Resale is the ultimate in Recycling!"
Vintage, it seems, is increasingly in
vogue across the board. A study shows that
last year, 64% of women were willing to buy
pre-owned pieces compared with 45% the year
before – and it is thought that by 2028, 13% of
the clothes in women’s wardrobes are likely to
be secondhand. And it’s not just clothing, “vintage”
includes jewelry and accessories!
Aside from an increased awareness of
sustainability, Vintage fashion fits neatly into
the wider mood of the Instagram age, where
authenticity and originality – not being seen
in the same outfit as anyone else – are highly
prized. What better way to stand out than
to wear clothes few others are likely to own?
Vintage naysayers who may have been put
off in the past have begun to think differently.
But there can be blurred lines between
secondhand and Vintage. Some say Vintage
means any era up to the early 80s,
while others see it as clothing that is more
than 20 years old. It’s not cut in stone. It all
comes down to the buyer and what they
are looking for. The most important thing
is that it’s recycled – it encourages people
not to go out and buy more. It adds to the
sustainability factor that is so prevalent
today and pushes us away from being
tagged as a “throw away” society.
www.theguardian.com; www.narts.org
24 • JANUARY 2020 813.682.9364 FLORIDA WOMEN MAGAZINE
/www.theguardian.com
/www.narts.org