Purchasing used clothing is still popular nowadays. Younger consumers are rediscovering vintage fashion as a method to stand out, save money, and reduce fast fashion’s use of textiles. Additionally, the current “maximalism” fad significantly incorporates a variety of antique fashions.
There is absolutely nothing new about the newest fashion trends.
According to the Deseret News, a growing number of Utahns are investing in vintage clothes from bygone decades as a means to save money, the environment, and stand out in the big box fashion era.
“It’s more affordable, better quality, and distinctive in a big way. Jacqueline Whitmore, owner of Copperhive Vintage, twirled a floor-length, flowery print dress from the 1960s and stated, “No one is going to be wearing this dress at the performance you’re going to. “Despite being 60 years old, this outfit still looks stunning. People are beginning to understand it.
Ms. Whitmore is one of a rising number of vintage shops who have contributed to making the Beehive State a popular place to shop for vintage clothing. Her store Copperhive has fit-and-flare dresses and bright flower designs that appeal to a midcentury aesthetic.
More customers have turned to vintage stores in recent years as purchasing new has become less enticing due to supply chain problems and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the economy. Retailers now believe that the new clients will remain.
There are a lot more first-time clients, in my opinion. “They come in here for wedding attire or special celebration attire when they couldn’t find it at Nordstrom or when what they ordered was taking too long to arrive, and even younger shoppers looking for prom attire,” said Ms. Whitmore, who discovered vintage while looking for plus-size clothing that fit.
Despite pandemic windfalls, vintage has been on the rise for almost a decade. This trend is largely being driven by a younger generation of environmentally conscious consumers who believe that buying used clothing, or “upcycling,” is the most effective way to combat climate change and rein in the questionable fast fashion industry.
“I feel better in my soul when I wear clothing that doesn’t cause as much environmental disruption. Even if purchasing used is a small step, Taylor Litwin, a stewardship director for the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, said she makes an effort to only buy used items. “It’s obvious how much pollution we’re producing, so I’ll try to reduce it in any way I can.”
The contemporary fashion business, according to data referenced in publications like Bloomberg Business and the Columbia Climate School, “is responsible for 10% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and 20% of global wastewater, and uses more energy than the aviation and shipping sectors combined.”
Even well-known fashion companies are starting to embrace the upcycling trend, such as Levis Secondhand, a new initiative from the world’s largest denim company that buys back used clothing for reuse and resale.
Edgar Gerardo, the owner of the secondhand shop Rewind and a child immigrant to Los Angeles with his family, claimed he became aware of vintage trends out of need. Finding and selling secondhand goods was one of his limited options for obtaining money as a Mexican immigrant in Los Angeles, he claimed.
“If you were an immigrant in Los Angeles in the 1990s, no one would hire you. Our family was only able to purchase and sell items in the flea markets. We gradually discovered what is in demand and what sells, he added.
When the economy crashed in 2008, he moved with his family to Utah, where he initially planned to make a living “doing regular jobs.” But then he discovered an untapped trove of thrift.
“I didn’t know this place was full of vintage. And nobody was picking it, so I went back to what I know: picking vintage clothes and anything I could make money off,” Mr. Gerardo said.
Mr. Gerardo says the current milieu for upcycled clothing began in the Japanese and British subcultures, which started getting notice in the states around 2015. Thereafter vintage found the endorsement of celebrity influencers and the trend took off across the country, and in some cases has driven the prices of vintage clothes way up.He cited the sale of a Metallica T-shirt from the 1980s as an example, which he said happened as a result of influencers.
You’d think something like that wouldn’t be worth much, but when a famous or influential person wears them, the price soars.
Mr. Gerardo feels the situation is mostly about fundamental consumer tendencies, thus he is sceptical of those who claim to buy secondhand for environmental reasons.
There has been a surge in social media profiles with a retro aesthetic in recent years. However, individuals involved in Utah’s secondhand scene claim that this new generation of influencers is a part of a distinct ecosystem that values both community and individual expression.
Hannah Ruth Zander is a rising influencer from Utah who uses her well-liked Instagram account to promote the vintage fashion sector by compiling one-of-a-kind ensembles inspired by various eras of fashion.
“I’d characterise it as mod 1960s meets current with a nod to 18th-century attire. It is extremely old, followed by somewhat newer, and finally extremely new. I enjoy how these many eras have come together, she remarked.
Influencers, according to Ms. Zander, are playing a crucial part by promoting a resurgence of the unique expression that the stressed epidemic has flattened.
The majority of what individuals wore throughout the epidemic was athleisure. I believe that most people don’t even want to look at another pair of sweatpants now that it’s almost done,” adds Ms. Zander. “Vintage is a good way to get people’s personalities out there now that people can finally go out with their friends and wear cute outfits,” said one participant.
The increasing acceptance of maximalism in the fashion industry, an exuberant style characterised by clashing patterns and vibrant colours, and a tilt away from the sombre methods of dressing during lockdowns, according to Ms. Zander, have made vintage particularly relevant.
“With maximalism, the more parts you’re combining, the more layers there are, the more colour there is, and the wilder it is, the better. Which vintage is wonderful for since you can combine so many different items from many eras and it will still seem stylish and put together, according to Ms. Zander. “I think that’s really cool because it’s letting people express themselves again.”
The Deseret News and Associated Press both contributed to the reporting and distribution of this article.
