Kween

It seems as if everyone today is wearing vintage clothing. Men and women clamor to put together the most innovative and eclectic styles and label it as “vintage.” Celebrities, when asked what their favorite stores are, all claim to shop in vintage stores. Famous designers like Marc Jacobs and Betsey Johnson now specialize in new clothing with vintage influences. But ask someone to explain what vintage clothing is, and you receive a variety of answers. Some say it is clothing from the 1940s and 50s, some say it can be any apparel from as late as the 80s, and other say it is anything not of the current seasons. Others stumble to find a description. Therefore, the question remains… what exactly is vintage clothing?

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “vintage” as something (1) “of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality” or (2) “the best and most characteristic.” So how does this apply to clothing? Kelly Markiewicz, designer of Kween Clothing, clarifies that vintage clothing is simply any article of clothing with “some sort of value, whether it is a unique piece, something that is one of a kind, or just a plain old/historic garment.” It is clothing or a style of clothing that is recycled and becomes timeless. Just like a bottle of wine, vintage clothing only gets better and more unique with time.

Distinct from the antique style, vintage clothing is generally considered to be anything from the 1920s to the 1970s, but its history lies even deeper in the past. The vintage style has existed almost as long as fashion has existed. According to research that Markiewicz has done, vintage clothing can be traced back to when Queen Victoria took the throne in England in the 1830s. It was at this time that mutton sleeves became popular. More than sixty years later, they began to resurface in fashion. The same follows with furs and laces, both which can be traced to the 1800s as well. This only began the trend. Flapper dresses, corsets, almost any item of clothing from any decade resurges in a later decade. Just think back to the 1990s and early 2000. At one point we saw a revival of the 1970s style of bell-bottoms and platforms. Later, we saw the grunge phase of the 1980s return. More recently, we see corsets and flapper dresses on red carpets and in store windows. As Markiewicz puts it, “Recycling fashions has recycled as a trend itself.” It can be a dapper suit you found at a thrift shop, a Victorian style dress that you inherited from your grandma, or even a new piece that you purchased with 1920s influences; vintage clothing is any item that has history, class, and uniqueness. Vintage is value. And it is not limited to old, pass-me-downs or cheap thrift shops. Recently, many famous designers have been inspired by vintage apparel, making designers vintage clothing, creating an even larger market for this style of clothing. The designer vintage clothing market is bustling. Popular shopping areas such as Melrose in Hollywood and SoHo in New York are filling up with vintage boutiques. read more...