7 July 2011

It's all about vintage

"I love your skirt, where's it from?" you hear yourself compliment someone else who then proudly throws back "Oh, it's vintage." I myself am guilty of this haphazard phrase. What actually is vintage? Vintage clothes are new (sorry, was that a gasp I heard?) or second hand garments, originating from a previous era. So say you happened to go into a charity shop, pick up a dress which was made in the 90's, that would be vintage.

In fact, most charity shop clothes could be pronounced as vintage clothing. I'm not the biggest charity shop fan but i am always amazed by the bargins to be had, which other people proudly waft in my face. Some charity clothing shops are simply vintage clothing shops which don't make a massive profit margin out of people's unwanted goods. On Wikipedia it says, "The word vintage is copied from its use in wine terminology, as a more elegant-seeming euphemism for 'old clothes."

Vintage is raiding your grandmother's wardrobe and maybe even your mother's wardrobe, who in turn raided her mother's. That is what disposable fashion shops such as Topshop miss. I love the fact that vintage clothes have a story behind them, and even better if that story is part of your family history, such as your grandmother's wedding dress, worn 60 years ago. a whole other era and now a piece of vintage clothing.

The term 'vintage' can relate to so many other things apart from clothes. The Satorialist, a world renowned blogger/photographer, has been asking people to send in their vintage photos so he can post them on his blog. I am lucky enough to have a small collection of my late grandparents' photos that I can share over the summer. From now on, until they run out, Thursdays will be vintage day. A day where I get to share with my readers some truly incredible photographs, of some truly incredible people.

I know everyone thinks their grandparents were, or are (if you are lucky enough to still have them), amazing people. They raise your parents to be the people who they are, who then in turn raise you to be who you are. I have that and a whole lot more to be thankful for of my grandparents. My grandparents had two of their own children and wanting to share their good fortune with the world, they adopted eight more. My grandpa always used to tell me that he wanted a little bit, of everywhere in the world, all under one roof. They adopted eight children of all different nationalities, of which my mother was included.

If you have purchased any amazing vintage pieces or have old photos you wish to share, email them to me to milliecotton@gmail.com
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