The ballots are in: history is hot.
I’m not referring to a heated Civil War debate, or Betsy Ross’ love of hand-stitched needlework, although God knows the woman could have used a makeover (bonnets are for Little Bo Peep, not style mavens). Vintage fashion, however, is something that gazelles like Chloe Sevigny have been singing praises of for years.
While cruising the racks of my favorite consignment shop, the saleswoman notified me that one of my favorite actresses had purchased the pair of suede magenta Marc Jacobs boots I had consigned about a month before (heck, I would have given her the pair if she had asked nicely and hooked me up with front-row Oscar tickets).
Consignments shops are where the action is. In previous decades, pre-worn clothing carried the same stereotype as used cars. The idea nearly sent fashionistas into hallucinations of sleazy, gum-chewing used car dealers pushing wood paneled station wagons with no bumper. Gasp! Buy a dress for the big date with Brad somewhere besides the galleria? Perish the thought! But times have changed, and everything old is new again. Rappers recycle music from past decades and we rock out on the dance floor. Women across the world are breaking out grandma’s jewelry and drinking to vintage’s individuality.
According to Mandy Zobel, manager of Second Time Around in Boston, “Fashion is cyclical. Now, nothing is cooler than raiding your mom’s closet.” Zobel says brands such as Pucci, Chanel, and Missoni are the type that women beat down the door for. But does vintage have to be strictly expensive designer goods? Not at all. Scouring the racks everywhere from high-end consignment shops to the Salvation Army can result in fabulous finds all the way from Gucci to Gap.
You may have to wash, dry clean or iron them, of course.