The popularity of Vintage style clothing among UK shoppers
January 10, 2019The love for vintage style clothing in the UK throughout malls and shopping centre’s is gaining steam – so let’s understand why some of those vintage styles are so popular again
The love for what’s gone by can be seen in abundance, including for vintage style clothing in UK malls and thrift shops. It’s no wonder that sellers of vintage inspired clothing are not only surviving – but thriving all across the UK.
Wrangler rainbow striped jacket
A love affair with vintage style clothing in the UK
Around this time last year, street-wear icon Wrangler went back to the past to bring out its vintage inspired creations in its fall collection. As part of it’s 70th anniversary special, the denim and jean’s designer introduced a line of “heritage products” inspired from the past, yet updated to contemporary trends.
For British lovers of vintage styles, that love affair with fashion from the past continued during summer 2018. Many designers unveiled their latest line-ups – and many of which were vintage inspired of course!
From gingham dresses, A-line skirts, high-waisted shorts and tie detail shirts – a blast from the 50s and 60s dominated the runways and wowed British vintage lovers’ hearts. And that was not the only thing that creators of these vintage styles unveiled.
The latest versions of vintage style clothing in the UK also came with accessories from the past – like satin slider sandals, knitted cardigans, cat-eye sunglasses and floral headscarves.
And when we put all those pieces together, we get a sense of why this love affair with vintage inspired clothing in the UK persists.
80s style dressing
Vintage style clothing in the uk – Broadly inspiring
Vintage styles that are captivating the hearts of British consumers aren’t restricted to a particular decade or a specific type of style or clothing. Anything that’s even the least bit vintage inspired, quickly catches the eye of the very discerning British clothing shopper.
Retailers like London-based Collectif are inspired by a wide-ranging set of themes and styles from 1940s and 1950s. They design and produce a broad array of vintage style clothing in the UK, from Capes and Kimonos, to Shorts, Trousers, Waistcoats and Petticoats.
Whether it’s for a vintage inspired fancy dress costume party, or for regular office wear use; it’s retailers like these that are contributing to British retailer’s love affair with vintage styles. And that’s one of the reasons that those styles are becoming ever more popular today.
Late 1950s style, Finnish vocalist Seija Lampila. Helsinki City Museum, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Much desired vintage inspired
This Brit love affair, with clothing fashion from the past, isn’t wholly about affordability. Sure, some vintage style clothing outlets in UK markets may attract their clientele due to low-cost offerings. But equally, the prices of other vintage styles designs are much higher than their contemporary rivals. Clearly then, while cost is important, it isn’t always what draws vintage lovers.
So, what makes vintage inspired designs so desired across the UK?
Well, one explanation might be the taste of nostalgia. We all look back fondly at the past – events, furniture pieces and… yes, even fashion! The love for vintage style clothing in the UK is partly also driven by a desire to re-create an era that’s no longer. And in a desire to re-live some of the great times from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, we tend to embrace vintage styles from those decades.
Christian Dior Dress made in 1954. Photo unforth, CC BY-SA 2.0 <>, via Wikimedia Commons
By some accounts, what makes prior-era clothing so much desired today has to also do with the versatility of those clothing. Because vintage stylists created their designs with simplicity in mind, they have become universally accepted – even today!
Vintage inspired designs from vintage reproduction style outlets like Heyday, for instance, make it look as though your outfits truly belong here – today. And it is this adaptability of these designs that vintage style clothing in the UK is catching on.
And finally, unrestricted availability and access of vintage styles too have made clothing from the past so desired by British masses. For instance, Essex-based Freddies of Pinewood is aptly termed as a “paradise” for vintage style clothing in the UK. Owners Phil and Jo Whyte assembled an impressive array of vintage and vintage inspired styles that online shoppers can effortlessly access at the click of a mouse or a tap of a screen.
And when you add all of those ingredients together – affordability, versatility, adaptability and accessibility – it’s easy to understand why vintage style clothing in UK malls, thrift shops and online sites are so popular today.
Links [i] [ii] [iii] [iv][v] [vi] [vii]
[i] https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2012/mar/28/charity-shops-thrive-during-recession?INTCMP=SRCH
[ii] https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/style/968141/Retro-fashion-summer-2018-50s-summer-outfits
[iii] https://metro.co.uk/2014/02/27/8-of-britains-best-vintage-inspired-fashion-brands-4317700/
[iv] https://www.collectif.co.uk/
[v] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170922005623/en/Vintage-Inspired-Wrangler%C2%AE-Styles-Strut-Runway-Greensboro-Fashion
[vi] https://www.freddiesofpinewood.co.uk/about-us
[vii] https://www.heydayonline.co.uk/
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