Luxury is often about making the past fashionable. The present doesn’t forgive anything outdated, unless it’s really old. Then it’s called vintage. Cars, furniture and other collectibles command stratospheric prices if they are deemed vintage. Vintage dresses are similarly expensive, irrespective of the fact that they were worn by someone earlier—maybe a few decades or even centuries ago. Vintage dress auctions subscribe to the eclectic fashionista who seeks a new exclusivity: a silk dress made sometime between 1730-40 with large-scale design of foliate palmettes in predominantly gold with deep salmon satin and lime brocade highlights, comprising complete back and front sections, unpicked and resewn hip sections worth along with great grandmother’s pearls gives cachet even an expensive Dior evening gown doesn’t have: you are wearing Time. The new record for the most expensive vintage item to be auctioned was a Hermès Birkin handbag that was sold at Heritage Auctions for over $200,000. The Elizabeth Taylor Auction at Christie’s set records for both the highest-priced private vintage fashion collection ever sold and the highest-priced jewellery collection ever sold—$156 million.
Vintage clothing is a much desired wardobe item today, thanks to high visibility with old dresses being flaunted by top models and actors such as Julia Roberts, Renée Zellweger, Tatiana Sorokko and Kate Moss. Tatiana is the first globally famous international model from Russia. A style icon, her exhibition Sorokko Style that features a collection of more than 60 garments and accessories from her couture wardrobe is a highly publicised fashion event.
Any old dress does not clarify as vintage. Classical fashion from the past is divided into three main sections: Antique, Vintage and Retro. Clothes made in the 1920s and before are considered antiques. Vintage is anything made between the 1920s and 1950s. Clothes from the 1960s to the 1990s are deemed Retro.
Antique Clothing: They are dramatically different to anything that is worn today. They belong more to museums or a fashion collector’s ensemble than in wardrobes since most are too fragile to wear.
Vintage Clothing: These are garments from the 1920s through the 1950s. Just because the garment was made in those years is not enough to qualify it as a vintage dress: it also has to reflect the styles and statements of that era.
The fashion style of the 1920s fashion favoured boyish garments with emphasis on the hips. The bust was undefined since the dresses of the time were mostly shapeless on top. Hemlines started at calf-length, descending to halt at the knee in the mid-twenties. World War I had just ended and women had got the right to vote. Corsets were cast out. The Flapper dress—a shapeless shift dress where the hemline ended at the knees—is an iconic 1920’s dress. Beads, feathers and fringes that decorated garments and bags are a throwback to the ’20s. Cloche hats and T-bar shoes were in vogue. It was the decade of the hemline: when women’s fashion became daring, even though the majority of women wore long dresses or at least calf-length.
The 1930s was when Hollywood became an arbiter. Clothes became softer and more feminine—ankle-length, bias-cut dresses, sometimes with trains, were typical of the glamour of 1930’s fashion, even as Marlene Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn wore tailored men’s pants. World War II changed fashion from ornamental t0 functional: hemlines went up the knee and rayon was the material of the 1930s. Shoulder pads appeared on women’s jackets, and fitted skirts tapered out slightly to the knee. It’s interesting how much the two world wars affected fashion. It was only after WW II ended that the grimness ended and colourful dresses appeared again. The 1950s heralded hope with dresses with structured tops and full skirts. Feminity ruled—sleeveless and halterneck tops and dresses; skirts showing off curves; tight sweaters and colourful prints. Trousers turned feminine with mid-calf pants.
Retro: Clothes from the 1960s to the 1990s are considred retro. Teenage fashion became legit. Geometric designs and black and white prints became the rage. The distinction between day wear and evening wear vanished and clothes became cheaper and fun. Neil Armstrong influenced 1960’s fashion and the space age look was created. Hippie fashion was about painted jeans and crocheted tops. Ethnic appeared in the 1970s—gypsy, Eastern Princess and Wild West. Kitsch, glitz and sparkle defined 1970’s fashion along with the Blaxploitation look that was basically leather, crushed velvet and brightly-coloured polyester shirts. It was the age of glam rock and androgynous style: feather boas, gold lame and vertiginous platforms for both sexes. Disco fashion swept the 1970s with boob tubes, hot pants and trouser suits on the dance floor. The rebels went in for punk: ripped T-shirts with loud slogans, bondage trousers and tartan.
1980’s fashion was all about nouveau wealth. Labels were large and logos were flaunted. The body-conscious 1980s saw the micro-mini rage. Power suits with enormous shoulder pads and tiny skirts defined the new woman. Princess Diana started the Sloane Ranger look with ruffled blouses, drop-waist dresses and sailor collars.
After the colourful eighties, the 1930s returned as the 1990s, with bias-cut dresses in various lengths. Short A-line skirts and midriff tops became trendy clubwear. Military fashion that was popular in the 1950s, also returned with combat trousers and camouflage. The nineties was also the time sportswear became big for girls to wear out: skater and platform trainers were in.
The fun of wearing vintage fashion is it can be worn to work, too: a pussy bow blouse can be tied into a ribbon or even a men’s necktie or be paired with the high-waisted pencil skirt for a 1970’s Lady Bond effect. High-waisted wide-leg pants, shift dresses and Peter Pan collars are about timeless style as modern chic. Mix vintage and modern clothing as a signature style: a bolero jacket from the thirties with a pair of jeans to glamourise casual.
The body type is important while wearing vintage. For the boyish figure—lean, small-breasted and narrow hips—the 1920s and 1960s that show off slim legs are recommended. Leggy boyish is so 1950s; capris, toreadors, pedal pushers and clam diggers make legs look
especially sexy.
For the hour-glass figure— large bust, small waist and curvy hips—strapless or halternecks, cinched waists and full skirts of the 1950s will show off curves. So do bias-cut evening dresses from the 1930s and the belted suits of the 1940s. A-Line dresses from the 1960s can be quite seductive.
For the pear-shaped body— heavy hips and bottom—try 1950’s day dresses with low waists. A 1950’s full skirt will show curves in all the right places while balancing out your body shape.