"What, you're wearing used clothes?" "Doesn't that already look worn and old?" "You can't recycle something like that and wear it again"... POV: You're wearing vintage! Because every vintage fan knows it: the good old prejudices against vintage and second-hand clothing!
In the last 5 years, vintage clothing, especially vintage sportswear, has long since arrived as a trend, especially among young people, but there are still false and sometimes nasty claims, stereotypes, myths and prejudices about used clothing, just like they have been since day 1! Many people just can't get used to the idea of wearing items that belonged to someone before, instead of wearing newly produced clothing that you keep buying new and that you often no longer like after a certain time. We want to put an end to false claims and condescending rumors regarding vintage fashion once and for all!
In this blog post, we uncover the 5 biggest myths and misconceptions that we all know about used clothing. But not with us! At the same time, we refute the claims - and want to show that wearing vintage clothing has many more positive effects than most people think!
We hope that we can also convince you with our arguments!Myth 1: Only the poor wear second-hand
It seems ingrained in some minds to equate used clothing with anything below normal middle-class standards. In today's consumer society, it's considered normal to buy clothing in abundance, often wearing it only a few times, until you don't like it anymore and need to buy the next item. These throwaway habits are why new clothes are now mass-produced - and mostly under low environmental standards and poor working conditions. These consumer habits presuppose a certain prosperity and wealth. Used clothing that has been around for a few years is mostly looked down upon. It is seen as no longer trendy enough, stylish enough, current enough, and people who wear such clothes are judged to be unable to buy new, more current clothes. Thus, second-hand is automatically associated with poverty or below the prosperity of the average citizen and is even perceived as embarrassing by many.
But that alone shows how quickly our society judges people who stand out a bit from the crowd! Would you like to be part of such a society and continue to widen the gap between rich and poor? We think: Instead of judging others, it is better to think about the negative impact on the environment you have by consuming too much clothing! So wear your vintage clothes with pride and self-confidence and let less self-confident people go with the flow, because while they gossip, you are making your personal contribution to a more sustainable environment!
Myth 2: Used clothes are worn and gross
Many people feel disgusted at the thought of used clothing. Humans are psychically designed to love it when something exists especially for them. This also applies to newly produced clothing, which is put on by them for the first time. Clothing that someone else has worn before is perceived as gross and makes most people uncomfortable.
We think this feeling will be discarded very quickly as soon as you realize what a big contribution you are making to the environment by wearing vintage clothing: just by wearing a single vintage shirt, 700 liters of water as well as CO₂ and electricity are saved. And we don't know about you, but we feel good when we do good! In addition, each unique vintage piece tells its own story and it is exciting to philosophize about who wore it before!
Of course you always want to look fresh and with used clothes you often have the feeling that they are already worn out due to their age and previous ownership and therefore no longer look cool.
But we can refute that too! As a dealer in the vintage industry, it is very important to us that we only buy goods that are in good condition. Of course, vintage clothing always shows signs of wear and sometimes major flaws such as holes or stains, but there are some items that are still in great condition even after a certain age! So there is a difference between used and broken - and we at Peeces take care to select our individual pieces very carefully! If a part does have a major defect, we always indicate this in the item description under "Defects" and downgrade it accordingly in the condition.
Myth 3: Old clothes lose quality
Another misconception: Just because something is old and has been used for a number of years means that the quality of the item is declining - this also applies to used clothing. Here many think that old clothes are worn out, will soon tear and are ready to be disposed of in the old clothes container. We totally disagree! While today's clothing is almost exclusively made of cotton or cotton blends, many vintage sweaters and shirts are made of what is known as "heavy cotton" material, a solid, heavy fabric that is of much higher quality and more durable. Thus, vintage clothes are usually of even better quality than new goods!
Myth 4: Secondhand is cheap
In most cases this is not true either! Some parts, especially from the second-hand sector, are actually cheaper than new items from Zara or H&M and only cost a few euros, but in the area of vintage sportswear clothing, the prices are usually even higher than new items in the industry. This is due to the fact that it is very time-consuming to process used clothing because, unlike newly produced clothing, it has to be carefully selected, bought, washed, ironed and sorted as a single item. These work steps are calculated as a surcharge on the price. You will notice: there is a lot of work and passion in every vintage piece that is sold in the end! We think: People are more than willing to spend more money for better quality and a one-of-a-kind piece that you don't see many other people on the street than for a mass-produced piece of clothing!
Myth 5: Secondhand is unstylish
We absolutely cannot agree! Just because clothes are old doesn't mean they're too unstylish these days. We are of the opinion anyway: Style is something subjective! Many people celebrate different clothes and therefore everyone has their own individual style - and especially with vintage clothing! Because the special thing about vintage clothes is that they are one-of-a-kind items that you won't find anywhere else on the street! With vintage clothing you always rock an extraordinary style and stand out from the crowd! But if you want to measure style based on current trends of the average mass, it is particularly important to say that vintage clothing has been back in fashion in the last 5 years: Thrift shopping through the urban vintage stores is no longer a secret hobby for many, and not only the retro style and pieces with a washed vintage look, such as jeans with rips, are popular, but also real vintage parts from the vintage sportswear area, such as vintage sweaters , graphic shirts or vintage track jackets , which you can also find in our vintage shop Find online shop! More on that below. And for everyone who doesn't know the difference between vintage, retro and vintage style - have a look at our blog post on the subject!
Our VINTAGE ONLINE SHOP
Have you already developed a taste for “vintage clothing”? Try it on you! Do you already know our VINTAGE ONLINE SHOP ? Here you will find a large selection of vintage sports items such as vintage sweaters, vintage hoodies, vintage track jackets or vintage graphic tees from well-known sports brands such as Nike , Adidas , Champion orStarter . Best of all: long waits for the mail are over with us! Your favorite pieces will reach you in 1-2 working days thanks to lightning fast shipping ! And if you don't find what you're looking for, just drop by one of our next regular drops every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 6 p.m. !
