How to identify True Vintage
The 90s style is trending, haven’t you heard? Thanks to “the fashion life cycle,” those shoes you thought were ugly just six years ago are starting to look pretty trendy right now. We’ll take a look at “the fashion cycle,” in another article, but for now, let’s talk about a by-product of the fashion cycle — the hunt for “True Vintage” clothing.
“True Vintage” is an item of clothing that strongly reflects the styles and trends associated with that era it was made.
Clothing brands are going out of their way to replicate the look and feel of old band t-shirts from the 90s. For those of us who take pride in authenticity, being able to point out a True Vintage is a valuable skill to have. Having a vintage piece doesn’t just add flair to your ensemble, it feels very different to the touch (a good different).
Clothing brands are going out of their way to replicate the look and feel of old band t-shirts from the 90s.
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How do you tell the difference?
To the untrained eye, the two T-shirts above are both vintages. They both have a photo of prominent 90s hip hop artist, Tupac, so they must be vintage, right? Well, slow down, there are more nuances to it. We’re not just going to drop that piece of info without explaining though, we’ve got you covered.
Keep an eye out for labels
Images from sammydvintage.com
Looking at labels is a great way to find information about the item you’re wearing; it sometimes has things like size, material, washing instructions and so on. So how can a label tell you if the T- shirt is True Vintage?
Is it Single Stitched?
Single stitch refers to the finishing of the hem, cuff and shoulder of the T-shirt. Vintage T-shirts were mostly made with a single stitch compared to today’s contemporary T-shirts, which use double row stitching.
It has a Union Label
Before the advent of Fast Fashion, clothes were made in factories by unionized workers. The union label was a way to show the customer that their outfit was made by employees represented by the labour union: an actual seal of authenticity. Union labels usually have the logo of the labour union, accompanied with a lot/style number.
Lot/Style number
Factories use lot numbers to keep track of clothing production by placing numerical values to items produced, so they could be sorted with ease. Compared to the specific computerized numbers we have today, lot numbers were allotted in groups. For example, all size “M” T-shirts from a collection would have the same lot number compared to today’s lot numbers, which are unique to each item.
Where it was made
Items were rarely duplicated or mass-produced before the rise of the global fashion economy. Chances are, one of the clothing items you have on right now was made in China or Pakistan. This, of course, is not a bad thing, but for the sake of our True Vintage hunt, we should be looking out for clothing items origin. A Tupac T-shirt made in Pakistan is probably a good clue you’re looking at a faux-vintage tee.
Know your brands
This section requires a little bit more knowledge of your brands. If you were alive in the 90s, chances are you have a few names in mind. Having some rudimental understanding of brands that were prominent in that era is a useful way to point you in the right direction. Some of those brands still exist today, so it’s good practice to pair up the tips in this article to find that sweet spot.
Image from hiphopgoldenage.com
The tips in this article are in no way an exhaustive list, but they are a great way to start your journey to being a True Vintage connoisseur.
Want some extra reading? Here are some useful places to get started.
https://www.liveabout.com/definition-of-vintage-clothing-3420100
https://sammydvintage.com/vintage-style/union-labels/
