Sunday, May 29, 2011

I ♥ Vintage


Vintage - sentimental, whimsical, romantic, pre-loved. A nicer way to describe old stuff and I love it.

I have a weakness for all things vintage. My boyfriend doesn’t get it. He doesn’t see the point in spending money on clothes someone else has already worn when you could just get something new for the same price.

It made me think though, what makes vintage so irresistible to me?

For me, the fascination started when I found some old knee-high brown leather boots in my mother’s closet when I was a teenager. I was very curious when pulled them out as I had never seen my mum wear them before. A panel of crocodile skin running from the front of the boot to the top, a gorgeous small 70s heel, they were beautiful and I fell in love with them.

My mum said she had designed them and had them made in Korea when she was in University. Everyone used to do that back then and the quality of the shoes is undeniable. She said she wore them everywhere and they looked as solid as the day they she bought them.

She ended up giving them to me and even though they are a tiny bit small, I squeeze my feet into them every now and then and hope for the best.

Years later, my vintage collection now is small but slowly growing, with a few bits of jewellery and clothing. Knowing that there was someone before me who loved the piece just adds that lovely air of mystery and specialness to it. I have created my own special memories with them and hope to pass them down to someone else who will love them as much as me.

Besides, who can deny the environmental factor of it? If not anything else, isn’t it better to buy one quality piece that you know will (and has!) last compared to say, five that you’ll just end up throwing away? That’s what I like to tell myself anyways…

It’s also not just something you got off the rack that hundreds of other people have also bought – it’s one of a kind. And as everything comes back in fashion again in some way, shape, form or another - why wear a copy when you can have the original?