Retro Vs. Vintage

If you are new to the vintage fashion scene, the many different terms can be confusing, is it retro, vintage or repro? The list goes on. When looking for vintage items it's really personal preference as to whether you have to have that original vintage or whether you're just after a cool retro t-shirt, but it may help to know the differences.

The word vintage is overused and often wrongly used today to describe certain garments.True vintage clothing can be defined as anything 20 years old or more until before the 1920's which then becomes antique.

When looking for vintage clothing you can easily define the era that it came from and recognise the brand, fabric and cut of that time. You can often get classic one off pieces. Retro is the term used for clothing that is new but produced in a vintage style.

Clothing can also be defined as retro when is doesn't fit into any particular decade and something that looks out of style for that time but isn't quite vintage yet. High street stores sell items that are clearly not vintage but honour the times past with vintage inspired items that are defined as retro. There is no right or wrong whether you choose to wear vintage, retro or both!

Retro pieces are often a cheaper alternative to true vintage and some great retro clothing can be found in vintage stores, charity shops and online. In particular retro dresses can fit better than vintage ones as the sizes are much different to what they once were. However vintage clothing such as jackets, shirts and knitwear can be worn oversized and still look very stylish. It really is down to personal choice, so try things on, do your research and don't be afraid to ask questions when you're in vintage shops.

There are some fantastic online vintage stores that provide fast delivery and have good solid returns policies incase things don't fit or don't quite look right. Always check the returns policies and the terms and conditions before buying online and also check to see if the descriptions are detailed.

Vintage clothing in particular often has wear in the form of marks, scuffs, pulls and rips but these should be clearly shown in the photographs and the description of the item.

You should definitely take a look at one of the largest online vintage clothing stores, Brag Vintage. They stock both vintage and retro pieces from throughout the eras from denim jackets, jeans and knitwear to leather jackets, coats and even shoes. The prices are cheaper than most vintage clothing stores and shipping is fixed at £3.95 per order with free shipping available on orders over £75. They even offer international shipping so please do give them a look

About the Author

Raymond Brett is a PR assistant at Brag Vintage, one of the largest online vintage clothing stores in the UK.