Today I thought I’d talk about one of the reasons I love buying and selling vintage so much and that is the stories …. either real or imagined that can make the experience so magical ✨
Have you ever fallen in love with a vintage dress and wondered who wore it before you, the places they went and the people they met. Maybe this is something you always think about or never do but unless it is vintage dead stock ( and even then to a degree) it has lived a life before it found a home in your wardrobe and could definitely tell a tale or two. I think this something rather special and just one ( in my mind there are many obviously ) reasons why vintage clothing is preferable to fast fashion.
Sometimes, there are clues to a garment’s past life, maybe some alterations, a name written in or even a coin stitched into the waistband. Yes a coin, this actually happened ! A 1973 Czechoslovakian coin sewn into a special pocket in the cutest of handmade 70s dress. A good luck charm, emergency money ? We will never know or course but isn’t it lovely to wonder !
Then there are the stories that come from the memories that items evoke in their buyers and seekers. Often these are my favourites.
This often happens with books but has happened with garments too and I love it so much when customers share these with me. I have had clients buy dresses that reminded them so much of ones they had as a little girl or a 70s housecoat that was exactly the same as the one their mother wore. I do this too. I have lots of vintage pieces in my house that are infused with memories and make me think of the loved ones they belonged to every time I use them. I even have a cardigan that belonged to my nana that has been washed many times but I swear it still smells like her!
Vintage books can evoke strong feelings of nostalgia and often people are hunting for a longtime to find a book that is full of memories for them. A lovely lady recently bought a vintage Christmas book from me as it reminded her of her grandparents and time spent with them doing the activities in the book. It meant so much to her when she finally found it.
I’ve also had people reach out to me looking for a very specific book. One lady was looking for a special copy of Eloise by Kay Thompson as it had a letter written inside from her parents who got it for her when she was born. Sadly, the book got lost in a house move in the 80s and she had been looking for it for years. I wish I could say I found it for her but the copy I had was not the right one. However, I did give her a few ideas for looking for it and really hope that she has struck lucky.
If you have any vintage stories to share or are looking for anything in particular that brings back a happy memory I would love you to share x
2 comments
Replying to Ann…
Thanks so much for sharing this Ann and I think that this is the reason so many of us love vintage so much . It’s wonderful that you made up the story and I would love to read you post, please can you send me a link when you get a chance xxx
That’s exactly why I love vintage so much! The memories, the – real or imagined – stories behind them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if second-hand garments could actually tell their stories? I’ve got a coat which used to belong to my Mum, and one which belonged to a Great Aunt. I found both in the same attic wardrobe after my Dad passed away and we were clearing the house. Although they were family heirlooms, I didn’t really know the stories behind them. I couldn’t stop thinking about them having shared wardrobe space for god knows how many years, so I made up a story and wrote a blog post about them. Still one of my favourite posts ever! xxx