A Love Letter to Vintage Shops (and why we need to shop there more often)

 

How do I profess my love for thee? 

I’ve lived most of my life having never set foot in a vintage shop because I lived in the suburbs and there weren’t any in my neighbourhood.  It’s really a shame because up until my 30s,  I was shopping exclusively at retailers in malls.  Don’t get me wrong.  Malls are fun!  They’re like eating cotton candy.  You get an immediate rush but regret it later.  I’ve bought countless articles of clothing at the mall but none of them have given me the same satisfaction or thrill to show off my latest purchase the way buying from a vintage shop provides. So, why is vintage shopping so great?  First, the quality.  Vintage shops have some pretty amazing high quality clothing items and accessories.  I’ve scored a 100% wool military coat from a vintage shop and let me tell you, pure wool coats are extremely hard to come by in retail stores.  Most coats are made up of mixed fabrics or synthetic materials, and to top it off, they cost hella more.  So, why not check out your local vintage shop and score a top-notch piece of clothing or accessory?

The second reason vintage shops rock are the prices.  High quality? Low price? Sign me up!! Most vintage shops sell items for less than two hundred dollars and those higher priced items are usually furs or gold jewelry.  You can find a plethora of lovely options for less than fifty dollars.  Most vintage shops also have sales; either a designated day of the week or flash sales.  In fact, my local shop offers 50% off daily. Daily!

Lastly, vintage shops are an environmentally friendly way to update your closet.  Mass clothing production and consumption leave a big pollution footprint on our already stressed planet.  Polyester, for example, is a widely manufactured fabric made from petroleum, which is energy intensive to produce and demands large amounts of crude oil and emissions to manufacture.  This type of mass production of polyester is just one example out of many that makes the case for shopping more and more at vintage or thrift stores.  If you’re interested in learning more, I highly recommend reading Waste and Want: A Social History of Trash by Susan Strasser.  I’m still guilty of shopping for fast fashion but I’m making a concerted effort to shop vintage more often.

Hopefully you’re intrigued to shop at your local vintage destination, or maybe this post has reminded you why you love to spend a lazy Sunday hunting for vintage treasure.  Please share your comments below or share your favourite vintage haunts with us.  I’d love to hear from you. Much love X