What is Retro?
We all love the feeling of pulling something off the rack that reminds us of our childhood. The idea of wearing a “throw back” piece is special in so many ways. Maybe it’s a pair of shoes that reminds you of elementary school, maybe it’s a dress that you wore to your Aunt’s wedding in the 90’s, or maybe it’s the night gown your grandma always served breakfast in. This feeling of nostalgia is what modern designers use to balance the fashion industry. Something familiar mixed with new intrigue.
Retro and Vintage clothing have definitely been getting the hype that they deserve lately. Thrifting, flea markets, and vintage shops have become a staple in creating a wardrobe that feels unique to your personal style. There is something about vintage design and style that we like so much, that it gets recreated.
So What Does Retro Actually Mean?
We use the word Retro to indicate that a design of something has been created based on the style from a previous time period. “Retro” comes from the word “retrospective”, which literally means “looking back.” When music, fashion, or even home and furniture designers reimagine past eras of style, it makes their modern creation “retro.” A nod to the nostalgic pieces that once were new.
In the fashion scene, retro clothing refers to garments that replicate and draw inspiration from past styles. Vintage inspired pieces that are newly manufactured, or even pieces of second hand clothing from recent years styled in a way that feels vintage. It can even includes pieces that reference iconic trends, silhouettes, colors, patterns, and materials.
We can look at something like this Free people dress and it immediately feels like a throw back for a few reasons. The silhouette, pattern, and colors all nod to a time in the 60’s where post war Britain had money to spend on Jazz Clubs and new tailored pieces. The MOD Culture was created in fashion and design.
Now we can look at this Vintage 60’s dress and see where the modern Free People dress got its inspiration from. The Vintage Design shows us something that was new to a different era, that we now repeat because of the iconic statement it made back then.
To sum it up, Retro refers to anything that can replicate the aesthetics, design elements, and overall feel of earlier eras, even if it is newly manufactured! Retro does not necessarily mean a piece is genuinely from the past.
So, What’s the Difference Between Retro and Vintage Clothing ?
Vintage Crochet Top Vs. Madewell Retro Crochet Top
In the 60’s and 70’s the term “Vintage” became popular as people in fashion started to recognize and appreciate past styles! I love to see how people have always had this love for garments that felt nostalgic to them, the same way we appreciate vintage today. Though the term “Vintage” originally was used in the wine industry to indicate a specific year or crop of grapes, we hear it now more commonly in reference to clothing, furniture, and interior design.
Think of it like this, Vintage refers to the original pieces from 20-100 years ago. It holds value because of the authenticity of the garment, and the craftsmanship of it’s time. We haven’t always had the machines to create garments that we have today. This makes the genuine vintage styles stand out - and something you should absolutely go for. If you want to learn what is considered vintage, read my blog post to get the skivvy and it will help you identify one from the other!
A Retro & Vintage piece I styled in the early YouTube Days
By wearing a Vintage piece from the 40’s, it becomes imaginative in a sense, because we didn’t actually experience that time in life. We get to play dress up with pieces that have been around since before we were born, and we get to re-live memories with more recent vintage pieces from our past. By finding or styling something Retro, we get to appreciate the styles that once were original and continue to mix past design with modern taste.
Can Something Be Vintage and Retro?
You bet they can! Even though we often use these terms to distinguish pieces from one another, there can be a crossover in some cases. Say you have a dress that is in the style of something made in 1920, yet it was manufactured in the 1950’s. It would be considered Retro due to the design inspiration being from the past, AND it would be Vintage because of it’s age! It is very common to find both retro and vintage pieces that were made in the 80’s and 90’s because the year makes them vintage, and the design was retro at the time it was made. Recycling fashion has been around a while, so often when we see style back in rotation, chances are this isn’t the first time.
In the 80’s, babydoll dresses made a comeback as a nod to the 50’s where babydoll dresses were all the hype. Drop waist dresses from the 20’s also reappear in 1980 for the second time, as they appeared in 1950’s as well. When you find a piece like that in the thrift store, it could have come from a few different era’s, thus making it possible to be both retro and vintage!
Vintage 40’s Pant Pattern Vs. Everlane’s Retro Linen Way-High Drape Pant
The terms vintage and retro often work together to capture different aspects of fashion inspired by the past, allowing individuals to embrace both the nostalgia and contemporary reinterpretation of earlier styles.
Classic Pieces Vs. Retro and Vintage
There’s a good chance that when something fits both the vintage and retro description, its design has become a classic. We refer to an item that has been recycled through the fashion timeline on multiple occasions as a “Classic” piece. Meaning it has passed the timeless fashion test of being a consistent silhouette, pattern, or style.
Denim made it’s way into women’s wardrobes in the 40’s as a necessity for work wear, and from then on we have considered jeans a staple in building our wardrobes. Though the silhouettes of denim pants routinely change, Jeans are definitely a piece that can often be found both retro and vintage.
You can read about denim through the years and shop retro denim styles, I personally love Levi’s and Everlane when it comes to a good pair of retro jeans. In fact, you can shop all my wardrobe staples here. I tend to lean on classic and vintage inspired pieces when buying new.
A mix of vintage and modern is the perfect way to style retro denim.
Where Can I find Retro Clothing?
Specialty Retro Boutiques: Look for retro boutiques that focus on recreating styles from specific eras. Dorothy Zudora, Mod Cloth, and Unique Vintage all carry fun retro styles. Etsy is also a great resource when looking for both retro and vintage styles!
Online Retailers like Lisa Says Gah, Reformation, Sezane, and so many more often have high quality pieces that are vintage inspired.
Reproduction Brands: Some brands specialize in creating authentic reproductions of vintage clothing. These garments are designed to resemble specific eras, but they are newly manufactured using modern materials and techniques. Something Definitely Happened is a Vintage Blog that shares their top 12 reproduction brands!
Thrifting! Second hand shopping is a great way come across retro and vintage clothing. If you’re in the San Fransisco area, I’ve got the guide for you.
There is something special about reminiscing through fashion, and the world clings to it. Not only does the fashion industry often repeat itself, but we find ourselves cherishing the authentically old pieces too. Nothing beats putting on an authentic vintage find!
You’ll find some amazing retro styles that are the perfect way to get the look, while getting to wear something with modern fabric. You’ll also find that adding these unique pieces to your wardrobe can help build your personal style and unique sense of fashion.
Retro Puff Sleeve by Farm Rio inspired by the 40’s & 80’s.
Retro Dress by Chrissy Dawn inspired by the 30’s.
Retro Dress by Boden inspired by the 50’s.
Retro Top by Reformation inspired by the renaissance era.
Retro Jumpsuit by Anthropology inspired by the 70’s/80’s
I hope each and everyone of you get to experience the joy of traveling though time with your Retro and Vintage pieces as much as I do! Fashion lets us express ourselves and can bring out confidence in our personal taste - So Let it Be Fun!
XO,
Erica