The Coolest Retro Clothes in My Closet
- Ella Schnoor
- Oct 16, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 18, 2020
The thing about vintage clothing is that most of the time, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what era the piece is from, especially because I have a lot of pieces without tags that were likely handmade. In those circumstances, I usually guess the age based on the style of the piece. When pieces do have tags, it’s much easier to tell when they are from, as tag styles have changed a lot throughout the last 50 years. Tags that also mention anything about a piece being made in the US are also likely vintage. Most of the time, I’m simply making an educated guess based on style, fabric choice, tags, and overall quality of the piece.
As 90% of my closet has been thrifted in some way, I have a lot of pieces that I have to imagine an origin story for. The items I picked out to show off here are all likely from the 1960s through the 1980s, as that thirty-year time frame is my favorite for fashion, and I can easily pick out clothes from those eras while thrifting.
Shift Dress
In the ‘60s, shift dresses were indicative of the mod style that classifies that era of fashion. This dress is the perfect encapsulation of the psychedelic, bright patterns often worn. When I thrifted this, it was floor-length, and I altered it to be a mini-mod dress. Originally, this piece was likely a dressing gown, or something worn around the house for lounging, which I’m only guessing because of its unique length and by the nylon-polyester type of fabric it's made out of.
Union Label Blouse
I wanted to include this brown blouse because it was my first piece of vintage clothing that I found with a union label. If you know anything about shopping for vintage, finding a union label is a big deal because it speaks to the quality and era in which the piece was made.
In the early 19th and 20th centuries, union labels began to be put into clothes made in factories after women who made clothing were tired of poor working conditions.¹ I’m not entirely sure if this piece is from the ‘60s, but the peplum style collar and the fact that it has a union label makes the early 1960s my best guess. Most Union Labels are not this difficult to read, but that just speaks to its age!
Knee-high Suede Boots
It’s not often that you are able to find a pair of true 1960s style suede knee-high boots, especially in the quality that these ones are in. I had to show them off here because I rarely wear them, but they are one of the finds that I am most proud of.
Striped Flares
These are my favorite pair of pants that I have ever owned, and that’s saying a lot because pants are my favorite clothing item to thrift. They don’t have any tags on the inside, but when I bought them, they had the original store tags on them, making them a deadstock item. For vintage shopping, finding true deadstock is one of the coolest feelings, because although these pants are likely close to 50 years old, they are brand new to me. The colors, the stripes, the slightly flared legs, the western-cut high waist- these pants are the 1970s through and through.
Psychedelic Blouse
When I saw this top on eBay, I knew right away it was the psychedelic blouse of my dreams. It was made by the brand Graff California that was known for its groovy printed blouses. This is one of my favorite ‘70s color schemes- bright orange, green, and brown.
Chunky Knit Sweater
Every time I think of ‘80s fashion, I think of big, oversized, chunky and funky knit sweaters like this one. I only recently purchased this, and I have been wearing it so often because of how cozy it is. It’s by the brand River Trader, a company started in 1983, and from a quick eBay search, I was able to find that this was in fact an ‘80s menswear company.
Western Cropped Jacket
I bought this jacket with the idea in my head that I would look like Madonna in the ‘80s as she often wore structured yet cropped jackets like this one. The geometric, western-style patches across the front and on the sleeves are totally ‘80s, and I really do feel like Madonna when I wear this. It originally had shoulder pads that I removed, but that just goes to prove that this is definitely an ‘80s piece.
¹“Look for the Union Label”: A History of the ILGWU’s Iconic Jingle. 2019, April 24. New-York Historical Society. http://womenatthecenter.nyhistory.org/look-for-the-union-label/
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