In sewing terms, vintage is defined as materials over twenty
years old - not a fine wine, as Google helpfully suggests. I'm sure that a lot
of you, like me, spend much of your day on Pinterest swooning over fit and
flare dresses of the fifties or fringe trims of the twenties - in many ways so
much more elegant than the fast fashion we see on the high street today.
However, whilst there are some out there who dress in these beautiful styles on
a regular basis, many people don't feel comfortable wearing full-on vintage
attire in their everyday lives.
As a student reading History at university (specifically
Welsh History but the same sentiment applies!), I feel a strong connection with
the clothes of bygone ages. If you're lucky enough to chance upon a thirties skirt
at a vintage fair, imagine the person who owned it when it was brand new. It's
survived a World War! That original sixties shift dress your grandma has tucked
away in her attic was around when the Beatles were performing. The stories
vintage clothes hold are something that could and should be delved into and
treasured.
If your reason for not choosing to sew with vintage patterns
is that the styles are not practical enough for your everyday wear, think about
how you could change the design to suit your needs. Shorten the skirt or
decrease its volume, remove the shoulder pads, add or take off sleeves, don't
bother wearing a petticoat underneath. Bringing vintage designs forward into
the modern world, whether they are original or reproduction, helps us to
connect with our past and preserve the rich history our ancestors helped to
create and were a part of.
Furthermore, if creating a vintage garment from scratch is
not your forte, you may want to consider up-cycling or refashioning instead. Search
through stalls at vintage fairs or charity shops for unique treasures. The
long, eighties skirt you've just discovered may, of course, suit you perfectly.
However, just like I feel with an increased skirt length, you may feel it looks
a little frumpy. But wait! Before you put it back, consider its potential. Would
it look much better if you simply reduced the length and re-hemmed it? With the
addition of some straps, could it be transformed into a chic dress? In our ever
increasing consumerist society, it is becoming more important than ever to look
back at older materials and give them a new purpose, rather than discarding
them for the sake of something brand new. If a vintage garment isn't for you,
don't dismiss it - change it. That's the beauty of sewing! We can do exactly
what we want with the materials to hand to create exactly the look we want.
Finally, another simple way to get in touch with your
vintage side is to not make it the focus of your outfit. If you are in love
with the fifties look, why don't you start out with a touch of red lipstick and
a headscarf? For a forties appearance try incorporating collared blouses with
fitted or pleated skirts into your regular look. It doesn't take much to look
retro inspired and as you practice bringing different styles into your
wardrobe, your confidence to wear vintage fashions will grow until it becomes
second nature.
Our past should be valued, not forgotten. Vintage styles are
a primary way for home sewers to keep in touch with their own personal heritage
as well as to flex their skills and create looks that are different to those we
see on the high street. By using what has been left to us by past generations,
we connect with others throughout history and are able to give new life to
garments and materials that would otherwise be replaced by unnecessary new
products which don't have the beautiful back story all vintage clothes and
patterns come with. Together, we can preserve this past and bring it forward to
give it a new use in the modern day.
