Decades Vintage in Los Angeles
I find that one of the most comforting characteristics of fashion is its cyclical nature. Just the other night, I was helping my dear friend sort his wardrobe into four piles: “keep”, “store”, “donate”, and “don’t even donate because even the needy would be ashamed to wear that”. When deciding in which pile to place his rather extensive collection of designer bootcut jeans, we both cringed at the thought of bootcut at the moment, but were even sadder to think of getting rid of them altogether. My friend – a fashion student himself – pointed out with a sage tone of voice, “Fashion is cyclical; they’ll come back in style.”
So into the “store” pile they went.
This brings me to my point: vintage stores can be excellent sources of modern looks, not just those straight out of the 1970s. Scouring the racks of vintage shops can yield some pretty satisfactory results with the right amount of searching. Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe suggests avoiding head-to-toe vintage. Try mixing a vintage piece with a modern piece, such as a 1960s dress with a brand new pair of super-current shoes.
Hitting the vintage store may not even be necessary; if you’re like my friend who mindfully stores his quality, yet not so now pieces in his closet, an exciting and inspiring outfit may be as close as your very own clothing rack. Go ahead and toss those Crocs, though – they were never in, and if they ever approach popularity in the future, please boycott.
