How old is too old to shop vintage?

[Lanaorana1]

Me dicking about with this - I would never wear head to toe vintage unless I was doing fancy dress, but at 40-something I'm now getting cold feet about noticeably original period coats and things.

What is the MN wisdom? Fear of mutton looms large with me at the mo.

[InterchangeableEmma]

No. Not too old. Certainly not.

Do you have Netflix? The Iris Apfel Documentary is an inspiration.

Seriously, the concept of 'Mutton' is just plain old misogynistic nonsense. Fear it not.

[Floisme]

Agree with Inter about mutton: ridiculous concept and also a horrible word with deeply misogynistic roots.

I'm 60 and I'm cautiously getting into vintage again after a 20 year break. I'd been into it since the 70s but had given up when the stuff I liked (20s and 30s) began to dry up and also when Mossy made it fashionable and the prices shot up and blew the rest of us out of the water.

I'm doing it differently this time around, not head to toe just one off pieces: a coat, a brocade skirt, a jacket, jewelry, sunglasses, etc. They look distinctive but will fit in with a modern outfit without screaming scream 'vintage'.

It's also a way of indulging my passion for clothes without colluding with sweat shops which is something I'm struggling with more and more. I'd buy more charity shop stuff too if they weren't so crap where I live.

This time I've been buying early 60s stuff which I was too young to wear at the time. I'm not sure what I'll do once that's dried up - 70s and 80s doesn't really have the same allure for me as I was there at the time. But we'll see.

[PeachMelba78]

I'll stop wearing vintage when I'm dead! My favourite era is 1920s and mixing old and new is the way to do it.

[traviata]

My personal rule of thumb is that clothes/styles have to be older than I am.

Otherwise it just looks as though I'm still wearing the clothes I had when I was 17.

[Floisme]

Sorry I wrote a long post but didn't really answer your question! I don't have an actual cut off point - I just apply the same rules as I do to all clothes: Do I like it? Does it suit me? Will it go with anything?

I might end up getting bored and giving up again when there's nothing left pre 1970 as I get a far bigger thrill from say a 40s jacket but I wouldn't discount anything on principle.

In fact I tried on a 70s leather skirt today: A line, knee length and looked totally modern. The only clue to its age was that the leather was heavier (which I like). And at £12 it would have been well worth taking a risk with the washing machine. Sadly it didn't fit so that was that.

[boldlygoingsomewhere]

I'm not far off 40 and love shopping vintage. Like others I mix it up with modern pieces - my favourite eras are 30s, 60s and 70s.

[Ladyformation]

Agree with PPs - I read once that the rule is that you don't wear the decade in which you started to wear fashionable clothes - for most of us, teenage and early twenties - obviously I'm personally thrilled devastated that I'll never be able to wear 00s fashion again. Other than that I think you can do what you like and will look fabulous!

[W8woman]

I love vintage but agree with the PP who said one standout piece mixed with current items.

Head to toe just looks a bit shabby now I'm older and bigger - as if I haven't been able to afford new clothes in a few decades.

I am trying to build a collection of timeless "heirloom" pieces that I can hand on to DD.

[nickEcave]

I absolutely love vintage coats/jackets and intend to keep wearing them until I'm 100! I'm lucky enough to work in London with lots of great charity shops close by and pretty much all my favourite items of clothing have come from charity shops.