To get the rage over people mixing up vintage and retro??

[user1477282676]

It gets on my nerves! I live in Oz but before I came here last year, I saw this a lot in the UK too...especially in charity shops!

Notices saying "Retro Cabinet" on an original 50s cabinet etc when it should say VINTAGE!

Retro is imitative of vintage. Vintage is an original vintage piece.

I was in a charity shop today and a woman took an ornament over to the counter. The ornament was obviously 1960s original.

"How much is this please?"

"Ten dollars. It's retro."

NO IT"S FUCKING VINTAGE!

The shop always labels original pieces as retro!

Sorry. I know there's a pedant's corner but really!

Really?

Yes! Really. Why?

I didn't know the difference. Thanks for explaining.

lt is all part of the disregard for accuracy, clarity, precision.It actually is important but nobody cares! Opinion is more important than fact and what people think is what counts whatever the facts. YANBU

BadKnee your post upsets me for some reason! The idea that people don't give a shit!

I get wound up by people saying things are 'vintage' when they actually just mean 'second hand'. Even worse is 'pre loved'.
By me, vintage means second hand stuff that's slightly nicer and an arty bloke at the till instead of a volunteer, and a 3x inflated price tag.

And 'retro ' by me means 'second hand and old, but not antique, and a bit funky looking' and also a 3x inflated price tag!

Bear yes....if it's from 1998 it's not vintage. I once saw a bag on Ebay described as "original vintage 1950s bag* and it was current Primark stock!

To be vintage I believe something has to be older than 20 years.

Bear retro does not have to be second hand. Retro means "inspired by vintage style" so if I buy a new set of cannisters for my kitchen and they have a print on them that's really 60s or 70s looking...then they're retro.

The problem is when people are selling then the description should be correct especially on line where is is harder to establish an original or replica.

Brand new stock marketed as 'vintage' grinds my gears.

I do like firkling around charity shops and enjoy truly vintage finds, but I am irked when I'm drawn in to a shop marketing 'vintage' and find Blue Banana dresses or 'vintage' band shirts from Primark.

I think, people get their knickers in a twist about everything these days.

That's right Boul! Ebay should have strong guidelines for people. Then I won't be so annoyed all the time.

Perhaps I should deliver notices to all the local charity shops too! I can be the Word Police and if I make up a finicky looking heading, they might fall for me!

I think you have too much time on your hands to get so wound up about this.

You'd hate our charity shop OP - we use "vintage" for stuff from the 40s/50s and "retro" for stuff from the 70s/80s.

It sounds petty but it is fraud, intentionally or accidentally.

It's people mixing up chaos and anarchy that makes me froth.

I couldn't care less, if I like something I buy it, new, second hand, vintage antique or retro.
I'd be concerned it gives you ^rage* rather than perhaps mild annoyance.
However, I'm glad to know the difference and will be able to use the words correctly now in conversation so that pleases me.

My understanding was the same as Luna's!

You!know the difference but most charity shops and secondhand shops are rarely staffed by qualified antiques' experts in ALL types of old furniture and china. And its not true that just because something is old it's valuable, a vintage piece can still be worthless shit if it was mass-produced from cheap materials and, conversely, a good one off or limited retro/repro piece can be worth £££. The vendors may not know the difference or the full value of the pieces they sell so some lucky buyer is going to get a bargain, why that would be a cause for rage to you I don't know but hey, carry on raging.

I agree- retro = retrospective so something modern looking back to an older period.
We interpret 60s 70s stuff to be retro though, but they must also be edgy and a bit groovy looking I think.
A pair of old crusty boxers from the 70s = not retro. A pair of old crusty boxers in brown jersey fabric with mustard yellow trim= retro

It's the same with mid century furniture. A nice piece of Ercol or Nathan is mid century modern, but not necessarily retro. Same as painting something new with Annie Sloan and then destroying shabby chiccing it does not make it vintage.

I can't get cross about that.

I do when people say stomach and they mean abdomen, trunk etc rather than organ for digesting food. When it's HCPs I want to get hold of them and screech. So I understand that you are bonkers too.

Or worse when they mean uterus.

I thought there were both poncy terms for second hand or old

Meh the use of either word strikes me as a tad poncy. Bit like the way artisan is attached to every home made object people are trying to flog