What items don't date?

[candykane25]

My first thought was a sixties style shift dress. Something simple, sleeveless, round neck, a line ish and above knee.
A black polo neck doesn't date.
On another camel coat thread there are opposing views about whether they date. I think buttons and detailings date but some cuts don't.
What would you say doesn't date?

Black turtleneck, especially if slim fitting.

Black biker jacket, if v soft and not too much hardwear on it.

Black pencil skirt.

Well fitting v plain white shirt.

Chelsea boots.

Camel coats always look a bit old fashioned to me, but that might be because of the colour rather than the shape.

Yes to black pencil skirt.

And black biker jacket. I have a warehouse one that I've had a few years and it gets lots of compliments every year.

Also, denim jacket?

Denim jacket = yes, if mid blue and v plain, quite fitted and not too cropped.

I have a dress from the 1940's and apart from the quality of the black silk velvet it could be Coast or Monsoon evening wear any year since.

V neck. V back. Sleeveless. Fitted with a swoosh at the bottom of extra fabric.

Sounds absolutely gorgeous.

I have loads of vintage clothes and I think everything dates, sorry.

I think even with things that seem timeless e.g. pencil skirts or denim or leather jackets, the details date e.g. the fit, the length, even the zips and the buttons.

Some things date and then come back into fashion e.g. shift dresses or swing coats. The problem is, you can't predict what they are or when they'll come back.

Black cigarette trousers

I agree with Floisme, everything dates which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's not so much separate pieces but more silhouettes which allows you to carbon date a look.

Regardless, I like that my wardrobe is an amalgamation of past and present and speaks of me and my style preference rather than what happens to be 'in fashion' right now, which in this day and age is a bit of outdated concept imho.

Okay - I'm bored so have chosen a shop at random (FC) and found what I think are items that should be wearable for at least a couple of years without dating.

Skirt

Leather jacket

White shirt

Denim jacket

Polo neck

Dress

Denim dress

That does sound lovely.
Black is featuring a lot!

I like marl grey, that doesn't seem to date.

Ok, ok - clothes are dated by the details like the buttons/zips/darts - or in my case the silk velvet.

But the point is you can wear it and no one will know without being really close up that your outfit isn't current fashion.

So you can get away with more if they lean towards the classic.

I have a pair of boots I don't wear because theyre not my style now. Theyre 118 years old - 1898. Every single year someone brings out a pair that look exactly like them. Victorian lace up leather black boots.

Yes to zips. The exposed zip looks really dated now.

I like updating classics, quite often it's the fabric that changes. Today's high street fabrics are dire though so I'm buying more second hand stuff because it's better quality.

Loose fit v neck shirt sleeve t shirts seem timeless.

3/4 length sleeves.

I do have black cigarette pants from oasis which are my fail safe trousers when nothing else seems right.

I have two bow blouses - one from the 80's, one from last year

They're very different. The cuffs on the 80's ones are narrower and tailored with double seams. And it's silk. The bow is finer, the ends are turned in properly.

The new version is much flouncier, polyester fabric. Poor detailing, even the thread is cheaper looking.

Agree that you need to search much harder now to find good fabrics and detailing.

Oh yeah I'm sure all those things will be fine for the next few years Remus. I was thinking longer term e.g. ten years from now.

For example, some people might say a denim jacket would never date but I've got one I wore in the 80s and, much as I love it, timeless it's not

I love collecting clothes by the way but I don't expect to wear them all forever.

I have to teach all of this stuff!

Everything dates eventually, some faster than others. Polo necks are having a bit of a thing at the moment, but every thing will date. Eg collars may change in length, overall fit may be different, skirt lengths may be shorter/longer.

The only item I can think of that never changes is a polo shirt but even they can be fitted or loose.

Most big trends last about 5-7 years, with fast fashion changing much quicker. Some things are mega trends which can last about 15 years ((e.g bootlegs which appeared in the mid 90s, and lasted at least 15 years and probably more.

Vintage is different, but will always look vintage which is part of the appeal.

There is something about fashion which I can properly remember, but it's something like this:
10 years out of date= dull
20 years out of date = laughable
30 years out date= retro
40 years out date= vintage.

Something like that anyway

That sounds about right to me Emoji. It's hard to put your finger on the line between 'vintage' and 'stuck in a time warp' but when I first started buying vintage (it was just 2nd hand then) in the 70s, I was looking for 40s and (preferably) 30s or 20s stuff. I do remember buying a 50s jacket - which I still wear now - but normally I wouldn't even look at 50s or 60s, which is a pity as I'd get a fortune for them now.

Possibly controversial view, but I think that a lot of really high end designer outfits don't really "date" as such. I still covet items that were on the catwalk 10, 15, 20 years ago. If they are really well designed and well made, I think they will always have a place in fashion. In a way, the fact that they can be identified with a particular time period makes them even more interesting.

Having said that, when a designer becomes ubiquitous their clothes seem to date more quickly. Herve Leger is a bit early 2010s (though still useful on the odd occasion!).

I've recently re watched all of Sex and the City which I think is 96-03?

I was surprised how many of the outfits (obvs mostly high designer) you could wear now.

I think the thing that's changed is how little people dress up now to go out to lunch or dinner. We 're so casual now.

I should probably start a new thread for this, but can I ask, what's 'in'? Am I right in saying: (which I think will all date terribly, btw)

Skinny jeans
Blazers
Pencil skirts
Ankle boots
Floral midi pencil dresses
Tulle/Lace skirts and dresses

Eyebrows!

I think a lot of Samantha and Miranda's outfits look dated now. Carrie's less so - they just look a bit bonkers.

Laurie - yes, that's exactly what I mean! Do you think it's because they are generally more interesting clothes or put together in an unusual way, so still retain a freshness to them?

I suppose there are some designer trends that become so copied by the high street that they start to look very dated. But actually I think that we are in an era where almost anything goes so it is only the slavish head to toe trends that tend to look a bit dated.

Floisme - the "bonkers" aspect of it may also be a reason! But then I like bonkers..

Agree with the bonkers comments - her outfits were more kooky.

One I watched the other day (the stolen Manolos from a party one) had her skip down the street at the end wearing three quarter khakis rolled up a bit, a white shirt loose, with a bright bra under.

And the silver high heels of course

Sorry I don't mean to be argumentative but I don't agree either that we're in any 'anything goes era.' I think we're as conscious about fashion as ever - if not more so. Just think of all the threads about skinny jeans and how upset some posters get at the idea that they might go out of date.

As I've said, I love collecting clothes but I just don't agree with the idea that they're investment pieces that you'll wear forever. At least that's not how it works for me.