When do things become vintage?

[TapStepBallChange]

I've realised I'm definitely getting old. I've got some Gucci kitten heel loafers that I bought as a treat to myself when I started work. They are now 20 years old and living at the back of the wardrobe. I was wondering if they were now vintage and if they would be worth selling now the 90s are back. If they might be worth selling how do you go about it?

Well obviously you can go on ebay, (I don't but dd2 does, you have to photograph the product etc. it's quite a faff according to her, you could just google them and find out what they're worth.) Or there are are retro shops in Notting Hill if you live near London. They charge a lot to sell stuff, but they may not buy for much!

What about Etsy www.etsy.com/ie/search?q=gucci%20shoes&ref=auto2

One of my favourite vintage shops has a designer rail where some stuff is barely 10 years old so (whatever we may think) anything 90s definitely counts.

However you might not get that much for them. For example I recently got some early noughties Dior wide leg trousers for £50 and eyed up a 70s YSL jacket (which sadly didn't fit) at £70. That's great for me as a punter but I doubt the original seller got very much. Shoes also tend to fetch less unless they're unworn.

Or you could sell them yourself on EBay and keep all the money but then you've got all the hassle plus people probly won't pay as much cos they're buying unseen.

So not to be snifed at but you may not even make enough to buy another pair of shoes in Top Shop. If they're a thing of beauty I would probably be tempted to hang on but then I'm the most dreadful hoarder.

That said, I don't live in an affluent area and they might fetch a lot more elsewhere.

I was surprised to see an electric blue batwing jumper from Richards Shops (1980s) being sold as vintage. Almost wish I'd hung onto some of my terrible clothes from that era!

It's a strange feeling when you first see it but I was buying loads of 1940s stuff in the 70s so the time lag's the same. Our role is to go 'I used to have a jumper like that' while young people roll their eyes (like I used to when my mum said it).

They sound amazing OP! Are you sure you wouldn't wear them again yourself? Both kitten heels and loafers are back 'in'. What size are they? I may be interested if you were looking to sell.

My DM is a bit of a hoarder so I have had a wealth of 80s and 90s clothes of hers to wear, it's all much much better quality than stuff made nowadays and you are unlikely to see anyone else wearing it and I like that.

Also Vestiaire collective is a good place to sell high end vintage. I've picked up a few gems from there.

I'd heard of Vestiaire but I've never liked buying vintage online so hadn't checked it out. However I've now got a Vivienne Westwood jacket in my basket so thanks silk The prices are higher than what I'm used to though - I guess that's the advantage of living in fashion nowhereland. So I might have been unduly pessimistic for you, op!

20 years is the unofficial benchmark.

I would wait a little longer. If you think about it, we wore those big thick soled buffalo runners in our teens and thick platform soles are back in fashion
We graduated to kitten heels in our 20s (guessing you are my age 😁) so they will be coming back with a bang soon. They are beginning to pop up in the more high end fashion but not main stream yet.

I also have loads, jimmy choos, Gucci and a Bally pair I love. But I'm keeping them for me, no way would I sell them. I love a good kitten heel. I'm too tall for heels during the day so have spent the past 10 years in bloody ballet pumps

You're going to have to tell me where this vintage shop is Floisme

I think it's vintage either at 20 years old and the new generation discover it or the fashion swings round again.

Floisme where is the shop?

IJust and Leviticus I don't like disclosing my whereabouts, don't really know why as I'm sure no-one's interested but there you go. But if you PM me, I'll let you know

OK.
It's probably miles from me
although I won't bankrupt myself now

I think there's now a section for 90s vintage clothes on ebay?

I've now spent a couple of days browsing Vestiaire and have a huge wish list! Thanks for the recommendation.

I sold a Top Shop tea dress in a local shop which sells on your clothes for you.It is mainly full of designer labels so I was surprised she sold it for me.Then I saw it was sold as 'vintage Top Shop'.I bought it in 2003!Got £20 for it though (the shop got the other half) which was probably about what I paid for it.

I don't know who first had the idea of re-branding second hand as 'vintage' but, from a business point of view, it was inspired. Hardly anyone was interested until then, grrr.

But I try not to get too hung up on what it's called. I carry on buying it because it can be very lovely, sometimes unique or iconic, almost certainly better made, environmentally kinder and generally cheaper.

I thought vintage was over 25 years and antiques over 100 years

I think strictly speaking it's 20 years, as previous posters have said. But I never even heard it applied to clothing until the 90s. I just see the word as a marketing thing.

But I do think that, in years to come, the 90s will be seen as a watershed because that's when clothing manufacturing began to move overseas, the consequences of which we're living with today. I could see anything pre-1990 and made in the uk attracting a premium price. So that's another reason to hoard if you need one