Coveted, conscious, and kind on the wallet: Why vintage is taking hold of the fashion sphere. Photo / Getty Images
Coveted, conscious, and kind on the wallet: Why vintage is taking hold of the fashion sphere. Photo / Getty Images
Opinion
In a growing environmentally conscious society, vintage has evolved from your nan’s old blouses and has thrown us into a rampage of hip-hugging mom jeans, 90′s racer tees, and baggy anything. But while styles come and go, this trend might be the hot new answer to the environmental clothing crisis.
When it comes to industries impacting the environment, people are quick to chuck the blame on cars, littering or anything government-related, but few regard the clothes on their back as the problem.
The clothing industry is more often than not overlooked when it comes to the environment’s wear and tear, despite its alarming spot in the top 5 (or one could argue worst 5) contributors to pollution.
It is estimated that, due to overproduction, badly-made garments, and the fast fashion mentality, 7-12 per cent of landfills are made up of clothing, which comes to 92 million tonnes of textile waste.
What’s more, the making of these clothes takes its toll on the planet too. It can take up to 20,000 litres of water to produce just 1kg of cotton, perhaps in the form of the latest pair of jeans that you’ve added to your shopping cart.
But while the dark underbelly of overconsumption might take you down a few notches, second-hand clothing is not something to feel glum about. In fact, this exciting industry is filled with many things that will rock your socks off (cue clothing puns).
Any generation’s youth is defined by its streetwear, and looking out of the windows at our Auckland City postcode, the world outside reflects a visible consciousness about the future: Baggy jeans, old band tees, and bomber jackets. Blink and you’ll miss the 90′s inspired wardrobe staples, but their place dotted across the cityscape is undeniable. Vintage is taking to the streets.
So why are kids running to places on K Rd over their traditional Queen St haunts?
Individuality and a sense of self are a big part of the average joe and the way they live their lives, particularly the youth. With clothing exiting its practicality phase in recent years and entering its peak as a creative tool, it has become a significant form of self-expression - a means to show the world who you are.
This is why vintage is a strong contender in the fashion game. While its environmental friendliness and easy-on-the-wallet price tag are huge perks, vintage offers something a lot of fast fashion stores can’t: originality.
Hailey Bieber is a big vintage fan and is often seen rocking various bomber jackets and baggy jeans. Photo / Instagram
People want their style to be unique, and there’s nothing more unique than an unexpected op-shop find in the chaos of a clothes pile.
No one wants to be seen in the same shirt as their friend, that is so 2010. Today is about creating an image that is authentically you - and having the wardrobe to match.
Not just on the streets but on our screens, celebrities are taking style advice from Gen Zs. From Hailey Bieber rocking a Benetton racing jacket with a pair of floor-dragging jeans in tow, to Kendall Jenner wearing vintage Jean Paul Gaultier at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, our trends are mirroring the need for more sustainable practices - both on and off-the-shelf.
It’s refreshing to see vintage reinvent itself as the new black. Transforming itself from a cheap alternative to the most coveted shop on the block.
Here are our five go-to spots in Auckland for a sustainable, secondhand shopping spree.
magichollow
Hailed as an Auckland institution rather than your average thrift shop, magichollow has made a name for itself as the ultimate purveyor of American vintage. Big in bomber jackets, sports tees, and the ultimate 90s wardrobe, street style is being shaped at this K-Road local.
Dotted all over the city, and country, Recycle Boutique has affirmed itself as a one stop shop for everything and anything when it comes to thrifting. From good quality everyday basics to little treasures hidden on the hangers, Recycle Boutique is perfect for bargain hunters.
There seems to be a Tattys on every corner, with three stores between Ponsonby and the city centre. Collecting the largest array of vintage designer clothing in AKL since 2006, Tatty’s has given vintage a facelift, affirming itself as the most stylish secondhand store around with the labels to show for it.
161 Ponsonby Rd, 41 High St, 78 Ponsonby Rd
Paper Bag Princess
Dynamite comes in small packages and this charming little vintage haunt on Karangahape Rd packs a punch when it comes to sartorial steals. Where would you find a Furla handbag, the perfect LBD and the best dungarees in town? Only at PBP.
This is where thrift shopping becomes an Olympic sport. Write off the day, wear some comfortable shoes (and your game face), and head to SaveMart for the ultimate shop-till-you-drop spree. Filled with more secondhand clothes than you can count at four locations across Auckland, we call Savemart the department store of sustainable shopping.
30 College Rd, 21 Veronica St, 295b Church St, 290 Roscommon Rd
