5 Reasons to buy vintage

I am often asked by non-loving vintage friends why I want to fill my home with “second-hand stuff”. Well in fact there are so many reasons why I choose to style my home and indeed my life with vintage but here are my top 5.

1. IT’S QUALITY

Just think, that 1950s dress or that 1960s coffee table you love has really stood the test of time. It was beautiful then and it still is now. And why? Because it was well made, often in the UK, by crafts people who really cared about the item they were making. The materials on that vintage dress were thicker, it was lined properly, and the cut was classic. That coffee table was made from solid wood, lovingly created by people who were trained properly and spent their whole lives making furniture. Do you think the modern equivalents will be still looking good in 2070 for our great grandkids to use?

2. IT’S ETHICAL

Not only are these items better made therefore likely to last longer, you are re-using them. Your recycling means that we not sending these beautiful things to land fill sites to literally hang about for years, not being loved and adding to the pollution. You are investing in items made in the UK too…the less we buy mass-produced items from the Far East the better. Less fuel, less air pollution, less cheap labour. Plus these items have a history to them, they have been preloved, mended when they broke rather than simply thrown away like we all seem to do with most things these days.

3. IT’S SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES

Vintage shops are independent, small businesses that need our support. They care about their customers, they create environments that are welcoming and personal, that you want to go to. And that you return to. They are experts in their stock, they often know the provenance of the item you are buying and they definitely can advise you on how to care for it when you leave the shop. Online vintage businesses work tirelessly, often on their own at home, visiting the post office daily to make sure you get your parcel quickly. They answer your questions 24/7 because they care. Now that’s something you can’t say about most big businesses can you?

4. IT’S INDIVIDUAL

I personally don’t want to dress like a clone. I don’t want to live in a magnolia shell with meaningless canvas prints on the wall and fake flowers in my single vase. I want to surround myself with things I love, that say something about me and my style. I want to have fun! I want to do what I want and not what I’m told to do by magazines. I love the freedom of not worrying about conforming and simply choosing a saucepan because I love it! Imagine going to a shop and falling in love with a saucepan because it looks great rather than just for its practical benefits…well that’s what i do!

5. IT’S DARN COOL

This is obvious to us vintage lovers but not to everyone. I think most people actually look on and wish they were more confident with their style. When was the last time a new trend was even a new trend anyway? Retailers and designers have constantly looked to the past for inspiration so why not ditch the modern and embrace the real thing. And look darn cool. Or live in a cool pad. Period.

 

Agree? Disagree? Why do you love vintage?

(disclaimer)