Good or Bad Idea To Buy Vintage Clothes Now?

[Gabriel]

Hey there!

First off, if you're confused with the title of this post then let me go ahead and debunk any confusion before you continue to read.

I'm a 16 year old male a with height of around 5 ft 5 inches. Mom is measured at about 5 ft 10 inches and dad is measured around 5 ft 6 inches (Yeah, taller mom and shorter father haha). As far as living standards go, I tend to eat typical and get most of my basic needs. However, sleep is always a constant battle at this age for me. (Sleep ranges from 5-7 hours typically)

Given this information and my desire to start buying some vintage 40s-50s clothing soon, is it a good idea to start shopping right now? On one hand, I don't want the clothes for my size to be near-gone 5 years down the road but, on the other hand... I'm not sure if I done growing yet.

If you were me and reading this, what would you do? Should I buy clothes to wear now and if I grow out of them sell it later, shop in the assumption that I'm done growing, or wait a few extra years before making such a huge investment on these clothes since they can be quite expensive?

Thanks!

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Start with ties, hats and cap?

Another thought: if you take good care of the vintage clothes you could sell them in five years. I wouldn't wait forever because these things don't grow on trees. They are old and rare. With time they only get older and rarer. I wish I had started wearing vintage earlier. Most of it wouldn't fit me because I gained some weight not height which can happen later in your life too. But if you are patient and slowly buy some garments you might get them for cheaper than new clothes. At least modern sportcoats and suits are pretty expensive when bought in a store at full retail price. So the vintage option might work in your favour. Plus they are better made.

 

[The Good]

I think you may need to be careful, particularly with suits. Your height and/or weight may likely change soon, which would make one too small. If you find something you like at a good price, then it's up to you. I don't know about hat sizes changing after age 16, but I would start with a hat for sure, I recommend one of the Akubra company's styles, particularly the dress hats. I began with a Federation IV hat from Akubra. Also, if you like vintage ties, once you collect them, you don't need to worry about size. You could also buy tie clips, and cufflinks if you have a French cuff shirt. My advice is to start mainly with things that you will not outgrow in a year or two, and you could also focus on basic clothes like dress shirts and pants, the type of modern clothes you wouldn't mind getting a little roughed up or dirty. Then, you may consider a sports jacket or a suit. I started a lot like this, in fact.

Flat Foot Floey has a great point though, vintage clothing will continue to become more rare as the years pass. The year 1914 is now one-hundred years ago, and If you see something you like that was made during the 1930s, '40s, or '50s, you may do well to get it as soon as you could, especially if you like how it looks and it will fit. These are things that you could sell later, too. I think a lot of 1950s, and '60s clothes will still be somewhat easy to find ten to twenty years from now, but I think there has been a rising collectors' mindset about these things in recent years, ourselves included. More people will eventually be inspired to become collectors of vintage clothes, but I am not suggesting to become a hoarder.

 

[Gabriel]

I think you may need to be careful, particularly with suits. Your height and/or weight may likely change soon, which would make one too small. If you find something you like at a good price, then it's up to you. I don't know about hat sizes changing after age 16, but I would start with a hat for sure, I recommend one of the Akubra company's styles, particularly the dress hats. I began with a Federation IV hat from Akubra. Also, if you like vintage ties, once you collect them, you don't need to worry about size. You could also buy tie clips, and cufflinks if you have a French cuff shirt. My advice is to start mainly with things that you will not outgrow in a year or two, and you could also focus on basic clothes like dress shirts and pants, the type of modern clothes you wouldn't mind getting a little roughed up or dirty. Then, you may consider a sports jacket or a suit. I started a lot like this, in fact.

Flat Foot Floey has a great point though, vintage clothing will continue to become more rare as the years pass. The year 1924 is now one-hundred years ago, and If you see something you like that was made during the 1930s, '40s, or '50s, you may do well to get it as soon as you could, especially if you like how it looks and it will fit. These are things that you could sell later, too. I think a lot of 1950s, and '60s clothes will still be somewhat easy to find ten to twenty years from now, but I think there has been a rising collectors' mindset about these things in recent years, ourselves included. More people will eventually be inspired to become collectors of vintage clothes, but I am not suggesting to become a hoarder.

Thanks for the informative response! In regards to ties, suits, dress shirts... basically the whole look - would you recommend getting 1 set to use weekly or numerous sets to use on an everyday basis? I ask this because I wouldn't want to have that outlook where people ask, "why do you wear the same thing everyday" but for some reason whenever I think of suits (in this case 1940 suits) that thought sometimes doesn't seem to apply. (unless others feel I'm wrong.)

I'm certainly not rich nor defined as "middle class" but I wouldn't mind investing in clothing like this since it's bound to go extinct at some point. So if you suggest getting multiple sets at the cost of a lot of money then great, if not - then I guess that's more dollars saved. haha

 

[LuvMyMan]

Thanks for the informative response! In regards to ties, suits, dress shirts... basically the whole look - would you recommend getting 1 set to use weekly or numerous sets to use on an everyday basis? I ask this because I wouldn't want to have that outlook where people ask, "why do you wear the same thing everyday" but for some reason whenever I think of suits (in this case 1940 suits) that thought sometimes doesn't seem to apply. (unless others feel I'm wrong.)

I'm certainly not rich nor defined as "middle class" but I wouldn't mind investing in clothing like this since it's bound to go extinct at some point. So if you suggest getting multiple sets at the cost of a lot of money then great, if not - then I guess that's more dollars saved. haha

Perhaps I can help with some suggestions. The "look" of vintage can be mixed in with some modern items, say for instance you find a nice vintage sports jacket and you cannot find a pair of vintage pants for it, you can find something newer in a fabric and color to go with the jacket. You can do this with vintage in casual or more dressed up/formal attire.

Another really nice element about buying vintage items, you will learn some of the history of the items and know what to look for when you seek your next purchase. Finding vintage that will fit you is maybe a challenge, but if you do start now, it will also help you find sources for your future searching.

Most vintage clothing is also made with a higher degree of overall quality. The material and workmanship with vintage is almost always far better than anything made today.

A list of things you could consider buying, ties, hats, shoes, a few jackets and a suit or two. Pants. You can mix up things to wear, you know a pair of pants from a suit to wear with a sports jacket, to make it so you are not wearing the same "outfit" all the time. Think of what may go with something else if you purchase the item.

 

[rjb1]

My recommendation is that if it fits, you like it, and you can afford it, buy it.

My precedent is WWII reenacting. People will come into the sport/hobby, buy a full set of gear, wear it for a few years and then get out for whatever reason. They then sell the stuff to someone just getting in.
Anything you buy, if of good quality and well-kept, will be wanted by someone else when you outgrow it. Don't do this for investment - most stuff doesn't appreciate that much, if at all. You just get back a portion of what you spent and make someone else happy by providing what they are looking for.

 

[EliasRDA]

<snipped>

Flat Foot Floey has a great point though, vintage clothing will continue to become more rare as the years pass. The year 1924 is now one-hundred years ago, and If you see something you like that was made during the 1930s, '40s, or '50s, you may do well to get it as soon as you could, especially if you like how it looks and it will fit. <snipped>

Umm, we are in 2024? Or is that that new math I've heard so much about? j/k
Last I checked we are 90 yrs, almost 91 from the year 1924. Simple mistake I think.

And Gabriel, males tend to growth spurt later than females, so you may be coming into that "gawky" period around now. Like the others I would start rather simple, hats, ties. LuvMyMan has some good ideas too, along with the others that have added in so far.
If you can find some stuff now, you can always resell later if you choose too.

Good luck

 

[The Good]

Umm, we are in 2024? Or is that that new math I've heard so much about? j/k
Last I checked we are 90 yrs, almost 91 from the year 1924. Simple mistake I think.

And Gabriel, males tend to growth spurt later than females, so you may be coming into that "gawky" period around now. Like the others I would start rather simple, hats, ties. LuvMyMan has some good ideas too, along with the others that have added in so far.
If you can find some stuff now, you can always resell later if you choose too.

Good luck

I stand corrected! I had as of that post, no sleep for eighteen hours, and four the previous night. I really meant 1914, so I'll go change the number.

Thanks for the informative response! In regards to ties, suits, dress shirts... basically the whole look - would you recommend getting 1 set to use weekly or numerous sets to use on an everyday basis? I ask this because I wouldn't want to have that outlook where people ask, "why do you wear the same thing everyday" but for some reason whenever I think of suits (in this case 1940 suits) that thought sometimes doesn't seem to apply. (unless others feel I'm wrong.)

I'm certainly not rich nor defined as "middle class" but I wouldn't mind investing in clothing like this since it's bound to go extinct at some point. So if you suggest getting multiple sets at the cost of a lot of money then great, if not - then I guess that's more dollars saved. haha

I don't think it would do you good to wear the same clothes every day, so you could start off with a nice suit to wear sometimes, and then get a second suit. Eventually, you could have three, four, or more later on. I think you could hold off on more than two suits until you are 20, or so. Buying several dress shirts and pants is, next to getting a good hat to get you started, probably the best thing you could do now. I'd also recommend getting some ties to wear with those clothes. In my opinion, wearing a tie, even without a jacket, is enough to bring interest to the plain, sometimes boring outfit of khakis/chinos and a shirt that's very common. When wearing a tie, an alternative to a suit or a sports jacket could be a more casual Harrington or bomber jacket, leather, cotton, or otherwise. It would help for the jacket to have a classic look, in general. A peacoat or a short wool jacket looks good with ties, too.

As for some more thoughts, I would take it a little slow. One thing you may have to deal with is other people getting used to these clothes, and a way to do that is to transition into wearing them more often, gradually, until you comfortably feel like wearing vintage or vintage style (modern-made) clothes on most days or all the time. Since you may still grow, I'd also not bother buying anything too expensive. I think those investments should be made a little later, at 19 or 20.

 

[Two Types]

I agree about ties, hats, cufflinks etc. Buy what fits you now, in four years you might want to wear a different style anyway. Let's face it, how many people dress the same way at 20 as they did at 16. If you find a suit that's a little too big, get it, you will probably grow into it.

Good luck.

 

[Edward]

Also worth remembering..... at sixteen, you'll likely be a size as can fit much of surviving vintage. Hit twenty, or twenty five, and there's a high change you'll struggle to find anything original that does fit you. Happened me, happened a hell of a lot of folks in these parts too, I suspect. Humans of my, and no doubt oyur, generation are simply bigger than was the case back when.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^

What he said.

I go through old-clothes-buying jags. I hit the thrifts and usually come out empty handed, but I find enough to have amassed more than will fit in a smallish walk-in closet. I take reasonably good care of it and I figure that at the very least it'll make good barter material. As Flat Foot Floey observed, this stuff is rare and getting rarer. If you can get it at a good price (and you can, provided you put in the time shopping and learning), and you don't have more urgent demands on your financial resources, snap it up while you can.

 

[Gabriel]

I think you may need to be careful, particularly with suits. Your height and/or weight may likely change soon, which would make one too small. If you find something you like at a good price, then it's up to you. I don't know about hat sizes changing after age 16, but I would start with a hat for sure, I recommend one of the Akubra company's styles, particularly the dress hats. I began with a Federation IV hat from Akubra. Also, if you like vintage ties, once you collect them, you don't need to worry about size. You could also buy tie clips, and cufflinks if you have a French cuff shirt. My advice is to start mainly with things that you will not outgrow in a year or two, and you could also focus on basic clothes like dress shirts and pants, the type of modern clothes you wouldn't mind getting a little roughed up or dirty. Then, you may consider a sports jacket or a suit. I started a lot like this, in fact.

Flat Foot Floey has a great point though, vintage clothing will continue to become more rare as the years pass. The year 1914 is now one-hundred years ago, and If you see something you like that was made during the 1930s, '40s, or '50s, you may do well to get it as soon as you could, especially if you like how it looks and it will fit. These are things that you could sell later, too. I think a lot of 1950s, and '60s clothes will still be somewhat easy to find ten to twenty years from now, but I think there has been a rising collectors' mindset about these things in recent years, ourselves included. More people will eventually be inspired to become collectors of vintage clothes, but I am not suggesting to become a hoarder.

If you could reattach your hyper-links that would be appreciated.