Have you ever purchased any vintage-inspired or repro clothing?

denisebrain

denisebrain

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And if so, what do you think of it? Please tell me about your experience either here or through email if you'd rather: [email protected]​

I haven't made such a purchase myself, but I've read and heard a few anecdotes, and I'd like to know more. Was the item you purchased as you expected it to be? How was it similar to true vintage clothing, and how was it different? What was your reason to purchase the item instead of real vintage? ​

If any of you can answer these questions, I'd really appreciate your input!​
 
I have seriously thought about finding a really good seamstress to see if they could recreate a vintage item for my personal use.
So many times I get aggravated as something vintage will almost fit me.
For investment purposes I also see a use to recreate an item that is valuable that you would not want to damage.
I have a dress with soutache that I keep like artwork. I take it out to look at as it is so lovely.
I would love a copy that would actually fit me.
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Not sure if this goes along with your questions or not Maggie. Good ones though and I would love to see the answers myself.
 
That helps greatly, thank you! I'm working on a blog post and hope to be able to share perspectives on why people want repro/vintage-inspired clothing, and if they have experience with having purchased or made it...good or bad.
 
My answers are influenced by the fact that I can sew - I was a costumer first, gradually got into historical clothing, and then got into 20th century vintage. So in addition to the real thing, I've collected and sewn up quite a few vintage patterns. In your last post, Maggie, you mentioned you wanted to hear about making repro too? In general, I LOVE sewing vintage patterns. Even for non-vintage costumes I now look through my vintage pattern collection for base-patterns first, rather than buying modern ones. And obviously, it's great because you have even more control over the fit and the material you use.

In general, the reasons I might choose repro over vintage are:

- for a vintage look that is difficult or too expensive to obtain otherwise: teens, 1920s or early 30s clothing (because of scarcity, expense, fragility), or really "hot" stuff like Hawaiian sarong dresses (at a certain point, original vintage that sells for high prices - for me this is somewhere around $100 for a vintage item - stops being competitively priced compared to making it myself, or even buying from a reproduction line).

- for an item made in a modern fabric. Not everything old is better than new :). For sturdy, machine-wash-and-wear fabrics, there are some modern ones that are just easier than vintage fabrics, and for items that I'm going to wear hard, it's nice to have something made new like that. The best example of this are my swimsuits - modern spandex blend fabrics, great 50s-look, and good quality (and also vintage swimwear can tend to be expensive/collectible, so again the repro in this case is competitively priced.)

- more than one of the same item is needed. For my sister's wedding party, we bought the same 1950s repro dress for the ladies and vintage-inspired Western shirt for the gents. They worked out beautifully, and I think we had to exchange one based on size, which of course is impossible to do with one-of-a-kind vintage. I still really like the dress we bought for this and wear it, which is not something a lot of bridesmaids can say :)

- trousers & jeans. These are the bane of my existence. Modern pants are too low riding for the most part, and the few vintage (40s-50s) trousers I have don't seem to look right either. I think because the rise is generally so long in trousers from that era it looks off to my modern eyes. I've even tried to buy repro and the fit on those is still wonky on me. To combine a natural waist with the right shaping elsewhere, I sew reproduction patterns that have a mix of true vintage and modern fit.

- it's pretty! I have a '40s-inspired silk dress and it's so pretty. I bought it in person so I had the luxury of trying it on and making sure it fit well. That particular line I think has a solid true-to-era look. I find a lot of the good reproduction wear is often too expensive for me, though.

- shoes. I do have some vintage shoes, even some sturdy pairs that fit well. But generally, I end up buying modern vintage-inspired shoes because it's easier to try on a variety in person, get the right shoe in the right size, etc.

I didn't include the labels/brands of these here, Maggie, but if that was of interest to you let me know.

Jen
 
Thanks for your thoughts Jen...you make some interesting points. How great for you that you are such a seamstress!
 
I am planning on making some dresses from vintage patterns at some point when I get the time, I have so much other stuff to do right now though. I do have one ready to go, just have to iron the fabric. I hope I dont have too much trouble it's a franken-dress out of two different dress patterns.

When it comes to commercial repro I have bought one Stop Staring dress and I wouldn't again. It is way too short in the torso and the darts for the butt don't sit right at all. I'd swear it was for petites (under 5'4") Maybe it was just that particular style but, darts in the small of my back creating a bump is a bad look. I know I'm tall but I have never had such a poor fit in length in a dress from the 50s unless it was a super tiny junior size or a petite. And the there is the issue of dimensions, I have a Lucky 13 rockabilly type dress and while it's fine in the waist and hip it's way too tight in the chest(it wasn't so bad when I bought it, I got larger in the chestal area). I really need the 10" difference between bust and waist and looking at some sizing charts some of the repro out there seems to be made in more modern clothing measurements. I don't really care for the fabric on either dress. I do like my two Mode Merr "perfect skirts" but I would like them even more if they used a kick pleat in the rear instead of the slit. They're just plain stretch cotton pencil skirts.

I'm sorry If I was all over the place in that paragraph... running on minimal sleep :violins:Anyone know how to make a cardinal quiet? chirp twitter arrrgh! Those birds wake up too early!
 
Hello Maggie! I have made a few repro purchases and have always been disappointed. I refuse to waste my money again! The material is cheap (even if the dress is not) and the cut and construction lacking. Not for me.
 
Glad to read the last few posts as that is what I would imagine. Vintage clothing are works of Art by skilled seamstresses. Schools taught mostly young women how to sew the correct way back then.
My grandmother was very busy during the depression and WW2 as a seamstress. She could look at a garment in the store window and go home and make it using newsprint as a pattern or other paper. High demand and sewed into her 90s.
I have several old sewing books and just the type of darts make me swoon. I cannot imagine repros would ever be made as well mass produced.
A made to order by a skilled seamstress or true vintage makes sense.
 
Thank you for more input! I have received message in various forums, and I must say there are strongly felt pros and cons. I'm going to try to represent a range of views and possibilities in my blog. I don't personally have any experience with vintage-inspired and repro clothing (except a few pieces of my own creation), so I really need opinions!

Again, many thanks!
 
I always turn to repro for shoes and lingerie, for reasons of size and availability. I'm very happy with What Katie Did repro bras and knickers - there's no way I could find the equivalent 'real thing' in my size for a bra, let alone get several sets. I have fairly big feet and never find vintage shoes in my size (unless they're men's!) - I even have trouble finding modern shoes to fit me.
 
I don't buy repro vintage. It's not the same.... I have things altered for myself... There is a big difference in the cut. It may be a small difference... But I notice. But I am a visual person so I notice these little things...

The drape of 1930s slips. Are amazing. Can't be reproduced in my opinion....
 
I appreciate hearing from you all, and I also heard from others privately, on Facebook and on Twitter. This has been very interesting, educational...and somewhat hard for me. I chased down where items were made, and actual purchasers of vintage repros. I've written about it in my blog, and yet I think I could devote a lot more time and thought to the subject.

It may be because I have had my hands on so much real vintage that I just don't love the thought even of repro vintage, but I want to keep my mind open for the reasons that people have given me for purchasing it.
 
Late to this, but joining in anyhow...
Whenever we come across vintage reproductions, we buy them for the shop. Some do not want to pay high prices for authentic vintage and just want the look, others simply cannot fit into vintage. I like Ruby Rox for the younger set. Stop Staring is cute, but the quality is not great for the price. Mind you, we do not pay wholesale, rather pick them up 2nd hand. Same goes for shoes, sometimes repros are just the way to go for fit. There is a shop in town that sells strictly repros items and does fabulously.

For personal clothing I prefer vintage hands down for quality and style.
 
Thanks for your input Bonnie.

Since you sell 2nd hand repro clothing, you make me wonder: Will there be vintage vintage repros? Like a nostalgia for that 2006 Bettie Page polka dot sheath dress, etc.?
 
I would love to wear only vintage, if I could, as I think the construction, fabric, design and details are usually always much better than most repro choices. However I will buy repros or vintage inspired for myself because of size and fit issues. I am an XL and well over 6' tall, and I wear size 10 shoes. So generally I find that such things as lingerie, swimsuits, stockings, shoes and boots from previous decades rarely, if ever, fit me. Dresses in an XL size work but they tend to be short waisted on me due to my height. And I have broad shoulders. So vintage blouses are a challenge.

I have more true vintage dresses in my closet than repro ones, but that's because I've been collecting and shopping for many years and it takes a long time for me to find things that fit. And my weight flucuates. For shoes, I love the Re-Mix company and have a number of pairs of their 40's and 20's reproductions in size 10.

Unfortunately, I have a foot problem these days that is forcing me to stay away from my heels and wedges! I'm going to have to get shoe orthotics. It's bumming me out. :flaming:

Jen
 
We sell a lot of 80s does 50s dresses. Recently sold some for graduation dresses. Most young girls think it is 50s...they are not that educated and like I mentioned, they are just after the "look". One nice thing about many of the repros is that they have 5% spandex in the fabric, so fit well.
 
I have never bought actual repro clothing. Several years ago, H&M had a spring/summer collection that was very 50s inspired, but you couldn't really call that repro. There was a lot of cute stuff in that collection though, and I probably never spent that much in one go at H&M as that time, and I still have most of it. It fits, and it looks good. And it has held up surprisingly well. The 50s inspired thing was certainly something that drew me to it.

I have looked at repro clothing at a shop that had clothing from several repro labels, but it all looked too cheap, had too much spandex and didn't fit - and was too expensive considering all that! I'd rather buy the "real thing" then, which might even cost less, or spend less for something fun that's maybe a little vintage-inspired at H&M occasionally (though I don't shop there a lot anymore). Or then sew something myself from a vintage pattern! I have already done that and am planning to do it again. My mom has already made me a suit and a dress from vintage patterns, and she makes loads of clothes for herself from vintage (or re-issued vintage) sewing patterns from the 30s to 60s. She has a whole collection of Burda sewing magazines from the 60s and 70s as well, that she sometimes uses. She likes some of those early 70s Burdas as they have certain styles that she liked the first time around and finds she still does. She already bought Burda back then, but didn't keep them... :)

I have no trouble finding vintage clothing for myself, but sometimes I see a certain pattern and think "I want that", or I have a fabric that I find I want to have something made out of from a vintage pattern. Like the Marimekko fabric I have hear - this just screams for a little 1960s style shift dress :). My mom started with the Vintage Vogue patterns. When they first came out, she bought all those that she liked, because she thought they were so elegant, and started making herself clothes from those instead of modern patterns. She has always made a lot of her clothes herself- only she has now switched mostly to vintage patterns because she likes them better. Of course, she sometimes has to adapt them a little, and she doesn't do complete vintage looks, she wears them with modern and vintage accessories.

Karin
 
Ditto with Bonton; I buy a LOT of 'repros' (that are now also vintage.....according to eBay anyway)....60s and 70s does 1920s, 80s does 1940s, and even 90s does 20s and 30s! They are more accessible, more wearable, and more affordable than the real thing, and I steer people who want the 'look' to them, and reserve the original for the afficianado who will preserve/love them. Of course they are accurately dated on each tag and they are encouraged to compare and decide for themselves.
 
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