my vintage guide
Having the urge to splurge? It sucks, especially when chasing after styles that are costly. Shopping vintage can be a feat of it’s own so here’s 10 vintage garments you should keep an eye out for.
Brioni Made in Italy dress shirts
Dress shirts can be quite a hassle. I’ve tried massive mall brands to smaller operations that hand-sew every single detail, yet nothing really compares to Brioni and the heritage of Italian craftsmanship. When bought new, these shirts can cost a thousands of dollars. Fortunately, many old fellas don’t realize the treasures they possess, as there’s a vast secondhand market where you can find them for fraction of the cost without compromising on quality.
2. Levi’s 517 Orange Tabs, Made in USA
my 517’s from 2ndStreet.
find similar ones here
I snagged my first and only pair for 50 bucks at 2nd Street in Berkeley. Finding my size, in the fades and nasty rips that have haunted me on my for you pages and dreams, it was another impluse buy. But this time, I scooped up something that not only fit me like a glove, but also the perfect pair of jeans. Length, thigh, waist and leg, all pefect. Despite the rips looking really natural, they aren’t really my thing and i’m thinking of getting them repaired, through either sashiko or darning.
3. Vintage Nike Court
You got to wear tasteful sportswear, not neon green nike or the plain black addidas shorts with three stripes. That’s why I shop for Nike Court, especially vintage. The logo pays homage to a tennis court, and that’s exactly the clothes are for. Everything from all white tennis shorts, to zip up training jackets to beautiful 90-esq polos, it’ll have you looking like Andre Agassi.
4. everything made in usa collegiate
Old collegiate wear is built well, especially if Made in USA. From Champion reverse-weaves to mid-weight Russells, it emcompasses those preppy looks while looking casual. One of my favorites is this one of UPenn and this one from the Naval Academy,
5. Hermes ties
I told you all about my love for Drakes and the designs of their ties, but it’s a scarce market and overhyped at the moment. That’s why in my pursuit for great ties, I found out Hermes used to make some great ones. There’s all sorts of doggies, golfers and this one of monkeys. It gives the vibes of Drakes, and of course the quality is always guarantee. If you want something with a name that everyone would know but also a bit quirky, this is for you.
6. north face purple label
One of the best outerwear options secondhand can buy. Most of the stuff is from Japan and collaborated with Nanamica, and it’s solid-ly made jackets with beautiful hardwear that isn’t typically seen in the US. The construction is Made in Japan, it’s robust and comfortable. However, the prices are super high, even secondhand because of the demand. I would say it’s worth it, because these pieces are extremely unique.
7. vintage fila
Maybe I crave tennis-wear way too much, but Fila used to do things right. It reminds me of John MacEnroe and Bjorn Borg, with their tight, short shorts, headbands and boyish, skimpish looks. But they also have heavy hitters like wool knits, amazing outerwear jackets that look luxurious, especially the ones made in Italy.
8. vintage lacoste, made in france
From preppy polos, to acrylic-wool knits, it has everything you need for fall and spring. I mean it’s a classic and it’s built long to last in France. Now you can probably tell there’s a tennis theme in this guide yet Lacoste is also a casual brand that doesn’t need to be sporty, it’s also classy. I know several Made in Usa Lacoste sweats, one of which is a red cardigan inspired by Tyler and one that’s a v-neck navy blue sweater. The weight is perfect for any type of occassion and it’s knit soft and form fitting.
9. big mac shirt
Not quite underground but underrated. There’s a lot of talk on buying Wythe flannels, that are inspired by vintage flannels from department stores. Why don’t you buy straight from the source? This is one of my favorite flannel/shirt brands, it’s quality is insane for JC Penney but that’s what department stores used to be, a place to buy quality goods. This one on Ebay above is the prettiest looking flannel you can buy for 20 bucks.
10. j crew
J. Crew had a recent revival of their past, one of Made in USA, preppy and timeless appeals. Although the Giant fit chinos are great, taking the intiative to look for vintage J. Crew can be a reward to yourself. From oxfords, to boocut jeans, it’s a jewel for some much needed basics. J. crew is the birthplace of many modern menswear trends like Nike Killshots and softer tailoring, but let’s not forget they used to make great stuff.
There’s a lot of talk on buying vintage inspired. Just buy straight from the inspiration!
