Is Vintage the Same as Old?

How old does something have to be before it is vintage? Vintage actually means "of age". The word comes from the Old French word "vendange" meaning wine harvest. But a wine's vintage is not the only use. Antiques come to mind. But to be an antique, an item generally has to be 100 years old or older. Vintage is used for things less than 100 years. That makes me vintage, but not antique. 

Vintage clothing can be anything from twenty to one hundred years ago if it reflects the style and trends of an era. I still have a lot of clothes that fit that category, many of which I no longer wear, but still hang on to because of sentimental reasons.

A good example is this blouse from the mid 1980's. My daughter and I shared clothes when she was in high school. I think this is a blouse purchased for her and worn for her senior pictures.

I wore it when Bud and I were married and I've kept it ever since. If I've worn it since then I don't remember when - oh, except maybe to an open house my Mom hosted for us after we wed.

I still have a denim dress and an olive green one each with shoulder pads! Again, sentimental reasons - I always felt good when I wore them. 

For something that is not only vintage but also antique, there is my Mom's slip from when she was a girl. It was made by her mother, including all the crochet work.

Grandma Delphia was a dab hand when it came to sewing, tatting, crocheting, candlewicking, just about any fiber art.

Mom was born in 1919, so this slip would be a few years older than a century.

I also had my father's baby/christening dress, but I have already passed it on to my son, who has Dad's name as his middle name. Maybe he will pass it on to his daughter to keep for her son who share's my Dad's first name.

And look at all the decorative needlework on this baby dress of mine - also sewn by my maternal grandmother. 

Mom made most of my sister's and my clothes when we were young. It wasn't until we started high school that we wanted 'store bought' clothes to help us "fit in", though we also still wore clothes that Mom made and ones that we made ourselves.

This is the piece that started me thinking about vintage clothes.

Again, it was something made by my Grandma Delphia - my baby sweater. The collar, cuffs and bottom edge were pink as were the ribbon ties - one of which is missing.

I can't even imagine making something like this by hand. I could sew and embroider, but I never got the hang of knitting or crocheting not even tatting which I asked Grandma to teach me. 

And here I am, a few months old, wearing the sweater in 1944. (And possibly the above baby dress.)

Knowing my mother, she probably had my baby blanket - which I also still have - with her that day in case I got cold.

Am I silly to be so sentimental about these old things? Probably. But I'm still grateful to have them.

There is nothing wrong with being nostalgic.