People are constantly querying what exactly are vintage clothes. There's no doubt that whether or not an item is Vintage is in the eye of the beholder. Essentially it must belong to another era, and most usually because of limited supply, a particular 18th, 19th or 20th century decade that someone thinks is collectible for them.

It's not necessarily haute couture vintage only that sells as vintage, but often just good brand names or custom made garments that are either unusual examples of an era's fashions or more often very typical items of an era that have a certain style and design value, making them the staple of the vintage trade today.

Such items have that elusive quality that made them just as desirable in their heyday. So you may be shocked to learn that many collectors of used quality clothing define items as 70s vintage or 80s vintage. A vintage purist will tell you that anything within the past 15 years should be referred to as contemporary. I have to agree.

One factor that is always important whatever the garment's age, is quality and desirability combined with worth owning. Just because an item is old, does not mean that it is a desirable vintage item. As a consumer or seller it is important to think why a vintage item is desirable. Usually quality shines through. A moth eaten half faded 1940's wool dress is far less desirable to the vintage collector, who may well acknowledge it is a 1940's original, but the fact is, it is still a damaged original.