As I sat, staring at these boxes that read Chanel, Prada and Gucci in worn black permanent marker, in a home that I felt so familiar and comfortable in, I died to see what lived in them. I wondered if the pieces inside were returning the stare through the tiny torn up peep hole in the corner. Without even knowing what was inside, I asked myself, do they crave to be worn as much as I crave to wear them? Taking a sneak peek in one of the boxes, just to fulfill the wonder that was going on in my head, I find a tan linen Chanel suit meticulously folded, label up. As I carefully unfolded I came across bottoms that were wide legged, elastic waste, and perfectly pleated down the front. Then the top, baseball jersey inspired with outlandishly large Chanel C's across the left breast and then the gold symboled buttons trickled down like rain. That was a turning point in fashion history for me as well as the time that I got into deep trouble with my Aunt for rummaging through her dearest collection.
Then it all came to me, at my age she was wearing all of this. The full make up, the designer suits, the labeled shoes and best of all she got the invite to all the parties where she could show it off. It shows that celebrities aren't the ones that have all the fashion secrets. They are hidden amongst the changed women of our lives that can no longer fit into them, have no place to wear them or they are mothers that no longer have the time to get themselves ready like they used to. It's the vintage secret, these women's pasts hold the key to the future that young women wish to live in.
As I sat there dripping in vintage Chanel, because I had to try it on, I wondered to myself, why let this go to waste? In the lifetime of the clothing, it had been in style, went out of style and is now back in full swing. Why keep them locked up in the basement where they can't breath? It should be against fashion laws (i'll look into it!). These pieces should be past on to the next generation, without worry because clothing speaks for itself. The more it's worn, the more stories it will generate. And for those women that pass it on, there is no need to worry about their stories getting lost amongst the crowd because they are the ones that started it all. They are what inspires and creates the younger one to be like them. And that is just a little vintage tale, about me.
Vintage is the new black!
Ciao,
Annie
