Out With the New, In With the Old By Bekki Stephenson

The idea of wearing old clothing as new developed in the mid 1960s. The idea of mass production was wearing thin among the trendy youths and so they began to search for clothing that made them stand out from the crowd, scouring one-off boutiques, flea markets and thrift shops. As a reaction to this newly acquired vintage vogue the 1970s became the era of the vintage boutique establishment.

We all like to think that our fashion tastes are a bit unique, and vintage clothing is the perfect way to show this off. It's great to know that come Friday night you will not be just another Primark clone. Whatsmore, vintage clothing is renowned for its superb quality and tailoring, so not only are you paying much less than the highstreet prices but you are also getting a truly spectacular garment.

Then there's the thrill of the chase. It's rare, if not somewhat boring, that you should walk into a vintage boutique and every item be just what you are looking for. While there are some brilliant pieces in vintage boutiques, there are usually plenty of hideous things to riffle though to get to them. For me, this just increases the whole experience. Knowing that I have discovered a gem hidden away at the back of a load of (to put it bluntly), crap.

Like most fashion from the street, it wasn't long before the highstreet got behind the craze and vintage clothing became something of a buzzword. Now suddenly, a style that was individual, almost anti-fashion, is the norm, with highstreet giants all over it.

Topshop have even opened up vintage sections in their flagship stores, with huge arrays of customised tees and skirts as well as a limited selection of sourced vintage pieces. While they do have a good selection on offer, they have missed the point, why pay £60 for what is, at the end of the day, a Topshop dress, when you can get an Ossie Clark original for the same price.

Vintage is about finding you own style and not paying £60 for someone else to do it for you. With the myth of vintage clothing as second hand tat a long-time dead, its time to don your comfiest pair of pumps, switch on your bargain brain and bring true vintage clothing bang into the 21st century. Photoshoot: Special thanks to Alfie at Chinese Laundry for the loan of vintage clothing, and to Tony Cosgrove, Chez and Brian from Nortech.

Styling: Bekki Stephenson Hair and Makeup: Caroline Bratley Models: Annie Wykes and Kayleigh Wordebate Shot on location at Nortech Toolstore, Drypool Way, Hull.

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