Hatrack River Forum: Help needed: identifying vintage clothing

This is topic Help needed: identifying vintage clothing in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :

So, Teres found a lot of old, designer-label clothing in a local thrift store and bought it in fill-up-the-bag prices. She'd like to start putting it on eBay, but to get it listed in the vintage clothing categories she needs to be able to identify the decade. How?

She's been hitting the library for books on fashion history but so far it hasn't helped much. Can anyone suggest ways to tell when an article or style of clothing was made? She noticed that all of them (and most other clothing) has an RN number on the label, does that mean anything?

Help, help! We've got clothing hanging all over the house!

[ March 13, 2004, 12:47 PM: Message edited by: Chris Bridges ]

Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :

We might be able to help some, if you can put pics online... I'm not saying I'm an expert, but between all us 'Rackers there has to be someone who understands vintage clothing!

Posted by vwiggin (Member # 926) on :

That's a great idea Raia. Pics will eventually be needed for the auction anyway. [Smile]

Posted by jexx (Member # 3450) on :

I bet you Mrs. M could help. She's a fashion whiz!

I want to see pictures, too. [Smile]

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :

Basically, you want to figure out if some article of clothing is really from the 60's and 70's or a copy of something from the 60's and 70's, right?

Or are you talking really vintage, old stuff, like first half of the 20th century?

I think it'd be tough to tell with things like jeans/bell-bottoms. Shirts would be somewhat easier.

If it's designer stuff, I think you could find out from the manufacturers themselves. If not, then you'll just have to compare on things like fabrics, care labels (some of those mandatory labels came in after the 1970's, and the way they are written probably changed).

Where it was made could be a clue too. Back then, almost all the clothing in the US was made in the US. That hasn't been true for many decades now.

So,...as the song goes, look for the union label.

[Big Grin]

Retro copies also tend to be cheaply made, IMHO. If you are looking at a jacket and it has a nice lining, for example, it's probably old.

Probably...