How to Identify & Date Vintage Clothing

Vintage clothing is the big trend, these clothing items from dresses to skirts, blouses and even men's suits can be found in vintage clothing stores all across the country. Clothing is considered vintage when it is 25 years or older as it is not old enough to be considered antique.

1. Ask family and friends for clothing that may be considered vintage. A skirt or blouse, dress or even a pair of pants that may have been word in an old photo can hold the key to the date when it was worn. This is for verification of the sweater or dress being classified as vintage. Sometimes this method may not work especially if it was purchased from a family member or friend or given as a present.

2. Look for the care label on the clothing, if it is there the date can possibly be located. If there are care symbols present on the label, the garment could date back to the early 1970s. This is the decade when care labels were introduced. Fabric content labels were added around 1960 and labels stitched in garments gained popularity as early as 1914 on up to 1976.

3. Determine the size of the garment. The number sizes changed to appear smaller. A size 14 in 1950s may have the same proportions in measurements as a size 6 in 2010.

4.  Read the garment label to know the fabric. For example, if it is a synthetic fabric such as Nylon it has been around since 1940 and was used to make nylon stockings for women.

5. Look at the zipper location, it changed during the decades in the 1950's it was in the center of the garment. In the 1930s, it was under the sleeve.

6.  Look at the cut of the garment, hemlines did not rise above the knee until the 1960s, armholes were narrow from the 1950s and into the 1970s.

7. Travel to the public libraries and study the fashion magazines of the past and look at the advertisements, this can tell when fabrics were introduced to the general public.

8.Examine all the information gathered to determine if the clothing item is vintage.