Retro Vs. Vintage Vs. Antique in Fashion Explained
What is Retro Style?
Originating from the Latin “retro,” which means “backward” or “in the past,” a retro style refers to a look comprised of contemporary clothing, footwear, and accessories in the styles of the 20th Century.
According to fashion researcher Fred Davis, retro styles capture the essence of past fashion styles by borrowing iconic patterns, fabrics, and aesthetic elements from previous decades.
As such, a Retro style is not comprised of genuine creations from past eras but of modern copies that harken back to bygone fashion styles.
In the next section, we’ll delve into the origin of retro styles in fashion , and how they differ from Vintage and Antique Fashion.
The Origin of Retro Styles
The emergence of retro styles can be traced back to the 1970s when the fashion industry experienced growing demand for past fashion styles.
Let’s get one thing straight – Retro Brat isn’t about playing dress-up in grandma’s old wardrobe. It’s about channeling the fearless, rebellious, and downright fabulous energy of past fashion eras and making them our own.
The word retro comes from the Latin for “backward” or “in the past,” but let’s be real – retro style isn’t about looking back with nostalgia, it’s about grabbing the best fashion moments from history and rocking them like they were made yesterday.
From the flower-power flares of the 60s to the unapologetic glam of the 70s, retro fashion takes the attitude, the prints, and the shapes that turned heads back in the day and reinvents them for the bold and stylish women of today. Think modern cuts, better fabrics, and just the right amount of sass.
Retro vs. Vintage vs. Antique – What’s the Difference?
People love to throw these words around like they’re all the same thing, but let’s break it down:
- Vintage: The real deal. Genuine clothing from a past decade – authentic, collectable, and usually carrying that old bookshop smell.
- Antique: Even older – at least 100 years old. Think museum-worthy fashion, the kind you admire but probably wouldn’t wear to brunch.
- Retro: That’s where the magic happens. It’s modern, wearable, and inspired by iconic past styles – because let’s be honest, some decades just did it better.
Why Retro is Here to Stay
Retro fashion isn’t just a passing trend – it’s a full-blown fashion movement.
So, if you’re here for mass-produced, fast fashion that arrives in a plastic bag – keep scrolling. But if you want handmade, slow fashion with attitude – flared, fabulous, and made to stand out – you’re in the right place.
Retro Brat isn’t just fashion. It’s a state of mind early from the 1950s and 1960s.
Retro style’s primary goal is to encapsulate the ethos and spirit of past fashion decades, such as the 1960s flower-power motifs that depict social movements of peace or the 80s punk movement against social injustice.