Vintage or Retro

It's Just Stuff

It must be spring because I'm unloading my stuff. A couple car loads of donations, recycling and selling.  I was always a bit skeptical about kijiji because my first experience a couple years back was not pleasant. I came across a number of folks who I have termed 'kijiji flakes,' people who just play you with no good intentions. However, I've been cleaning and clearing this and that and had some real success and my faith is rejuvenated in selling my treasures!

What is vintage?
If antiques are things that are 100 years old or older, what are vintage pieces? According to Webster, the term vintage relates primarily to wine and is an altered form of the French word vendage, meaning "the grapes picked during a season." One of its secondary definitions is "a period of origin or manufacture" (e.g., a vintage 1960s Mercedes) or "length of existence: age." 

Ruby Lane provides a much more helpful explanation, noting that "an item described as 'vintage' should speak of the era in which it was produced. Vintage can mean an item is of a certain period of time, as in "vintage 1950's" but it can also mean (and probably always should) that the item exhibits the best of a certain quality, or qualities, associated with or belonging to that specific era. In other words, for the term vintage to accurately apply to it, an item should be somewhat representational and recognizable as belonging to the era in which it was made." Ruby Lane also suggests that 'vintage' should not be used in reference to objects less than 20 years old. 

Some of my stuff is definitely vintage. I've sold one of my 'vintage bikes' and keeping the other one with the banana seat bike to fix up. Yup, it even has a flower patterned seat...it's a future project. It was my first bike and I remember the day Mom and Dad bought it for me. I was so proud cruising around the neighborhood in my 'motorbike' with the gorilla handlebars. I'm pretty sure I rode that bike everyday....for years. It kinda looks like this:

What is retro?
According to Merriam Webster, retro is "relating to, reviving, or being the styles and especially the fashions of the past : fashionably nostalgic or old-fashioned." Retro furniture may not actually be old but it references styles of the recent past. Retro can also mean something that is not very old but is old enough to be more than just "so last season". (i.e., the woman wearing the early 80s high-waisted jeans because she hasn't updated her wardrobe since the Reagan Administration is not retro. She is just outdated.)

So does that mean my wardrobe is somewhat 'retro'? Maybe I need my stylist and design consultants for an over haul. I'm reminded of my g-friend L who had their naked lady parties to trade or exchange clothes and other gently used items. No....it's not what you're thinking, it's like a swap meet!

On a more serious note, the images and stories from Japan breaks my heart. I can't watch the news anymore without tearing up and walking away. It's unbelievable what we have witness of the Japanese people with their courage, integrity and true dignity. I have close friends who live there and my heart and prayers go out to them and their country.

A song from my childhood that is definitely vintage, but timeless.