How to estimate the age of a vintage piece

"What era is it from?", one of the most frequent questions in the boutique. Exact dating is always approximate, but there are clues that will get you closer to the answer without the need for a catalog or an expert.

Labels: the richest source of information The label will reveal the country of origin, manufacturer, composition and care, and each of these details can be dated. "Made in USA", after 1971 this designation had to be exact (before that "USA" was enough). "Made in West Germany", the piece dates from before 1990. Composition without percentages, older pieces only listed the material without the exact percentage: "100% Wool" without anything else is typical of the 60s and 70s. Symbols of care, international pictograms (bathtub, iron, triangle) were introduced in Europe in the 1970s; older labels have care only verbally or not at all.

Zips as a dating aid Talon zips, an American zipper manufacturer, active until about the 1960s. The piece with the Talon zip is

probably pre-war or 1950s. Conmar, a similarly old manufacturer. YKK, a Japanese manufacturer, dominant from the 1960s to today. The YKK zip doesn't rule out an old piece, but the above strongly dates it.

Cuts and proportions in the time of the 1950s: accentuated waist (for women), narrow shoulders (for men). 60s: mod cuts, short lengths, geometry. 1970s: flared pants, big lapels, bold patterns. 80s: power shoulders, oversized, bold colors. 90s: minimalist cuts, dark colors, grunge layers. Assigning a piece to a decade by cut is a quick reference method.

Where to find more Vintage labels database online (Vintage Fashion Guild Label Resource, Collector's Weekly), free and very detailed. Instagram communities focused on vintage dating. And of course, ask us at the store.