All Things Vintage: Vintage vs. Second Hand

Vintage vs. Secondhand: What's what?

Hardly a question we hear more often: "What's actually the difference between vintage and secondhand?" We'll explain it to you! To differentiate the two terms, let's first look at them individually. Spoiler alert: If you don't want to dive too deep into the vintage world, you'll find a practical summary at the end of the article.

This is Second Hand

"Second Hand Clothing" is partly explained by its English translation: It is "clothing from a second hand". The items have therefore already had previous owners and may have already been worn. The period from which a piece of clothing originates is completely irrelevant for second-hand items: If you bought a pair of trousers this morning, tried them on once, and then passed them on to someone else, they are already second-hand – they have passed through two (or more) hands.

Second-hand clothing offers two advantages: You can save money and no new clothing needs to be produced extra. You can find it in second-hand shops, which exist in every major city. However, you should bring some time with you: The selection is often somewhat arbitrary, and anything from baby clothes to XXXL grandpa trousers can be found. Treasures can occasionally be found here too – but you need a lot of patience and luck.

This is Vintage

"Vintage" can be translated as "year" and "old," among other things. Which brings us to the first major difference from second-hand: For something to be vintage, it must be at least 20 years old.

The term "vintage" doesn't say anything about the condition of a piece: A vintage piece can be worn out or in perfect, like-new condition. For example, if we unearth old stock of caps from the 90s during our treasure hunt – still with price tags on them – they are vintage due to their age. But they are not second-hand: In this case, they come directly from old warehouses to our shop after our quality selection. They have therefore never been worn and have not passed through the "hand" of a customer.

Vintage: Fewer resources, more quality

Vintage can also protect the environment because it uses existing clothing (instead of supporting the production of new items). Another bonus of vintage: If clothing (in worn condition) has already survived a period of at least 20 years well, that definitely speaks for better quality than that of today's items. And it's true: clothing used to be often processed with higher quality, so that it would last longer.

Where to find Vintage

We'll get to the topic of "price" right after the question of "where": Vintage clothing can be found online, but also slowly in some stores in this country – for example, in Mannheim in our store. The big difference to second-hand shops is the selection: Vintage stores exclusively offer vintage pieces. Nothing smells musty (as can happen in second-hand shops). And in a vintage store, a pre-selection has already taken place: You won't find the grandpa trousers mentioned earlier here, but only fine, selected pieces.

It's no coincidence that "vintage" also means "selection" in English: Only special items find their way into a vintage store. Inferior clothing, T-shirts with ugly prints from bachelor parties, and the like are sorted out beforehand or not even taken along on the treasure hunt.

Vintage: Sometimes more expensive, because rare

Which brings us to the price factor: Vintage clothing can be very cheap if found at a flea market. In vintage stores, vintage can sometimes cost a bit more. Various factors can play a role in a higher price: The rarity – because some brands, for example, no longer produce anything. Also high-quality materials like wool or silk can influence the price.

We often get this or similar comments:

"€80 FOR A USED T-SHIRT?!?"

Also, the condition is important, be it in unworn "deadstock" condition or completely rocked out. A special patina or fade, i.e., the individual signs of wear, can even increase the value of a piece: Some vintage pieces have a unique look and feel that can only develop through years of wear. Thus, the piece tells its own story – we at Double Double love that. What should also not be forgotten: You sometimes pay for the time that sellers invest in searching, sorting, washing, and preparing. In return, you save yourself these steps.

PS: "Retro" is, by the way, an umbrella term for newly produced items that merely imitate the look or motifs of vintage clothing. You won't find such items at Double Double Vintage, as the "Vintage" in our name already suggests.

“Second Hand” vs. “Vintage”: Summarized again

What is Second Hand?
- Pre-owned (mostly worn) - Age doesn't matter
- Money-saving
- Environmentally friendly

What is Vintage?
- Worn or in new condition
- At least 20 years old
- Rarer (and therefore sometimes more expensive) - Often produced with higher quality
- Environmentally friendly