Ripped Clothes

Women Washing Clothes in a Welsh Stream
Julius Caesar Ibbotson (1759-1817)
Photo Credit: Glasgow Life Museums [CC BY-NC-ND]

 

At the 99 Vintage store in the centre of Winchester, curated rails of worn-in Dickies trousers sit along-side paint-splattered band T-shirts and a 1964 track-and-field hoodie with the left cuff falling off.

"We call it the trashed look," said Jack Edwards, 27, who co-owns the family business.

"In the past I would have rejected things because of a mark, but now we see the positives in some stains and distressing. It helps tell the story of the piece.

His brother, Harrison, 25, agrees. He said vintage items with visible damage can sometimes even sell for higher prices: People are far more open to the ride it's been on - and some clothes look better with rips or holes.

High-end brands are also trying to capitalise on the trend: Rimowa recently launched its recrafted programme, which takes beaten-up old suitcases and sells them at discounted prices...

There is, however, one big caveat: the stain or rip needs to be the right stain or rip. "A mid-90s sweatshirt with little bleach marks makes it look better," said Harrison Edwards. " Spaghetti bolognese on a white T-Shirt? That's a no-no." And Harry Sims, owner of Hartex, a vintage sportswear shop on London's South Bank, said"It's not just a free pass to sell dirty clothes, but for some things it really enhances it. A white T-shirt covered in old paint? It adds to the beauty."

Pascal Matthias who teaches fashion at the University of Southampton, said the concept was driven by nostalgia. "There are stories within clothes, and it encourages an emotional narrative. From the high street all the way up to the designer, brands are trying to be more authentic."..

Mathias said it was also a sign of the times. "Twenty years ago, you had that preppy style; now you've got the working-class hero."

Ultimately, the lesson for everyone, Jack Edwards said, is not to throw things away. "There's life still to be had beyond a stain or a hole if it falls into the right vibe. Don't get me wrong: a Primark T-shirt with a rip doesn't have the same appeal, but we need to hold on to items for longer."

(Tess Reidy, The Observer, 2024)

Clothes on the Grass
Georges Seurat (1859-1891)
Photo Credit: Tate  [CC BY-NC-ND]

Wear what you want. Paint-splattered T shirts, worn-in Dickies trousers, (whatever they are), but please don't say you've had something of a Damascene revelation concerning the "positives" about the "trashed look" - marks and stains on clothes, saying that "It helps tell the story of the piece. That: "People are far more open to the ride it's been on." That rips and holes adds to the "character" of  "distressed" clothes.

"Bleach marks make the sweatshirt look better." Please tell me what kind of bleach you should use? Should you buy it from Aldi, Tesco, Waitrose or Asda?

Will it be okay if I pile on the spaghetti bolognese to a blue or red T-shirt?

And then of course the academic. "There are stories within clothes, and it encourages an emotional narrative ... brands are trying to be more "authentic". Now is the time for "the working-class hero."

The big question remains: Does my distressed, sweat-stained, non-bleached T-shirt with  no holes or splattered paint have a positive story to tell? And is that story an authentic one with working-class roots? Does it have character? Does it fall into the right vibe?