No one is going to be wearing this dress at the concert you’re going to,” said Jacqueline Whitmore, owner of Copperhive Vintage, twirling a floor-length, floral print dress from the 1960s.
In recent years secondhand has become a first priority for more shoppers, who looked to vintage retailers when the supply chain issues and economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic made buying new less appealing.
“I’ve seen a lot more first-time customers.
“I feel better in my soul wearing something that’s not so disruptive to the environment.
That’s why a lot of our younger clientele are pushing for sustainability,” said Whitmore, the Copperhive owner.
Gerardo, who emigrated to Los Angeles with his family as a child, said he developed an eye for vintage trends out of necessity.
This was the only thing our family could do, buy and sell at the flea markets.
“I didn’t know this place was full of vintage.
Now you go to a Deseret Industries or a Savers or any of the thrifts around town, and it’s full of kids trying to pick clothes for resale.
An example of influencer impact is seen in the market for band shirts, which began showing up in high-profile social media accounts around 2015.
Recent years have seen a crush of vintage-inspired social media accounts.
It’s super old, then a little bit newer, and then the super new.
“During the pandemic, people really just wore athleisure.
“With maximalism, the more layers the better, the more color the better, the more pieces you’re mixing together and the crazier the better.
“A lot of Utah’s vintage shops will share one another’s posts and help each other’s promotion, even though they’re technically rivals in the sales world.
“I love to trade my clothes in and find something new.
The famous durability of older garments makes it possible to keep them in rotation at places like Pibs.
“Fashion is a huge part of how we express ourselves, and a big part of the impressions we make, particularly as it relates to first interactions,” said Lewin, who as a musical performer has come to appreciate the power of first impressions.
And when you take on something like that it becomes part of your character while you add to it even more.