Why Vintage? Why Ha Hoh!?

A lot of people are still in the shade with regards to the joy, thrill and excitement you get when buying and wearing Vintage clothes.

For Ha Hoh!, Vintage is a passion. It is something I have been brought up with.

A bit of background, before I was even born my mum was selling vintage in Camden and after I was born she was still selling vintage but by now had her own shop in Kent.

And now 26 years on, she is surprise, surprise still selling vintage! But now she sells her items online and at the many vintage fairs that are popping up.

Vintage items are a part of history! 

That T Shirt you see was probably bought at a concert 25 years ago!

That dress you really want for your Prom was worn by a lady to her Engagement party 40 years ago!

Those bleached cut offs may have been someone's first ever pair of 501’s 15 years ago!

It is great to think who has possibly worn these items before you and wonder where they went wearing them.

Do you really think something you picked up from Primark, New Look or Dorothy Perkins will still be as fashionable and covetable in 40 years time? More so, do you think the clothes will even survive that length of time and amount of wear!?

Wearing vintage means it is generally one of a kind. That's not to say there wasn't hundreds or thousands of them made, but probably it’s the only one left that is still wearable. Don’t forget the older the item the smaller the production run was, so it is doubly rare as there were less about in the first place and it has lasted even longer.

Vintage is an investment. If you care for your items, the value will rise with time. For example a 1950’s cotton dress sold for £40 5 years ago would probably fetch £75 today, and just think how much the dress would have cost originally and you can see how the value rises.

Back in the day my mum sold a 1920’s Flapper dress for £20 in Camden - that dress would now sell for around £250!

I love nothing more than a good rummage round a charity shop or flea market. You never know what treasures you will find! I started working in a charity shop a few years ago and started a vintage section in the shop, which was a great addition to the shop. I have since moved on and now buy and sell items myself.

I wore a 1950’s dress to my sisters recent wedding and got so many compliments, no one believed me I picked it up from a charity shop!

I hope to ignite the same passion in my daughter and hope she follows in my footsteps and her grandmothers.

As time goes on obviously more recent items become ‘vintage’. My mum is still adamant 90’s grunge stuff isn't ‘vintage’ but these items are 20+ years old and still fashionable, and isn’t that exactly what vintage is all about?