One of my favorite things to look for at thrift stores and garage sales is vintage crewnecks. It’s something I always am scouring the thrift stores to find. When I first got started, it was difficult to tell what was vintage and what was simply used heavily. Luckily, with time and practice, it will become much easier to spot a vintage crewneck
This article will cover my favorite tips for identifying a vintage crewneck.
WHY ARE VINTAGE CREWNECKS AMAZING?
First, let’s start by speaking about why it is even worth learning this information. Why are vintage crewnecks so special?
They are more unique.
The first reason vintage crewnecks are special is because, like with all vintage items, they are rare. Most likely, if something was first manufactured 30 years ago, the company is no longer making that product. This means however many they initially made are what is in the world.
But how many of us actually keep our clothing in good condition for that long? Too often, we left our hoodies out in the rain where, if you are lucky, they end up in a dirty lost and found bin.
We spill drinks on our hoodies at outdoor concerts, we rip them doing tough mudders in the rain, and they carry the stain of spit up from our first child.
Crewnecks are the stylish but practical clothing choice for all the major moments of our life, which means that many have been lost in battle. So when you do find a vintage hoodie, chances are there are only a few of that exact make and model left.
Vintage Items carry powerful energy.
Unlike the brand-new hoodie bought from the manufacturer, when you get a vintage hoodie, you are blessed with history and tradition.
Within each stitch is the excitement and smile of every owner. The light wear and tear that may be visible is a testament to resiliency of the human race.
Sure, there might be a few times tears also kissed onto its threads, but with it, you share the miracle of emotion and feelings of life.
With a vintage crewneck, you feel a connection to the incredible world around you.
It’s often higher quality.
The older the item, often, the higher the quality. More items were handmade in history than today. Each stitch was checked by the sewer to know that it was how they wanted it. Plus, similarly to how Habit for Humanity houses are stronger than traditional, human error sometimes has the possibility of fortifying rather than deteriorating.
Vintage crewnecks are also often higher quality because of clothing evolution. It takes strength and high quality to last decades. Often, only the highest quality products are capable of withstanding the test of time. Rest assured, if you hold a vintage crewneck, it had to be made to last.
Vintage items are often worth more.
For some of you, none of that might matter. If you are looking to line your closet with items that have a wonderful resell value, consider stalking up on vintage.
The higher quality, powerful energy, and unique quality all result in a higher monetary value. The longer the vintage items last, the more they increase in value.
WHAT DOES VINTAGE MEAN?
Traditionally, something is considered vintage when it’s more than 20 years old. This means that anything I kept from when I was a kid would technically be considered vintage.
Yet, many times, we aren’t looking for the dictionary definition of vintage but instead meaning “really old and in good quality.” We often think about clothing from the 1920s or my grandmother’s coat that she still hangs in her closet and wears from 80 years ago.
This is because vintage can be sub-categorized into new vintage and old vintage. The most confusing part about these labels is that there is no harsh line in the sand separating the two.
Also, unless the tag has the exact manufacturing date, it’s almost impossible for the naked eye to know the exact year a crewneck was made.
Every year, new items become vintage, and new vintage becomes old vintage. With all the ambiguity, here are some ways you can tell if you are getting the benefits of your vintage crewneck.
How to SPOT A VINTAGE CREWNECK EASILY
Look for the Tag
Check for a date.
The very first thing I do when I find a crewneck that catches my eye is looking at the tag. If you are lucky, it may just have a manufacturing date.
Check where it was made.
If not, I will try and see where it was made. Older items were often made in the United States, while now things tend to be made overseas.
A lot of US-made clothing may also say Union Made, so check for that mark too.
Check the logo and brand of the crewneck.
If it’s a company you don’t know, you can google it and see when it was made. If the company has gone out of business over 20 years ago, it automatically is vintage. If the company is one you do know but has an unrecognizable logo, you can check to see when they changed it. This can help you estimate a time frame.
Check the fabric composition.
Modern clothing is often a blend of fabrics, but the older the items, the better chance it was 100% one fabric.
See how much you can learn just from the tag! Unfortunately, many crewnecks have tags ripped out. No fret, there are still ways you can start to identify a vintage item.
LOOK AT THE SEEMS OF THE CREWNECK
Handmade items
If you analyze the seems of a vintage crewneck, you often find handmade details. For example, an imperfect zigzag trim can indicate they were cut with craft scissors. Handmade clothing was more prominent in early generations. While I would not solely base my final verdict based on this quality, it can help solidify one when other indicators are present.
Single Stitch
The stitching itself can also illuminate a lot. The term single stitch has its base in crocheting when the stitch is pulled through the loop a single time.
To identify it, look at the seem. Do you see a single row of stitches to secure the hem? If so, this is a single stitch.
Nowadays, most companies use a double row at the hem, so a single stitch crewneck can indicate that this is a vintage item.
In conclusion, while the manufacture date is the only conclusive way to identify vintage, the other tips can be combined to draw a fairly conclusive decision.
CONCLUSION:
Don’t worry, if this all seems a little too daunting, I’ve done the work for you. Take a look at the crewnecks at Crewneck Heaven.
I’ve labeled each piece as vintage or not just for you and even take pictures of the labels, so you know exactly what you are getting.
This makes it easy and gives you peace of mind as you find a vintage crewneck for your collection.
