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Fashion Lingo: what does anorak mean?
by Laura Scholz
Fashion lingo: what’s the difference between vintage and secondhand?
29.6.2022
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
The fashion world is brimming with terms – the meaning of which are sometimes far from obvious. This dictionary’s designed to help you get an overview. For example, when is an item of clothing vintage and when is it secondhand? Or does that mean the same thing?
What does secondhand mean?
As the name suggests, secondhand fashion has already been in someone else’s hands. Items that have already had at least one previous owner. Whether they were actually used or stayed in the wardrobe untouched with a price tag on them is irrelevant. The crux is, the term says absolutely nothing about the item’s age. Secondhand could mean four days or thirty years old.
What does vintage mean?
The lowdown
Very few of the secondhand items we snag on platforms such as Vestiaire Collective, Depop, Vide Dressing or in beautifully curated brick-and-mortar stores are truly vintage. It’s just a term that sounds really good. However, due to their 20-plus years of age, most vintage items are usually also secondhand.
Have a question? About vintage/secondhand or another fashion term? Let me know in the comments which word needs to make the fashion dictionary next.
Header image: Laura Chouette via Unsplash
Laura Scholz
Senior Editor
Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.chAlways in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.
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