From American football varsity jackets to vintage Levi’s jeans, retro Nike t-shirts and American workwear brands like Carhartt and Dickies, vintage American clothing is in.
At Vint Street, we have our fair share of vintage American clothing from our friends over the pond, so we wanted to tell you about some of our top picks, special items and how you can look after your clobber.
Levi's: The king of vintage denim
No one, and we mean literally, no one can argue with the fact that Levi and Strauss is the king of vintage denim. In fact, the king of all denim. Period.
If you want to geek out on the Levi’s brand, we’ve got a whole other blog devoted to that. But for this blog, all we’re saying is that vintage Levi’s denim is something you need to get your hands on. Whether you go for jeans, a denim jacket, dungarees, or a waistcoat, you just can’t beat the simplicity of Levi’s denim.
From the copper rivets to the little red label on the pocket, it’s an iconic brand for a reason.
If you’re looking for a Levi’s denim jacket, here’s one we made earlier (well, not us personally). Brown stitching, faded details throughout and the red tag, of course. Beautiful. We’ve also got a tonne of vintage Levi’s jeans. Honestly, a tonne.
Vintage varsity jackets: Very American
There’s something special about a vintage varsity jacket. Lucky for you, we’re bringing a few of them to the UK.
You’ll have seen the vintage Redskins varsity jacket above. We’re not sure exactly how old this baseball jacket is, but it’s got some pretty exciting details throughout. We’ve also got a few Avirex jackets for you, another American brand that’s having a moment right now.
This Avirex jacket is a prime piece of American vintage. Deep blue with a badge on the chest, a huge Avirex logo on the back and loads of cool labels inside, it’s a real find.
We’ve also got an Avirex coat that we’re pretty sure you won’t find anywhere else.
Never out of style: Retro Nike sportswear
If you’re on the hunt for retro Nike sportswear, you’re in the right place. We’ve got long-sleeved sweatshirts, short-sleeved t-shirts, shorts for swimming, sunglasses for skiing and joggers for sitting around in.
Nike sportswear is never out of style. We’ve got a special soft spot for retro Nike t-shirts. Here are a few I have my eye on at the moment:
- This 2003 Nike Basketball t-shirt. It’s got a ball on the front and the slogan ’30 years of Nike basketball’. Legendary stuff
- This retro Nike running t-shirt, with a super cool retro print on the front
- This beige t-shirt from 2001, just cause it’s wardrobe-staple material
We’ve also got some super-retro Nike coats that look like they stepped right off the set of Air. Look at this Nike Swoosh coat from the 70s and this 80s special too.
American workwear: A special shout out to vintage Carhartt and Dickies
American workwear brands like Dickies and Carhartt have been having a moment for a while now. The items are well made, casually cool and they offer the perfect blend of classic-ness and newness. Walk through the streets of any big city in the UK and you’re bound to see at least one Carhartt beanie on proud display.
If you’re into United States workwear, we’ve got a few bits for you.
This vintage Carharrt zip jacket is a special mention. It’s got a high collar, side pockets and Carhartt branding on the chest. We’ve also got a stone-coloured Carhartt cap to go with it… if you really want to rep the brand.
Or, if you’re in the market for some Dickies, these cargo trousers will tick your box. They’re proper workwear trousers with a section for knee-pads, utility pockets and the Dickies badge on the leg.
Western-wear with vintage Wrangler
No article about vintage American clothing would be complete without a mention of the Western.
Was it the success of Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone? Noah Kahan coming out of nowhere and taking over TikTok? Shania Twain’s new tour? Who knows, but Western is in. And, we’re here for it. We’ve even got a Vint Street country playlist on Spotify.
Unfortunately, we don’t have our hands on any vintage cowboy boots (yet). But, we do have some pretty Western denim.
This Wrangler denim waistcoat is giving us all the Western vibes. It’s got a little ink stain but you just can’t beat clothing with a backstory.
And whilst we are on the topic of vintage Wrangler, the waistcoat would look absolutely wild with these Wrangler cord trousers. Navy blue cords, made from super soft cotton with a subtle bootcut. All that’s missing is the boots and a necktie. And a horse, maybe.
How should you wash and store your vintage American clothing?
Usually, your vintage clothes have been around the block a few times. So, you need to treat them gently. They’re getting on a bit.
When washing them:
- Always check the washing instructions (eg. wash temp, drying instructions and whether the item can be ironed)
- If in doubt, cool wash, don’t tumble dry and don’t iron
- If you are extra in doubt, hand wash them in the sink. Like the old days
Dry cleaning can also be an option if the label says that’s ok. Just make sure you find a dry cleaner who knows how to take care of old clothes.
When storing them:
- Keep the clothes away from direct light and dampness
- Make sure no bugs are trying to bother your goods
- If the item is extra luxury, you might want to think about a special garment box or bag
- If the piece is particularly heavy, don’t hang it as this can cause stretching
- For shoes, you might want to stuff them with a shoe shaper to stop them from deforming over time (newspaper can also work)
Tips for repairing and restoring
We’re all about repairing, restoring and wearing all over again. Just because something’s not looking its best, doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve a second chance.
When you buy vintage American clothing, you might find small holes or tears that you could try to fix yourself. Or, you could patch over them with a different material. For more extensive tears and rips, you could speak to a professional. Most tailors offer extremely reasonable service, from taking things up to taking in the waist, adding new buttons and fixing zips, it’s amazing what they can do. You don’t need to buy new.
Why do we love vintage American clothing so much?
Maybe it’s because it comes from times we never had in the UK.
We were never wearing cowboy boots and riding off into the sunset through the desert.
We were never pulling up to high school, in our Jeeps, with our varsity jackets on, getting ready for college football tryouts.
And we were definitely not gold mining in California when Levi’s became the rage.
But, by buying this stuff, we can pretend. Right?
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