What’s trending today? Apparently, it’s what was trending 50 or so years ago. Fast fashion has long dominated the industry, but with the rise in popularity of stores such as The Lakewood Antique Mall and Flower Child, a common consensus seems to be that the retro fashion of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s is back in style. And who can blame the trend? The unique patterns, bright colors, and the associated music lend themselves well with the current generation obsessed with self-expression. Kids all over the country are raiding their grandma’s closets for clothes that aren’t only fashionable but long-lasting.
Before fashion adapted to mass consumerism, manufacturers made items that would outlive their wearers. Nowadays, quality materials, personality, and ethical(ish) craftsmanship are all hard to come by.
Thankfully, antique stores such as Flower Child, located on the far west side of Cleveland, protect the idea of what fashion and furniture should be. The store has been up and running for around 25 years, and entering is like walking into a museum, where every exhibit is priced, and each artifact is specially curated.
“We kind of edit everything in this particular store,” Leslie Jones of Flower Child Vintage said, “We have to go out and hunt it and find it and buy it at the right price that we can resell it at. We have to be on point with the types of things that are actually moving because we’re making investments.”
These stores provide a space where fashion is given another life. The shop owners often take great pride in their work and their part in preserving modern history by seeking out those items and giving them back to younger generations to love and care for.
“People would still come in and buy prom dresses every year,” Jones said. “Things like that, winter coats, things that are 20, 30, 40, 50 years old, and they’re still enjoying them, loving them.”
This helps create a cycle of sustainability; when things go out of style, there’s always a slightly older trend to take its place. The process is eco-conscious as people are reusing items from generations past. Not only that, but the kids love it.
“There’s always a cycle with trends,” student Talullah Taylor said. “80s and 90s specifically are really bright and colorful and very distinctive in a way that I think people my age really enjoy.”
The role of antique stores is to push these items into the hands of kids who love vintage since not everyone has a cool older brother or aunt who can provide this.
“It’s sort of a way to give it a second chance,” Taylor said. “It’s not just stuck in some random old lady’s closet, it’s getting donated. It’s getting sold to the stores that can get it back out there and kind of push certain things back into style, and [it] just kind of makes those things more accessible.”
However, most people begin their vintage journey with help from the older generations closest to them. Growing up surrounded by old items instills a love for the personal stories woven into their fibers.
“That’s how a lot of people start; they’re around [old stuff]; they liked it, [then] relatives gave them stuff and then told you the story about it,” Heidi Schang of Souvenir said.
As these items are passed down, so are their stories. Each chip in the paint or tear in the fabric helps to illustrate the different chapters of an object’s lifetime. Whether these chips and tears are accompanied by their little tales or not, seeing them can help whoever interacts with the object to feel like it was them who chipped that paint, and that’s something many people may not have a chance to experience.
In recent times, shopping has evolved into something rather emotionless and straightforward. It simply entails going to the store, picking out what you like or need, and paying for it. Antiques offer a different experience. Antiques, however, offer something different. You’re not just shopping for an item—you’re shopping for its story, which is often the most exciting part.
“I liquidate houses…so when I get invited into a house privately to buy stuff, that’s the most fun,” Schang said. “Getting it at its source, you do get the background of the things…you get to know the source of it, who owned it, who made it. It’s more information and it’s more interesting to me.”
But not everything has to be an elaborate or valuable piece of history, like a lovely vase or pendant. Often, the items found are simple trinkets part of everyday life, like silverware or a beloved article of clothing. These items frequently have important and personal stories attached to them and are most commonly given second chances.
“I want you to use this stuff, even if it’s just some common thing like the clothing.” Schang said. “So if I can get in front of you buying something from a big box store, that’s what I would like to see more people do.”
