What's your oldest item of clothing? - YouLookFab Forum

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What's your oldest item of clothing?

catgirl

Veteran

Something you still love and use today? Is there a story behind it?

The post on buying a new wardrobe made me think of this question. Let's leave jewelry out as that obviously is an entirely different category. Also not sure if coats should count, since I have some that are gear and over 15 years old.

Mine is the 11 year old Ralph Lauren dress I wore for my rehearsal dinner. It is a very simple sleeveless blue and black v-neck dress, with a slip and a long chiffon overlayer. It was below-knee length at the time (1999) but I've since had it hemmed and worn it for work countless times. It is so easy to throw on a sweater or blazer on top and be done. The neckline is perfect for me. It does not need ironing. At the time it was the most expensive oiece of clothing I'd ever bought (at $200), including my wedding clothes which came from India.

(I'm not counting the Grateful Dead t-shirt from college that I still wear to sleep - it's 25 years old...).

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37 replies

Latest reply was from Isabel

Kate

Veteran

I still have a number of things from middle school (about 10 years ago), but they're pretty much all gear. They include some t-shirts that I sleep in (and one that I wear when painting), a ski jacket, snow boots, and long underwear. None are fab, but all are functional. Unfortunately this means I don't have many special memories about the clothes, though I have plenty of good memories of what I've done while wearing the clothes.

Queen Mum

Veteran

The oldest item in my closet is a black dress I bought 5 years ago for a cruise. It doesn't come out to play very often, so I need to go find my second oldest and I'll report back

Okay, so my next oldest items are tied at 4 years old this Christmas... a gold crochet sweater and a teal lacy tunic blouse. Both pieces are in my regular winter rotation and will remain for another season.

Katja

(website)

This T-shirt is precisely 20 years old. It is important for several reasons. One is the reunification of Germany, which also resulted in the reunification of my family. The other is that I fit into it again (65 pounds later). So even though it is a T-shirt, and not particularly fab, I'm going to keep wearing it.

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chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I don't wear it, but I kept my junior high school drill team uniform. I also have a vintage robe that I bought in high school and a pair of pants that I bought on my honeymoon- neither of which I wear. Oh, and the renaissance faire costume that I made in college. I might wear that for Halloween.
I forgot to add how old exactly-
Jr. high outfit about 25 yrs
WOW!

Elly

Veteran

Mine would be a pair of shoes. My cowboy boots are 8 years old this year. They aren't particularly high quality as far as price (I think I got them for 95 dollars) but they have worn extremely well. Probably have worn them 1 or twice a week for 8 years, which includes 10 hour nights of CW dancing time on the trail and time in the barns (including one adventure in glittering a steer). They were also my go to dress-casual shoes for years and were the shoes I wore when I was going to have to do some walking or go over rough ground but didn't think tennies or hiking boots were appropriate. They are currently my only "heels" I can wear without pain. However, I think this year they are going to retire or get demoted. They are starting to show the wear and are less comfy and supportive than year's prior.

My second oldest is probably my dress from my junior prom that I recently wore to someone's wedding. It is a intense olive green in a cotton jersey that has retro styling (kneecap length).

Lisa

Veteran

I have a 10 year old black dress from Express I purchased last minute (1 hour before) a rehearsal dinner. I was in Colorado for a wedding, and only had what I packed. After catching a glimpse of what others were going to wear, I realized my outfit was too casual. I ran across the street of my hotel to the mall and grabbed the first dress I saw. Since then I've worn this dress at least once a year, even to a 1920s-1930s themed party! It's hubby's favorite dress and the empire style has made is very forgiving of weight gain or loss over the years.

Maya

Veteran

Same as Kate. The shirt I am wearing now is 13 years old, but I only use it for loungewear.

Louise

Veteran

If we're not counting coats (7 years) my next oldest thing is a dark beige colour cocktail dress I bought in about 2005 I still love it and wear it frequently though I really need to get it taken in as it is a size too big x

marianna

Veteran

Loungewear for me too. I have a Gap sweatshirt from middle school -- it has GAP written in big letters over the chest. Horribly ugly but it's warm and comfy to bum around in at home when it's cold.

Elly

Veteran

Is it totally horrible that I have worn out most if not all of the t-shirts and loungewear I had from high school and the first few years of undergrad? Now that I have publicly aired how much time I spend at home in my grubbies I will go bury my face in shame . . . laughs . . .

Marley

Veteran

Mine is a LBD from Ann Taylor - 15 years ago. It is sleeveless, round neck, the bodice is make out of knit - the only thing I've done to it over the years is take up the hem. I LOVE this dress. I can dress it up with different belts, jewelry, etc. or dress it down with black tights and boots. I bought it last minute - for a semi-formal function for work - and the rest is, as they say history! I wear it from fall through early spring every year. (Its too heavy of a material for summer!)
I also have a black, tapestry, knee-length coat from B.R. that I bought at the same time - it is perfect - but, I guess that coats don't count in this thread, right?

Barbara

Veteran

How fun! My oldest and most beloved article of clothing is a pair of bell-bottom jeans from 1973 (brand unknown) upon which I embroidered the entire zodiac in brilliant cotton thread! I also put silver-tone studs up the sides. I was (and still am) a very crafty lassie. They are so soft and faded and very very cool!

The oldest piece of clothing I STILL WEAR is a beautiful plum microfiber 3/4 length coat which I found at a consignment shop in Germany in 1991. I love it. It has an asymmetrical neck and I immediately switched out the boring matching buttons with some funky bright fuchsia ones. It's lightweight, yet warm and perfect for layering over a lightweight corduroy jacket.

bella

(website)

Veteran

The oldest item of clothing that I still wear is a suit jacket that I purchased for my sister's wedding in 1999. It had a matching skirt that was too short, so I got rid of fairly recently. The only reason it is still in good shape and wearable is because I kept it for special occasions and pretty much never wore it again after the wedding. With the 80s revival and the rise of jackets, I re-evaluated my wardrobe and put all my old jackets into rotation, even though they were not bf jackets. For me, scrunching the sleeves and popping up the collar did the trick. Now it is a favorite item of clothing that comes out to play with boots, a long sleeve t and a scarf.

Kristine

Veteran

Barbara, those jeans sound amazing!

I have a black wrap shirt that I wore on one of the first dates with my husband. We dated for three years and have been married for ten.

Last year I finally ditched the horrible polyester lounge pants that I bought at a thrift store in 1999 or so.

rute

Veteran

I'm not a keeper.. the oldest item I have is a jacket that has 4 years old!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

My Diesel denim jacket is 11 years old - I had it reconstructed though. Does that count? I wear it ALL THE TIME.

I still wear dresses which are 8 years old - red dress in FW outfit post.

My first strand of pearls - 16 years old.

I am sure that there is more, but I cannot think of them now.

Mellllls

Veteran

I have some clothes from high school so 10+ years...they aren't huge pieces of my wardrobe though.

My fiance last night wore a white button down shirt that he got in high school. He had a newer one but it was so big that he ended up wearing the old one. So that is 10+ years old as well.

Anonymous

a colorful crotcheted sweater from contempo ( remember that store?) that I never wear. It must be about 20 years old.I keep it for sentimental reasons. I wore it to my very first date!

The item I still wear, a light denim jacket that I bought when H&M first opened in NYC. It must be about 10 years old.

Refugee

Veteran

That's easy. I have a turquoise shift with silver detailing that my grandmother bought in Greece in the late 60s or early 70s. It only comes out to play a couple of times a year (certain theatre or art events) but I get compliments on it whenever I wear it. Even if I never wear it again it will stay in my closet, as it reminds me of my beloved Gram every time I see it.

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

My cherry 8-hole Doc boots are at least 15 years old. I wore them yesterday so still get good use outta them!!

Reneeb

Veteran

I found an animal fur vest in a clothes bag last year and it looked brand new and I know it is at least 7 years old. It still fit decided to keep and glad I did. They are in fashion now. That is one thing I want have to buy..

April

Veteran

I have my grandmother's wedding dress from 1928 (and her wedding hat and silk slip) -- does that count?

In my own wardrobe, pretty much everything has been replaced over the last three years or so, so there's nothing in there of an age worth noting. I do have a pair of workout leggings (total gear, never worn as anything else) that I used to wear when I went to the gym. That was before my son was born and he's <cough> thirteen...

Jonesy

Veteran

This is a nice thread! I have a few items that are from college, so about 23 years old. One is a dark purple pencil skirt that's a wool knit, which I will be sporting this fall and winter, the other is a black and white polka-dot dress (small dots) that was vintage when I got it 23 years ago. I've already worn it once to teach this fall, with a boyfriend sweater and belt.

Anonymous

It's been such fun to read everyone's answers on this thread. My oldest things are some pieces of jewelry that belonged to my grandmother, but the oldest item of clothing I bought and still wear is a beautiful long narrow skirt handwoven in Guatamala. I fell in love with it in San Francisco the summer of 1971 which means I've had it for 39 years!

catgirl

Veteran

WOW! Thanks so much for all these amazing and fun answers so far! I would LOVE to see pictures of some of these items, especiallly the vintage/hand-embellished items (the zodiac jeans sound so cool). I love hearing stories like these because they remind me that life itself, and not just the clothes, is ultimately what puts the meaning in why and how we dress...

Debora

Veteran

A pink tee shirt in my bottom drawer that I bought on my honeymoon in Bermuda 30 years ago this week! I haven't worn it in over 25 years, but it stays in my dresser for sentimental reasons.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I have a dress of my mom's in the closet from when she was in her 20s, but I rarely wear it (it probably doesn't fit right now anyway). Other than that, the oldest wearable things in my closet are a wool coat (doesn't get much wear now that I'm in CA) and a pair of combat boots, both from my college years. I still like the boots but they're starting to fall apart and be uncomfy to wear.

Sally

Veteran

I have a body suit that I bought 11 years ago in the Uk. Never wear it as it is clipped between the legs and it can be uncomfortable. Also I lost the straps and now it is strapless.....not the most practical of garments but very glamourous. I can't bear to throw it away.
I also have a long velvet red dress which should be shortened and I would wear it more.

Scarlet

Veteran

I think my oldest item of clothing that I still wear is 10 years old. A pair of pants. It was also the very first thing I ever bought that was a lot more expensive than I would usually consider, but the design was just so good that I felt okay with it. I guess after 10 years I can say it was a good call.

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