Over time, I became a lover of vintage and second-hand clothing. Not an expert, a modest amateur, but let's say that I go there three to four times a month just to poke around a little and that I regularly monitor the arrivals on Le Vestiaire du Renard , Brut Clothing and Broadway & Sons .
What made me go to a thrift store the first time was probably when I was a student, during a month of scarcity during which I still wanted to treat myself to some inexpensive clothes.
And without wanting to get lyrical, I found more than that. Oh yes, I found so much more there... Oh boy, that was lyrical!
Brief. I found stories there. I like seeing stories in the cinema, reading them, telling them, hearing them and above all imagining them. And clothes too can be storytellers. When you enter a thrift store, you have to listen carefully, pay attention to the buzzing of the racks and the piles.
That's what I prefer, I think.
That, and of course digging deep into a huge pile of second-hand clothes, with hands like a shovel, and pulling out the one that suits me, the one that had escaped the others and the only one that was really worth it.
This is why I chose to talk about it in this format of Editorial Nuggets. Because these are real finds for me. And I know there are still many gems waiting to be found.
Do you see what state this leaves my clothes in? Out of five items of clothing, four come from a thrift store.
The legendary Levi's 501
Men's wardrobe is full of legends and those who love style often indulge in a bit of nostalgia. The Levi's 501 is one of these legends. And I, who love the aesthetic of the 50s and films with thugs in denim like those that show Marlon Brando or James Dean, I couldn't not have one.
And besides, the cut suits me. One more reason.
Last summer, I had already found a 501 in a Left Bank thrift store in Paris, but the poor thing cracked in the crotch right before winter. 30 euros and four months of good and loyal service. It holds up. Knowing that I carried it as much as I could. And more.
This time, I went to Le Vif, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. Why this store? Because it specializes in American sportswear and is set up by Gauthier Borsarello, whom we appreciate at BonneGueule for his erudition about vintage.
In addition to a warm, cool welcome at Le Vif, I found my 501 and a Pendleton overshirt in military green wool with a houndstooth pattern with a little yellow in the pattern. Superb but a little short for me. Let's move on.
The price of these jeans: 95 euros. It's expensive. But this one is made in USA with the mention WPL-423 which confirms its origin. If I believe what I read on the internet, this mention gives no indication of the production date. And that's a shame.
I looked at the crotch. It looks solid. Ok, I'll try the made in USA.
The cut is appreciated at first glance. For me who have slightly developed thighs, it's perfect. Oh yes, by the way, that makes me think that we shouldn't trust the label so much, the size indicated on it, I mean . This is indicated W34, but its measurement by Le Vif gives instead a W32. Here I am reassured.
Additionally, the waist is higher than most jeans currently on the market, which suits my legs which are shorter than the trunk. There is a not too bad article that tells you about the placement of pants on your waist depending on your body type . If you want to delve deeper into the subject, this may be helpful to you.
The hand of the fabric is soft, it is comfortable to wear. And looks sturdy when I button it.
Oh yes, something else. You should remember to wash such jeans regularly . Without exaggerating of course, letting it soak from time to time is sufficient. Because giving water to the canvas is a good idea, because it is old and without water it becomes very dry and a dry canvas breaks.
Concerning the fading, it is not too marked. That's what I wanted. However, we can distinguish the light whiskers which run along the web at the level of the pelvis. And then the whiter knees, and above all, what I like the most and which must have a name that I don't know: on the hem that I returned the waves of wear on the border . I like that.
This summer, I will wear it with a white t-shirt and loafers or Van's like here. This will be my main outfit. Let those who wear jackets in summer tell me their secret.
A Henry Cotton's field jacket
The color is correct in this photo.
I didn't find it with my eyes but with my hand.
What I like to do in thrift stores is let myself be guided by the sensation that the fabric my hand falls on gives me. In thrift stores you can find a lot of fabrics that contain polyester and these fabrics are rougher, less flexible, less pleasant.
So my hand stopped on this cotton fabric. He was simply gentler than the others. I took it out of its overloaded rack to discover a pretty jacket, in an attractive, military-inspired color. This is the second level of reading. At this point, I am convinced that it is easily portable. It still has to be my size. The force of the war. Immense frustrations in the darkness of thrift stores.
It's medium. I'm jubilant. I pass it. A little tight when I zip it up but, as it's for the warmer seasons, to wear with a shirt or t-shirt it will be fine. At 70 euros, it suits me.
I don't stop there, I study it more closely.
Closer. The color is a little burnt by the light. But we can at least admire this beautiful, slightly crooked chest pocket.
It is inspired by the M-43 and the M-51 ,
To make it less military, the brand has chosen to omit the drawstring at the waist, the shoulder pads and to remove a pocket. This last choice gives the jacket charm, I think, by unbalancing the too precise symmetry and destabilizing the eye a little.
I was already sure I would take it when a small detail caught my attention.
"Ah but there are stains inside... but no, it's inscriptions."
I see two Chinese signs and my mind goes spinning. Is this an indication of a hidden treasure somewhere in the world? A love note written on a jacket given to your loved one? The mark of the Chinese mafia, like a death threat to the wearer of this jacket who would no longer be in this world?
After long documented investigations, with the help of my Mandarin-speaking sidekick David, and not without a certain emotion, I am able to reveal to you that... we did not find what that meant.
Disappointment.
But all the same, in my eyes it makes the piece truly unique and, even if it is probably just the name of its previous owner, I go to the checkout and perpetuate the legend (however small it may be) of this piece that I appropriate it.
A Medici silk scarf
No retouching eh, the colors are more like these.
Already, with bandanas there is something to have fun with. You have to see Squarzi as he wears them, and before him Charles Branson and John Wayne in the Westerns. Again, this is a piece with a story that I would like to tell you one day in an article.
But for a few months now, I have been wearing silk scarves with even more enthusiasm. And, even if I would love to buy some from Drake's , Turnbull & Asser or even Hermès and so on, this one comes from Kiliwatch in Paris, cost me 15 euros, is 100% silk and was made in Italy.
Unbeatable.
In fact, I have three in total now. This one is the latest in the collection and, even if it is quite daring in style, it can be easily worn with a navy blue round-neck sweater (this one comes from Paris Yorker). It’s fast becoming a stylistic signature. Just as a jacket appears bare when worn without a pocket, so does a neck sometimes without a scarf or collar.
It's difficult though because it's really precious, very feminine and it stands out in the clothing landscape that surrounds us.
The colors are magnificent. Especially fuchsia. And this imprecise, rich and vibrant drawing.
Here too, you should be careful to choose those that contain plastic materials because, right next to the skin, it is not pleasant and makes you hot. Silk is cool in summer and warm in winter, it seems.
Foraging can only be done alone or accompanied by a person who understands the fire that animates those who search.
For some people, it is inconceivable to buy clothes that are not new. They would feel like they were slipping into someone else's soiled sheets.
I can understand.
I don't like sleeping in a dirty bed any more than they do. No more than brushing my teeth with someone else's brush. However, and they know it very well, the detergent power of our household products is able to remove dirt and foreign bodies. I do not see the problem.
It's something else that repels them, or at least prevents them. But now is not really the time to get mixed up in risky theories.
For my part, I think that vintage is a wonderful opportunity to find affordable and good quality pieces. That, on the other hand, it makes it possible to give a second life to forgotten clothes and thus avoid overproduction . And, to finish, to tell and tell ourselves the story with a small "h" of these particular pieces and, with it, that of the great moments of our History, with a capital "h" this time.
