Vintage men’s style encompasses a wide range. Let’s break it down to figure out what style elements you might like to incorporate into your wardrobe from the past.
We hear all the time that fashion is cyclical. In my 30-some years on this planet, I’ve seen the styles, fits, and cuts everyone emulated in my middle school days come back in vogue. Then I saw them go out of style.
Now, we’re right back at the point of the cycle in which they’re ground-swelling, ready to pop back onto the backs of tastemakers.
That being the case, is there such a thing as “vintage style”? Of course, there are vintage pieces. But incorporating your grandfather’s tie into your contemporary-made, modern-cut suit recontextualizes it. It isn’t exuding vintage style in that combo.
What I mean to say is that there are several ways to define and incorporate retro-ness — for all personal styles. Knowing how to do this adds to your dress arsenal.
If you’re looking to learn more about what vintage style and aesthetics really are read on!
Men’s Vintage Style Clothing: What Is It Exactly?
Since the word “vintage’ simply means “from the past”, the term “vintage style clothing” is pretty vague. The most all-encompassing definition is that vintage style is one that incorporates and emulates fashions from the past.
Does clothing make today that’s built to look like it’s from the past count? If so, what’s the difference between that and cosplaying? Does wearing a vintage piece currently in style and therefore indistinguishable from modern iterations count?
Different Kinds of Vintage
Actual, literal vintage clothing is, in fact, from the past. Where does one draw the line? There’s no universal rule. However, if it’s 20 years old or older, most stores would qualify it.
If a garment is made to look like it’s from the past, it’s a piece of vintage-style clothing. It’s not an actual vintage piece, but I think it counts as falling under the umbrella of vintage fashion in general.
If you dress up in all hippie garb, is that vintage style or just a costume?
This is where quality comes into play. A lot of costumes are “fake” clothes. This means an astronaut jumpsuit costume isn’t actually often built to spec.
A hippie costume from the Halloween store, at its lowest quality, may just be one piece of cloth to drape over your body with an illustration of bell bottoms and a fringe vest on it.
Those are costumes.
What about an actual vintage-style suede fringe vest and bell bottoms, fully crafted to be worn as proper clothes? Well, you can call it both a costume and actual clothing. Another term for it would be “repro”, short for reproduction. And, of course, there are gray areas between the two extremes.
And finally, what if you incorporate a true vintage piece into an otherwise modern-looking outfit? Is that considered vintage style? The answer is that it’s subjective.
Some may be drawn to that vintage piece, therefore making a big impression on your entire outfit. Others may not even recognize that it’s vintage.
So, as you can see, there’s a wide array of ways to incorporate vintage clothes to create different effects.
This means that even the most contemporary-leaning guy can benefit from learning a thing or two about vintage.
Vintage vs. Antique
If a piece of clothing is over 100 years old, it’s beyond vintage. It’s what we call antique.
It likely needs to be stored and maintained in a restorative way. And it might belong in a museum.
Even if you want to incorporate style trends from over 100 years ago, you’re likely better off going for reproductions, as actual pieces might be too delicate.
Vintage Look for Guys: Key Pieces per Era
Depending on which past era you’re trying to channel, you might want to consider some of these essential pieces.
The Aughts
The aughts were a mish-mash of post-future aesthetic. It wasn’t conspicuous and was the height of the logo craze.
On the other extreme, the suit made a comeback after being experimented on to great extremes in the ‘90s. It came in all cuts, from ‘70s-inspired wide lapels to featuring jean-like breaks and upper-hip waist /placement.
Here are some recognizable visual cues to look for when going for an early aughts style.
- Tracksuits, especially velour
- Boot-cut jeans
- Trucker hats
- Denim on denim (especially a dark denim jacket with matching faded denim jeans)
- Relaxed-fit cargo pants
- Sweatbands
- Bucket hats
- High and low combos (a t-shirt with a pinstriped suit vest over it or a graphic v-neck shirt paired with a suit jacket)
- Graphic t-shirts with funny, ironic, or edgy slogans on them
- Baggy jeans or super skinny jeans
- Pop meets punk, a mix of preppy, rocker, and even goth elements (think 2000s-era Green Day: a skinny tie, short-sleeved black dress shirt, studded belt, skinny jeans, and leather boots)
- Statement scarves
- Neon pink statement pieces
- Layers stayed popular, a hold-out from the ‘90s (short sleeves over long sleeves, two popped-collar polos at once)
- Statement scarves
- Skater style
The ‘90s
The ‘90s opened with grunge and closed with a more optimistic revivalism of the 60s and 70s, with a futuristic twist.
As mentioned, the classic suit went through an experimental phase. Even Pierce Brosnan, James Bond himself, ran around the red carpet with a suit jacket and high-waisted jeans popularized by moms across the heartland.
Still, the ‘90s had the fun and flare of the ‘60s, along with the anxiety and hope that came with the turn of a millennium. Its fashions definitely reflected this.
- Flannel
- Long, grunge hair at the beginning of the decade, then a transition to preppier, shorter, spiky boy-band hair or surfer hair towards the end. The middle part, Rider Strong cut, was big across all subcultures and throughout the ‘90s
- Baggy clothes in both hip-hop and rock subcultures
- Casual layers
- Motorcycle jacket
- Relaxed denim pants
- Ripped jeans
- Combat boots
- Tying your button-down shirt around your waist
- A frostier, metallic palette became popular towards the end of the decade
- Frosted tipped hair
- Bell-bottom pants were rebranded as “flares”.
- Metallics and bright colors served as an opening act to the aughts, as grunge made way for the return of pop and prep.
The ‘80s
The ‘80s was an economically prosperous time. And with that, naturally, comes two phenomena, each expressed in fashion.
The anti-consumer reaction of punk existed, side by side with the ambitious pro-consumer and pro-economic-self-improvement aesthetics of Wall Street.And, of course, we can’t forget a highly remixed version of ‘50s revivalism (Back to the Future, anyone?).
This is all topped off with neons and MTV serving as an aesthetic town hall for all styles, from LL Cool J’s tracksuits to Prince’s peacock velvet.
- Neon or fluoro (short for fluorescent)
- Folded jacket sleeves
- High-top
sneakers - Letterman jackets
- ‘80s style tracksuits (more along the lines of Adidas performance wear and less like the velour ones made by high-fashion brands in the aughts)
- Popped collars
- Bomber jackets
- The power suit (sharp cuts, shoulder pads, light fabrics, and bold colors, accessorized with huge watches, gold tie clips, and gold cufflinks)
- A single pierced ear, usually the left
- Hawaiian shirts
- Feathered hair
- Mullets
- Punk style (mohawks and leather workwear)
- Acid wash jeans
- Puffy vests
The ‘70s
Each era of fashion is usually associated with a prevailing cut and fit. However, the transition from the ‘60s to the ‘70s was a particularly dramatic one when it came to outfit silhouette. Bell bottoms and huge lapels roamed free from dress code to dress code.
The rise of affordable production meant that every garment could be made in any pattern and texture.
Relatedly, disco fever brought huge platforms and flashy style to the mainstream.
- Bell bottom pants, even with your suit
- Turtlenecks and rollnecks
- Disco style
- Corduroy (including suit jackets)
- Silk shirts
- Watch fobs
- Suede jackets
- Huge sunglasses
- Long hair and beards
- Colorful prints and patterns
- Large collars
- Big platform shoes
- Fedoras
- Punk came about in the mid-’70s, though it would become more popular and associated with the ‘80s
- The hippie aesthetic rolled into the early ‘70s from the late ‘60s
The ‘60s
The ‘60s is spiritually similar to the late ‘90s. It opened with Beatle-mania, and therefore British-mania, and the swingin’ part of the ‘60s, and closed with the flower power movement.
We went from the Italian-cut mod style to suede and tie-dye, with the peacock revolution happening throughout.
And while there were always different styles for different people, the 1960s was, in a way, the birth of fashion subcultures. The standards went beyond simply rebel versus conformist.
- Mod style (Turtlenecks, close-fitting pants, patterns, moptop or wings haircut)
- Cuban heels
- Chelsea boots
- Slim, pleatless pants
- Paisley
- Polka-dots
- Animal prints
- Spear point collars
- Psychedelic colors like orange, yellows, and pea green
- Fabric-covered buttons
- Start of hippie fashion, bell bottoms, fringe, vests, tie-dye, the Native American side of Americana style
- Long hair and facial hair, especially towards the end of the decade
- Suits started with a ‘50s style cut, then got slimmer. To short-hand channel a ‘60s suit, go for super slim pants at the thighs, then flare out with a boxy jacket. Or add a Lazenby-era Bond ruffle to the front of your shirt to emulate ‘60s peacocking
The 50s
When it comes to fashion in the ‘50s, you have to ask yourself something. Are you more of a rebel without a cause, a la James Deen or Marlon Brando, or more of a grown gentleman like Cary Grant? Perhaps you can emulate and sometimes mix both styles, like Paul Newman.
By the way, here’s our list of our favorite male fashion icons throughout time.
Here are some garments that were popular in the ‘50s.
- Casual blazer or sportcoat
- Casual broken suit
- Knit polos
- Slim t-shirt and cuffed jeans for a rebel casual look
- Motorcycle jacket
- Loose but structured, high-waisted suits
- Pleated pants
- Saddle shoes
- Sinatra-esque fedora
- Patterned outerwear in tweed, glen check, houndstooth
Men’s Vintage Haircut Styles
Just as with fashion, haircut styles range in every decade. If you want to really channel a specific era, go for the big trends of the time. These are the ones that most people were sporting, or at least the ones tastemakers of the decade were known to wear.
When trying a ‘50s look, go for a short, clean-cut, slicked-back ‘do or a dramatic pompadour. You may go for some deep cuts, but they may not always register as being ‘50s-specific.
For the ‘60s, go for long hippie hair (for the ‘70s as well) or a mod, Beatle-esque moptop.
If you want to emulate the ‘70s, go ahead and get that hair nice and feathery. Even Roger Moore’s Bond occasionally wore an airier, looser hairstyle than 007 was used to.
To go for an ‘80s vibe, you can do a countrified mullet like Billy Ray Cyrus did or a slightly cleaner but not preppy version like Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon.
For the ‘90s, go for a thick, middle-part, short cut. Or, go for a long, grunge look. And for the 2000s, spike that hair up and frost those tips.
Where To Buy Vintage Clothing?
Keep in mind that vintage sizing is different from sizing today. We’ve gotten bigger, suffice it to say. So, if you wear a medium shirt today, you might need a large when looking for ‘60s or ‘70s shirts.
Do a quick Google search of what you’re looking for and where you are. You can easily find vintage markets. Here are just a few:
- eBay
- The RealReal
- Etsy
- What Goes Around Come Around
- Dora Maar
- And, of course, your local vintage shops, thrift stores, and used clothing stores.
If you live in a city that does a lot of shooting for TV, like LA, New York, or Atlanta, there are likely costume shops where you can find old pieces used in TV and movies.
And when you’re done here, check out our guide on how to buy a vintage Rolex watch.
Conclusion: Inspiration from the Past
And, of course, you can always make vintage your own!
Perhaps you love an old style but in a modern cut. Maybe you like a general retro cool look that doesn’t channel any specific era.
Incorporating vintage pieces is fun because it’s simultaneously nostalgic yet timeless. We’ve been doing it for decades.
Are you a fan of vintage style? What eras are your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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