Are Vintage and Retro the same?

October 9, 2020 Anh Mai 0 Comments

Vintage and Retro are two words that always go together and appear more in weddings, in fashion, on the website, in poster designs in the field of graphic design, …. They all refer to the past design styles as “classic”. So, they are the same or different, do we fully understand their meaning? Let’s take a look with Enixc!

It can be said that the Vintage style is the style of memories and time stamps while Retro is the “follow” style of the past but still carries in itself the softness and originality of the present.

Vintage was first used in the 15th century, probably originating from the English-French “vendage” or “vendenge,” and Latin vindemia. Initially, Vintage originally meant for alcohol or oil, then people used it to refer to an old car, at least 50 years old – vintage car, and finally, dealers who sell 2ndhand clothes used the word Vintage to refer to the old clothes belonging to the previous era often very beautiful and elaborate. Some people use the term “vintage” for antiques and appliances that have been used whether they are 5 years old or 500 years old, but in fact vintage is a term used to refer to objects dating back to 20 – 100 years (more than 100 years called antique).

Retro is a term used from the 1960s to the 20th century to describe trends, styles that appear in the past. Retro style is mostly borrowed, copied or imitated. It is short for “retrospective” or “retrospection” or is derived from the Latin word “retrospectus” which means “to go back”. Not quite stereotyping the whole past breath, retro style blends between the new and the present and the nostalgia of the past. Retro style embodies sincerity, simplicity, but modernity and charm in modern life. It can be said that retro is a style of nostalgic nature but no less modern.

Seeing Vintage and Retro are similar, but they should go together but should they be considered one? The answer is, of course not, they carry a meaning level but their statuses in fact have unique and different points that vary from field to field. Here are a few areas where vintage and retro elements come in handy to help us understand them.

Fashion

Typically for these two trends are the wide skirt legs spread, the type of plaited belts, leather bags and floral motifs … However, if Vintage is the old costumes still retained from the past, Retro is a new design that is “recreated” like the ancient skirt style combined with the new modern style, so the Retro style feels more modern and elegant.

Typically, vintage clothing was produced in the 20s to 60s, which could fluctuate until the ’80s. The typical designs are skirts with small waist extraction, a wide spread bottom, a short-sleeved or sleeveless shirt, with gloves and necklaces or round sunglasses.

These are the outfits for ladies in the 1960s and 1980s

with wide spread dresses with tiny floral motifs and big belts

Vintage style of a modern girl

Retro is a trend inspired by the fashion of the 50s, 60s and 70s of the last century, ie in the era of Vintage. This is a nostalgic trend, wearing new designer and production costumes but with the style and direction of dresses in previous periods. This trend is an endless source of inspiration for famous designers to unleash creativity.

Characteristic of retro style are the unique and rebellious clothes such as baggy jeans, colorful bohemian skirts, fringed pockets, floral motif skirts, checkered shirts, large plastic rimmed glasses, leather bags, bear pants or Oxford shoes …

Speaking of the ’60s Retro, we can recognize by plastic frame glasses for men, impressed with bohemian flower girl dresses, or hippie style. Meanwhile, the return of fashion in the 70s was the appearance of floral motifs, including delicate, gentle floral motifs to large floral patterns and striking colors.

The costumes of the previous period or including Vintage are inspired by Retro today

Skirts spread waist in vintage style with plastic rimmed glasses modern

Two-wire crop-top shirt, plastic eyeglass frames, large earrings, wear high heels with socks like the old western women combined with trendy box bags

We still use the words Vintage and Retro interchangeably, but note that they have differences. In the prevailing saying style, many people use the term retro and vintage for connoisseurs – to play in the classical style – therefore, a variety of phrases and signs in European countries, the United States, Asian countries like Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia … you will probably come across many stores with Retro / Vintage sign shops.

Vintage and Retro furniture in addition to 2 strange and beautiful, often quite cheap compared to new ones, sharp needle nose. Sometimes you can buy items coming from famous brands with affordable prices, extremely unique designs because vintage currently discontinued, there are only 1-2 pieces, so it is very popular in the world.

Furniture

Vintage in the interior is not the same as Vintage in fashion. Vintage in the interior is a combination of old decade classic elements with modern or second-hand style (used items) … With this style we absolutely do not have to worry about our own interior design to become outdated.

For Retro, this style of interior design originated in Northern Europe in the 1950s and has brought a change around the world. Radical modern ideas have changed the style of design. The style of retro interior decoration in this decade is based on classical design principles, so it looks similar to today’s design style.

Deep color is a noticeable feature of Vintage interior design style

Retro style is the complete opposite of the vibrant colors, bold and modern

Color

Colors used in the style of Vintage furniture are usually gentle, courteous colors, usually white and light colors like cream, beige, nude, light blue, …. Normally, white can be used as the dominant color throughout the room. The number of colors is also not restrictive, the outstanding colors are still selected as a highlight for the space.

The use of colors is also phased in stages, green, light pink and light yellow reminiscent of the 1930s and 1940s.

Bright red, striped, dark blue or polka dots are reminiscent of the 1950s. The earth color incorporates large floral motifs of the 1960s and 1970s.

Vintage bedroom with faded furniture

Deep cafe with nostalgic brown tone with modern space organization

Retro-style colors are different from Vintage styles. First, it is a strong personality with bright, bold colors, using new clothes rather than the faded secondhand like Vintage. Retro is a break with a combination of bold colors or warm colors that gently pastel colors, the specialized furniture will have a unique, powerful expression of its own shapes.

Luxurious Retro bathroom with blue marble walls and wooden floors.

Furniture in the room with many different designs creates a variety and comfort

Facilities

Vintage style furniture bears the mark of time, often reusable items for decoration. You can use sofas with deep colors like beige, gray, use chairs with traditional designs, …

Curtains are often used cotton, chiffon, stylized lace or tiny printed fabric. Wallpaper and carpets are also indispensable decorative elements in Vintage furniture. Popular wallpaper designs in this style are usually bright pastel colors like light pink, cream, and beige. Vintage interior space often uses the main flooring materials are wooden floors and carpets, these are considered good foundation to create the perfect Vintage style.

Unique wall array with arrangement of picture frames, family photos and old clocks

Retro furniture usually has a certain shape, smooth, little details, with the old style of neoclassical tradition. Although influenced by the classic interior design style with nostalgic features, this style is not too complicated and cumbersome. The lines, shapes, colors are enough to create a distinctive and impressive style. Decorative paintings are often contemporary, clearly abstract paintings. For each picture can be an abstract theme or a popular pop singer but in 50, 60 centuries ago or the theme has its own impression.

Retro décor is also a small picture but could be of a pop group or some legendary superstar of the 50s

Photography

In photography, Vintage and Retro are all words to refer to the trend of photography “classic, romantic”. Photos in this style often have distorted, old and dull colors but attract viewers in the same tones, creating an atmosphere of nostalgia for the past, awakening emotions and memories. In other words, Vintage and Retro style photos use emotions to convey information more effectively. Vintage and Retro photography styles simultaneously attack all genres of photos, from fashion photos to wedding albums and especially everyday moments. The followers of this style are none other than young people because it brings a strange and familiar space, becoming a hot trend nowadays.

The photos bring a slightly retro or Retro direction with deep, peaceful beauty

The change in color in the “old-fashioned” direction will also bring emotional change

A Vintage, Retro style wedding photo from dresses, landscapes and country photos

Design

The website of a coffee shop also follows the vintage trend with pale colors

While Retro focuses on the style of the 1910s to the 1930s, Vintage recalls the period between the 1950s and 1980s. In both, the graphic elements reflect a number of motifs, trends, “old” personality and objects like radio, TV, business cards, photos, posters, etc. are a basic part of past life. Some of these designs are also called “retro-style transformations” – a technique used to combine a stimulus with nature that is not subconscious or a reaction of the cold. contact.