FOR THE LOVE OF VINTAGE

| by Missy Black

If you learn one thing in this article, it’s that a curated collection makes all the difference.

Better Aged

Really old things just happen to be in Austyn Daggett’s blood. He’s been thrifting and antiquing with his grandmother for years and believes, “old things tell a story, a pair of Levis from the 70s have been around for 50 years and leave you wondering what they’ve seen and what they’ve been through.” Dagget is the owner, operator and one-man show at Better Aged and loves history and things with patina so it’s no wonder he’s been collecting clothing for years and understands having a sustainable purpose. “Let’s keep the earth as green as possible. Vintage is something that’s already been made and already been used in terms of materials to help combat these factories making clothes and the unfair wages.”

A visit to Better Aged will show you the intuitive inventory that leans toward a genderless vibe of unisex items that range from jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, jackets and workwear items. “We look for quality vintage that’s Made in the USA and try to keep prices around 30 to 40 dollars for an average item.”

Better Aged is located at 413 Eastern Ave. SE in Grand Rapids. Cruise through their Instagram at @betteraged.

Lived

When sourcing a vibe, it can be hard to figure out where to get the best vintage items. At Lived, you can shop beautifully lived-in clothing thanks to the 16 plus years of experience from owner Amanda Westerhof. She’s an expert at mixing modern and vintage and loves fashion, good fabrics, textures and unique pieces. “What’s being made now isn’t the quality of what was being made back then. I’m saving things from going to the landfill and these items have stood the test of time and continue to do so.”

The shop is filled with treasures from the 50s to the 90s and started online in 2017 where Westerhof would build racks for styling appointments by mixing in a few vintage pieces. She likes blending blazers with vintage dresses and long 50s housecoats with a band tee and mom jeans and ultimately likes giving things new life. “There was a stigma about vintage back in the day but I’m finding this generation truly cares about the environment. I can’t stress enough how terrible fast fashion is, how much more cautious we need to be about who’s making our clothing and where it’s being made.”