Written by BY Chorouk Akik in partnership with Kulture Hub

For many of us, our wardrobe is one of our most prized ways of expression. It’s why the fashion industry is so huge.

We tend to wear our personalities, and with new trends coming out all the time, we use that as a way to reinvent or reinforce who we are.

So, we asked our discord community this week what the oldest piece of clothing they own is and what kind of confidence does it give them creatively? These were their personal vintage stories:

The Classic Staple

Almost all of us have that staple classic piece that never goes out of style.

Whether you finally found your perfect white tee, the perfect dress shoes, or the perfect pair of jeans you know it will always look good and make you feel good.

That’s why some of our members elected to share their favorite classic piece as their oldest and most reliable.

“I have a polo shirt that I copped back in 2005 that I wear all the time whether it's going out or just going to lift in the gym. It's a classic polo bear shirt so it is timeless and it'll never go out of style but it's been me. It makes me feel like I am who I am confidently.”

– Bryan

The Re-coppable

You know you’re going to buy this clothing item again and again. You’ll first wear it to death then resurrect it in your next shopping cart.

For many people, this is your air force 1s, your converse sneakers, your leather jacket your denim shorts. You know you’ll always wear it and want it after you’ve destroyed it. It's a good investment.

And like some of our members, you might get a different color or texture for that item to spruce things up but the point is you’ll always cop.

“Always gotta have a pair of chucks on. I erase them to the ankle before I get a new pair and each pair I cop reps a certain vibe I’m feeling as a creator”

- Claude

The Nostalgic

Sometimes we keep items that have long-lived their purpose for sentimental reasons. Maybe you still have a jacket that’s no longer in style but you went to a bunch of concerts in it.

Maybe you kept that stained t-shirt because it was all you wore that fateful summer that you had with all your college friends. Or maybe it’s from even further back to childhood.

You may never wear it again but you just don’t have the heart to throw it out. The memory is too strong and too close to home. It means something. We all need a safety blanket. Pun intended.

“I have this t-shirt from 5th grade that was too big for me then and still doesn't fit me now. For four years, I made it a tradition to wear it every day on my birthday. Can't say I wear it anymore, but whenever I see it, it reminds me to stay young/creative.”

– Serge

Inspiring Bling Bling

We often get and keep things to remind us of what’s important. Some of us get tattooed special quotes, others meditate with affirmations every morning, and still, others wear their inspirations and values.

An accessory that you wear every day often does the trick. Whether it’s an old school locket, a commemorative ring or a beaded bracelet with special significance we can all do with some personal good luck charms to help us through the day.

“I have a pendant on a chain that I wear every now and then. I've had the pendant since 2nd grade and have replaced the chain a few times. It reminds me of what I’m working for and keeps me centered”

- Nidgel

The DIY Piece

As creatives, it's expected that we would expend our artistry to our clothing. Whether it’s a jacket with added patches, a fully DIY’d pair of pants or a tailored to perfection shirt, we’re always putting our stamp on things.

In that light, our resident style guru shared his oldest piece and everything it’s been through.

“I have these pair of ashy-6lack HM jeans I bought back in HS that I still wear today. They are very worn so people tend to think they are an expensive high end brand, when in fact, they cost me about $15 to $30 tops."

"H&M likely used better materials roughly 15 years ago when I bought them. Those jeans have been worn, tailored, worn some more, then tailored again, so much that they fit like a glove (perfect) and have the rips hype beast die for - including a crotch rip that I'm fine with."

"They don't make me feel young for anything, they actually make me feel complete like I planted the tree 20 years ago rather than yesterday."

"These jeans went from regular gear, to what I considered work pants when I work on set - we had to wear black a lot - to a pair of pants I'd wear on a date or to the club because they look cooler than when I first got em. P.S. I hated jeans in HS wore sweats my whole senior year.”

- Cassell

Vintage Appreciation

Sometimes you don’t own the article of clothing that’s oldest in your closet until it’s been through a few eras.

Hand-me-downs might seem annoying and limiting in our younger days but as we grow older we tend to appreciate the vintage more.

We understand that even though it may be new to us it isn’t new to the world. It’s a way for us to remember that things have existed far before we see them and they’ll continue to exist after us.

“I generally have given away older clothes of mine that I have outgrown, but every vintage article of clothing, I’ve copped, definitely holds a certain reverence for me."

"It’s the reminder that that article has been around for 20+ years and still survived, and more importantly, that the conversation around fashion is constantly changing and what’s most important is how you wear it."

"For example, one original Bazooka Bubble Gum shirt I have puts me back in a different time, and like Serge said, makes me feel younger, but just in spirit."

"Older clothes definitely can make you remember how you got them, past memories of when you wore them, and how fashion has evolved over the years."

"I definitely feel a certain sense of confidence dependent on what I’m wearing and putting on some older pieces makes me remember that the topics around fashion/style/what’s cool and what’s not is fluid.”

- Conrad

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