Recently, I was having coffee and cake with my family. I noticed how my aunt kept looking at me. At some point my mother said it because of closer relationship and the associated lack of tactlessness: “What kind of terrible blouse are you wearing, child?” She asked me directly and then answered the question herself: “Is that from grandma?”
There she was, floral patterned, with shoulder pads and gold buttons. It was just a little too big for me, but that could be disguised by simply tucking it into the waistband. “I kept asking myself why the pattern seemed so familiar to me!” My aunt blurted out. There was stunned amusement at the table from then on at my interest in my late grandmother’s fashion.
In fact, I have quite a few things that were supposed to be sorted out after her death, but I secretly saved them after all. The pieces range from a chest of drawers to said blouse. Sometimes I encounter incomprehension, sometimes laughter, but in my generation mostly understanding. After all, the treasures are not only worth remembering nowadays, they can also be bought at expensive prices, because the vintage style is still very popular. I prefer to shop in my grandmother’s old wardrobe.
By the way, I’m not the only one with this idiosyncrasy. In our editorial office, several of my colleagues have come out as true heirloom lovers. The enthusiasm ranges from egg timers and mirrors to cooking aprons and all of them are objectively still (or again) really stylish.
What does this teach us? Not everything has to be bought new. In fact, there are many treasures hidden in our families’ attics. Stow away and dusty. They could upgrade our home today again with a sense of style. That is why we are now advocating – also in terms of sustainability – to keep instead of throwing away. Be it for the emotional or visual value, some things cannot be bought later – and you don’t even need to.