How to Give Vintage and Retro Gifts This Year

When I was writing my books on etiquette and gift giving, I talked about the importance of personalizing the gifts you give to people. This isn’t about monogramming everything. It’s about finding something that speaks to the recipient. If the person you’re buying gifts for loves all things vintage and retro, then this article is for you. Read on for smart ways to buy vintage and retro gifts this holiday season.

How to shop for vintage gifts that are authentically retro

I have cousins that live in a mid-century Modern home and have furnished it to reflect that mid-century aesthetic. This includes their chrome-edge kitchen table and the authentic pop colors on their walls.

If I wanted to buy them what would essentially be a vintage or retro gift, I would start at a resale store with a good reputation. How do you know it has a good reputation? Word of mouth and reviews.

Identifying vintage marks

One of the most important things to learn about or look for in an authentic vintage gift are original labels, plus age-appropriate marks and engravings. For instance, if you want to buy a piece of vintage Corningware as a gift, look for a blue flower design on the front — technically called the cornflower emblem. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of Corningware, though it isn’t the only pattern. Good pieces of Corningware also feature colorful vegetables with French writing underneath and other patterns. This design is called Spice of Life.

It’s a similar process when shopping for vintage Pyrex. Sure, you can still buy new Pyrex measuring cups and baking dishes, made of clear materials, at popular department stores. However, when looking for collectibles, you want bowls and other vessels that are white on the inside and feature either bright, primary colors or mid-century modern-inspired patterns on the outside. 

Also, look for the word Pyrex imprinted on the bottom, in either all caps or all lowercase letters. The former denotes the piece was made before the 1970s. The latter was when Pyrex rebranded during the 1970s.

Avoid radioactive Fiestaware at all costs

I would apply the same process when buying vintage Fiestaware dishes. Sure, you can still buy newly made Fiestaware dishes at popular department stores. However, if you’re looking for a retro version, you should see a stamp that says Fiesta on the back or bottom that shows it is authentic. In most instances, with vintage pieces, this stamp is imprinted right on the bottom.

The one exception with Fiestware is this: pieces made before 1973 won’t have a stamp or imprint on them at all. You should probably avoid those anyway as pre-1973. According to the Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, the company achieved some of the brightest Fiesta dish colors during that time period by using uranium in the glazes. Yikes!

Generations of shoppers driving the vintage craze

What you consider to be vintage depends on your generation. For Gen X adults who came of age in the 1970s and 1980s, those are the decades for their go-to nostalgia. Millennials and Gen Z harken back to the decades when they were born. 

Even though some in those generations were born in the 1990s and probably don’t have clear memories of being alive during that time, they tend to yearn for that period. In doing so, they are driving a throwback fashion trend, says The New York Times. “Much of this has to do with nostalgia for an age before social media and technological dominance, especially among young adults who have grown up documenting themselves and being documented,” the New York Times reported. 

For similar reasons, Mintel, a market intelligence agency focusing on consumer behavior, has deemed throwback nostalgia a legitimate trend. People look at nostalgia as reflecting their childhood, when things were simpler and easier. Sometimes it’s just a general feeling about times gone by when things appeared to be better or felt like they were better. 

This nostalgia could be looking at the past through rose-colored glasses because maybe things weren’t better when you were younger. Nonetheless, it resonates with many people and could be a guide for buying gifts for them. It’s one of the reasons that, recently, one of the hottest trends on Pinterest was planning a vintage Christmas.

Sustainability aspect

There’s another reason that these younger generations of gift recipients might appreciate a vintage present or something that didn’t roll off the assembly line recently. They are known to value environmental awareness and sustainability. 

According to a McKinsey & Company report, nearly half of the millennials and Gen Z the company surveyed said they would pay more for products that were good for the environment — zero pollution, minimal packaging or recyclable materials. A vintage gift ticks all of those boxes.

Here’s another trend among these environmentally aware generations: they’re more likely to regift. As I wrote in this article about the made-up holiday called National Regifting Day, “Younger generations are more likely to regift, with millennials leading the trend. This makes sense, not only from a financial standpoint but also because sustainability is important to both millennials and Gen Z. When you recycle a gift, you’re not buying something new.”

Where to shop for vintage gifts

Reputable brick-and-mortar thrift and consignment stores are a great place to shop for vintage gifts. However, there are also plenty of places to shop online for vintage presents. In these instances, you’ll want to stick with platforms that stand behind their transactions.

For example, there is something called the Authenticity Guarantee on eBay. When eBay receives a name-brand item — vintage or not — it goes through a rigorous vetting process to prove its authenticity. This includes sneakers, handbags, watches, jewelry, streetwear and trading cards.

Online reseller The RealReal also has an authentication process it uses for the luxury items it consigns. The site also offers tips for how to spot real and fake items from high-end brands. You can use this advice when shopping in person at thrift stores, yard sales or flea markets for items like vintage Cartier watches, Gucci handbags, Hermes accessories and more.

At one time, there was a LUXE division of ThredUp, an online reseller, that focused on a pre-approved list of approved designer brands. If you wanted to sell them through ThredUp, these items would need to be authenticated first. However, it doesn’t seem to exist anymore.

Finally, when I used to sell on Poshmark, if I sold something that was considered to be a designer brand and/or selling for more than $500, I had to ship it to Poshmark first before they would send it along to the customer buying it. This is called Posh Authenticate.

Remember that returns may be limited when purchasing vintage items online or in person. Always carefully inspect items before buying or limit your shopping to sites that offer expert authentication.

How to personalize a vintage gift

You probably put a lot of thought into shopping for this retro gift. Now personalize it with a handwritten note or an add-on item. Here are some ways to do that.

Is the recipient big into retro drinks and you bought them an antique bar set or vintage cocktail glasses? You can level up the gift with a handwritten recipe for an old-timey drink. Then add in a bottle of liquor that is one of the ingredients in that drink recipe.

Maybe you are buying a gift for someone who just rediscovered vinyl records and asked for a record player. Along with a turntable, you can wrap up some of the best Christmas albums of all time from greats like Bing Crosby or Vince Guaraldi. The records or record player may not be vintage but they’ll have a retro vibe.

Final thoughts

When shopping for retro and vintage pieces, look for original labels, distinctive craftsmanship and period-appropriate materials. “If it says Made in China, it is typically not vintage, no matter how old it looks,” said Jeanine M. Boiko, who runs a vintage-inspired Etsy shop.

Portions of this article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.