From rags to riches: unraveling fashion’s sewn-up class divide

Fashion trends come and go as quickly as the seasons change, but is the British class system still entrenched by these style changes? New trends in vintage fashion have created a wave of charity shops: hand-me-downs are everywhere, but certain ideas of class are passed along with them. Buzzwords are used on social media to describe the rising aesthetic, making it a more accessible environment to assess these different styles. It seems like there is still an element of class culture in fashion, despite more fluid styles that don’t necessarily require a designer label. Rising trends cause rising prices. Suddenly the world of budget shopping has become a cesspool of consumerism.

It should come as no surprise to anyone interested in fashion that second-hand clothing has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. With the recent acceleration of fashion trend cycles, vintage styles are continually finding their way back into the mainstream. As such, charity shops are no longer the place to buy clothing essentials on a budget, but are frequented by people from different classes looking for new additions to their wardrobe. Although owning second-hand goods is less stigmatized and often celebrated in the modern fashion landscape, there is still a class divide in the way people purchase vintage fashion.

Charity shopping in Britain became widespread during the Second World War. One of the most popular charity shops, Oxfam, opened in Oxford in 1947. These stores took donations and sold goods at deeply discounted rates compared to the original retail price. The proceeds would then go to various charities. Naturally, the low prices attracted people who needed affordable clothing. With the growth of online fashion spaces, charity shopping is less about cheap clothes and more about finding unique, trendy pieces. Part of the popularity of thrift stores can also be attributed to the growing desire to be environmentally conscious and sustainable among younger generations.

Not all thrift stores are created equal. As the demand for vintage clothing grows, both curated vintage stores and online resellers have provided a way for those willing to pay a premium to purchase second-hand items through an easier and more customized shopping experience. In this subtle way, people with more money can shop for more desirable pieces and build their wardrobe to more easily fit an aesthetic. This is one of the ways in which the relationship between class and fashion still persists, even if it is no longer as obvious as it used to be; Previously, class was indicated by the brand you could afford to wear. Further differences between fashion classes can also be found in the different online aesthetics.

The ’20-year cycle’ in particular reflects the continued revival of trends from past decades. In recent years, fashion has experienced a rise of the ‘Y2K aesthetic’, which has allowed different social classes to align as young people scour thrift stores for low-cut jeans, graphic T-shirts and glitter. As demand for these items increased, so did prices. Once again, widespread excitement about the revival of an aesthetic became a hierarchy to which the lower classes had no access. The buzzwords used to describe these trends have shown that this divide still persists, even though a look is more in demand than a label.

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Tiktok have greatly influenced the rapid rise and fall of fashion movements through the use of these buzzwords. It can be argued that while the demand for these products has perpetuated the class divide, society’s perception of them has perpetuated ideas about social class that cannot be ignored. Phrases like “cigarette mom,” which typically refer to working-class stereotypes, have been used online against millennial fashion and beauty trends. These have perpetuated the class divide, as some people are praised for modeling this aesthetic, while others cannot escape suspicions about their background based on what they wear.

The increased demand for vintage fashion, combined with continued attitudes towards class culture, has perpetuated the existence of the class divide within fashion. The reinforcement of stereotypes and the high prices that follow these trends indicate that while the fast cycle of fashion continues, so does inequality within the fashion world.