Mid Life Retrospective

I was, at one time, just 'young'.

Then inevitably I became a 'young man' and in subsequent processes, just a 'man' but assuming the sub categories of 20 year old, 30 year old, forties and then middle aged.

If you are careful in terms of your health, body shape and hairstyle (remaining that is) the actual duration of the middle age can be very much exploited  and prolonged and can take you right through to early retirement or even pensionable age.

I have however discovered that I now assume a position within an entirely new and emerging classification.

I AM VINTAGE !!

I have deduced this status, and it is quite a trend setting position, out of casually window shopping from the pavement outside of the greatly proliferated number of shops and outlets dealing in retro and vintage clothing.

It is uncanny that I have the same feeling of familiarity in staring vacantly into the well lit display areas of a High Street retail unit as I do from opening the door to my wardrobe at home.

My adult offspring have marvelled at what fine examples of clothing lurk in the depths of my drawers and cupboards. These include T Shirts bought at gigs in the 1970's and 80's with the same bands coming out of dotage to tour again now, Paisley print shirts which in the same decade were an open invitation to get you beaten up for being a poofter , fashionable zipper tops from Joe Bloggs and other populist labels amongst officianados of Top Shop and independent fashion retailers and even heavy cable knit jumpers that brought about enquiries, when worn in public, of "when is your ship scheduled to sail?".

These garments, ironically had quite a short period of use even in their heyday because they became so quickly out of style. It was the best thing for them to be secreted away in storage or bagged up and elevated into the loft because in the scheme of things and with little useage they are now firmly back in demand.

I am not sure of the actual market sector driving the vintage market. It could be a renewed interest  from a curious younger generation who like to protest against the rapid pace and evolution of, typically electronic products, by purchasing retro gear. There is something quite revolutionary in their perceived world in carrying around the latest Apple product of extraordinary computing power and applications in a cheap and retro vinyl shoulder carried sports bag.

However, I suspect that a good proportion of the market is amongst my generation and age group buying back items that their own parents threw out or disapproved of back in the day.

As I adopted my usual position on the pavement outside one particularly well stocked emporium the other day I was conscious of being just beyond, but nevertheless identified with a group of 40 something males like myself but a bit more furtive and dodgy for all that.

I observed their brash accosting of young kids intent on entering the premises and with some sort of negotiation and transaction taking place between the parties. A typical overheard conversation was

"Hey, kid.

Can you go in and buy me some retro-clothing, original Lacoste or Kappa, size XXL?

I have the money and you can keep the change

I can't do it myself as I'm over-aged"