Differences between retro and vintage
Although retro and vintage are not words that are recognized by the RAE (Spanish Royal Academy), they have become very popular in society over time. Many times people refer to old things in general, using terms like retro and vintage, as if they mean the same thing, however, these two terms are not exactly the same and have differences. To learn how to differentiate between things that are retro and things that are vintage, we recommend reading this article.
vintage
In general, when we talk about something that is retro, we are referring to a new object but whose style or design is based on one that is originally old and that is, it is at least 60-70 years old or more. Nowadays it is normal to get, for example, furniture based on the styles that were used in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, but also in the 1980s.
Therefore, a piece of furniture that is manufactured today, with new materials, but with the same style and design as that of those years, will be a retro or retro-style piece of furniture. In the same way, the retro style applies to endless objects, such as cars, clothing, appliances. The retro style has been applied a lot for people who still enjoy the styles of previous times because it sometimes brings back memories of their childhood, adulthood, among others.
For example, if we take the famous current Mini Cooper vehicle, inspired by the Mini Cooper of 50 years ago, we will be talking about its style being -retro-.
vintage
When we refer to something as vintage, we are talking about an object that was designed and built in an earlier era and that has remained current to date or has been revalued, so it is still used today. The term is widely applied to clothing, appliances, even vehicles that have been preserved for several decades or that have been restored and that date from the 1950s or 1960s, so they are still used today.
For example, if we take the famous Mini Cooper vehicle, whose production began in 1965, whether it is in good condition or has been restored, we would be referring to what it is -vintage-.
Differences between retro and vintage
| vintage | vintage |
| When we talk about retro we refer to elements manufactured today but that look or appear to be from an earlier era, usually from the 1980s or earlier. | When we talk about vintage we refer to elements that are several decades old and are in good condition or have been restored. |
| Generally, retro will continue to exist for people who enjoy vintage items in terms of style, and there are many vintage-inspired items on the market these days, that is, retro. | It is common to find that many vintage elements are still and will continue to be used due to their monetary revaluation over time, among other factors. |