What's the oldest item of (adult) clothing you own?

I probably have older stuff packed somewhere, but the oldest thing I own that I still wear, on occasion, is a pair of dark blue denim Guess shorts I bought back in the summer of 1992. I used to wear them fairly regularly, but eventually they started getting a bit ratty, so then I relegated them to chore duty (cutting the grass, yardwork, and so on).

They're mostly starting to come apart at the lower part of the leg opening, but the upper part...button, zipper, anything that hides the "Netherlands", is still fine. So, I can see them lasting awhile longer.

Oh, wait...D'oh, it just hit me! I have a leather biker jacket that I bought in the fall of 1988, that I still wear fairly regularly, in colder weather. I had just started college, and my Mom said I should go get a nice leather jacket. I bought this thing at Wilson's Leather, for something like $179.00. I don't think it's what Mom had in mind, for a "nice" leather jacket, though :p
 
1978 Down ski jacket with zipper sleeves that are removable, allowing me to wear as a vest. Still fits, albeit snug, I'll wear it to shovel snow in driveway.
 
It's for carrying DIY supplies now.

What is wrong with pumps? I like mine. At least they are not stilettos, lol

Pellice said:
I think this still must have its uses! A bathing suit and towel? Supplies for the pet? I am impressed at your imagination in turning it to new uses.

Pumps? PUMPS? Maybe you could pass it on to some unfortunate still wearing them. Do you still own any?
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Still have my moms wedding dress, which I also wore. It is 71 years old!
Have my Dads old Army jacket, it is about the same age.
They have both been preserved, but none of our kids or the nieces/ nephews want them, or would even use them for a Halloween costume! Still sentimental about them, and not ready to donate yet.
 
A T-shirt for my alma mater's football team from the "glory days", in this case 1990, when we beat our arch rivals 42-7, won 9 games and won a bowl game.
 
Pellice said:
And is there a story behind it? And do you ever still wear it?

I'm counting accessories like hats, scarves and ties, but not shoes, and not children's clothes. These are something hanging in your closets.

My oldest item is a wrap cotton skirt sewed by my mother, a gifted seamstress, in 1968. It was from a print line marketed then as "caviar prints," that were popular in 1968 during a craze (maybe too strong a word) for things Russian that year, which was the year of the Soyuz - Apollo mission, and, I think "Dr. Zhivago" was still rattling around in music and on television at that time.

I was a teenager then , and have and can still wear the skirt, since it's a wrap, lol! I have a number of other items made by my mother, but none that old.
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This reminds me of a hand-me-down short-sleeve shirt from my father. I started to wear it in the 70s, when we wore the same size, but my father bought it around 1968 easily. It's made of synthetic material, and is meant to be worn not tucked in the pants, like a button-down Guyabera shirt but with no pockets.

I did not throw it away, and now wonder what happened to it. Maybe still hanging in a closet in the house, unless my wife threw it away. It was till in good shape, as I remember.
 
Man (rummaging through closet): "Look at this, after 25 years it still fits!"

Wife: "It's a scarf."
 
A goose down vest from 30 years ago, still wear it in the fall/winter.
 
I have all my Navy uniforms up in the attic. Most of them were made for me in 1977. Haven't worn them in 33 years and couldn't fit in them if I wanted. My Bean boots were given to me at Christmas 1982 by the future in laws. I still wear them today. My Vasque hiking boots purchased in 1986 still see regular use. I have a long wool overcoat and a raincoat that I bought in 1992, when I became a lawyer. I wore both this past winter but likely never will again. My newest business suit was custom made for me in 1998. I wore it last this Spring.
 
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My mother was an excellent seamstress. She learned from my grandmother. I grew up with a sewing machine and learned to sew at a young age. I even took fashion studies in highschool and tailored my own coat in grade 12. But I did not have the fine touch my mother had.

When I was in university I found a beautiful Vogue pattern for a formal gown. My mother made it in black satin with beautiful yellow and blue hand embroidery around the wrist and back bow. It really was an elegant gown and I wore it to a few formal occasions. I remember wearing it to a Christmas party the first year I taught. There were so many compliments because the dress was elegant and beautifully made. I always felt like Audrey Hepburn in that dress...the Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I still have that dress at the back of my closet. I don't think I will ever let it go....it is a wonderful reminder of the life I lived as a young woman and the love my mother had for her daughter.
 
I have some gorgeous stuff that was my grandmother’s, from the 1930s. A mink coat, a Chinese embroidered coat - someone wore an identical coat on Downton Abbey! And some beautiful leather purses. These fit.

Of my own stuff, I have Mexican embroidered blouses and dresses that might fit. The embroidery is stunning. And I’m sure I kept a couple of India Imports dresses (that don’t fit). They are memories for me and I got rid of a lot but kept some. I have a beautiful cotton velvet dress that I made for a wedding about 30 years ago.

And I’m sure there’s more... I’m impressed by the people who didn’t keep anything.
 
gloves

Rockport shoes, resoled many times, all from graduate school in 1989.

But my oldest is wool lined sheepskin gloves, bought with an AMEX card as freshman at Georgia Tech 1981. Still using as dress gloves/driving gloves.
 
oops, i do have a tocque from elementary school from 1970. Tassel long since tugged out.
 
i still carry the leather wallet with a chain on it that i got in high school in 1983 every day.
i had to replace the outer leather cover last year as it finally wore through. its good for another 35 years now.
i also have two pairs or redwing motorcycle boots that i bought in the late 80's that i still wear when i ride.
one has been resoled 3 times so far. should get another 30 years out of them.
 
Aside from my mom’s Waves uniforms from WWII, I have a London Fog trench coat from the 70’s that I still occasionally wear when it rains.
 
I own a button down sweatshirt that I bought from The Gap over 40 years ago. It’s been washed hundreds of times, inadvertently left behind in restaurants and retrieved in a panic and resides in my car where it can accompany me and keep me warm in all places too cold. I love it. I imagine it will outlive me.
 
The ti-shirt I wore as a cheerleader in 1976 in junior high school (has my name embroidered on it); the t-shirt I wore in high school when playing on the badminton team (1978-81) - has my name on it along with other various patches/etc; the t-shirt I bought after ASU won the Rose Bowl in 1986 (have a sweatshirt for that as well and wear that, too) - I wore that one a few years ago to a USC ASU football game and one of the people in LA Coliseum stadium recognized it and made a comment...I think all still fit me :)
 
I moved to Phoenix in 1986 and I think I have an ASU shirt from that time frame.

I wish I still had a couple of t-shirts from high school that had my name on the back (living in a rural area, stuff like that was very rare), but my younger brothers took them out of storage and wore them out. Otherwise, I think I have a few things from college days in the mid 80's. Softball team jerseys, ski sweaters and turtlenecks that haven't seen the light of day in decades.
 
LarryMelman said:
I moved to Phoenix in 1986 and I think I have an ASU shirt from that time frame.

I wish I still had a couple of t-shirts from high school that had my name on the back (living in a rural area, stuff like that was very rare), but my younger brothers took them out of storage and wore them out. Otherwise, I think I have a few things from college days in the mid 80's. Softball team jerseys, ski sweaters and turtlenecks that haven't seen the light of day in decades.
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Yes - those things are in storage now....I have decluttered but there are some things I want to keep....I lost all of my childhood and high school items except for what I listed above as my mother didn't pay for a storage unit and I had trusted her to take care of those things....I shouldn't have expected that of her, so I paid the price :) In any case, the few t-shirts I have left from that time are more valuable to me now.
 
A DIY Halloween costume from 1980.

I went as a Playboy Bunny (black one-piece bathing suit, fishnet stockings, spike heels, white collar and cuffs, plus white furry ears and tail, plus a cocktail tray with 2 glued-on champagne glasses) and won first prize at a dance club costume contest.

I wore it again for a Halloween Party in 2000.

omni
 
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I have an old cultural shirt my Dad got as a present from his country of origin in the 60s but never wore as it was too big. After he died I got it as it fit me the best out of his sons. I still have it, only wear it a couple of times a year. It has held up well.


For me I still have a football jersey and a denim jacket from my college days that are 40+ years old.
 
Not sure. But nothing before Jan '88. Got burned out. The sweats I was wearing while watching everything go up in flames are long gone. Have my dress uniform and some other Army duds from the 90's that [-]still fit[/-] fit again.

I was a tenant in a 24 unit apartment that burned down. I was a bachelor. There were lots of families out there with me. Lots of little kids. I felt so bad for them. I didn't have crap anyhow. I had given away everything but my soul and my freedom in a divorce the year prior. I just decided that night that God didn't want be burdened with possessions.
 
Vintage aloha shirts -- some I bought in the 80's and some I acquired that are from the 50's. They never wear out.
 
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