The VFG believes that informed selling and buying communities are good for the vintage-fashion industry as a whole, and all visitors to the website have access to the VFG resources. These are continually updated and constantly evolving, thanks to a dedicated volunteer staff.
Our blog features our picks of the freshest vintage items, member news and articles. We have also created a growing series of articles on some classic designers.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of vintage fashion.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international community of people with expertise in vintage fashion. VFG members enjoy a wealth of resources, avenues for promoting their shops and specialties, and camaraderie with others who share a common interest and passion.
Brooks Brothers is considered to be the oldest menswear store in the US, having been founded in 1818 by Henry Sands Brooks. The original store was the H. & D.H. Brooks & Co., and it was located in New York City. In 1850, Brooks’ grandsons inherited the business, and they renamed it Brooks Brothers. From the beginning, Brooks Brothers was a ready-to-wear store, and they were the first store in the US to offer ready-to-wear suits for men.
In 1850, Brooks Brothers took the Golden Fleece as their company’s symbol. This trademark, which is a sheep suspended by a large ribbon, has its roots in the Greek tale of Jason and the Golden Fleece.
Abraham Lincoln was wearing a black Brooks Brothers suit the night he was assassinated. For many years, Books Brothers did not make black suits for that reason.
Today, Brooks Brothers has a conservative image, but through the years they have been fashion innovators. They were early sellers of the silk necktie, being one of the first, in 1890, to sell them in the US. In 1896, John Brooks developed the button-down collar shirt as an improvement to the flapping collars of polo shirts. And in 1930 they introduced seersucker suits to America.
Brooks Brothers sold women’s clothing for the first time in 1949. Especially popular were Brooks button-down shirts in feminine colors.
In the 1960s, Brooks Brothers started stores in other cities, as of 2024 there were over 140 stores in 36 states within the US.
Written by fuzzylizzie
See vintage Brooks Brothers from VFG members on Etsy (paid link)
Courtesy of yumyumvintage
Courtesy of fast_eddies_retro_rags
Courtesy of amandainvermont
Courtesy of hollie point vintage
from a 1940s T. Anthony suitcase
from a 1960s oxford shirt
from a 1960s necktie
from a 1980s skirt
from a 1990s men's suit jacket