Oh, This Old, Tattered, Moth-Eaten Thing?
The New York Times
So-called thrashed clothes — garments resembling something closer to rags — are coveted by vintage fanatics.
When Abe Lange lived in the East Village of Manhattan, he would sometimes take his breakfast in Tompkins Square Park, wearing his favorite zip-up hoodie. You might say it had seen better days: The black jersey had faded to a charcoal ombré, and large portions of the front and sleeves had worn away, revealing the inner thermal lining.
On more than one occasion, a kind passer-by in the park tried to hand Mr. Lange some spare change.
“This hoodie was so decrepit-looking,” Mr. Lange, 27, recalled, adding that his groggy morning appearance probably didn’t help matters.
He has since retired the hoodie. The tattered garment is, however, available to designers and stylists for rental. His prices start at about $125 for three days, roughly a quarter of what Mr. Lange estimates as its retail value.
Sumshitifound, the Brooklyn shop Mr. Lange has run since 2019, is full of this sort of torn, moth-eaten — and what those in the know often affectionately call “thrashed” — vintage clothing. The look has become ubiquitous enough in recent years that celebrities like Jeremy Allen White and Channing Tatum have been spotted wearing ultra-faded T-shirts and outerwear as part of their off-duty style.
To some, these pieces may look like old rags. Others, though, see garments with history and character that stand out from the flatness of cheap fast-fashion and luxury brands.
