Summary by Chelsea Frazier

Lately in the world of fashion we have been seeing a lot of renewals and revivals of past styles. Interest in classic fashions from the past is bringing vintage clothing into the wardrobes of some of the most fashion-conscious people around, including some celebrities. Julia Roberts, for example, wore vintage Valentino to this year's Oscars.

Carlos Benevides, from Artifice Fashion, has been predicting this vintage wave for some time now. Carlos is the owner of the on-line vintage couture shop, Artificefashion. He and his partner travel to auctions, Salvation Army stores, estate sales, and virtually anywhere they think they might be able to find quality vintage clothes. Carlos brought a yellow Chanel suit, a Halston dress, and brightly-printed halter dress, all from the 1970s, to demonstrate styles from the past that work for today.

After losing a shop in Providence to a fire, and owning a small shop in East Greenwich for a little over a year, Carlos discovered that rather than waiting for customers to come into his store, he could utilize his time better by buying and selling on-line. By using the Internet, Carlos could easily break down any geographic barrier and gain access to those who were truly interested in his merchandise.

Since we are much more eclectic in our styles than we used to be, the popularity of vintage clothing among celebrities is growing tremendously. Vintage is no longer associated with poverty-stricken, artsy people like it used to be. Instead, vintage is an inspiration for today's hottest trends and styles, and is beginning to be accepted by the masses. As the excerpt from Carlos' friend's book read "Vintage is no longer about making do; it's about having what no one else can have."

By using vintage in our daily wardrobes, we allow ourselves to be much more original and inventive with our personal style. We no longer have so many limitations by way of dress, and so we can mix and match to please the eye. By simply adding one vintage item to our dress, we can change the entire look. A garment can be considered vintage if it is over 25 years old, whereas antiques are over 50 years old. People like vintage because it means they have a classic, gorgeous garment all to themselves, something totally unique and original that cannot be found in any retail store.

What Carlos loves so much about vintage is the thrill of the search. He says that "the joy of dealing vintage is getting into the search, and the liberation that comes with finding that one special piece." He strongly believes that everything in fashion will eventually come back around again, and that "it's an art to mix and match the decades."