Finding a nice quality garment at a thrift store or estate sale is always a thrill. But it’s a little deflating when there is damage to the tag or the tag is missing entirely. There are a few reasons why vintage clothes have cut labels.
It was originally purchased at a “liquidator.”
Some stores, such as the legendary Filene’s Basement or Loehmann’s, would purchase clothing from designers and design companies for deeply discounted prices. Sometimes the maker would cut the center out of the tag so no one knew their clothes were being sold at cheap. Sometimes the maker would cut the tag because they wanted to keep people who might buy it at a discount and attempt to return it for full price to a fine department store. Sometimes the maker would cut tags because the garment was “slightly irregular.”
As it happens, my favorite designer in the 1970s and 1980s was Slightly Irregular. My entire closet was Slightly Irregular designs. There were several small discount boutiques with better department store inventory that was nearly all flawed in some way. Sometimes it was obvious, but mostly it was not.
Another of my favorite haunts was Marshall’s. A lot of store merchandise at Marshall’s is now made just for them now, but back in that era they mostly stocked past season, factory seconds, surplus inventory or close-outs. Thrifting tip: early Marshall’s housewares and clothing can be very high end.
There was a name written on the label.
Another reason vintage clothes have cut labels is for privacy. It’s common to sew name labels or write names on tags in places where laundry is done by the facility. This includes nursing homes, camps and some schools. Those donating clothes might not want to donate them with the name, so they cut them out.
The tag was itchy.
Some tags are literal pains in the neck, meaning they rub and are irritating. That’s another reason some vintage clothes might have cut labels. Itchy tags are usually removed completely, with no remaining stitching or corners of labels.
Is the value affected for vintage clothes with cut labels?
Probably. A designer label carries a pedigree and often a premium price. But are you buying a vintage garment for the label or because you like the style? If you’re a reseller, you may be buying it for both, in which case a cut tag might be something to avoid. You can’t say it’s 1990s Calvin Klein if it doesn’t have enough label left to fully identify it. On the other hand, if you’re a vintage lover, a cut label shouldn’t get in the way of you buying something that you love that looks good on you.
