Laura Mullet, Fashion Stylist and Broadcaster, joins hosts Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra on Drivetime on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss the joys of vintage fashion. Listen back above.
Gen Z is constantly proving that, if you wait around long enough, what's old will eventually be new again - especially when it comes to fashion.
Veteran rock star Rod Stewart's son, Alastair, was recently spotted wearing his dad's famous sheepskin jacket, proving that fashion really is cyclical.
"Rod, I suppose, always had a real statement style," notes Laura, "and I really think Alistair carries off his pieces so well."
That said, Laura insists that if we were to "raid" Rod's wardrobe now, not every piece would be a winner. Model Alistair seems to be a man who knows his style, and has chosen very select pieces from his dad's collection, such as his famous pinstripe suit jacket.
"I think it's great to see young people take risks," says Laura. "Fashion is so cyclical, everything comes full circle."
For us mere mortals - with no rockstar pieces at our disposal - is it worth looking to the past before our next night out on the town?
"At the moment, I'm seeing a lot of suede unisex jackets become really popular," explains Laura. "A little bit oversized and a little bit bomber looking. If you went back through your parents' closets or relatives' closets, you'd be amazed what you might find."
"Someone's trash is someone else's treasure," she adds. "We can all be lethal, in phases of our life, for putting clothes away and maybe not thinking about them. Down the line, your taste changes, but you might love something again. I think breathing new life into clothes is such a healthy attitude."
Although it pains her to hear that Gen Z consider a 2000s low-rise jean or a 90s Reebok runner 'vintage', Laura says she's delighted by how much the younger generations seem to be embracing platforms like Depop for second-hand shopping.
Another trend coming to the forefront, is pairing traditional Irish ware - such as the Aran jumper - with unexpected pieces, such as a silky skirt.
"I think repurposing that kind of Irish aesthetic is very popular," she says. "I feel like American people love that, there are some Aran sweaters that sell for €800 - the really itchy ones - all the way over to the States."
Sarah jumps in to ask if some things shouldn't be left in the past? That just because something is old, doesn't mean it's cool?
"I feel like Gen Z embraces being uncool. The less you try, the cooler you are," insists Laura. "That scares me because, as you say, you could go routing, pull an assortment of things that can be vintage but really look like a car crash in slow motion, so I don't know," she laughs.
When she looked to her own parents' wardrobes for inspiration, the stylists was thrilled to find that her dad had some exceptional pieces that she could nab for herself such as worn in leather jackets from the 1980s.
To hear the full chat on Drivetime on RTÉ Radio 1, listen back above.
