Vintage-inspired sportswear is everywhere these days. Not much of it is good.

The best pieces should feel like a time machine you can wear, transporting you back to those memorable moments, even if just in spirit. While you can’t relive that buzzer-beater or the glory days of your favorite team, brands and designers who want to make vintage-inspired sportswear should strive to recapture that feeling.

However, not all nostalgia is positive. Some brands and designers create authentic tributes to the past backed by quality stories and genuine passion, while others serve up cheap, logo-heavy cash grabs that can be pretty cringe-worthy.

So, how can you identify good vintage-inspired sportswear? Let’s break it down.

Good Nostalgia Makes You Feel Something

Good nostalgia is like art; you know it when you see it. The best stuff doesn’t just remind you of the past—it makes you feel it.

Here’s what good nostalgia does:

• Reimagines the past for a modern audience: Good nostalgia respects the legacy of a team, school, or specific culture while reimagining it for today’s audience.

• Delivers quality and authenticity: As vintage heads, we are DIVAS about shirt quality and how garments age and fit. Brands like Homefield Apparel have nailed this. They dig into the archives, pull out meaningful logos and designs from teams’ history, and create pieces that feel like a love letter to the past. There are no gimmicks, no hype—just consistent storytelling through clothes.

Example:

The recent Warm & Wonderful x AFC Wimbledon kit is a masterpiece. It nods to the club’s unofficial 1988 FA Cup win, where Princess Diana herself presented the team the trophy. It’s thoughtful, specific, and rooted in a real story that inspires new fans to learn about the past. That’s good nostalgia.

Other brands doing good nostalgia: LaFavre, Playa Society, We’re Back, Follow-Through

Bad Nostalgia Tries Too Hard

On the flip side, bad nostalgia feels like someone trying to describe a party they didn’t attend. It evokes cringe-worthy moments and brings to mind clothes that resemble clearance rack team shirts at Target. Bad nostalgia is akin to a love letter crafted by ChatGPT—an ineffective attempt to profit from emotions that were never genuinely experienced.nced.

Here’s how you spot it:

• Panders without purpose: It slaps retro-looking graphics on clothes with no connection to real history or culture

• Feels like a cash grab: Think of venture-backed brands throwing buzzwords like “heritage” on a 320 gsm hoodie and calling it vintage-inspired. The designs don’t tell a story; they try to trace the vibe that our community lives and breathes on a daily basis.

Example:

The recent Supreme x Mitchell & Ness collab is bad nostalgia. For a brand so soaked in narrative and brand storytelling, they summarized this collab like this: “ the collaboration is all about school spirit and pledging allegiance to the team of choice in pure Supreme fashion.”

Beloved reader, what the hell does that mean? Why were these teams picked? What’s the story behind the designs?

…What’s the point?

Why This Matters

Nostalgia is a powerful tool when it’s done right. It connects people to moments they love and helps them express who they are. But when it’s done wrong, it’s empty, exploitative, and disrespectful to the culture it’s trying to emulate.

Good nostalgia makes you feel something real. Bad nostalgia makes you roll your eyes. Nostalgia is powerful when it’s authentic. As consumers and fans of vintage sportswear, we should demand more thoughtful designs that respect the stories behind the style.

Interview w/ATHRIFTEDTEMPLE

Alex Ruffin aka AThriftedTemple upcycles vintage Starter jackets.

This project, called “Hometown Hero” has been seen on everyone from Lil’ Yachty to Jazz Chisholm.

Putting two teams from the same city together in one jacket can seem simple enough. But where they’re different is the why behind the combinations. That “why” is what makes this one of the most unique upcycled vintage projects we’ve ever seen

We spoke to Alex via e-mail to learn more about his beginnings, how the OG Starter Brand inspired him, and his thoughts on modern sportswear.

(The interview has been edited for clarity and length)

What sparked your obsession with vintage fashion? And how did that turn into upcycled Starter jackets?

Back in high school, I used to shop at Target, and I’d always gravitate toward the vintage-looking comic book tees to pair up with my Nike SBs. Granted, the shirts weren’t “VINTAGE,” but they always looked the part. I’d say this kinda sparked my introduction to vintage apparel.

I started dabbling in Starter gear by the time I hit community college. My mom (r.i.p) bought me my first Starter jacket, and I went down the rabbit hole from there. The ‘Hometown Hero’ concept itself was thought of in 2018, but I didn’t bring it to fruition until 2022. Discovering that the Starter brand was created in my home state of Connecticut was the cherry on top.

Was there one piece or moment that made you think, “Yeah, this is it. This is what I want to do”?

The ‘Michigan Boy Boat’ themed one that I gifted Yachty while he was on tour was special for me. He probably has no clue but he owns my last jacket i made before i figured out how to put them together properly. I had to meet & greet tickets for my bday and was told via email that he wasn’t accepting gifts or autographs. Initially, I intended to gift him a custom jacket and a custom-painted jersey I made, but after the email, I had to choose between gifting the jacket or the jersey. I ultimately ended up gifting him the jacket instead.

Talk to me about your process. How do you reimagine these classic jackets while still keeping their original story alive?

I’ve mastered color theory from almost 10 years of painting, so I always aim to put together jackets with a similar theme and color. I read somewhere years ago how colors evoke certain emotions from people, so you mix that with various regional sports teams, and viola! It’s a perfect recipe. The jackets already tell their own stories. I’m just bringing them together. Have you ever been to a family reunion before? It’s the same type of energy but with these jackets.

• It feels like the jackets all have their own nicknames. Can you share the story behind some of your favorites?

The Philly Hometown Hero jacket I made was crafted with Kobe Bryant in mind. Kobe’s middle name is Bean and he grew up near Philly so the codename i used was ‘Bean Sprout’. Bean Sprouts also have a hint of green, so it felt fitting.

• What’s the hunt like when you’re sourcing these pieces? Any wild finds or near-misses?

I swear, finding these jackets is the closest thing to playing Pokémon in real life, lol. I’ve been shopping online since i was 15 so this may have played a bigger hand in me finding pieces than anticipated. I’ve found a lot of heat, but I’ve also whiffed on a good amount of heat. If there’s one or two sets that’s haunted me throughout all of this, it’s Dallas Stars/Cowboys and Philadelphia Sixers/Phillies. I fumbled these and have regretted it since.

• You’ve only been in the game for a year, and your jackets are already courtside on some big names. What’s it like seeing your work in that spotlight?

It officially marked two years in October of this year since I started this Hometown Hero collection, but seeing my work on people is always amazing. Seeing how people receive my art is even more fulfilling in itself. Good or bad, I’m glad it evoked something.

• How do you think your pieces connect the world of sports and fashion in a way that feels fresh but still real?

First and foremost, I’d like to shout out the Starter brand for inspiring me like this. I was born 40 minutes down the road from the Headquarters. Seeing a plethora of celebs, musicians, etc, wearing a brand founded in Connecticut really pushed me to bring this idea to life. Anyone that owned one back in the day will tell you It was like owning a pair of Air Jordans.

Sports and fashion have always been intertwined with one another. Sports transcend so many aspects of life. I was able to take something vintage and create something futuristic out of it. It genuinely blows my mind to think about it.

• Out of all the jackets you’ve made, which one has your heart? Is there a story behind it?

Every jacket I’ve made was crafted with a particular person in mind, so there are two or three of them that are personal to me. Number one is my Connecticut one.

I was born and raised in Stamford, CT, and I view myself as the Hometown Hero, so that’s one of them that I’m ultra proud of. The other two are my Carolina Panthers/Tarheels one and the New York Knicks/Yankees one. All of my elders were born and raised in the Carolinas, so that’s a head nod to my ancestry, and the NY one was always one of my favs. My hometown is an hour away from the city, and I’ve always admired NY. There’s something magical about that place.

What’s the best reaction you’ve gotten so far? A moment that made you stop and think, “I’m really doing this.”

I’ve designed for my fair share of people over the years, but Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s wearing my work at Madison Square Garden on national television was one of the biggest flexes ever. All the stars were out that night at that Knicks/Nets game, so it was crazy surreal to see him on the jumbotron. I feel like the world was inadvertently notified about my artistry that night, and my life has forever changed.

• Where do you see the upcycled fashion movement going, and how do you want your brand to lead that charge?

I’m always excited to see the expansion of upcycled fashion. I’m just trying to bring back the fun, cool, and vibrant style fashion had in the 90s. I feel like, in a lot of ways, a ton of sports teams have fallen victim to minimalism, and it’s watered their product down. I have been seeing many teams run back their retro jerseys and whatnot, so that’s always dope to see! The creativity was undeniable back then.

• You’ve built something that resonates with athletes, celebs, and your audience alike. How has that feedback shaped your vision?

The feedback continues to reaffirm what I knew internally all along. I’ll keep evolving and bringing fresh takes to my ideas for people to enjoy as long as I can.

• If you could collaborate with anyone—dead or alive, sports or style—who’s on your wishlist?

There are a few people I’d love to collaborate with, but Andre 3000 is at the top of my list. His artistry impacted me as a child. He was one of the very first people i saw on tv that was unapologetically himself. I have an Atlanta Hawks/Falcons jacket in the queue this month. Hopefully, I can get one over to him. I’d also love to work with Pharrell, Tyler the Creator, and Jeff Hamilton.

• What’s next for you and ATHRIFTEDTEMPLE? Are there any new styles, collabs, or projects in the works?

I’m currently completing pre-orders for my viral Knicks/Yankees jacket + four new sets are dropping this month. Come 2025, I’ll be releasing more Hometown Hero styles, and my official ‘a THRIFTED temple’ merchandise, so be on the lookout for that. I don’t have any new collaborations at the moment, but I’m open to them if they make sense.

Follow AThriftedTemple on Twitter and IG.

Featured Grails of the Week

On occasion, we source vintage items for people we think are cool.

Recently, we sourced a beautiful vintage Knicks jacket for comedian/host/stylish person Ronny Chieng, who wore it courtside at MSG the other night.

This is your weekly reminder that EVERYONE LOOKS GOOD IN VINTAGE SPORTSWEAR.

You hardly ever see OG Rockets Starters in the wild these days. We got one, don’t sleep!

Let’s Connect!

Follow us for daily inspiration and deep dives: @GamedayGrails

Do you own a vintage-inspired sportswear brand we should be aware of? Reach out.

Have feedback, ideas or want to collab? Hit us up.

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Thank you for being part of the Gameday Grails family.

Let’s keep celebrating the culture of sports and style—one grail at a time.