Authentic Vintage on Living Models for Real People to Wear. (Down with AI.)
When I first started FabGabs in 2007, my interest in vintage fashion was largely aesthetic, with relatively shallow historic interest in second place. I hadn't yet realized how much my upbringing in thrift and antique stores had informed the way I shopped in more than just stylistic choices. Having now worked in vintage fashion throughout the rise and dominance of fast fashion, I realized over time how vital I find a secondhand-first lifestyle.
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We should - all of us, at every income level - be choosing to acquire what we want and need secondhand as much as possible. And when what you want is fashion that lasts - not just in style, but also in the durability of construction, the longevity of having garments worth repairing - vintage becomes an easy choice.
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You have a lot of choices for buying used. You can thrift, and you can go to estate sales. You can hunt antique stores, arrive early at flea markets, or shop with the thousands of sellers here on Etsy. So I want you to know that it means something to me when you choose to shop here, even more so when you come back again and again.
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The world is changing and shifting again, and now there is a new specter when shopping online - AI images, and AI descriptions. It is not just the visual lies and empty words that I object to - it is also the extractive environmental damage to local systems, noise pollution to already underprivileged communities, and the social energy expense, all so billionaires can profit. You will never find AI at FabGabs. I will never, ever, replace my life models with digital golems, and - while I may end with typos now and then - I will never replace my detailed written descriptions with bland, generated text.
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Finally, because we live in a world where it is increasing important to say this - all gender expressions or identities are welcomed and validated here. What I care about is that you feel comfortable and confident choosing clothes that make you feel like yourself.
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Thank you for choosing FabGabs. You are so valued.