Is The Definition of an Heirloom Changing?

the things we deem cherished items

Value is a subjective term to humans. What some may deem as valuable, others may consider unimportant. Does function equate to value? Or can an item be almost useless but still hold tens of hundreds of years of memories within it? I keep finding myself thinking about the heirlooms I cherish all around me. As a person who is (sometimes to a fault) incredibly nostalgic and feels things very personally, the heirloom holds high importance in my life.

One of my favorite pastimes tends to be rummaging through my mom’s closet, picking at whatever pieces stand out. Whenever I feel like I’m in a fashion rut, I run to my mom’s old pieces. The feeling of true vintage, knowing I wouldn’t be able to find anything similar to it on the market, is enough to get me excited. Beyond that, knowing I have a piece of my mom with me even when I’m away from her is a sweet sentiment all on its own. The funny part is when my mom decided to keep certain pieces of clothing years before I came around, she was not considering the idea of an heirloom in the slightest. But some of my most cherished pieces in my closet came directly from her, and within that, the memories the pieces hold for her.

I think when we hear the world heirloom, we think of something that’s hundreds of years old, passed down through generations within a family. While, of course those things will always exist within some families, there is no set time requirement for something to be considered an heirloom. If there’s some sort of sentimental meaning to it, it’s an heirloom.

This has me thinking so much about what my generation today will have to pass down to their future loved ones. With the drastic change in manufacturing and technology even within the last 20 years, products have become disposable in many ways. Listen, I know I am not writing anything revolutionary by saying the world is filled with garbage right now. Pieces that were made to be thrown away and re-purchased on Amazon, furniture that’ll maybe last you a move or two, and worst of all- the lack of skillsets people have nowadays (and yes, I am specifically talking about my generation of gen-z!). A button falls off a shirt? Time to buy a new shirt. Got a small stain on my pants? Right to Goodwill! Need a green shirt for St Patrick’s Day? Amazon is your best friend with next day delivery!

And maybe I take these things too personally… but I venture to ask people around my age (24)… what will you have to pass down to future generations? Is all the value of a piece just forgotten about these days? What deems an item valuable?

When I purchase more expensive, handmade or antique pieces, in the back of my head I tell myself- it’s an investment piece. Something I can eventually pass down as an heirloom to my future child. But I just keep thinking, with the state of the fashion industry in this current climate… what will people have to pass down? What will truly be valuable in 20, 30, 50 years?

Reflecting on the items I cherish from my family:

When I reflect on the items that have been given to me by family members, they are not worth thousands of dollars. They’re signs of love and life. I love all my amber jewelry acquired from my mom- she bought them at different times in her life, from incredible artists who make amber pieces back in Poland. The thought that these pieces travelled along with my mother from adolescence living in Poland, to her new life in America, into adulthood and eventually into motherhood- makes me emotional to think about. And now, these pieces live inside my jewelry box, being carried through a new life.

What has always felt most important to me in adulthood is holding onto and embracing my love for my Polish culture. Especially when it comes down to carrying on Polish traditions I loved so much as a child, learning the crafts and skills my grandmother’s all took the time to master, and most of all, knowing the language. Above are the handmade doily’s my Babcia Ella in Poland sent me a few years back. Each one a bit different, I cherish the love and craftsmanship put into each piece.

I’ve mentioned this briefly in previous posts of mine, but the way female dominated crafts have been looked down upon for generations is still much too prevalent today as well. I think I can go on a whole tangent about the patriarchy and how the job of a woman or a mother has always been diminished, but I think another conversation surrounds the accessibility and availability of crafted items these days. I can walk into Target right now and purchase a crochet top for $12. Something that gets lost in translation constantly is the hand done work it takes to create these pieces.

I cherish the handmade doily’s my grandma made for a million reasons, but especially the fact that her hands made them. She learned and mastered the craft to make her home beautiful and individualized with her touch. I feel so lucky to be in possession of them now, as they function within my own home.

My beloved vanity from my Babcia Janina (featuring one of my other grandma’s handmade doily’s!!!). When I was moving out of my grandpa’s house to my current apartment (I lived with him for 8 months), he came outside to the moving truck and told me I could take my grandmother’s vanity with me if I wanted to. Little did he know, I already had it packed in my truck. He knew how much I loved the vanity and made it my own while still cherishing the marks my grandma made over the years. The memories that lie within an inanimate object. The stories held within each drawer, the smudges on the mirror, the chips on the wooden legs. I get to hold these pieces of my grandmother with me, whether I know it or not. Though she passed, a part of her gets to come along with me. I imagine myself bringing this vanity into every space I get to call home.

Value is a subjective term, and though others may think the vanity is pretty or well made, that’s where the value ends for them (which is fine!). But the beauty of an heirloom is who it’s been touched by.

Pieces of mine I imagine will be heirlooms I pass down

If you’ve been here for a bit, you all know how much I cherish my vintage collection. Incredible pieces spanning decades- from the 1920’s antique slips to my 90’s pointed heel boots, I really love the closet I’ve curated so far. And the best part is though some of these pieces are pushing to be over a century old, they are still in almost pristine condition, untouched by the passage of time. I find myself wearing antique pieces wondering who the previous owners were, where they ventured to, the stories they have to tell- it just all feels so romantic.

Will we be able to say the same of the clothing that’s being created currently?

The beauty of repurposing! When my grandma passed, she had boxes full of random fabrics and textiles in her basement. I figured, as the sewer of the family, I could put the pieces to good use. I’ve made a variety of pieces from her leftover textiles, but especially loved this top I constructed from one of her tablecloths. It’s a really special way to honor your loved one while appreciating what they left behind- especially since my grandma was the one who first taught me to sew, it felt like a really beautiful sentiment.

When it comes to the things in my life that mean the most to me, it’s the ones I made with my own two hands. From my own jewelry, to clothing and hand woven baskets- there’s nothing that tells my story more than the pieces that came straight from my own brain. It feels like such a gift to someday (hopefully) be able to leave these things for my loved ones to cherish and to know me in ways that are hard to describe.

I think when writing this, it also became important for me to note that while heirlooms are so important to save, it’s simultaneously just as important to be a person that puts value into pieces. It means nothing if you save these items for people who will not appreciate them. So whatever pieces you have in your home that bring value to your life- take care of them! And recognize them for what they are! If we treat items like they’re disposable, they will never live to see any other decade. If you’re a fellow vintage lover- I encourage you to learn the stories behind their antique pieces! That’s what keeps these things alive and give them value.

Thank you all for being here and for reading- I would love to read anyone’s thoughts on the heirlooms that have shaped their lives, or things they plan to hopefully pass down. As always, leave a comment or dm me on instagram- I love to chat!

-Izabela