How to Spot Vintage OshKosh: A Guide to Labels & Details

Vintage OshKosh B’Gosh has become a bit of a wardrobe cornerstone over here. It’s the piece you reach for again and again: easy, hard-wearing and timeless. However, with so much OshKosh out there, knowing how to identify true vintage pieces, from labels and buttons to construction details makes all the difference!

Once you know what to look for, spotting genuine vintage OshKosh becomes second nature.

1. Paper labels
Older pieces often feature thick, slightly worn paper tags rather than modern fabric labels. They’re one of the clearest signs you’re holding something genuinely vintage.

2. Branded metal buttons
Look for embossed hardware, “OshKosh B’gosh” stamped into buttons and clasps. These small details are a hallmark of earlier production and proper craftsmanship.

3. Hickory stripes & classic prints
The signature blue-and-white hickory stripe is a giveaway. Alongside it, you’ll find bold, playful prints that feel distinctly 80s/90s, I almost hit the deck when a little hand print cord pair of baby OshKosh landed on my doorstep a few years back, it never gets old!

4. Heavier denim & reinforced stitching
Vintage pieces tend to be thicker, with strong seams and thoughtful construction, think double knees, reinforced pockets, lined insides and fabric that holds its shape even after years of wear.

Once you start spotting these details, you realise why they’ve stood the test of time and it’s precisely why they’ve become such a staple! In summer, worn on their own sun-faded, easy, effortless. In cooler months, layered with a chunky knit or thrown over a simple white crew neck tee, perfection in my opinion!

Looking for the real thing? Shop our handpicked vintage children’s dungarees, including original OshKosh and Baby B’Gosh from the home page.