Our penchant for 'relic-ing'

Are we caught in the whims of our past?
Why do we deliberately tatter our denim, and tear out our sleeves?
It is a phenomenon that elicits my curiosity; yet I would be lying if I had said that I do not have any ripped jeans sitting in my closet. I know that for me at least, this kind of 'old' clothing lends to something of a social statement; that I am young and wild. Yellowed- shirts and torn-out jeans are much more fashionable and casual among the people of my age. In a sense, this trend represents our vitality as teenagers by showing that we reject the social norm that has been thrust upon us. But today, you will no longer find people who will point to a hoodlum wearing faded jeans and say that it is unwarranted behavior. Matter of fact, wearing old tattered clothes has acutally evolved into a kind of a norm among us teens. If your jeans aren't faded, you aren't cool.

But what still enlivens my curiosity is how these kinds of clothing has become 'acceptable' and 'fashionable'. There is now actually a name for this kind of fashion style: vintage clothing. It is no doubt a recent modern-era phenomenon. Even on television, we see rock stars wearing shirts that look like it has been washed in mud, baked in the desert, run over by cars and what not. Is it a mere human tendency? I do not believe our ancestors were fond of this style of clothing. Here, are some of my reasons as to why we choose to 'relic' our clothing.
Number one, it is unique. as I have demonstrated above with the teenage hype over faded jeans and shirts, wearing these kind of clothes make you stand out from the crowd (not so much today).
Number two, fine materials. Modern garments, compared to the old, lack quality. Fabrics of old clothes are much more durable and long lasting.
Number three, a little bit of a stretch, but our appreciation for the past.
Lastly, for investment.