All vintage, all the time?

[fortworthgal]

Okay, so I've pretty much decided that I want to go all vintage, all the time. Right now I dress "normal" - classic/conservative most of the time, and pull out the vintage 40s stuff for WWII events, swing dances, or the occasional date or dinner out. But, I love it and am practically obsessed with it. And, it is time for me to really purchase some new work clothes. So, I'm thinking of going to an all 1940s or 40s inspired look. Plus, as I see it, doing vintage is cheaper than trying to keep up with the latest trends and styles that don't suit my figure anyway! I have about 15 vintage dresses now, a good collection of coats, hats, gloves, and shoes - I just need to build with more items such as pants, shirts, suits, more dresses, etc.

So, I'm curious. Are there any of you who do all vintage, all the time? If so, how/when did you start and what were people's reactions? My husband wants me to do it - he dresses vintage quite a bit and loves the look of women's 1940s fashions, but I am a little concerned about how it will be perceived in my workplace, as it is quite conservative (Presbyterian church.) I don't think I'll be wearing a snood and a hair flower to work, though - that might be a bit much. Really I'm just looking for input and advice, and your experiences.

Thanks!

 

[pigeon toe]

I don't dress all vintage, all the time yet, but I'm slowly creeping towards it. School has hindered me the past quarter from wearing nice clothes (I was taking drawing -- it's messier than it sounds!), but now that I'll be taking a much cleaner studio class, I'll probably wear a lot more of my vintage out and about.

I've never given much thought to other people's reactions. I've been wearing black hair and bright red lips since the 9th grade, which most people would think is rather bold since I have such pale skin, but I've gotten nothing but compliments on it. When I do go out dressed vintage I get even more.

If it's your desire, go out and do it, doll! And why would a snood and flower bother the people at your workplace? It sounds quite tasteful and classic to me!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Half the package in doing the fulltime thing is not being self-conscious about it -- which is something that comes thru in how you carry yourself as well as in how you put your outfits together. If you've got that sense of confidence about you people will pick up on it.

Another good idea to keep your look *practical* -- a Sears-and-Roebuck approach to dressing might not be as spectacular as a Hollywood-glamour look, but when you're doing it every day, it's a lot more manageable -- and is easier for the folks around you to get used to. The trick is to come up with a daily look that works on an everyday basis without coming across as fussy or costumey -- and you'll know it when you've got it!

 

[CanadaDoll]

Go boldly for it!!!!
I am aiming for all vintage all the time, but student budgets get in the way a lot, as well as forty pounds of books to rumple up pretty fabriclol

 

[Sunny]

Half the package in doing the fulltime thing is not being self-conscious about it -- which is something that comes thru in how you carry yourself as well as in how you put your outfits together. If you've got that sense of confidence about you people will pick up on it.

I absolutely agree with that. My interest in vintage clothing began a good ten years ago, before high school; however, I didn't know what I was doing and felt extremely self-conscious about it. Since then, though, I've had a lot of experience in period dressing (different periods) and I've gotten used to being looked at. And when you're wearing 1860s, you get a lot of looks! Just on Sunday I stopped at an upscale antique mall in North Dallas on the way home (from Fort Washita), and I was wandering around in a plain checked wool dress without a hoopskirt, with my hair rather plain, no makeup, and a gray cloak. But I felt just fine, since I was confident in what I was wearing.

For me, it's a mental switch: I stop wearing a costume for show and just live in my clothes, whether 1860s or 1940s. Mentally, when your clothes are part of you, then the looks from others don't matter - unless you like them. I'm naturally a very shy person, and I'm still sensitive to unfriendly or strange looks. But most of the time I don't even have to ignore the looks. They simply don't matter. Unless they're admiring.

 

[Paul]

I would imagine if your friend already know about your interest in vintage and most likely seen you wearing one or two pieces around the office or work even if it a broach or necklace so seeing you in full vintage possibility would not be so much of a surprise as you think.

Conservative well just imaging if some one else turned up in a mini skirt that might not go down to well either a be a shock for them.
I would say just ease into it over a short time a vintage blouse with a modern skirt then next time you wear the blouse change the skirt for a vintage one. then add a vintage style of shoe, this way they will get use to the change, and more impotently you will be confident and not waiting for some smart comment about your fashions.

PS the 20's and sixties were the stocking styles so unless you go OTT with Hollywood glamour then you will be OK . Just think of how many different styles of modern fashions are worn today.

I wish more ladies wore what they liked wearing and not what others think they should... not that I saying the last statement is relevant here in the FL.

 

[Fletch]

Sunny, you raise a great point about clothing as a source of confidence for us Shy Persons - and that it can't be a costumed bluff to work. It's gotta come from your natural, real world self.

It may be that a woman has a little more latitude in this than a man, if only because a woman can get away with more style. Men don't have to be strictly functional in their attire of course, but eccentricity is more closely monitored. For instance, wearing a tie in a lot of workplaces carries a crude meaning of "I'm formal and uptight." Even without a suit or jacket.

 

[pigeon toe]

Sunny, you raise a great point about clothing as a source of confidence for us Shy Persons - and that it can't be a costumed bluff to work. It's gotta come from your natural, real world self.

This is definitely true. I was painfully shy, pretty much until college, and would dress so people could know a bit of who I am without me actually having to speak to them. I think that's why I prefer looks and comments to nothing at all, because even though I've always been shy, I've always wanted people to know I'm different from your run of the mill teenage girl.

That's why I think everyone should just go for it! We're not talking about dressing like we're on our way to Studio 54 -- I think some people would have problems with that. The 1940's are known for its classic fashions and I doubt anyone would have a problem with that.

Personally, when I see a well-dressed vintage man or lady walking down the street, my heart skips a little beat and I'm in love!

 

[AirborneSally]

I wish the 1940's look would come back in. The high wast, the curled hair, like Christina Aguilera. She has started wearing 1940's style clothes, makeup, and doing the hair like they did back then. I would love to have the 40's style come back, I know it would make me happy! But somehow i dont think most girls these days would wanna wear the high wast, they like showing off to much! lol

 

[katiemakeup]

Go boldly for it!!!!
I am aiming for all vintage all the time, but student budgets get in the way a lot, as well as forty pounds of books to rumple up pretty fabriclol

That's where the nice looking gentleman comes in to carry them for you!

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Full steam ahead, fortworthgal! This is a very exciting decision you are making, you will have so much fun and look so beautiful. I am eager to hear how it turns out. When I dressed all vintage all the time I got nothing but compliments, I am sure you will too. (Thinking back, I only stopped all vintage all the time when I became a biker and wore the same top and jeans all the time. Really.)

 

[melankomas]

Okay, so I've pretty much decided that I want to go all vintage, all the time. Right now I dress "normal" - classic/conservative most of the time, and pull out the vintage 40s stuff for WWII events, swing dances, or the occasional date or dinner out. But, I love it and am practically obsessed with it. And, it is time for me to really purchase some new work clothes. So, I'm thinking of going to an all 1940s or 40s inspired look. Plus, as I see it, doing vintage is cheaper than trying to keep up with the latest trends and styles that don't suit my figure anyway! I have about 15 vintage dresses now, a good collection of coats, hats, gloves, and shoes - I just need to build with more items such as pants, shirts, suits, more dresses, etc.

So, I'm curious. Are there any of you who do all vintage, all the time? If so, how/when did you start and what were people's reactions? My husband wants me to do it - he dresses vintage quite a bit and loves the look of women's 1940s fashions, but I am a little concerned about how it will be perceived in my workplace, as it is quite conservative (Presbyterian church.) I don't think I'll be wearing a snood and a hair flower to work, though - that might be a bit much. Really I'm just looking for input and advice, and your experiences.

Thanks!

i own no vintage more impressive than a jacket advertising the Atari 2600, but i expect i needn't to voice an opinion.

remember that you are more than clothing, vintage or otherwise. your individuality will make your chosen style acceptable, natural, and attractive in the very same situation in which another person would seem out of place. you are not "fad-hopping". the only person who should be overly concerned with what she chooses to wear is one with no sense of style, with no idea what she ought to be wearing. from what little i've seen, this is not applicable in your case. have confidence in your taste; it's something you have spent time to develop. i rather think your coworkers would be more likely to applaud you than anything else.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Go boldly for it!!!!
I am aiming for all vintage all the time, but student budgets get in the way a lot, as well as forty pounds of books to rumple up pretty fabriclol

You know, I found a cute tote bag to haul my casebooks in and now I dress up for school every day. Every day! People don't even comment anymore when I wear seamed stockings, except women, to say I look great and they wish they had nice ladylike outfits to wear.

Of course I still have my jeans days, but THAT'S when I get comments! So go for it!

 

[fortworthgal]

Thanks for all the advice, ladies! Here's a picture of me from this past Saturday in the downtown post office:

Over the weekend I bought a bunch more vintage - couple of dresses, nice black brocade housecoat, shoes, bags, etc.

 

[Fletch]

Nice shot. So which are you - first class or air mail?

More about the guy angle, if I may...It occurred to me that the default, layperson's meaning of the phrase "vintage clothing," as a collecting phenomenon and in large part as actual artifacts, simply implies women's clothing. This is not just because of the different way men are expected to relate to their threads, but because there is exponentially much less of the men's stuff around. Guys that we are, we used it up, wore it out, made it do, or did without. 1935's Sunday suit was 1942's weekday suit was 1949's charity rag.

An all-vintage lifestyle for a man, then, might pre-suppose a more hardcore kind of eccentricity - a dedicated ragpicker, a theatrical fantasist, a Luddite, a Jack Maple, a Tom Wolfe - someone who could afford emotionally and perhaps financially not to care about what the great run of men thought about his manliness or social utility. Someone well connected enough to find the stuff (and perhaps slight enough to fit into most of the surviving articles), or well off enough to have it made new.

I never knew anybody like this. Did any of you? Did they fit my model?

 

[Rosie]

Go for it! I do vintage or VI most of the time, most days. Actually this past Saturday I was most UN vintage (a pair of boot cut jeans, shell top adidas, t-shirt, bubble jacket and my hair in a ponytail), the first time in a LOOOOOONG time, and family, friends and even a neighbor or two made a comment about me not being dressed like my usual self.

Once you adopt a style, it will just be yours, no one will really react. The only thing I really get are comments on how nice I look, even my gloves don't give most people a second glance anymore, unless they really don't know me.

 

[fortworthgal]

I think I may not have been clear in my initial post. I wasn't generally worried about attitudes. I am very much the type of person who doesn't really care what anyone thinks. lol Plus, I'm a WWII reenactor so I am wayyyy past the "costume" point.

I was actually looking for more constructive, practical advice, such as "for work I like wedges with wide leg pants and cardigans." I do work in a extremely conservative atmosphere (old Presbyterian church) so of course that is a concern - obviously I can't show up for work in a stretchy red Stop Staring dress and platform heels. Anyone have any hints on outfits that wear well to work and around town and still have that great vintage look?

 

[Rosie]

Oh, gotcha! lol

I work with children, first as a teacher now in a teacher like capacity so it is important to me to be more than somewhat conservative.

I do dresses, skirts, trousers, almost anything. Pumps are nice though I do tend to stay away from fishnet or seamed stockings more because of adults in my work environment than the children.

Sweaters, cardis, trousers and wedgies are very cute and comfy. Pumps while cute, by the end of the day tend to make my tootsies a bit sore. From the outfits that you've posted, you have a great sense of style and a good grip on what is acceptable. I would just say to wear what you like with a bit of good judgement thrown in. If it is in the "um, I don't know" category, I would leave if for the weekend.

Also, those Stop Staring type dresses can look dramatically toned down with a cardi thrown over. even if its only worn over the shoulders cape style.

Foundation garments also make a difference. Some of my dresses or blouses take on a different look with a different type of undie ie one brassiere my push my breasts up while another may flatten them a bit, giving me a different type of look.

 

[Sunny]

Hehe - I guess I got sidetracked! But I hope what we've discussed will help others, even if it's not much good to you.

Were I you, I'd go with more conservatively-styled daydresses. Shirtdresses are particularly good, as opposed to wrap or wrap/front dresses. You can also vary the shoes, too; low-heeled pumps are very authentic and complete the look neatly but not flashily.

I really enjoy wearing put-together suits. However, sometimes that's too formal and dressed up, if the church office tends more toward conservative-casual than conservative-business. Just the skirt, with a nice blouse and maybe a cardigan, might do the trick. Dresses are fast becoming my favorites. They're so easy to do - only coordinate the accessories!

 

[pigeon toe]

You could also always do a high-waisted skirt with a pretty blouse. Usually high-waisted skirts are a bit below knee-length, so they aren't too revealing!

If you want to wear seamed stockings, I would go for the self-seamed ones, like beige stocking with a beige seam. That way they aren't too showy, but are more subtle and pretty.