Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

[Geiamama]

I have only ever had one negative reaction, it was an early morning when I walked to the bus stop in my full vintage garb with seamed stockings and victory rolls, and walked past a mother pushing a buggy, and she turned around and openly stared and laughed at me! Very rude. I just ignored it and walked on.

I've had something similar recently. My eldest daughter Sera has just started pre-school and the other mothers either stare at me opened mouthed or elbow their friends and laugh, a little awkward when we are only standing 6" apart. I was the one laughing out loud though when I heard one mother saying how lovely it was that the little redhead girl had ribbons in her hair and that it was lovely to see little girls dressing like little girls, that was until she realised that little girl belonged to me and then suddenly it was a terrible shame how I was 'forcing' my little girl into fancy clothes when she should be allowed to just play!

Pah, they'll get used to me. They'll have to!

 

[rue]

Got a negative 'comment' today from a bunch of kids {13,14,15 years old probably}.
I was dressed in a woolen trenchoat and wore my snood with victory rolls.
They pointed at me and shouted; Whát the heck is thát! And then they all laughed.
As if I were some kind of monster! [huh]

You're beautiful Berlin, don't pay any attention them

And in 5 years time, they'd probably be whistling at you and drooling. Kids are great, because at the end of the day, you know they'll completely change their opinion at puberty

roadierfl is exactly right

 

[rue]

I've had something similar recently. My eldest daughter Sera has just started pre-school and the other mothers either stare at me opened mouthed or elbow their friends and laugh, a little awkward when we are only standing 6" apart. I was the one laughing out loud though when I heard one mother saying how lovely it was that the little redhead girl had ribbons in her hair and that it was lovely to see little girls dressing like little girls, that was until she realised that little girl belonged to me and then suddenly it was a terrible shame how I was 'forcing' my little girl into fancy clothes when she should be allowed to just play!

Pah, they'll get used to me. They'll have to!

They were just jealous and they're worried that their husband will be giving you the look that they don't get anymore because they gave up on taking care of themselves the day they got married Women anger me when they're catty

 

[Miss Tuppence]

I’m not sure if I have said this before but I remember being in Primark and a group of girls (mid teens) said while sniggering, ‘oh my God, is that some kind of sick joke’ I didn’t even get an ‘is she…’ only a ‘Is that…’
How is being dressed properly and in vintage classed as being sick or even a joke?
This is the only situation and comment where I have felt really uncomfortable and saddened.

Also in Primark (recently) mum overheard some girls talking about me saying ‘oow look at her…blah, blah, blah…yes but it takes a certain type of person to pull that look off’ or something along those lines!
I take this as a compliment, which I think it was meant as!

 

[Geiamama]

They were just jealous and they're worried that their husband will be giving you the look that they don't get anymore because they gave up on taking care of themselves the day they got married Women anger me when they're catty

You mean unwashed hair and saggy leggings don't turn men's heads?! Don't be silly

 

[W-D Forties]

I’m not sure if I have said this before but I remember being in Primark and a group of girls (mid teens) said while sniggering, ‘oh my God, is that some kind of sick joke’ I didn’t even get an ‘is she…’ only a ‘Is that…’
How is being dressed properly and in vintage classed as being sick or even a joke?
This is the only situation and comment where I have felt really uncomfortable and saddened.

Also in Primark (recently) mum overheard some girls talking about me saying ‘oow look at her…blah, blah, blah…yes but it takes a certain type of person to pull that look off’ or something along those lines!
I take this as a compliment, which I think it was meant as!

I would avoid Primark if I were you! Those pram-faced little madams will probably grow up to be lap dancers (with obvious apologies to any FL lapdancers out there...)

Either way, give it 5 years or so and they are the ones that will be sereptitiously asking 'you where you got that....'

 

[W-D Forties]

I've had something similar recently. My eldest daughter Sera has just started pre-school and the other mothers either stare at me opened mouthed or elbow their friends and laugh, a little awkward when we are only standing 6" apart. I was the one laughing out loud though when I heard one mother saying how lovely it was that the little redhead girl had ribbons in her hair and that it was lovely to see little girls dressing like little girls, that was until she realised that little girl belonged to me and then suddenly it was a terrible shame how I was 'forcing' my little girl into fancy clothes when she should be allowed to just play!

Pah, they'll get used to me. They'll have to!

It's like some weird kind of reverse snobbery. I was watching 'All That Heaven Allows' today, it's sad how that kind of catty keeping up (or in this case, down) with the Jones' attitude is still there. I get similar weird looks at my sons school, most likely because I'm not still in my pajamas.

Keep on keeping on is all that I can say Geiamama.

 

[MissMittens]

I haven't dressed in a vintage suit in public, but I have dressed in full Class A's while heading to re-enactment events and militaria shows in the past, and haven't had any negative comments at all. Maybe it's a female to female thing?

 

[Geiamama]

It's like some weird kind of reverse snobbery. I was watching 'All That Heaven Allows' today, it's sad how that kind of catty keeping up (or in this case, down) with the Jones' attitude is still there. I get similar weird looks at my sons school, most likely because I'm not still in my pajamas.

Keep on keeping on is all that I can say Geiamama.

Absolutely. It's almost as if to be a 'good' mother you have to abandon anything that's you and martyr yourself to your children; any time or money that you spend on yourself means you must be neglecting your family. Frankly I think I'd be doing my little ones a disservice if I didn't look after me as a woman, not just as a mother. How else are they, especially the girls, going to learn that they are valuable and worth making an effort over, if I don't teach them that I am!

 

[Geiamama]

Maybe it's a female to female thing?

Sadly I think that's true. My husband has never had any negative comments about his appearance... well unless you count his mother telling him to get a haircut!

 

[MissMittens]

Sadly I think that's true. My husband has never had any negative comments about his appearance... well unless you count his mother telling him to get a haircut!

Mom's always want their kids to get a haircut

 

[W-D Forties]

I haven't dressed in a vintage suit in public, but I have dressed in full Class A's while heading to re-enactment events and militaria shows in the past, and haven't had any negative comments at all. Maybe it's a female to female thing?

I think it depends where you are. My husband dresses vintage and has a very large handlebar moustache and he has someone openly laughing at hih recently. Well, it was at aforesaid school, so I guess that says it all!

Mostly both men and women are complementary about his appearance. Men are fascinated by the 'tache, especially younger men. I have seen quite a few younger men growing their own, maybe it's the Movember effect.

I think with women it gets mixed up with the whole 'fashion' thing. With men it's fairly obvious where you are going with your look. Sadly, to some women making any effort with your appearance beyond wearing a mini kilt and Uggs to showcase your 'corned-beef' legs, or a sloppy T shirt with a billboard sized logo, is rather frowned upon.

 

[MissMittens]

I think it depends where you are. My husband dresses vintage and has a very large handlebar moustache and he has someone openly laughing at hih recently..

It's becoming a cult thing actually....at least this side of the Atlantic. Until I started seeing people on TV wearing handlebar moustaches, I used to laugh as well, as it had Village People connotations, but I'm de-sensitised to it now.

I think with women it gets mixed up with the whole 'fashion' thing. With men it's fairly obvious where you are going with your look. Sadly, to some women making any effort with your appearance beyond wearing a mini kilt and Uggs to showcase your 'corned-beef' legs, or a sloppy T shirt with a billboard sized logo, is rather frowned upon.

The Burbery kilts? Nothing screams "chavette" more than Burbery

 

[Rudie]

Well, I did get negative comments. When I was about 20 I was wearing nothing but vintage 1930s clothes. I stopped when I was about 23 because of my size it was extremely difficult to find anything that fit and I couldn't afford bespoke. People were always staring at me then and I remember some kids a little younger than me really doubling over when they spotted me. At college there was a lunatic once (a real one) who threw a shoe after me and called me a Nazi. I was wearing a chalk striped brown worsted 3-piece suit and a grey Borsalino. And no Nazi haircut either. Huh?

Most people thought it was just a spleen, though. I was called Elliot Ness a lot at that time because of the movie The Untouchables with Kevin Costner. And when wearing my knickerbockers I heard "Emil" pretty often, after Erich Kästner's famous children's book "Emil und die Detektive"

 

[martinsantos]

A brazilian playwriter, Nelson Rodrigues, wrote that "a 18 years old boy doesn't know ever how to say "good morning" to a lady. He will need some more years to learn this - and the rest". Imagine somebody 13/15 y.o.!

The problem is if they would be still laughing about everything a little different from themselves when they become 20 y.o. Then they will be just fools.

Got a negative 'comment' today from a bunch of kids {13,14,15 years old probably}.
I was dressed in a woolen trenchoat and wore my snood with victory rolls.
They pointed at me and shouted; Whát the heck is thát! And then they all laughed.
As if I were some kind of monster! [huh]

 

[Berlin]

And in 5 years time, they'd probably be whistling at you and drooling. Kids are great, because at the end of the day, you know they'll completely change their opinion at puberty

Aww!
I'll take that as a compliment! :redface:

You're beautiful Berlin, don't pay any attention them

And that,too :redface: thanks Rue!

A bit of criticism I can handle when told nicely..but negative comments are somewhat different for me to swallow.
I am not -I am aware this may sound odd for some- the most self-confident person around. I am even see-ing some help for this.
I never really got negative comments. Stares, yes. Negative comments, no. This was the first time I got a negative one, but there is a first time for everything right?!

‘oh my God, is that some kind of sick joke’ I didn’t even get an ‘is she…’ only a ‘Is that…’

Tonight I got the "that" part aswell and not a "she". It did bother me quite alot!

But luckily I get aloooot of good comments too, especially when wearing victory rolls. And those opinions and compliments matter the most to me!

 

[Berlin]

A brazilian playwriter, Nelson Rodrigues, wrote that "a 18 years old boy doesn't know ever how to say "good morning" to a lady. He will need some more years to learn this - and the rest". Imagine somebody 13/15 y.o.!

The problem is if they would be still laughing about everything a little different from themselves when they become 20 y.o. Then they will be just fools.

Your right! Completely right. And, ok, I can understand that young people hardly understand 'my look'. Vintage or 'looks of times gone by' are not as popular, as for example, in England or America. So, yeah, I can understand the stares I get now and then..but making comments, I think, is a bit rude! And I do think they are fools nonetheless..and that they want to show off with their friends.

 

[martinsantos]

Is the guy a Groucho Marx fan? Absolutely nonsense!

In the same way he could ask too: "Do you really like coffee? Does that mean you are a philosopher?" and so on.

I went with my friend for coffee yesterday and we met up with a guy she is dating and his friend. After talking for a bit, the friend turned to me and said "So you are really into vintage? Does that mean you are racist?". I was a little stunned (it came totally out of the blue), so I just sort of stared at him for a moment and answered "Um no?". I must say, that is the first time I have ever gotten a comment quite like that :eusa_doh:

 

[MissHawthorne]

So many people say so many negative things! It's unfortunate. On the other hand, last week at work, one of my favorite pilots comes up to me (I'm a flight attendant) and does a double take. I've got my hair curled and pinned back at the sides and was wearing red lipstick. His eyes got really big and he told me I looked like WWII nose art! Which is probably the nicest compliment I've gotten.

 

[Snowdrop]

I get stares and snickering from tweens and teenagers (basically those who know no better), but a colleague made me laugh a couple of months ago when she commented on my hair. I told her I loved vintage things and she said, "You know, there are places for people like you..."

I was a little taken aback, wondering what kind of 'place' she meant and if it involved padded walls, burly orderlies and straight jackets.

Thankfully she followed that statement up with, "Aren't there like... groups of people who re-enact old things and stuff?!"

*Phew!!*