Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

[BlameOnMame]

I just started taking some fashion courses at SMC this week and yesterday I had the most ridiculous experience when I walked into the room where a class was being held. I was wearing a pale pink, shoulder padded very 1940's dress with white buttons going up the middle, a white belt, white shoes. My hair was just back in combs. I was so surprised at how little these people knew about fashion history (being in fashion courses). A few people were like "Oh look at her, she's so stylish! What do you call that? It's like 60's right?" And I never know what to do in these situations because I don't want to sound snobbish but it's REALLY difficult when people are asking you really stupid questions like this so I was just like "Oh thank you, it's 1940's actually"
The one said "Like I love Lucy?" and I was like " Not quite.."
Then they asked " Like Hairspray?? Oh wait, that's 50's too"
and I said "Actually that's 60's..but really it was the 80's"
Then I got the "So what made you dress like this today? You just felt like dressing up?"
I smiled politely and said "No, this is just how I dress"
Then they "ooh'd" and "ahhh'd" and talked amongst themselves for a while before going back into drilling me about "What people who dress like that are called"

I'll tell you, it was quite irritating.

 

[Feathers]

Isn't it amazing how those so 'in the know' about fashion can only dash it all by pering down their noses in ignorance? it's very saddening to find so many so ignorant!

 

[Brooksie]

I got a nice compliment the other day: I was on my way to a job interview and I was waiting for the bus... I had on a black 1930's dress, a vintage inspired jacket, a little neck scarf and a 1930's vintage breif case. A lady rolls down her window and says I love your vintage suit and that is a great breif case too. Also, yes I did get the job!

B

 

[Christy]

Whenever I'm dressed in a vintage manner I always get a lot of compliments. It was kind of surprising at first. I've never had strangers come up to me and tell me that they like how I look. It's generally gentlemen older than me, some ladies, and even a few girls my age. Just this morning a gentleman told me he liked my hair that it looked very forties and that you just don't see hair styled like that anymore and he wished his wife didn't cut hers, he was probably in his 40's. I usually get "Wow, I like how you're dressed/did your hair/makeup, you look like you're from the '40's/'50's, a pinup girl!" The girls my age generally ask how I was able to do my hair and then are amazed that I sleep in sponge curlers. My fiance said "I really like when you dress like this you need to more often, but I don't like it because the guys stare at you more".

My favorite story is when my fiance and I went to a '40's musical revue. The owner of the theater was taking tickets and then said "Wow, you like great, thank you for dressing up." Then during intermission I had a husband and wife come up to where we were sitting and tell me how much they loved my look and then a few people stopped me while I was walking to the restroom. The best part was when a little lady walking behind me said "I love your stockings, I used to wear those when I was young."

Even though I get compliments I also get some strange looks, like I'm a martian, oh well! I also get negative comments from my mom's side of the family. They always complain about me being so pale (I'm naturally fair skinned and I don't want skin cancer so I wear sunscreen). I never get any compliments in public when I'm dressed "normal" but if I'm dressed vintage around that family they don't say anything. Also, I had a little bit of a hard time in college last year. I started out dress vintage the first term but I felt like everyone thought I was a freak and I wouldn't be taken seriously in my chosen field (criminal justice). So I got really self conscious and stopped dressing that way. Now I'm back to being myself and not letting it affect me.

There are only a few compliments that annoy me. It seems that because people don't really know what to associate the vintage look with they say some odd things. For example, if you're a redhead you get "I Love Lucy", which I've gotten when I had red hair. The other is if you're blonde or wearing a dress that resembles the Seven Year Itch dress you get "Marilyn Monroe". My mom has even said "Like Betty Boop!" I've had that a few times actually! I'm sorry but I don't have a giant head, my hair isn't short or black and I'm not a cartoon!

Okay, so this is probably the longest post ever. Sorry about that I just had to share!

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

Pretty much all positive. More often women will comment, but men will smile, and open doors. Although, round these parts, men open doors on a regular basis, despite what I'm wearing.

 

[MsStabby]

Positive comments

I've been dressing vintage only since the spring, and all comments have been positive. The women at work like to examine a new dress/outfit including playing the "identify that fabric" game, i.e., combed or brushed cotton, etc. and discuss how easy/difficult it will be for me to make my own this winter. An older lady (early 60's) loves to date my items. For instance, this last week I wore a pair of early 50's patent leather black pumps with very pointy toes. She noticed them immediately, and examined them saying that she didn't remember such "hot points" back in the day. She loved them.

Men (of all ages) seem to notice, and I at least get a smile or second up & down.

I have had some glares from women when I'm out and about, but all from women dressed in sweats, or spilling over their under-sized jeans. For me, the glares are the female equivalent of the male up & down, and they make me happy

 

[Lily Powers]

...It seems that because people don't really know what to associate the vintage look with they say some odd things. For example, if you're a redhead you get "I Love Lucy", which I've gotten when I had red hair. The other is if you're blonde or wearing a dress that resembles the Seven Year Itch dress you get "Marilyn Monroe". My mom has even said "Like Betty Boop!" I've had that a few times actually! I'm sorry but I don't have a giant head, my hair isn't short or black and I'm not a cartoon!

I ride a bicycle in my vintage clothing and usually get, "Hey Dorothy, where's Toto?" And the speakers of that line are always very proud of their wit. I smile and joke back, "You know, I just never get tired of hearing that!"

fftopic: Good luck with CJ major, by the way. That was my major and now my field of work.

 

[Christy]

I ride a bicycle in my vintage clothing and usually get, "Hey Dorothy, where's Toto?" And the speakers of that line are always very proud of their wit. I smile and joke back, "You know, I just never get tired of hearing that!"

fftopic: Good luck with CJ major, by the way. That was my major and now my field of work.

lol I love your reply! It's quite funny to see their face when they think they've come up with such a witty comment.

fftopic: Thanks! How do you like the CJ field? I've just started my internship at a juvenile corrections facility. Today is my second day, which I need to leave for in a few minutes, and I really like it so far.

 

[C-dot]

fftopic: Thanks! How do you like the CJ field? I've just started my internship at a juvenile corrections facility. Today is my second day, which I need to leave for in a few minutes, and I really like it so far.

fftopic: Congrats to both of you. I start my final year of Paralegal training in January, and I look forward to working under a criminal lawyer, when I start my internship/career.

Do our vintage looks affect us in this field? I think most men will take a shine to us. I also think people will take us seriously, since vintage looks tend to make you look 'mature.' (This ties in to the thread in the Observation Bar.)

My mom has even said "Like Betty Boop!" I've had that a few times actually! I'm sorry but I don't have a giant head, my hair isn't short or black and I'm not a cartoon!

I've gotten Betty Boop a few times too - I posses neither a cartoonish, nor life-like resemblance of her. lol

 

[Christy]

fftopic: Congrats to both of you. I start my final year of Paralegal training in January, and I look forward to working under a criminal lawyer, when I start my internship/career.

Do our vintage looks affect us in this field? I think most men will take a shine to us. I also think people will take us seriously, since vintage looks tend to make you look 'mature.' (This ties in to the thread in the Observation Bar.)

fftopic: Congrats to you too! I think that the vintage look would work in a law office, but why I thought I wouldn't be taken seriously is because I was looking at law enforcement as a career, like I wouldn't be able to handle the job because I was girly. I'm not sure how to say it, does it make sense? Anyway, now I'm contemplating juvenile corrections and I still wouldn't be able to dress vintage because they have a uniform. I did meet a female juvenile corrections worker today and she had winged eyeliner on and seemed very feminine so I assume they are a little more flexible than possibly a police officer would be.

 

[Gigi]

I've recently been getting quite a few 'Mad Men' comments. Several people have asked me if I watch it. Others have said stuff like, "You must be a Man Men fan." My boyfriend dresses vintage too, and a few days ago someone stopped us and said, "Oh my gosh, you look like you're right off the set of Mad Men! Did you start dressing that way because of the show? You are so cute! I want to start dressing that way too. I love that show, but I couldn't pull off the look." Most people assume I watch it and that it's where I get all my "inspiration" from. I just started watching it this season because everyone and their brother kept telling me how much I'd like it. Moreover, my style leans more towards the 50s, but the average person cannot tell the difference between 1955 and 1961, so who can blame them. I'm just sort of getting annoyed because so many people seem to think I'm trying to look like someone from Mad Men and that I only started dressing this way because of the show. It's nothing major, but I hate when people think I'm dressed up in some costume or something.

 

[Lily Powers]

fftopic: Congrats to you too! I think that the vintage look would work in a law office, but why I thought I wouldn't be taken seriously is because I was looking at law enforcement as a career, like I wouldn't be able to handle the job because I was girly. I'm not sure how to say it, does it make sense? Anyway, now I'm contemplating juvenile corrections and I still wouldn't be able to dress vintage because they have a uniform. I did meet a female juvenile corrections worker today and she had winged eyeliner on and seemed very feminine so I assume they are a little more flexible than possibly a police officer would be.

fftopic: I wouldn't spring it on anyone in the interview process! Depending on your career path in CJ, until you're deemed "one of the gang," and off your probationary period, I'd take little, vintage baby steps (shoes, a piece of jewelry, a jacket) before introducing a full-on vintage look at work. But after work, at holiday parties... it's nice to be your vintage self. I also don't want to ruin any of my vintage clothing or shoes if I'm called out in the field unexpectedly.

 

[Christy]

fftopic: I wouldn't spring it on anyone in the interview process! Depending on your career path in CJ, until you're deemed "one of the gang," and off your probationary period, I'd take little, vintage baby steps (shoes, a piece of jewelry, a jacket) before introducing a full-on vintage look at work. But after work, at holiday parties... it's nice to be your vintage self. I also don't want to ruin any of my vintage clothing or shoes if I'm called out in the field unexpectedly.

I definitely agree with you. I was just explaining to c-dot why I felt a vintage look wouldn't work in certain cj fields. Whenever I meet with people in the field that I might end up working with I dress in a modern wardrobe. That is one of the reasons I went from having bright red hair to a brunette.

 

[The Shirt]

At a car show this weekend - I got the "You are just a vision of another era" from a stranger. To an older, chubby girl who was outshined by all the darling young rockabilly gals there - it made my day. I had worked hard on my hair and make-up. I dress vintage and not necessarily rockabilly so it was nice to be singled out.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

YES! You Go Girl, but where's the photo?? As an older, chubby lady who dresses vintage too, I'm raising my hand at the screen and saying a big WOOHOO for ya!

At a car show this weekend - I got the "You are just a vision of another era" from a stranger. To an older, chubby girl who was outshined by all the darling young rockabilly gals there - it made my day. I had worked hard on my hair and make-up. I dress vintage and not necessarily rockabilly so it was nice to be singled out.

 

[Helysoune]

YES! You Go Girl, but where's the photo?? As an older, chubby lady who dresses vintage too, I'm raising my hand at the screen and saying a big WOOHOO for ya!

Ditto!!!

 

[The Shirt]

If I can snag them from a friend who actually took photos - I will post. I'm one of those who hates myself in pictures.[huh]

 

[C-dot]

If I can snag them from a friend who actually took photos - I will post. I'm one of those who hates myself in pictures.[huh]

I don't see why, I think you're beautiful

 

[nostalgic]

first post

Hello all, this is my first post! I haven't actually dressed vintage yet (it's going to be an expensive interest) but I've been doing my hair (pincurls and rolls) and full makeup everyday. Even when I thought my hair looked like a 60's 'do gone wrong, a co-worker said she loved the body! We essentially have a uniform at work so there's very little room for originality plus I'm literally on my feet 8 hours a day. Does anyone else here work on their feet? What types of shoes do you wear?
Please excuse my babbling: I've read this ENTIRE thread and am a little all-over-the-place....

 

[nostalgic]

thread killer

Did I kill a thread already?!