Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

[HannahJane]

My mother came to visit me this weekend and her first comment when she saw me with my hair in victory rolls was "You look just like your grandma!"
I'm only just starting to dress in vintage and it was the first time she had seen me all done up. She went on to tell me that there is a picture of my grandma when she was younger with her hair in the same style and I look just like her. I took that to be a pretty good sign!

 

[23SkidooWithYou]

My mother came to visit me this weekend and her first comment when she saw me with my hair in victory rolls was "You look just like your grandma!"

HannahJane,

I think that's just about the BEST compliment any gal could ever get! You should try to find that picture, have a copy done and frame it for your place.

 

[Bombshell Becca]

I recently went out to eat with a group of friends. They were not dressed vintage except for the fact that my one friend has long bright red hair with Betty Bangs & her fiancé was wearing cuffed jeans & converse type shoes. (So the two of them were a tad on the Rockabilly side you could say) I had styled my hair in a 40’s fashion and had done my makeup on the same manner including a lovely red lipstick. I was wearing a cardigan & high waisted Capri jeans (but you couldn’t really see my outfit because a was wearing a vintagey dress coat) The hostess who seated us said “ You guys look like you out of the 20’s”. Which I thought she said “Are you guys all in your 20’s?” Which really confused me being one in our party had mostly gray hair.

I thought it was odd how she made such a generalization about our group (wrong era to boot) based on mostly just my appreance & my friend’s Betty Bang.

It also made me think of how little most people must know about history in general & past fashions and how sad that makes me.

 

[Smuterella]

^ gosh yes, I know exactly what you mean. I get 20's, 70's, 80's - to the extent where I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. lol

 

[Loren Taylor]

I can kind of relate - my sister was complaining about all my 'old music'. She got really mad then exclaimed " stop listening to the Beatles, it's not the 80's anymore!"

it really cracked my mom and me up!lol

 

[LollyWillowes]

As someone who is very passionate about history, the ignorance shown sometimes, about dates, eras, etc, makes me want to growl. I would say, from what I have read here, that people seem less prejudiced about it in the US than the Uk. A lot of women, who dress vintage, get some extremely nasty remarks passed. By those who look like the dog's breakfast themselves, I might add. Seems like without one's rear end hanging out of jeans, and covered in fake tan, you're not fit to be seen!

 

[MarieAnne]

oh and don't forget the dishevelled hair . That's a really good point; I think it's just a matter of fitting in and conforming. The ones with the nasty remarks are probably very insecure. Don't let them get to you!

 

[Lenore]

I had to run by the bank after work the other day to make a deposit, and the girl behind the counter said "First of all, you are SOO cute!, Secondly, how may I help you, ma'am?" lol I giggled about it all the way home.

 

[Sincerely-Dee]

I sometimes get 'Where did you get that from, it's unusual?', when I reply they immediately lose "interest".
The older ladies at church often will say 'Oh, you look very nice.'
Then there's the stares on the street...

 

[Berlin]

Last week I had to go to the GP, and because it's nearby I planned to walk. I had a complete forties look, and when an old gentleman passed me, he kept looking and looking and looking with his jaw on his knees (metaphorical speaking). He called me back and told me that I looked like his puppy-love girlfriend and that he enjoys it very much, seeing a young girl like me, in this modern world, wearing clothes from the time when hé was young.

The compliment totally made my day, and the bad news the doctor told me, wasn't so bad anymore

 

[rachw182]

The other day I was at an open house and I was wearing a 40s inspired outfit and of course it was not complete without the red lipstick
I past by an older lady and smiled at her and the look in her eyes said it all. She had a huge smile on her face, I could just see her reminiscing about her own youthful days.
That alone made my day.

 

[Foofoogal]

The compliment totally made my day, and the bad news the doctor told me, wasn't so bad anymore

welcome to the FL. I am glad you got a bright spot after bad news. I hope you get better.

I remember when I was younger I went to a nice party and had my hair up in a french twist and all dressed up nice. Several much older gentlemen were enthralled so I understand what you mean.

he kept looking and looking and looking with his jaw on his knees (metaphorical speaking)

It is a feeling that will stay with you forever and hard to describe.

The power of a woman...dressed up is so powerful. lol

 

[Foofoogal]

welcome Sincerely-Dee, Berlin and rachw182.

 

[Brooksie]

Last week a lady (a very stylish lady I will add but not vintage wearing) at my work came up to me to tell me she really loved my 1940's look, she said to me you dress in vintage every day don't you? My reply was thank you so much and yes for the most part I do - except funny thing was that I was not wearing a stitch of vintage on that particular day but when I am not in vintage I go for a very classic look. I pointed out to her that I did not have on any vintage at all right then and she said it still looks vintage and it looks great! I have worn my hair in victory rolls several times to work and she said you even wear a 40's hairstyle, she said you really live it don't you? I said yes that I do. She tells me several years ago when she used to live in California she wore vintage all of the time so I asked her what her favorite era was and she said she just loves the 40's. It was so nice to get this compliment because my work place is very casual because hundreds of people work there but we are not seen by the public however there are lots of very "different" looking people there also because we are not seen by the public. So I imagine to most I fit right in there in the sea of different looking people and I am totally fine with that.

B

Lady at my work (her name is Laura) part two...

I ran into Laura again the other day - the one that commented on my 40's style. She said she loved my skirt and coat (both were from the 40's) I thanked her and sat down at the table next to hers with my friends. I over heard her talking to a co-worker sitting at her table. She said that I wear vintage everyday and that I usually have a 1940's look going on with hair and everything. She proceeded to tell the co-worker that she used to wear vintage clothes everyday too when she lived in L.A. The co-worker asked her why she stopped and she said it was because she started to feel like she was looking like "the little old lady" and all she needed was the shopping cart. lol. I just pretended not to hear that comment because I do not think I look like a little old lady with or with out the shopping cart!

B

 

[shopgirl61]

"I see you like wearing old clothes"

That was from a potential date after I sent him my picture. I felt

But, that was 5 yrs ago

 

[Lily Powers]

Lady at my work (her name is Laura) part two...

I ran into Laura again the other day - the one that commented on my 40's style. She said she loved my skirt and coat (both were from the 40's) I thanked her and sat down at the table next to hers with my friends. I over heard her talking to a co-worker sitting at her table. She said that I wear vintage everyday and that I usually have a 1940's look going on with hair and everything. She proceeded to tell the co-worker that she used to wear vintage clothes everyday too when she lived in L.A. The co-worker asked her why she stopped and she said it was because she started to feel like she was looking like "the little old lady" and all she needed was the shopping cart. lol. I just pretended not to hear that comment because I do not think I look like a little old lady with or with out the shopping cart!

B

It sounds like she may be wistful about her former love of vintage and seeing it work well on you. Her comment wasn't about you, so maybe one day you can say something nice to her and rekindle her interest in vintage.

 

[xitsvivx]

I recently had an elderly gentleman come up to me the other day while I was waiting for my husband outside jamba juice ask me about my hair. Im not sure if he was commenting on the style or the pink color.. but it was cute how amazed he looked & then told me he wished his wife would do something like it. He then told me I was "a real classy lookin lady".
I enjoy those kind of compliments.
Kept a smile on my face that day. =)

 

[FountainPenGirl]

Hi to all

It's kind of fun to watch to see how many people notice a vintage look and how many don't. A lot of people will notice that you look nice but won't directly associate it with a specific era. A good quote for this is "Looking good is timeless." My usual look is that of the late 40's and early 50's. My husband and I were at a summer event and I was weaing the complete package. Including my glasses and the camera I was using. A lady said to me "I like your dress. That's like '50's." My Reply was "Actually it is." It made me feel good because she seemed to be the age of a young lady of the '50's. A lot of the people I'm around were kids of the '40's and '50's. What seems interesting to me is that they don't really pay any attention to my style. I just seem to look normal to them. I really like this site. It's nice to know that there are people out there that hang on to fashion and real style instead of opting for the current trend of substituting the complete lack of style as a style itself. I call it just sloppy. I always say even if they have no respect for themselves at have enough respect for the others around them to try to look descent.
Well so much for being on my soap box. Keep it up and have fun.

 

[Brooksie]

It sounds like she may be wistful about her former love of vintage and seeing it work well on you. Her comment wasn't about you, so maybe one day you can say something nice to her and rekindle her interest in vintage.

Well at least I did not take the comment personal, I just thought it was kind of funny. The next time I did see her after that, I did comment on how I liked her glasses that I really liked the art deco design they had. They are actually very cool looking they are an aqua blue with a black geometric design (very art deco looking) with a couple of rhinestones in each corner. (very modern but with a vintage twist).

B

 

[Spiffy]

I was working at my university's open house, representing my (Critical Film Study) department. I was wearing a pretty normal outfit- a green-and-navy patterned shift dress, a navy blazer and some flat sandals.
A group of prospective students walk up to the table, start asking questions, blah blah blah...and I notice that a two of these girls are whispering at each other and pointing at my hair.
My hair was in an enormous 60's updo....and at the time, half of it was pink.

I ignore them, because they are wearing the Uniform Of The Uninspired Dresser-"girly" polos, ripped-knee skinny jeans, and flipflops. So the group walks off and I go back to my book...and then one of the girls comes back and tells me:
"I like your hair....you're kind of like a classy Amy Winehouse, huh?"

headdeskthud.