Do you dress down to compensate?

[Penny Dreadful]

For vintage looks there are of course house dresses vs day dresses and nicer Sunday type dresses. But these days everyone just dresses SO casual there are people in sweats etc all over the place. So I find that even in the MOST casual vintage-inspired outfit I still get comments like "Are you going to a party?" or "This is what you chose to wear to the grocery store??" So I'm wondering if anyone here either dresses down on purpose or just if you don't feel the need to dress as formally as they would have back then just because people consider what you're wearing to be so relatively nice or formal anyway.

 

[Foofoogal]

Most definitely on a daily basis.

 

[RodeoRose]

I field inquiries about what party/event I'm going to and general comments about how "dressed up" I look all the time, too. I've been immersed in my vintage mindset for so long now that what seems like a casual everyday outfit to me (usually a 50s day dress with a cardigan and ballet flats) would actually be considered formal by many other people. I dress to the nines whenever I'm going out in public, and just take the incredulity of the sweat-pants clad passerby in stride. I dress the way I do because it makes me happy, and I don't feel the need to "tone it down" just because of societal expectations.

 

[Michael Carter]

If people didn't dress so shabbily, maybe we wouldn't look so good all of the time.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

The only reason I consciously 'dress down' may be when I'm not in a mood to be commented upon. Funnily enough, though, the people I encounter on a regular basis - friends, coffee house pals, etc. - are familiar with my style, and are more likely to say something if I'm not in a dress/skirt, with a bit of accessorizing. Case in point: New Year's Day. It was sunny and mild, so my Mr. and I took our kayaks out to the river. I was wearing Eddie Bauer aviator-style trousers, a vintage Pendleton shirt, and the Tilley hat I'd gotten as an Xmas gift. Upon finishing our bracing venture, we rushed to an art gallery that always has a special reception for New Year's Day. I didn't like to waste time going home to change, in case all the lucky black-eyed peas were gone (not to mention I was really in a mood for the complimentary mimosa). You should have heard the comments, bordering on rude if I was an easily-offended sort of gal, from people who expected to see me in stockings, heels, and cloche. In all honesty, I left early out of a sense of discomfiture.
Rest assured, by the time I ventured to the afternoon party at a friend's home, I had dolled myself up in the manner I'm apparently being held to.

 

[scottyrocks]

I was just reading, in anoter thread, about a member who has to dress down because of her work. She's a nurse, I believe, and is concerned about her clothes being ruined.

I work with kids, on the floor most of the day, so its pretty much sweats for me. But when I go out, although not in vintage attire, I often enjoy donning a jacket, waistcoat and tie, and of course, a fedora. Sometimes I get questions of comments, and my usual response is, with a smile, 'Because I like the way it looks.' Seems to satisfy just about everyone.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I never dress down - it's not in my nature!

lol

 

[Amy Jeanne]

I wear what I want. I like vintage styles and I also like jeans and girl-cut t-shirts (what i wear a majority of the time). I could care less what anyone else thinks and would never "compensate" for anyone.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Today I've been down on my hands and knees scrubbing out the ice machine at work with bleach -- and I'm wearing a dirty canvas apron, a faded cotton house dress and cotton stockings with sewn-up holes in the knees. If someone considers that "dressed up", then they're the ones who're screwy.

For what it's worth, I find a house dress much more comfortable for doing this kind of work than pants -- less binding, for one thing.

 

[Smuterella]

Oh definitely, I wear my house dresses outside of the house and thus outside of doing the daily chores. The chores get done when I'm still in my pyjamas. I love pyjamas.

 

[Feraud]

Keep fighting the good fight. When you dress down to compensate the stupids win.

 

[Lauren]

I dress down. Most days it pants or jeans. In the spring and summer I'll wear dresses and skirts, but I'm more comfy in sportswear [huh]

 

[Foofoogal]

I find skirts and dresses more comfortable for most any time. I always try to wear some vintage element like cardigan or brooch/necklace.

 

[Miss Tuppence]

To most people I look dressed up when I’m in my dressed down state! What I class as an average every day outfit is completely different to my modern dressing counterparts. This in mind, I find no reason to dress down even more just to look semi normal in their eyes. I do however stop myself dressing as I will at certain times, just so I don’t alienate myself too much- example.. In my world I could wear a jaunty hat to the cinema, just as women from the 30’s and 40’s did, however the majority of people don’t wear them nowadays, so I would more likely cause a rumpus over the old hat thing and their obscured view…. Oh, I do wish I could wear a hat to the cinema!

 

[FinnSpinn]

I dress down for several reasons.

Sometimes I don't want my outfit to enter the room before I do. New business meetings for example (don't worry, I look real nice then).

I also dress down because my wardrobe is half casual, half vintage, so this gives me more choice to combine.

Lastly I dress down because I want to be able to dress up for special occasions (parties).

Having said that, my dressing down is more dressed up than most people in my environment. Although some people seem to pick it up. Very nice.

 

[Marla]

For myself, I find the idea of dressing down in order to not stand out preposterous. If those around me feel insecure about themselves because they perceive me to be ''dressed up'' that's frankly not my problem. When dressing I put consideration into choosing an outfit that is suitable for the setting(s) in which I will be that day. I don't consider that dressing down though, because I'm trying to dress for the occasion rather than conscientiously dressing in clothes my peers would approve of. Nuts to that! If I were truly worried about how people would react to my clothes I would just wear sweatpants and t-shirts like everyone else. Those types of mental barriers are just that--mental. Nothing bad is going to happen to you if you dress the way you want to in the modern world. Some might make rude comments, but it isn't as though you could face jail time or a forced visit to a psychiatrist.

I wear outdated clothes and dress by outdated standards that say a house dress shouldn't be worn outside of the house, a hat should be worn when going out, no slacks in professional settings, etc. Just because I wear vintage on a daily basis doesn't mean I'm likely to show up in a frilly 1950s prom dress to class. I just have higher standards than most people.

 

[Foofoogal]

When dressing I put consideration into choosing an outfit that is suitable for the setting(s) in which I will be that day. I don't consider that dressing down though, because I'm trying to dress for the occasion rather than conscientiously dressing in clothes my peers would approve of.

This is basically what I mean. I don't dress raggedy and am neat and don't dare go out without makeup but I do not dress vintage 24/7. I would love to be friends with those that do though.
-------------
Maria, if that is you in your avatar you would look good in most anything. Did you ever see this photo of Marilyn Monroe?
http://potatoboutique.blogspot.com/2010/04/marily-monroe-in-potato-sack-dress.html

 

[Drappa]

The only times I dress down is when I am very ill, when there is a serious snow- or rainstorm and I have to walk the dog in it, or when I am sleeping.
I don't care much if people comment on it because they are insecure, and I don't have that many negative experiences. I would actually say that my efforts have inspired some of my friends and family, especially my husband. When we met he wore a lot of ill-fitting clothes and sportswear, and now he usually dresses up too and asks if he looks good enough to be seen with me
I don't even think I want to stand out much from other people, because I'd prefer it if they made more of an effort and nobody wore tracksuits outside the gym. The thing that bothers me most is the lack of age-appropriate dressing nowadays, and if people my age try to dress like their children I can't help but refuse to participate.

 

[BoPeep]

This winter I picked up a pepto-bismol colored, dress coat to which I added a mink collar. I wear it every where, from church to the grocery store. I've had so many favorable comments on it. "That's such a classic!" "Love the color!" "I have a fur like that from my Great Aunt!" I think there are many folks that can appreciate good style (vintage or otherwise), but don't have the courage to wear it themselves. I don't dress down. Perhaps the more suits and ties and dresses that appear on the street, the more these images may slowly creep into people's heads, and subsequently, into their closets.

(coat sans mink collar)

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

For myself, I find the idea of dressing down in order to not stand out preposterous. If those around me feel insecure about themselves because they perceive me to be ''dressed up'' that's frankly not my problem. When dressing I put consideration into choosing an outfit that is suitable for the setting(s) in which I will be that day. I don't consider that dressing down though, because I'm trying to dress for the occasion rather than conscientiously dressing in clothes my peers would approve of. Nuts to that! If I were truly worried about how people would react to my clothes I would just wear sweatpants and t-shirts like everyone else. Those types of mental barriers are just that--mental. Nothing bad is going to happen to you if you dress the way you want to in the modern world. Some might make rude comments, but it isn't as though you could face jail time or a forced visit to a psychiatrist.

I wear outdated clothes and dress by outdated standards that say a house dress shouldn't be worn outside of the house, a hat should be worn when going out, no slacks in professional settings, etc. Just because I wear vintage on a daily basis doesn't mean I'm likely to show up in a frilly 1950s prom dress to class. I just have higher standards than most people.

This is EXACTLY what I meant when I said I never dress down. I think I read the question differently to some... I practically live in casual 40s repro trousers and equally casual tops - blouses, tshirts and knitwear, and certainly wear a housedress almost every day of the week in summer. But with my hair and makeup done, and thanks to the unusual colours of my outfits, I still appear 'dressed up', and I would never, ever tone it down in order to stand out less or make strangers feel more comfortable.