Do you mix eras when dressing vintage?

[rubyredlocks]

Since I've decided to grow my hair into a Louise Brooks bob,but realize that 1920s attire doesn't suit my figure it brought this question to my mind.The makeup of the 20s also suits me and my husband loves that smoky eye look for evening.
For attire I stick with the 1940s and 1950s silhouttes that flatter my figure best.

 

[Grace]

I tend to mix eras for a more wearable, eclectic look. Wearing all 50s from head to toe for everyday wear is a little too much. I'm curious to hear what others have to say!

 

[Elaina]

I wear whatever I feel like from Victorian, Edwardian on up. I generally stay out of the 60's and wear some 70's peasant blouses (not the material, but they are the best patterns), or a mix of all of them.

My hair is cut now into a 60's mod bob (only because half my hair was so brittle it broke to my jaw and I cut the rest of it) and come payday I'll go to the salon and get a 20's bob. I have 40's eyebrows, 50's makeup.

I too wear what looks best on me (within reason. I've never been too keen on the whole 20's look).

 

[BonnieJean]

I wear a mix of vintage all the time. I really love the 30s, but wear stuff from the 30s-60s. I just bought a vintage blue wool coat with a fur collar--late 50s to early 60s--think Jackie O! I've got several handbags that look 40s - 50s. Sometimes I'll wear a 30s inspired blouse with a 50s inspired skirt. I love the eclectic look. Most of my shoes are more 30s looking and I've got scads of hats and gloves and other accessories from several eras. As my vintage/vintage-inspired wardrobe expands, my more modern clothes are slowly weeded out. Even my everyday hairdo is like a long wavy bob from the 30s. Mostly, I try to wear good, classic clothes that work with my body type and I get to "play dress-up" every day!

 

[crystalface]

I tend to mix 40's and 50's alot. Those are my favorite eras. I tend to favor Rockabilly and Pinup styles when dressing.

I was into dressing 80's inspired for a while when it very first started inching it's way back into modern fashion, but now it's just overkill. Acid Wash should never have been resurrected.

I am thin, but I have curvey hips. I'm kinda flat chested and flat bummed, but pencil skirts, fitted blouses and straight leg jeans tend to help these *areas*
(Can't figure out how to fix my chicken legs. hmmph.)

 

[Lady Day]

40s and 50, Im sure like ladies of old did as trends changed, and they wanted to get the most wear out of their already owned garments.

My hair is modern, will always be. Its big and currly and natural. The only cut Ill have is clipped ends So I just arrange it according to how I feel, or scarves and flowers add to that oh so vintage look.

All of my clothing now, even my jammies are vintage to vintage inspired. I have one pair of modern jeans I havent worn in months. Time to goodwill em'?

LD

 

[Naama]

I often mix the 20's and the 30's, and I often wear seamed stockings with 20's clothes And because thighter pants fit me better than those wide legged ones, I often wear them as well with some retro looking tops (but I barely do that).


Naama

 

[GOK]

Because I make most of my own clothes, I usually wear a mix too and often my designs incorporate elements of different historical periods within the same garment.

Hair - though it sounds realy crass, is just like Bettie Page's. That's just how it is. I did go through a phase of not having a fringe but I thought I looked too modern, so grew it back (and wore a false one to ease the process!). A lot of the time I straighten my hair purely because I like the contrast between it and vintage clothing. Sometimes I dread my hair (see my av) - again, I like the contrast and no matter how much I adore vintage clothing, I don't ever want to be bound by it - feeling I can't do this or that with my overall look because it 'won't go'. That said, I've just bought a repro 1940s hairstyling book, so I feel a bit of experimentation coming on!

Footwear - possibly the most unauthentic area for me. I have pointy toe stilettoes and I have 30s and 40s inspired peep-toes. I wear the latter mostly simply because I feel more elegant in them. And they have 5" killer heels! I have several pairs of the same style in different colours too....well, one has to eh?

I've also been known to wear huge platform Demonia Mary Janes with 1950s circle frocks! They look cute but with hindsight, at 5'10" in my stockings, wearing an outfit like that might just make me look like a drag queen! And I have a rule about not looking like my friends! LOL! Oh, I should clarify - I have lots of chums that are drag queens and T-girls!

Lingerie - depends on what I'm wearing on top. If fully vintage then it has to be the real deal. I have several authentic bras from the 50s, which give a perfect bullet shape to vintage frocks and blouses. However, I do find that the repro bullet bras actually look too extreme under fitted sweaters. Originals are fine though. If I'm wearing 40's style, then I tend to opt for modern bras as they give me a less obvious shape.

I've never been a fan of big knickers but I have to say that with crin petticoats, they are a must if you don't want 'hungry bum'!

Girdles, cinchers and corsets - the latter I usually wear by themselves (well, with something on the bottom!). The other two are great for both full and wiggle frocks. Suspenders; minimum of six - anything else just feels wrong. Oh and I don't even own modern suspender belts..what a waste of time!

Stockings are usually FFs - I prefer Manhattan heels but Cubans come a close second. French or point heels just look too modern to me. However, I do wear the latter occasionally because I have some beautiful contrast seamed stockings. Black with red seams, nude with black and nude with red. My partner adores those! I also tend to wear seamed tulle stockings quite a lot - very practical and last ages. I don't like hold ups, for they are the work of Satan! And I'm not keen on ordinary guage fishnets; it has to be micro or tulle. I shall refrain from commenting on fence nets and ringos!

Outerwear might be a Victorian style coat, a short jacket or a wrap - depends on how I am travelling TBH. I've just bought a couple of 1940s princess coat patterns - I may get time this winter to make one up for myself!

Mostly I tend to go with how I'm feeling, whether I am working and what the weather is like. Today, I am Edith Piaf....in garb, not mood! But then I usually am when I'm working!

Of course, I could have just posted a "Yes I do mix styles"...heheh!

 

[Honey Doll]

I mix eras

I will style my hair in a 50s fashion, wear a suit from the 40s and maybe a vintage brooch from the 60s--or maybe a 50s shawl collar suit with a fingerwave..... I think I give off a general vintage vibe and people don't know quite when to place any particular element of my look. I generally go to pieces that have a classic cut and fit without being overly married to one era.

Generally I stay away from a full on reproduction of any one era for work days. Date nights I might have fun trying to more strictly interpret a look.

It really is more fun for me to mix and match, play with hairstyles, fashion, accessories---- my own personal dress up party!

Honey Doll

 

[Rosie]

I mix eras very often. I mix the 40's and 50's mostly. 50's clothes with 40's hair and shoes. I have some house dresses and lounging dress form the 70s and I have a few Lane Bryant dresses that I got deadstock from 1939 which I like.

 

[Miss Dottie]

I totally mix vintage eras, because when it comes down to it not one really suits my mercurical body/lifestyle/mood completely, so I mix and match it all the time.

I actually love the 1930s styles the most, but find the styles of the 40s and 50s best for my figure.

And I live vintage glasses for the fifties the best.

Sigh! All I can say is that I'm glad I live now and can pull from whenever era I want fashion-wise. And the end result is 100 percent a reflection of me.

 

[Polka Dot]

I also mix and match, but since I don't dress head-to-toe vintage, this generally means one or two vintage things within a more modern look. Because I generally don't have much luck finding vintage things that flatter me, I favor vintage/vintage-inspired accessories: brooches, scarves, stockings, shoes, sweater chains, hair combs, etc. I keep my clothes relatively simple and classic and play up everything else.

If I had a better figure, I think I'd choose more of a mid-30s look, but the slim, boyish cuts just don't work on me.

P.S. I like your new avatar, Miss Dottie.

 

[Lauren]

I mix and match all the time. Modern with vintage or vintage inspired for daily wear- but if I'm going to an event I do head to toe period.

One thing to keep in mind is that people would have had things 5-10 years old in their closet to mix and match- just like we keep our things we bought a while ago because we love them or they're not really out of style. So it's actually quite a period correct thing to do!

 

[lindylady]

I wear mostly 40s-50s era clothes. They seem to flatter my body type. I also like that the cut of clothes were very feminine back then.

 

[Miss Dottie]

I also mix and match, but since I don't dress head-to-toe vintage, this generally means one or two vintage things within a more modern look. Because I generally don't have much luck finding vintage things that flatter me, I favor vintage/vintage-inspired accessories: brooches, scarves, stockings, shoes, sweater chains, hair combs, etc. I keep my clothes relatively simple and classic and play up everything else.

If I had a better figure, I think I'd choose more of a mid-30s look, but the slim, boyish cuts just don't work on me.

P.S. I like your new avatar, Miss Dottie.

Tee hee! Thanks!

Yes, I too like the vintage acessories. A little bit can go a long way into creating a vintage look out of more modern clothes.

 

[mysterygal]

With just getting the idea of this, I probably am mixing some era's in my outfit!
Sunday is my day where I love to go all out vintage, other than that, it's a mix of 40's/50s with some modern accessories or clothes to go with.

 

[Honey Doll]

Fantastic Point

One thing to keep in mind is that people would have had things 5-10 years old in their closet to mix and match- just like we keep our things we bought a while ago because we love them or they're not really out of style. So it's actually quite a period correct thing to do!

Great point Lauren!

Honey Doll

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I definitely mix and match. I often have my hair in a 50s style, with a ponytail, though my pomp at the front is rolled rather than teased. But I will wear that do with my high waisted trousers. But I will team the trousers with a very 50sy cardigan and sweaterguard. Or I will have my hair in rolls and curled with capris and flats. Either way my hair isn't period correct as it is jet-black with a peroxide streak in the front! I know my granny used to bleach the front of her hair in the 60s though, so I'm not tooo far out!

I don't like to be pigeonholed... I *do* like for people to look at me and think I am vintage inspired, but I temd not to limit myself. Now if I had the money to buy a whole new wardrobe I might change my mind...but that's not happening any time soon!

 

[Mojito]

I'll mix and match. I wear a lot of accessories that are vintage inspired, particularly jewelery. I love Michal Negrin's cameos, and have a collection of them (one of my favourite pieces is a flapper cameo ring - because I can sit here looking at it on my finger!).

I'm 5'10", so finding authentic vintage shoes - and even repros - is incredibly hard. Instead I generally have to go with what looks 'right' with an outfit.

I also love wearing one piece of vintage - say, my favourite velvet jacket - with jeans.

On the other hand, give me a party and odds are it'll be the full deal.

 

[crystalface]

I wear mostly 40s-50s era clothes. They seem to flatter my body type. I also like that the cut of clothes were very feminine back then.

I actually read in a mag somewhere that when you shop you should buy clothes designed by women because women are more forgiving with shape and cuts. It actually makes alot of sense when you look at and wear modern clothes.
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