Does vintage clothing attract a rude/violent response?

[juup]

I personally find that its universal. People fear and lash out at what is beyond "normal." Here in new mexico we have a drug store that still has a lunch counter that i frequent in my vintage clothing. Periodically I will receive tongue lashings and veral assaults from little more than oversized children aout getting "with the times" in terms of dress. These same imbeciles run around the neighborhood with trousers down around their knees showing off their boxers and tighty whities. I honestly believe its the us's trend toward "my way or the highway-ism" that emboldens these numbskulls with the bravado to do what the feel is "cool."

 

[subject101]

Then again I'm 6ft 3in tall and 230 lbs. When I must, I can walk like the biggest, baddest, m*f* in the valley.

My case is somehow similar, I've been attending a gym the whole last decade and I was military trained. I'm not that big but almost everybody notice pretty soon that I'm not the guy you want to mess around with.

Therefore I never run into troubles. However, I'm a very easy going guy and I'm always telling jokes. If approached by a drunken retarded, I will probably have much fun of it than trouble. The poor dude has a lot of chances of becoming the victim of my next prank With a whole gang I don't know.

 

[Pompidou]

People at the bar I frequent think I dress vintage, though in honesty, the only things I wear that are truly vintage are 1920s antique sunglasses. My hat looks vintage. My leather jacket emulates a WWI era flight jacket, though it's modern from US Wings. At most, that's three things. The rest of me, so far, is pretty modern, albeit eclectic to stand out. Regardless, they think I'm dressing vintage, tell me as much, and also tell me it's really cool that I do. I don't know how you all should take this, but here it is.

 

[RichardH]

Idiots... they've got no class. I probably would have shouted back at them myself, but I would really, if in my right mind, turn the other cheek and carry on.



Funny you should mention the "Nazi" comment. I'm far from being ideologically associated with such evil, perverse beliefs, but my younger brother did kind of jokingly say that my hair, the way it was styled, looked Hitler-esque. This happened on two occasions that I could recall, and both times, my hair was slicked with Brylcreem or pomade, but side-parted in a way that maybe it appeared slanted down... I never part on the left for the very reason I wish to avoid any Hitler association. Either the right, middle, or none at all for me. The left is pretty strictly avoided.

Hitler parted his hair on the right side of his head, so if you want to avoid looking like hitler, part your hair on the left side ;-) The left side is also the most common side to part it. (If you´re right handed that is)

 

[Marla]

To the average, historically ignorant passerby, our vintage garb may read more as "formal" rather than "1940s" or what-have-you.

Excellent point. Most people on the street are not familiar with the concept of wearing vintage clothing. Of all the people that see me on a given day, I doubt if even a third make a connection between my clothes and the Golden Era, or think "that girl must be a vintage enthusiast", or even realize that my clothes were not purchased in a shopping mall. It's obvious I'm dressed differently, and I'm sure everyone that sees me realizes it, but where their mind veers from there I can only imagine. At any rate, I never know whether the first sight of me will elicit a smile or a frown from a stranger. It's not rare for me to be treated unkindly by strangers, and since I doubt it's my manners at fault, I can only conclude that it is the way I dress.

 

[green papaya]

I havent experienced rudeness from my clothing since high school days

 

[Renault]

"Then last Saturday I was at a cashpoint when a rather drunken man came up behind me and took my hat off."

Sorry, but the absolute best way to get an ol' fashion a**-wuppin' is to mess with someones hat. I these parts, a hat is still am extremely sacred thing.

Renault

 

[Gene]

"Then last Saturday I was at a cashpoint when a rather drunken man came up behind me and took my hat off."

Sorry, but the absolute best way to get an ol' fashion a**-wuppin' is to mess with someones hat. I these parts, a hat is still am extremely sacred thing.

Renault

Too bad the UK has such strict gun laws. You don't see people messing with hats down in Texas (unless maybe it's.....Austin).

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Luckily no violence here, but I'm a big guy and most folks know better than to mess with me. I've had people try to get violent with me, but I quickly backed them down. People seem to get defensive because you've 'out-dressed' them and it causes some rude-ness.

I rarely have people assuming I'm particularly vintage, aside from my fedoras. Usually, people just describe my dress as 'classy'.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I have sadly come to the conclusion that Britain - let's not single out England - is a cesspit; Truly the armpit of humanity. Stacked to the gunwales with inebriated cretins just on the tipping point of the kind of spectacular rage that I once thought confined to novels about football hooligans and the like. Whether that rage is directed at ethnic minorities, someone dressed differently, or someone wearing the wrong colour football shirt, these epsilon minuses can't seem to help themselves. They have no other outlet than rage.

Someone mentioned "casual pugilism" and I think this is just about the perfect description. We have social issues like every other place, but in the UK, it seems that the only way to deal with them is to guzzle 10 pints of strong European lager and have a fight. (and that's the women!) In my experience, this seems to be in no way linked to class or income. "Rich kids", for want of a better term, are some of the worst offenders.

I am preparing to brave the underground once more to get to work, where many of the pent up stresses are released. It's anonymous, like internet fora, so people feel they can vent their spleens.

 

[Miss Moonlight]

I havent experienced rudeness from my clothing since high school days

Same here, save one comment while I was working about ten years ago, and it was so weak and stupid - "Halloween's in October" and then they laughed- I had to respond with, "Gee... never heard THAT one before." Because I had, in high school from people easily 15 years younger than this guy. But not since.

I have sadly come to the conclusion that Britain - let's not single out England - is a cesspit; Truly the armpit of humanity.

Such a shame to read this, but then we all have our individual experiences. I don't live there. I visited England ten years ago and I was very impressed with how incredibly nice everyone was, and how well people behaved themselves while drinking. Went to Guildford Music Festival and the only fight that whole weekend, in a place where they allowed everyone to either bring alcohol in or use the huge outdoor bar, was between a couple. He called her a cow, she smacked him, they walked away from each other.

And out and about, people who saw us looking at a map would ask if we needed help, and give us directions, it was amazing. I adore England, esp London, because my experience there for ten days was just stellar. The people just stellar.

But there was not a single other fight, and I do not believe that could ever happen in the US. So I guess it's about one's own experiences.

 

[subject101]

I visited England ten years ago and I was very impressed with how incredibly nice everyone was, and how well people behaved themselves while drinking.

Oh, you didn't visit the right England I remember walking on a blood stained street after a fight between football hooligans. England is one of most violent countries of Europe when it comes to drink.

Too bad the UK has such strict gun laws. You don't see people messing with hats down in Texas (unless maybe it's.....Austin).

I just can't imagine how would it be if those hooligans came with guns to their football matches. :eeek:

 

[Godfrey]

I had a nice trip to work on a Tram (streetcar). Pretty plain pin stripe suit, vintage style duchamp tie, hat, and umbrella. Vintage-ish but hardly top hat, morning coat, and a plackard reading. "I'm well dressed and the rest of you are dribbling trolls". Got a seat and realized I was sitting opposite a guy that was definitely on something. So, mp3 player on and nose into Flashman, I'm in my own world with the winter parkland whooshing by. About 20 mins in the guy gets up and sways for a bit in the aisle, spits on me and bolts off the tram (tough guy huh!). Took me a few mins to register what had happened. People near by were great and proffered tissues and muttered suitable phrases - "bloody looneys - don't let him get to you mate" and some such.

Oddly it had me in a stew for the day - i wasn't injured - but it was very disrespectful.

 

[Puzzicato]

As to whether vintage invites such things, I think it does because it makes us stand out. Some people can't seem to be able to tolerate this, so whether you are vintage, goth, or gay, you'll be picked on occasionally by small-brained idiots with no purpose in life.

This is well-said, I think. Anything that makes you different makes you a target. I tend to think it is because they are so small-minded that anything that makes their synapses fire gives them a headache, so they lash out like rabid dogs.

I live in the Blue Mountains (I guess you could call it"the sticks") & I've never have a problem at all (though there are alot of rockabillies where I live, so the locals are used to us) . The only time when people were rude about how I was dressed was when I was in Sydney CBD [huh]

Yes, well in the Blue Mountains you have enough subcultures for people not to be too worried. Pick the right time of year and I am sure you could walk down the Mall dressed as Gandalf and no one would turn around!

 

[Drappa]

Apparently even bikers aren't exempt any more. especially the comments are interesting.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/may/19/violent-bicycle-muggings

Also forgot to add that it isn't necessarily what you wear, but what you do that sometimes attracts idiots. When I lived in the English countryside a few years ago, I was out running with my housemate, and we got egged by some teenagers in a car. In retrospect I can only assume that they were a)bored, or b)opposed to anyone doing anything apart from drinking and smoking for leisure, so I suppose it doesn't matter what you wear or do, idiots will find a reason.

 

[avedwards]

Also forgot to add that it isn't necessarily what you wear, but what you do that sometimes attracts idiots. When I lived in the English countryside a few years ago, I was out running with my housemate, and we got egged by some teenagers in a car. In retrospect I can only assume that they were a)bored, or b)opposed to anyone doing anything apart from drinking and smoking for leisure, so I suppose it doesn't matter what you wear or do, idiots will find a reason.

That just proves the Baron's conclusion that Britain has become nothing more than a cesspit. That's also why I'm increasingly being tempted to move to Scandinavia when I'm finnished with university (assuming that people there are more civilised).

 

[avedwards]

And out and about, people who saw us looking at a map would ask if we needed help, and give us directions, it was amazing. I adore England, esp London, because my experience there for ten days was just stellar. The people just stellar.

There are still some civilised people here, even in unpleasant areas, but sadly they are often older people and are slowly dying out. Plus London is completely different from the rest of the UK as there are so many different people that nobody pays enough attention to anyone to make stupid comments.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

I Lived in Nottingham UK from 1970-74 and went to School there it was hellish, the skinhead girls were worse than the Boys lots of teenage pregnancies, but I loved all the Dotty teachers, this was the seventies and these teachers were still living as if it was the forties, I suppose that was the era when they started to teach, oh and the school still had air raid shelters in the playground! my sister and her Chap went to visit a few years ago and were planning on going up to Nottingham from London for the day but were advised by British Rail to stay over night there as the returning train would be full of soccer Hooligans.

 

[Mario]

However, I've also observed that others (girls and women especially) seem to assume that I consider myself above them and somewhat haughty because of the way I look!

Oh my. I have experienced this very same kind of situation a few times with someone indicating that I are obviously deeming myself somewhat superior to the rest of the world in general because of the way I dress. I think this thought says a lot more about the self esteem (or lack thereof) of that particular person than me.

 

[John in Covina]

Historically, this seems to be much more common in the UK. I wonder why?

I think that there still is a greater influence of class warfare there. The classes were more stratified and that generated a lot of class warfare and hatred. Many still celebrate their traditional roots of hooliganism.