Elderly Reactions To Vintage

[cherry lips]

I was daydreaming today and my curiosity was awakened: How do elderly people react when you dress vintage? I mean the ones that were teenagers or young adults in the 50's or 40's. What kind of comments have you gotten from the elegant old ladies and gentlemen? What have you been wearing when they've commented? Is it perhaps like time travel for them?

(The only time I've received a comment from a person that was old enough to fit into this category was when an old lady complimented my vintage cat eye specs. I felt truly flattered!)

 

[16_sparrows]

I was having brunch with two friends on mine, one was a man dresses with a boater, suspenders and the whole nine yards. My girl friend and I were both wearing vintage dresses with her topping it off with a hat and me with a fascinator. A lady of about 75 came up to our table and said she loved how we were dressed, saying we all looked quite lovely. She too was dressed with hat and gloves (she was just coming in). It was quite a nice compliment.

 

[epr25]

I get allot of "oh you remind me of my wife when we were married" I always like that one! Or "You remind me so much of my mother when I was young". The older folks take the time to pay a compliment more so then younger people.

 

[Lady Day]

I get a lot of warm smiles and some nods from older people. As if they are saying, "You remind me of my youth."

Its nice.

LD

 

[Maja]

I do get a lot of compliments from elderly people, since I'm a health care worker, so a lot of my clients are in the 90's, and they really like my dresses and my stockings, but besides that I find that I actually get a lot of positive response from people, which has kind of surprised me, but it's very nice.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I get a lot of "who taught you to do your hair like that" from patrons at the theatre -- that and "where do you get your stockings" are my own personal most frequently asked questions. What annoys me, though, are the old guys who follow me around like puppy dogs when I wear my saddle shoes.

 

[Lola Valentine]

I often get elderly gentlemen telling me that they're sure they dated me back in 1942 lol
I also agree with the ladies asking where you get your stockings from, and I've been told that I look as though I've stepped out of one of their black & white movies, which is a nice one

 

[scarlett]

Generally the older women are quite impressed, they almost always say, "I used to dress just like that" and "you look lovely, people just don't dress up anymore" I usually end up talking with people for a little bit, hear about the "good old days" and I love hearing their stories. A lot of the women are quite impressed that we younger ladies sew as well.

 

[olive bleu]

....That is one of my favourite parts of wearing my love of Vintage "on my sleeve"...It does often open a door for elderly folks to start telling me stories, out of the blue, of when they were young. I think sometimes our seniors feel that so much has changed and no would would really want to hear what they have to share as not a lot of people would understand or relate to it. I think when an elderly lady sees me on the bus in my dress and heels, it is some indication that I have an interest. And many of us that dress vintage also have a natural interest in history as well, and can really appreciate for example, hearing about what it was like being a young woman in wartime. I have had some pretty amazing moments like that.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Interesting... I show my mother some of the Powder Room pages so she can see old hats and suits. It spurs her memory and she will recall that she once wore or knew someone who wore this or that dress or suit. She loves the ladies hats and scarves, will recall that she had a hat like that, etc.

On the other hand, she hates fedoras, told me she did not like them back in the day and considered them, then and now, "cowboy hats."

Which is sad because my father really looked sharp in a fedora, was a dead ringer for James Cagney and could wear caps and hats like no one else. And mother hated them.

Mother sees photos of some of you who dress "vintage." She enjoys the photos, but it don't think she quite gets it.

karol

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Not so much my appearance (because I don't really dress vintage), but when I worked at the Home Depot a few years ago I would randomly start conversations with elderly customers about "the good old days."

One man came in one time and sung a song about "Amy" to me. He said "Ray Bolger sang that! I bet you don't even know who that is!" I then proceeded to knock his socks off with my 1930s musical knowledge. He was ear-to-ear smiles! He told me he'd be back to visit me, but I must've quit before he had the chance.

I had another elderly lady start talking to me about old movies. I mentioned Clara Bow and Marion Davies -- her face lit up! She said to me "I haven't heard those names in years!" (She also called Marion Davies a "tramp"!! lol lol ) I told her I really liked old stuff and preferred it to new. She told me "Don't ever change."

 

[pin_up_pixie]

I once had a very nice old lady stop me on the street and tell me I looked as if I had "stepped out of time"....all but the hair. She said she used to dye her hair bright colors too, although never anything like mine. She told me to never stop being a rebel. We hugged and then said goodbye. I was sorry to see her walk away, I kinda felt like I had met a soul mate.

 

[Aurora]

I've had loads of compliments when I'm in my 50's dresses, with loads of extra advice thrown in for good measure... "You've should really wear an extra petticoat under that skirt!", I was already wearing 3 and wasn't sure I could make it through doorways! lol

Though in my 40's clothing people seem a bit bemused and give me odd looks, like they've seen a ghost!

Definately breaks down barriers to start a conversation in shops or on the bus though

 

[pigeon toe]

I've never really gotten comments from the older generation, which I think is strange! Even my grandma couldn't care less that I wear FF stockings! She just thinks I'm a little nuts.

Most of the compliments I get tend to be from people around my age or a little older. The only exception to this has been people at vintage expos, but that's not unusual.

 

[dollydaydream]

I've never really gotten comments from the older generation, which I think is strange! Even my grandma couldn't care less that I wear FF stockings! She just thinks I'm a little nuts.

Most of the compliments I get tend to be from people around my age or a little older. The only exception to this has been people at vintage expos, but that's not unusual.

I totally agree with this!! I just get funny looks from people!! The people I work with often ask me what I'm dressed as today (hilarious).

There was a couple talking about food in the war time when I was in the changing room in a charity shop the other day & when I walked out they both looked at me and smiled huge smiles at me (it was my first day of wave clips!), which I thought was really lovely.

Aside from that, I think that people just assume that I'm nuts...

 

[miserabelle]

I've never had any comments from older people but I've noticed some ladies checking out my stockings from time to time - I think my gran's glad that I dress this way, it reminds her of the things that she used to wear xx

 

[Mojito]

Had a great moment with a dear old family friend - an 85 year old woman who has been a friend of my father's since before he met my mother, and a friend of all of us ever since. I always addressed her as "aunt" when I was a kiddie. She'd told me a lovely anecdote about the Charleston - how she could never master it, and her sisters could dance from the kitchen all the way up the hall to the front door while she stood unable to move. We'd had a chuckle. Some days later we were all at a dinner at a vineyard when the band struck up a 20s tune and some dance demonstrators began the Charleston. I jumped to my feet with glee and threw myself into it. When I returned to our table, she was wreathed in smiles - "I told you that story about my sisters and I the other day, and you never mentioned that you could Charleston!"

I've had great conversations with older ladies about the details of costume - I always have a billion questions, and they've loved to discuss the intricacies of textile, design, music, manners, popular cuture etc etc. It was always a bond I had with my Nana, and now more than ever I miss her memories and wish I could ask her so many question I still have - she'd be 100 this year if she were still alive.

 

[leaette]

I was over my in-laws house last week and I always bring my crochet bag along and I was making a snood. Their friends were over (who are in their late 70s) and the lady was like "are snoods popular again? I wore them". I was like "well....no, they aren't popular but for people like me, they are".
she loved watching me make it.

 

[Folly]

As I was walking along to a railway event last year, an elderly lady who was approcahing stopped me to say how much I reminded her of when she was younger. The same day a very charming elderly gent came up to me and declared, "I recognise you! From 1942!" and then he went on his way

I've also had many ladies come up to me when wearing my pretty satin fifties dress and velvet swing coat to either say they had an outfit just like it or that their friend did.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Welcome back, Folly! We've missed you.
Mojito, that was an especially lovely story. It's fun to read all of these positive reactions.
When I went to my dad's Army reunion two summers ago a lady at the door said I looked like I was ready to jitterbug. I was, but didn't as the young man my dad introduced me to doesn't dance.
Ashley