girls in guy's garb

[V.C. Brunswick]

Prison-matrons? Not so much.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Well they are all younger than the actress in the picture TT posted. Plus we are mainly here to talk about the vintage clothes not about "hot chicks". I seriously think her peak lapel houndstooth jacket is a more interesting conversation piece than the stuff on the 90s models. But OK. I get it. You are hetero. Good for you.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Since I've been a major contributor to this thread, I can say without qualification that my motivation falls into the "hot chicks" side of the equation. But, I'm more than happy to take a closer look at the matronly threads if you truly insist!

 

[mattface]

Well they are all younger than the actress in the picture TT posted. Plus we are mainly here to talk about the vintage clothes not about "hot chicks". I seriously think her peak lapel houndstooth jacket is a more interesting conversation piece than the stuff on the 90s models. But OK. I get it. You are hetero. Good for you.

Personally I would say my salacious interest in seeing vintage menswear on contemporary women has more to do with an attraction to ambiguity than heteronormativity. Not that that necessarily has anything to do with whatever you two gents were talking about. It takes all kinds. Some folks here no doubt like their vintage styles within the strict confines of historical accuracy, whereas some, like me, enjoy a gentle mixing of styles the old with the new, the classic with the avant-garde, and yes, the masculine with the feminine.

 

[mattface]

I scrolled back a few pages to see what you guys were on about. The woman in the houndstooth jacket is cool as hell. She may not be my "type" but then again I might not be hers. Doesn't matter. I dig her style!

 

[Denton]

Prison matrons, interesting houndstooth jackets, and "guy's garb" worn for reasons other than seducing guys -- all part of the vitality of this thread. I would hate to see these things disappear.

 

[mattface]

Did someone say prison matrons?

 

[Metatron]

Prison matrons, interesting houndstooth jackets, and "guy's garb" worn for reasons other than seducing guys -- all part of the vitality of this thread. I would hate to see these things disappear.

Agreed!


Another priceless image from the Romanian archive.

 

[herringbonekid]

Another priceless image from the Romanian archive.

some girls look better in men's clothes than men do.

 

[Fading Fast]

That looks like a man's suit not even really tailored for her and an overly staged picture. It did prompt a question for the thread:

How important to the aesthetic is it that the men's clothes are tailored to fit the women?

My thoughts are things like a shirt or other singular male clothing article incorporated into an otherwise women's clothing outfit is fine - and can even be a great look - if the item is clearly male and tailored for men (think oversized-on-the-woman Oxford Cloth Button Down), but if the woman - as in the photo above - is wearing an all men's clothing outfit, then it needs to be tailored to her size or - IMHO - she starts to look like a clown or, at minimum, like she is wearing a costume.

 

[herringbonekid]

my comment above was tongue in cheek, however, i still think she looks great even if the photo is just a bit of dress up.
in general i think that mannish clothes should be cut to fit the female form.

(i can't abide the woman in an oversize men's shirt look).

 

[Fastuni]

Photographs with the husbands/fiancés/boyfriends/brothers suit or uniform was not an unusual subject of "staged" photography during the first half of the 20th century.
Sure a costume tailored for a woman will look more womanly and flattering to her figure. But a slight comedic/cute effect was certainly the purpose of these kind of "cross-dressing" photography.

...

Here an example from Iran 1939-41. The young lady is wearing her husbands uniform of an officer of the Pahlavi guards regiment.

Source: qajarwomen.org/en/items/1388A37.html

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Firstly I wouldn't say that Romanian woman looks very unflattering. But of course tailored suits with pronounced waist look better on women than shapeless sacks. The costumes for Viktor and Viktoria were perfect in that regard. I remember I posted a picture of the tweed sportcoat from the movie but the white tie outfit was great too.

 

[Two Types]

I think the Romanian girl looks good. Any points about the outfit not being fitted perfectly to her are not really relevant in this case - after all, look at the outfits in most of those Romanian photos: People doing their best to look good, with little money, in one of Europe's poorest countries. I expect she saw that look in a magazine and thought she'd try it out. I don't suppose getting a well fitted suit was an option. Good luck to her.

 

[Metatron]

That woman's poise makes such a strong impression, that I did not even notice the fit of the suit until I looked more closely.
I wish she actually wore a suit out and about, but it looks like a distant possibility now.

 

[Papperskatt]

 

[Stearmen]

I would like to know more about the above photo? If it really was taken around 1896, that would have been beyond any scandal of the times! I wonder if it was just a studio post card?

 

[Papperskatt]

I would like to know more about the above photo? If it really was taken around 1896, that would have been beyond any scandal of the times! I wonder if it was just a studio post card?

I'm afraid that I have no info about the pic.

 

[Stearmen]

I know she has been posted before, but here is another shot of Kate Hepburn.

 

[jamespowers]

I know she has been posted before, but here is another shot of Kate Hepburn.

And later in life she rued the day that she started that trend. lol lol