Have you ever had a stranger photograph you...when you were dressed vintage?

[Widebrim]

Here in Los Angeles, there are all types of "fashion statements," and it's not uncommon to see tourists taking photos of the locals (especially in Hollywood). Yet I have lately found myself the subject of photographers when I am "dressed up." Today it happened again, while I was dressed in a suit, visiting a park/art library. As a couple passed me, I heard the man say to his girlfriend/wife, "Give me the camera." I thought, "Is this happening again, or is he just photographing the flora?" Sure enough, as I glanced back at them, the gent was pointing his camera at me, so I gave him a profile shot. If I had been dressed with a DB Bold Look suit, complete with huge lapels, baggy pants, and hand-painted tie, along with spectators and a wide-brimmed fedora, I could understand his inclination to record my image, but I was dressed in this relatively simple suit and tie (and hatless):

...This has happened before in Chinatown, and (I think) downtown L.A. I take it as a compliment when it occurs, but perhaps to others, it is a bit disconcerting. So the question is, paraphrased and repeated, has this ever happened to you? (And how did you react?)

 

[Yeps]

I had a streetstyle photographer take my picture in Budapest when I was dressed more or less vintage (cream linen jacket, fedora, slacks and probably an ascot. I don't really remember). I also was stopped by a group of asian tourists in Rome who wanted to take my picture. I just take it as a compliment, and use it as practice for being a famous singer. (Ha!)

 

[Tango Yankee]

I had this happen to me when I was walking down the street in Whittier the last time I was out there visiting my brother. I was actually casually dressed in current clothing, but I was wearing a fedora.

Turned out there were a small number of students from a local school who were out with cameras as a class assignment. They were all looking for something interesting and different to capture on film! (Or digitally, I suppose...)

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Amy Jeanne]

YUP!

One time in London my husband and I were walking along and some girl ran in front of us, snapped a picture, said "Thanks!", and ran off! We got a kick out of it!

In the Cherry Hill Mall in NJ a couple college students stopped us to take our pictures. They said they were doing a project on fashion. We happily obliged!

We were stopped in the street in Philadelphia once and are actually in a book. But it's a book about tattoos -- but we are the two best looking people in the book lol

One time in Wal-Mart someone was trying to sneakily take our picture (I guess to show their classy friends and laugh at us). We noticed and said to them "Hey, why don't we pose for you?" So we did. The potential picture-taker was SO HUMILIATED and ultimately *didn't* take the photo lol

I also get my picture taken a lot at Reading Air Show, but I guess that's to be expected.

 

[LolitaHaze]

If they try to do it sneakily... I usually give a super duper big pose for them. Like Amy Jeanne, they are usually embarrassed that they got caught and don't take the photo. When my hair was blue a gal tried to sneak a photo, I posed and she was embarrassed, but good humored and said thank you and snapped a photo. The way I look at it is that we dress this way to get attention. Whether it be, look how vintage or different I am, or attention for how nicely and classically we're dressed, it is all for attention. If we didn't like it in one way or another, we would dress in society's mainstream norm. Even mainstream high fashion classic. But we don't so I never get upset when people want to take my picture. However, having my picture taken in the tampon aisle but a 13 yr old who loved my style, was a bit embarrassing! Hah! But she followed me for a bit building up courage so I had to forgive her. Hehehehe

 

[Berlin]

Funny you made a thread about this!

It happened to me yesterday, while I was walking my dog.
And I wondered why that person wanted to take my photo, since I was looking not very happy, and I was the spitting image of a red panda because of a severe sunburn.

 

[LizzieMaine]

A couple of years ago, a flamboyant European fellow came by the theatre while I was working and insisted I pose out front for a series of shots -- he said he was working on a book of "Classic America" photos, and had me sign a release so that he could use the pics. And that was the last I heard of it. But if you see someone who looks like me in some glossy coffee table volume someday, that's the story behind it.

 

[Nick D]

I get it from time to time. I've been approached by a fashion blogger, and a professional photographer who wanted to use a picture of me for promotional material (which was my first photoshoot). I've also had my photo taken with a whole school group at a museum for their classroom wall because they liked my bowtie.

I've gotten asked for my picture from people on the street, either because of my suit, or my 'tache, or once because the guy saw my monocle. I've also seen people try to take my photo without me noticing. The best was a girl who was sitting on a bench near me while I was smoking my pipe. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her looking over at me several times, then she raised her iphone as if looking at it, pointing away from me. Then she slowly turned towards me. Then the flash went off I pretended not to notice, I was amused by the whole charade.

 

[Xavier_Godshore]

Nick D., that's classic! I love it!

I went to Ticket to the Twenties a few years ago dressed nicely with a porkpie. I got a lot of pictures taken of me and with me that day and many people (including Janet Klein!) asked if I was hired by the event committee as a Buster Keaton impersonator...which I thought was odd as I'm 6'2'', blond, and certainly don't have a Keaton-esque profile.

 

[LolitaHaze]

Right after I posted my comment we went to the farmer's market and an older hippie dude asked if he could take a pic as he loved my 40's style.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I hate it when people do this. Makes me feel like some sort of sideshow.

 

[Espee]

I decided I could take photos of pretty women anywhere in Southern California, if I
a) learned to do a faux foreign tourist accent and
b) made a pretense of incorporating a "distinctive local color" background-- like, oh heck, how about that Circle K store, or whatever's handy...
But I never came up with the accent. All I could think of was Andy Kaufman's, from "the island of Caspiar."

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I decided I could take photos of pretty women anywhere in Southern California, if I
a) learned to do a faux foreign tourist accent and
b) made a pretense of incorporating a "distinctive local color" background-- like, oh heck, how about that Circle K store, or whatever's handy...
But I never came up with the accent. All I could think of was Andy Kaufman's, from "the island of Caspiar."

Somehow Borat comes to mind.

"Very Nice! High Five!" lol

 

[The Good]

Hmm, I've never had this happen to me, but the closest I go vintage is just the hat, really, while wearing nicer clothes. Maybe when I start wearing a suit, and sport coats more often, it will... I have received much attention over my near-two years of wearing hats, though, most very positive, and some tacky reactions like shouting "Indiana Jones!" or "Cowboy!" But yes, I've been stopped in my tracks quite a few times about my hats, or G-1 leather jacket, if never actually photographed.

I find it interesting how some here take this sort of thing as a compliment, while a few others dislike it. I'm not sure, it depends on the circumstances, but I wouldn't mind it, I can see it being a compliment.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

I had people taking photographs of me from behind with their cell phones on the train when i wore my racoon coat to the office, I could hear them!

 

[rue]

I had people taking photographs of me from behind with their cell phones on the train when i wore my racoon coat to the office, I could hear them!

Well, you have to admit, it's not everyday you see someone with a raccoon coat on

 

[Edward]

I get it from time to time. I've been approached by a fashion blogger, and a professional photographer who wanted to use a picture of me for promotional material (which was my first photoshoot). I've also had my photo taken with a whole school group at a museum for their classroom wall because they liked my bowtie.

I've gotten asked for my picture from people on the street, either because of my suit, or my 'tache, or once because the guy saw my monocle. I've also seen people try to take my photo without me noticing. The best was a girl who was sitting on a bench near me while I was smoking my pipe. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her looking over at me several times, then she raised her iphone as if looking at it, pointing away from me. Then she slowly turned towards me. Then the flash went off I pretended not to notice, I was amused by the whole charade.

It has happened to me on occasion too... I'm the same, I've never been offended, merely amused. It's a lot less surreal to be photographed for my dress sense than my skin tone - which has happened, in both India and China. Whatever the reason folks have taken my photo, I prefer it when they do ask, but really, if I'm out and about in a public place, it doesn't bother me. Might be different in a secluded spot in a restaurant. I do recall one occasion, about two years ago.... a cooler day in late Spring, I was standing at a bus stop in a DB blazer and trousers, bow tie, long overcoat, wide-brimmed, high crowned fedora, when I became aware a camera was being pointed at me out of a car window, passenger side, by a young lady. I looked their direction and posed, photo was taken, and a 'thank-you' wave sent my direction. I tipped my hat, and that was the last ever I heard of it. [huh]

 

[MikeBravo]

At a FL gathering last year the lovely Miss Elise was asked by a fashion blogger from Skandinavia somewhere to posefor some pics.

They were published online, although not in English, there is a thread somewhere about it

 

[Mario]

This happened to me three times - and each time it happened the person who was wielding the camera was actually polite enough to ask me if it was ok for me to be photographed. Of course it was...

 

[Matt_the_chap]

Whilst sitting outside a teashop in my local town last year, smoking and drinking tea in a trilby and my 1937 suit two Japanese tourists were walking down the street, saw me, squealed ridiculously and photographed me repeatedly. I was amused by the whole thing.

In Cambridge whilst walking with a friend who I was staying with nearby a group of 'trendy' young people asked to take my photograph and to have photos taken with me. I was game and let them. To tell the truth, I think it's quite nice to know that the way we dress makes an impact on some peoples' lives, even in a small way.