How deep is your style?

[Mr. Rover]

It's strange that people would think that someone who is well dressed is conceited. Maybe they have some deep seated guilt over not making an effort to look professional

That quote actually reminded me why I wanted to change my look in the first place! I have always been a bit of an underdog, so I never want to dress like the majority. I grew up in a preppy affluent neighborhood. Most of the lacrosse playing kids came to school in shirt and tie as a requirement. I never wanted to be associated with that crowd, so I never dressed preppy.
Well, when I started visiting here I wanted to try the look, so I started wearing button-downs and hats to school (in my old town). Then...we moved to Taiwan. BAM! I was on a clean slate again, so I could totally make myself over.
So, when I got to Taiwan I completely re-did my look into the vintage look that I am known for now. When I first got there, the parents were concerned that I was this arrogant New York kid here to show up all the other kids (Asian parents are panicky about their kids not being the best of the best, so if this random kid comes out of nowhere dressed to the nines everyday while their own kids are going to school in basketball shorts, torn up jeans, and sweat-stained t-shirts- they get suspicious.)Apparently, the topic of my hat came up during a meeting of some sort, and the only person who stood up for me was my theatre director. He was the only faculty member at the time that really knew me for the nice, polite kid that I was...ummm...am. Anyways, sorry for the rant.

ray

 

[Baron Kurtz]

How deep is one's style?

My vintage wardrobe is at the level now where i can wear vintage every day (the only non vintage i regularly wear is underwear and socks). Until the summer, where it is just too hot to wear suits, trousers, heavy leather shoes etc. I am severely lacking in the linen dept., though that is changing.

As to the original question, the 30s aesthetic - read sleek, flowing lines - speaks to my consciouness more than any other. My true vintage 'self' is probably pre-industrial revolution (the clothes were great too).

bk

 

[Matt Deckard]

So yes; I do live it.

Sounds all pretty cool to me. Glad to hear you are a lady that's into hats.

 

[resortes805]

day to day. . .

. . . I wear work khakis and a t-shirt and some Chuck taylors. If it's cold, I'll throw on a Pendleton (I guees it's a chicano thing). I usually save my nice vintage for going out. Most of my actual vintage are thrift store finds with a handful of deals from out of the way vintage shops, and of course, ebay. I usually sweep the local thrift stores twice a week. Just yesterday I found a flecked navy blue 50's patch pocket suit with hollywood waist trousers!

I also have a small army of repro zoot suits. I am really into the Pachuco sub-culture (1935-1965) and it's various manifestations (zoot suits, lowriders, pachuco boogie, etc).

 

[jamespowers]

I also have a small army of repro zoot suits. I am really into the Pachuco sub-culture (1935-1965) and it's various manifestations (zoot suits, lowriders, pachuco boogie, etc).

Ok, now you got me interested. What car goes with your style that you have? How much of a Zoot Suit? Like Cab Calloway or more sedate than a ten inch bow tie and foot and a half wide hat

Regards,

J

 

[Rosie]

. I am really into the Pachuco sub-culture (1935-1965) and it's various manifestations (zoot suits, lowriders, pachuco boogie, etc).

Thanks! I've never heard of this before. I just learned something new.

 

[jamespowers]

Thanks! I've never heard of this before. I just learned something new.

It is super big here in Southern California but I am sure resort can tell you more than I.

Regards,

J

 

[resortes805]

It is super big here in Southern California but I am sure resort can tell you more than I.

Regards,

J

Unfortunately the various aspects of the culture have really gone their separate paths.

In the lowrider world, you can still see car clubs made up of "bomb" (pre '54) owners only, like Dukes or Oldies, but most customizers have the way of "Pimp My Ride" over-excess.

Chicano gang life started with the Pachuco era, but after the introduction of heroin in the 50's and 60's, and guns in the 70's and 80's, everything turned horribly violent.

You can see some vestiges of accurate pachuco styling in the RAB scene in LA. Khakis, officer pink trousers, patent leather shoes, Pendletons, corduroy house shoes or woven slippers, and black & gray tattoos and ducktail haircuts are all pachuco influences. In fact, bandleader Pachuco Jose has a band called los Diamantes who perform authentic, Lalo Guerrero style pachuco boogie at shows across the southland.

Zoot suits kinda took a life of their own. They made a big comeback in the late 90's, and for better or for worse, they've become a symbol of the neo-swing era. Most Chicano folks were kinda oblivious to this though, and for them the original significance and meaning is still intact.

As for me, I think it's cool to reconcile and pull together all of these elements. I've been re-restoring a '46 plymouth (my car and 'Root's car are brother and sister) that was my daily driver back in high school. I really love the music and dancing of the era! Yes, I do have zoot suits that look like this:

But the look I usually go for is more like this:

When I go out I usually pair authentically reproduced pegged trousers with a vintage sports coat and a nice gab shirt. It just feels right.

 

[Sefton]

Ghos7a55assin wrote:"My day-to-day look would probably just be the navy or khaki, white or blue oxford button down, and these days, a bow tie."

I so glad to see that someone else likes the much maligned bow tie. It can look really good with the right outfit. Many so called fashion experts (the magazine world and TV types, not the good people here who actually know a thing or two about style) almost always put it down. I read one business dress "expert" who advised professionals to avoid the bow tie at all costs unless they want to hurt their career!


resortes805 you should start a seperate thread (maybe see if you can post a sticky. I think you'll have to ask the bartenders about it) all about Zoot Suits and the cultural movement behind it. It's interesting stuff. I think many people would enjoy reading about it.

The picture of those young men in the jail reminds me of photos of my father from that time. He wasn't actually a gang member, just had the look (well, perhaps he caused a little trouble now and again... )

 

[RetroModelSari]

I realised that I feel way better about myself and my longs when I wear vintage or repros. It´s just more me I love the glamour even when I walk around in casual wear (but that is my repro tap-pants with a nice shirt ) I´m so happy that I found a GOOD hairstylist that gave me a great haircut so I can wear the matching hairstyle, too. It makes me happy to be what I consider as nice-dressed

 

[resortes805]

resortes805 you should start a seperate thread (maybe see if you can post a sticky. I think you'll have to ask the bartenders about it) all about Zoot Suits and the cultural movement behind it. It's interesting stuff. I think many people would enjoy reading about it.

Actually, I think there is already a zoot suit thread in the suits section.

 

[Rosie]

Unfortunately the various aspects of the culture have really gone their separate paths.

In the lowrider world, you can still see car clubs made up of "bomb" (pre '54) owners only, like Dukes or Oldies, but most customizers have the way of "Pimp My Ride" over-excess.

Chicano gang life started with the Pachuco era, but after the introduction of heroin in the 50's and 60's, and guns in the 70's and 80's, everything turned horribly violent.

You can see some vestiges of accurate pachuco styling in the RAB scene in LA. Khakis, officer pink trousers, patent leather shoes, Pendletons, corduroy house shoes or woven slippers, and black & gray tattoos and ducktail haircuts are all pachuco influences. In fact, bandleader Pachuco Jose has a band called los Diamantes who perform authentic, Lalo Guerrero style pachuco boogie at shows across the southland.

Zoot suits kinda took a life of their own. They made a big comeback in the late 90's, and for better or for worse, they've become a symbol of the neo-swing era. Most Chicano folks were kinda oblivious to this though, and for them the original significance and meaning is still intact.

As for me, I think it's cool to reconcile and pull together all of these elements. I've been re-restoring a '46 plymouth (my car and 'Root's car are brother and sister) that was my daily driver back in high school. I really love the music and dancing of the era! Yes, I do have zoot suits that look like this:

But the look I usually go for is more like this:

When I go out I usually pair authentically reproduced pegged trousers with a vintage sports coat and a nice gab shirt. It just feels right.

This is so interesting to me because I, I guess like a lot of people, think of zoot suits with the whole black music/jazz era, namely people like Cab Calloway. I've never even thought of it "origins". Do you know of a book or other reference I could look into? Thanks.

 

[Lady Day]

Im vintage/ viintage inspired looking 90% of the time. For me, its finding the filler in my wardrobe (everyday things etc) that make it difficult. SO I make a lot of my things. Ive made 7 blouses, and 11 skirts in the past few weeks (no job will do that to you) to make up for the filler.

The only non vintage looking items I have are jeans (dieting from denim for the past 6 months) and my undies. I HAVE to have those all cotton.

As for it being a costume, why cant everyday be a costume? I do consider it that. Not as in Im wearing something to step outside myself, but just the opposite. I love looking proper and such (Im totally 1950 bobbie sock girl). And I get a lot of looks, but I love feeling from a different time, at least in my own mind.

What I find dificult iis when Im out shopping and I see something I like, but its modern I have to ask myself, "Is it me?" mostly not, so I put it back.

The art of it is making sure you are consistand and in character with yourself, weather you think it a routine, an instinct or a hobby.


LD

 

[Rosie]

What I find dificult iis when Im out shopping and I see something I like, but its modern I have to ask myself, "Is it me?" mostly not, so I put it back.



LD

I return A LOT of items because when I buy them I think, this is cute and it's just not me or, it winds up in the closet for like, ever.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Youth culture and the world

It's interesting that music - first Swing in the 30's and 40's, and then R'n'B in the 40's & 50's and its offspring Rock'n'Roll - spread throughout the world and brought its associated clothing and language with it wherever it went.

Via visiting U.S. serviceman, the zoot suit was introduced to Swing-crazy Australian teenagers, who took to it with a vengeance and made it the badge of inner-city juvenile delinquents everywhere (not that they really did anything that bad other than dance to 'evil jungle music' - Heaven forbid teenagers should have had their own interests and a voice in what they liked). In France there were the Zazous, in California the Pachucos, in New York Jewish and Italian kids who saw their African-American counterparts and wanted to look cool like them; even in Germany under the Nazis, there were kids who wore modified versions of the zoot or British fashions and danced to Swing music.

Resortes, that photo of the young Chicano cats looks incredibly cool, except for the location it was taken in and the fact that they were there for no other reason than their supposed ethnicity (plenty of them were probably born in the U.S.).

 

[resortes805]

If my memory serves me correctly...

...the photo was taken in the basement holding tank of the old LAPD police dept. That same row of cells were the sight of the bloody Christmas incident portrayed in LA Confidential.

 

[Matt Deckard]

So any of you ever get burned out of wearing the goods and just chuck your style now and again?

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Not yet. I stepped out to check the mailbox without my hat, and it felt strange. lol

 

[jamespowers]

Not yet. I stepped out to check the mailbox without my hat, and it felt strange. lol

That reminds me of how a hat is such an integral part of you until you stop wearing it. I went outside the house over the weekend to check out how my flag was flying without my hat on---the first time in a long time. I noticed that I either have to wear a hat or sunglasses. That sun really affects me. I can just imagine what saps who run around in the sun without a hat on are doing to their skin if it even effects my eyes like that for a few minutes. :eusa_doh:
Your style becomes a part of you that you can't get rid of some times.

Regards,

J

 

[Lady Day]

Aahhh*choooo!

I thought with all the newcomers this would be a good thread to bump.

LD