How Large IS the Vintage Culture?

[happyfilmluvguy]

Where there is one, there is another.

 

[Matt Deckard]

It's soo big you can it into Long Islsnd and you still won't have enough space

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"We're bigger than U.S. Steel!"

.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Here's what I believe. If you think about all of the different ways a person can enjoy the past, there are still those who are aching to partake as well. We may think what we actually see is the entire vintage culture, but I believe there's a lot more that's not revealed. They are just waiting to come out and play.

 

[CharlieH.]

I think the culture, or should I say, the number of events, people and places that cater to it, is pretty large... and from the looks of it, 50 to 80% of it is concentrated in California.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

It's pretty spread out all over.

I also want to say that I listed a few events and venues in Los Angeles just to say what kinds of things are offered for myself and others here. I'm not trying to say we have anymore activites than any other town, this is just where I live. I hope everyone understands.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

I'm in the fourth largest city in the US and as far as I can tell I'm the only one in Houston . I'm sure they are out there somewhere but I never run into them, I'm the oddity in my social group. And anyway, I'm married with a 6 year old daughter and I don't really have the opportunity to go out and find these people. Why can't they find me!

 

[CharlieH.]

It's pretty spread out all over.

I also want to say that I listed a few events and venues in Los Angeles just to say what kinds of things are offered for myself and others here. I'm not trying to say we have anymore activites than any other town, this is just where I live. I hope you understand.

Oh, I wasn't complaining, I perfectly understand your point. It's just that I have this (probably mistaken) notion that there's more of this in California than anywhere else in the country. Don't know where I got that one, really...

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Haha. I didn't mean you. I know you weren't complaining. I just wanted to make it clear to everyone that the list I made wasn't some sort of brag. Don't worry about it.

 

[Lady Day]

No matter what 'scene' you are into, you have to work to find it, and work to fit into it.

Here in SF, there are lots of smaller groups, associated by an organization, dance troupe, etc. They all seem to blend at larger functions, or as people cross over via friendships etc. Also within those groups, as already stated, some people are into a dynamic of one part; one may dig dancing, but not the clothing. That list can go on forever.

Still, this netted scene of ours is pretty big in LA and secondly SF. Im sure there are other pockets around the country/world, I just have yet to experience them.

LD

 

[katiemakeup]

Land of the misfits. I'm always happiest there.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There isn't any such thing as a "vintage scene" around here, which is unfortunate -- there's a world-class transportation museum the next town over from me which ought to be a nexus for WW2 reenactors, but for some reason it doesn't get the attention it should. There are plenty of Civil War folks in Maine, but '30s-'40s people are scarce. The only others I know of in the state are here on the Lounge!

 

[Fletch]

In New York it's not a "scene." There are loads of scenes here, but this ain't one of 'em.

I think scenes here are very top-down or bottom-up. Moneyed elites or street kids or the media can start a scene, but random filberts will always stay a subculture, sometimes very sub.

There is something about the culture here - serious, scholarly, obsessive - that admires a specialist, a savvy maven with a few rough edges, more than a generalist, who isn't driven but is just out for the joy of it. That doesn't juice people here.

 

[dhermann1]

Given how large and old New York is, I'm surprised what a tepid vintage scene there is. My theory on this, and it may apply to places like Maine, as well, is that there is so much of the past still alive here in New York, that "reviving" it doesn't seem necessary or meaningful. The skyline still looks a lot like it did in the 1930's, "the rumble of the subway train, the rattle of the taxi" is still the same. There are plenty of men who wear suits in the business districts. The contrast of "vintage" doesn't stand out as much. The swing revival of the 90's died down here as well, but there are dance studios where you can still learn to swing dance. There are vintage clothing stores, but they are unremarkable in places like Greenwich Village. I would love to see something like the SoCal scene here, but maybe the blatant modernness of that area may provoke a stronger or more focused reaction to recreate the past in a full scale way.
On the other hand, Boston, being a town that has always appreciated the past drastically more than the rest of the country (that's my impression anyway, witness Fenway Park), may just naturally keep vintage things alive as a matter of course.
Anyhow, I hope to see more vintage events and style here in New York. I think it's "the coming thing".

 

[Fletch]

Cogent analysis, d, as usual.

I'm a cynic - I think we devalue the past here because of the neverending need to keep running the rat race and keep being A Number One.

I also think elites control trends in NY more than anywhere. Maybe what we need to do is to start acting like an elite. It worked for the drag queens, altho they were also an oppressed social group, which in NY entitles you to equal time.

 

[Lauren]

Yeah, as far as I know, there's about three of us in North County San Diego- and I live with one of them. But like I said before, I bet there's more, we just haven't connected yet.

 

[Mid-fogey]

Living as I do...

...in the "Historic Triangle" of Jamestown-Yorktown-Williamsburg you see a lot of folks in all sorts of things. One of my neighbors works in the Powder Magazine. You see him coming and going like its 1774.

As far as what we consider the classic look, including fedoras, I seem to be pretty much a party of one.

 

[Miss 1929]

Large, and longtime!

i have been an active member of the Art Deco Society of California since 1985, they started in 82. There are Art Deco Societies all over the world, they have an international congress every two years in a different country. Most Deco Societies have hundreds of members, granted not all of them are dressers, but many, many of them are.

The ADSC has always been known for having the largest, most elaborate events. But the Los Angeles Deco Society (ADSLA) also does a swell job, especially with the Queen Mary event that is now three years old.

I am of course always amazed that their are vast amounts of retro people who don't think the Art Deco Societies are for them - I know that ours celebrates and promotes the whole culture - fashion, movies, music, dance, architecture, manners, food, autos, collectibles, etc. Something for everyone! From 1914 to 1941 (of course the 50s are retro too, but the between the wars period is what we concentrate on).

There's an entire deco town in New Zealand, Napier, that has an annual Art Deco festival. And of course, Miami Beach...

I think it really all goes back to the 60s when MGM auctioned off their costume warehouse, and all the rich LA hippies started wearing 30s clothes...remember "Nostalgia", the trend from about 71 to 75 that included vintage and repro clothes, platform shoes, music like Bette Midler's remake of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and of course the most annoyingly anachronistic movie ever, "The Sting"?

A lot of the time we think we are isolated pockets of vintage, but no - there are LOTS of us out there! And in here!

Interestingly, the Swing music fad of the 90s, although it has died down a lot, still reverberates in increased amounts of people on the dance floor, lots more people wearing the vintage looks, and thankfully, more gigs for jazz musicians! I predict another public embracing of it in about 12 years...

 

[Miss 1929]

Hook up with these folks:

Given how large and old New York is, I'm surprised what a tepid vintage scene there is. My theory on this, and it may apply to places like Maine, as well, is that there is so much of the past still alive here in New York, that "reviving" it doesn't seem necessary or meaningful. The skyline still looks a lot like it did in the 1930's, "the rumble of the subway train, the rattle of the taxi" is still the same. There are plenty of men who wear suits in the business districts. The contrast of "vintage" doesn't stand out as much. The swing revival of the 90's died down here as well, but there are dance studios where you can still learn to swing dance. There are vintage clothing stores, but they are unremarkable in places like Greenwich Village. I would love to see something like the SoCal scene here, but maybe the blatant modernness of that area may provoke a stronger or more focused reaction to recreate the past in a full scale way.
On the other hand, Boston, being a town that has always appreciated the past drastically more than the rest of the country (that's my impression anyway, witness Fenway Park), may just naturally keep vintage things alive as a matter of course.
Anyhow, I hope to see more vintage events and style here in New York. I think it's "the coming thing".

Art Deco Society of New York: http://www.artdeco.org
They flew me out to play for the Valentine's party a few years ago, I had a ball!

 

[Mid-fogey]

Sounds like...

There isn't any such thing as a "vintage scene" around here, which is unfortunate -- there's a world-class transportation museum the next town over from me which ought to be a nexus for WW2 reenactors, but for some reason it doesn't get the attention it should. There are plenty of Civil War folks in Maine, but '30s-'40s people are scarce. The only others I know of in the state are here on the Lounge!

...you are the vintage scene.