In Search Of A New Style. Advice & Tips Needed.

[HollyGolightly]

Hello ladies! I wasn’t quite sure where to post this topic; beauty seemed the best place since I want to go though a complete make over.

For the past few years I’ve become extremely bored with my appearance. I’ve skipped around from style to style but most of them bombed, and I was left being bored with myself all over again.

But there has always been a certain style that I have been in love with ever since I looked though some of my Nonie’s old fashion catalogs from the
1940’s- 1950’s. This I have always thought would be a fun style and maybe just the style for me, but I’ve always been to chicken to try it out.

Well I am no longer a chicken! I am perusing this new style with a vengeance but the only problem is I have no idea how to go about it. I don’t know how to dress, how to do my make up or hair or really anything at all.

Do you buy all this clothing off Ebay? Are there special stores somewhere? Do you have to wear heels all the time? Or are flats accept too? These are just some of the MANY questions I have. I am very lost and don’t want do this incorrectly and look foolish.

I need help. So I was wondering if you very glamorous ladies would be so kind to help a Newbie like me into the world of real beauty. So if anyone has any pointers or advise I would very much love to hear it.

Thanks so much for your time!

Sincerely,

Holly Golightly.

 

[Lady Day]

Well howdy there Holly Golightly,

Might I suggest a good reading of the stickies at the top of the Powder Room and Beauty forums for a jumping off point as to hair, make up and vintage clothing.

May I also suggest the sewing threads dotted though the Powder Room for advice on making your own vintage inspired pieces

There is a ton and a half of info on this board to get the right look, so begin with research. The ladies here love to give encouragement on a look so just be sure to post pictures

Good luck and welcome!

LD

 

[ShortClara]

Howdy Holly!

Take lady day's advice - she's a guru around here!

I might suggest in addition to perusing the boards here, seek out a vintage clothing show/ expo in your area. Just google it for "vintage show" and your nearest big town. Or, a vintage shop. Then go and immerse yourself in the clothes, pick shopkeeper's brains, and mybe get your first piece of real live vintage. If you can be in a setting where you can try on, you'll get a feel for it and what the best styles are for you and your body. Then, you can graduate to eBay and other mail order places

Have fun!!

 

[ohairas]

Hiya Holly! Welcome~ you've definitely come to the right place.
As the ladies said, read the posts like they were your homework. Do google searches for 30's, 40's and 50's fashion and hairstyles. (you may want to do image searches)

If you have older relitives from the eras ask to see photos. Even if you are not purchasing, search for 30's, 40's, and 50's dresses and clothing on the bay just to see what's out there.
Best wishes, I think the style will suit you to a T.
Nikki

 

[RetroModelSari]

Welcome Miss Golightly!

Everyone starts at a point

About the hair: Try to read all the highly valuable topics over here and try to find out what works best for you. It probably won´t work out when you try to style yourself at the frist time.. or the second time but the more you try the better you get. Rolls and Pomps are a good basic to start practising. Once you´ve managed that you´ll be satisfied enough to confidently start trying some new things.

About the clothes you just got to keep your eyes open. Many stores have Vintage-inspired stuff to start with and you can keep your eyes open on ebay, at thrift-stores flea-market etc and build up a basic wardrobe such as skirts and blouses, Cardigans etc. and whatever you find.

There is no you-have-to when it comes to dressing as you have free choice. If you want to wear heels all the time feel free to do it. If you prefer other shoes wear them, too. The important thing is that you feel well in what you wear cause otherwise it won´t make you happy.

Feel free to check out my blog as I give a bit advice on vintage-styling over there. What counts for pin ups to be mostly counts for girls trying to get into pin up as well.

 

[gluegungeisha]

I'd say don't jump right into it...maybe start with incorporating natural waistlines into your everyday wardrobe, classic blouses, etc.? Observe the 40's and 50's silhouettes -- waist, hips, bust, shoulders...

Check out the hair and makeup threads, and of course the stickies.

I don't usually do Ebay for clothes unless I can find a really amazing deal. I actually never bid higher than $20 for anything! I never, ever do Ebay for vintage shoes...too much of a gamble. I get my clothes at thrift stores and antique malls. Antique malls in my area always have these cute things on display that they think no one will ever fit into, so they're priced cheaply. I'm one of those super-tiny girls that gets what's left over after all the crazed mobs of vintage-seeking folks leave the territory...and that's a great position for me, because I always get clothes for dirt cheap that are either torn from someone trying to squeeze into them, or just too small for most people.

For some reason, the Buffalo Exchange in Albuquerque has been THE PLACE to strike vintage gold lately. Everything is less than $30, often less than $20! I got this GORGEOUS, red, velour cape with a big bakelite button for $14, a white 1940's dress with bolero for about the same price, and just yesterday I bought a very tattered (but mostly fixable) 40's oriental dress for $9. Plenty of cheap gems from there.

You'll find some good deals when you're not looking for them. Unless you have the money, I'd recommend skipping over the $250 vintage dresses in the shmancy vintage shops -- you might find something similar for $10 or less somewhere else.

 

[kamikat]

I make all my own, either from original vintage patterns or from reprints that the pattern companies are putting out. Vogue has a great line of vintage patterns, but lately, both simpliclty and butterick have added a few. As for heels, I'm a stay at home mom who has to walk kids to and from school, as well as attending a Russian Orthodox Church, which means standing for a 2hr Sunday service. I don't wear any heel over 2ins. For every day, I usually wear saddle shoes (for the authentic look) or some wing-tip mary-janes (a more modern look). Ballet-type flats work well with 50's styles, but I don't remember seeing them much with 40's stuff.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Movies, movies, movies!!

I've said it before and I'll say it again Study the movies of the time period you are trying to copy the style of. If you have TCM, this should be very easy. Check the schedules and record movies that sound interesting if you won't be able to watch them when they're on. Nothing has given me better fashion, hair, and makeup tips than the movies! Once you get the idea of how the era looked, it will all start falling into place and you'll find things you like and things you don't.

If you don't have TCM, use the Internet! Check for clips of movies on youtube or google video (sometimes google has whole movies!) Try archive.org, too. They have whole movies there, also.

Good luck!