My Mother Says...

[pretty faythe]

When I do do my hair vintage, she'll actually try to be nice. She's cool about the tats, she watches each time my sister or myself gets a new one. She'd actually do one herself if she wasnt quezzy about needles. Anytime we are togoether at a thrift store and she sees something vintage she'll point them out to me even if I cant wear them, to see if I can sell them. So she's pretty supportive for the whole vintage bit. She's more critical about modern clothes, and my kids and the granddaughter she raises, which when I am around I have to keep reminding her it doesnt really help, it hurts the self esteem.

 

[Viola]

My mom doesn't care for vintage, particularly NOT anything post '40s - she will give earlier a stuff a pass as "truly antique" (she complimented a skirt I had as "almost Edwardian") but insists anything '50s-'60s is just "old and pretty repellant the first time..." or sometimes she's softened it to "your crazy retro thing" said fondly but still not into it.

That said she is very warm about how I always look "put together" and how she doesn't understand how I got into the makeup and girly stuff because I didn't get it from her, and she's even said "I'm sorry I said I hated that skirt/sweater/dress before I saw you in it, it looks pretty good on you. Still retro, though."

 

[cassylynn]

i think it's really sad that no one on here has a mother who *actually* thinks they look nice in their vintage....

My mother is a gem and I am so blessed to have her in my life. She knew from the very beginning that I was going to be an eclectic child. Since the age of 5 I have always heard her tell people that I was born in the wrong century. I always wore dresses and finally at the age of 12 I bought my first pair of jeans. I made so much laundry for my mother because I would change 3 times a day lol

But then something happened when I turned 15 and all hell broke loose, mom then had to put up with my grunge phase with Nirvana, STP and Pearl Jam blarring out of my stereo at 6:30 in the morning then from there I went Punk which didn't last long but went to Rudegirl running around with the local skinheads wearing braces and boots and getting a fringe hairstyle. That lasted for 6 years, mom kept saying "It's a phase she'll grow out of it" I grew out of it after I hit my 20's.

Vintage had never left me but instead of the Edwardian era that I loved when I was 7 it was now the swing era with rolled stockings and flapper dresses. Mom was in love she taught me the Charleston in the kitchen! Then I married a farmer and it was farm boots and flannels, mom hated it the only thing I ever heard her say was "You look frumpy" Frumpy? She was right! So after my divorce it was back to vintage but this time it was WWII era and it hasn't changed.

Mom loves my hairdo, vintage clothing and the only thing she says now is "Don't you have enough shoes yet??" and she does comment when I don't do my makeup "You don't have eye makeup on this morning, go put some on sweetie" lol lol

 

[Helysoune]

i think it's really sad that no one on here has a mother who *actually* thinks they look nice in their vintage....

I do! My mum is especially wonderful in this regard. The first time I did my hair in victory rolls was for my cousin's wedding last year, and she gasped and nearly squeeled, crying out, "You should do your hair like that EVERY DAY!" When I cut it into a longish middy, she positively gushed over how cute she thought it was. Her mother, my Mum Mum, has passed down a bunch of vintage jewelry to me and when I wear it around my mum, I'm sure to point out to her which are these pieces, something that just tickles her to no end. She actually said to me, "Of all the different outfits and hairstyles and colors you've tried, I like this the best." The only time she's ever had anything the least bit negative to say about my style was in regards to a particular hat looking too "costumey", and she really was right about it. Other than that, not a single cross or contrary word has been uttered. She's a real peach, that one (usually).

 

[Elaina]

i think it's really sad that no one on here has a mother who *actually* thinks they look nice in their vintage....

My mother doesn't think I look particularly nice in anything. [huh] Neither of my parents think I am pretty anyway so I figure their opinion doesn't count for much to begin with.

I had an interesting childhood. My parents both had children from another marriage, and there was my mom's kids and my dad's kids. I never really fell into either category, including the attractiveness factor of which I hear my mother saying she was glad her kids were attractive, and I have to point out that doesn't include me. My dad hated his mother, who hated me for being left handed and reddish haired (like my dad) and I grew up hearing I looked like her. When I was about 7 I decided I was brewed in a coffee pot. To this day, when it gets mentioned about my looks I generally reply "What do you expect from percolated coffee? Ma Bean didn't give me the grounds to be a model." (Thank you, try the veal.) I get really annoyed I carry a coffee bean around and ask it for its opinion and she thinks I looks great. (And yes, I get this annoyed over it, I carry on a conversation with a coffee bean. "Ma Bean" thinks I look swell.)

I'm not trying to get sympathy, it is what it is. While I'm not pretty, I'm not ugly by any means, and I really never cared what my folks thought.

 

[Helysoune]

...I'm not ugly by any means, and I really never cared what my folks thought.

And THAT is the important part!! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[zendy]

I must be super lucky after reading the majority of the comments here. My mom is very supportive. She says I have an old soul and loves that I wear classic styles. She lives a few states away but I always send her pictures of my new vintage dresses or vintage inspired shoes. She always has something nice to say. She even started sewing up pencil skirts for me in her spare time! Mom just came to visit for a week and and even did my hair in a short 50's style for when we ventured out into the city. I'm very lucky to have her.

 

[C-dot]

While I'm not pretty, I'm not ugly by any means, and I really never cared what my folks thought.

Nonsense, darling, everyone is pretty - some girls (like I) just need more help from makeup than others

Its so heartwarming to read about supportive mums! Though I know my mum will always stand behind me where it counts, I'm sure she just always thought I was weird. She might even be disappointed if I did dress "normally" lol

 

[The Shirt]

This is such a touchy subject for me. Over the years my relationship with my mother has been anywhere from strained to bliss. Nowadays I just accept it as Mom being mom. It is painful for me these days to watch her "pick on" her fiance (after my father died). She will constantly and consistently make suggestions to people's wardrobes. "Tuck this in, Aren't you wearing a belt with that, You're going to change before we leave right?" She talks behind our backs about our appearances (so I assume she has talked about mine as well).

I was always a little different in how I dressed and highly in tune with fashion of the time (though whether I chose to partake is another story). I remember a joke was that what I was wearing in the present she would be wearing 2 years later despite her protesting so much. If she thought it was a phase, a good 20+ years later I still haven't grown out of it.

She has lately set out to suggest that perhaps the reason I am still single at 37 is that men do not want a woman who dresses as "strangely" as I do. Perhaps I should tone it down a bit in order to snag me a husband. I don't want anyone who wouldn't love me exactly as I am I try to remind her. Luckily I didn't listen and have a fantastic fella who accepts it.

I have friends who are afraid to eat dinner with us because they feel guilty about ordering what they want in fear of my mothers comments about our dietary choices. Seriously. I never question why I am the way I am - I blame it on my mother.

 

[C-dot]

I don't want anyone who wouldn't love me exactly as I am I try to remind her. Luckily I didn't listen and have a fantastic fella who accepts it. ..... I never question why I am the way I am - I blame it on my mother.

Through all the trials and tribulations, it sounds like she did you a great favour. I'd rather be "different" and have trouble finding a boyfriend than be a jerk magnet. I think you turned out alright! lol

 

[Small Town Girl]

My mother (and especially my father) loves how I dress! Dad's always saying, "That looks like one of those Donna Reed dresses."

 

[Small Town Girl]

I should probably also add that, while I am probably the most inclined to be so, most of my family is pretty old-fashioned.

 

[MissHannah]

My mother never really mentions what I wear - she doesn't believe in focusing on appearances or praising me for how I look rather than something I did. I know she's not keen on 50's styles as she was a child in the 50's and she remembers them as the clothes her mother made her wear. She became a teenager in the 60's and rejected everything about the previous decades - especially the fashion. But she respects that I have my own style and has always been supportive of that since I was little - she mostly let us choose our own clothes even if we looked really odd!

 

[CherryRed]

I'm 36 and my Mom is 60. We pretty much like the same things. We have both loved all things vintage all our lives so there are no complaints from her. She doesn't dress vintage herself, but does buy vintage bags.

 

[SayCici]

i think it's really sad that no one on here has a mother who *actually* thinks they look nice in their vintage....

My mom will tell me I look good, but my dressing vintage isn't any different to her than any of the other ways I used to dress.. and it's always been interesting.. but never bad, because she gets her fashion advice from me. But mostly, I'm not that close with her and I don't care much about what she thinks. My father, however, LOVES my 40s-50s looks. He sorta kicked off my love of the era, when I was little I had an oldies CD and it's still my favorite music today. My uncles, aunts, and everyone else on that side of the family is always complimenting me too. It's amazing how it can bring you closer to another generation, I've never been so close to my aunt Gloria and it makes me very happy.

My parents both had children from another marriage, and there was my mom's kids and my dad's kids.

Me too! It was never easy explaining to other people, haha.

 

[Joonie]

"From the thrift store?!?!? You can do better."
"Wear your hair down more often."
"Why those weird old-fashioned shoes?"
"You bought that where?"
"But you'd look so healthy with a tan."
"You look great.... [and then the usual] You bought that at the thrift store?!?!"
"Why are you wearing your great-grandmother's tacky jewelry?"

The best advice: "Wash your face before you go to bed."
"After a good cry, wash your face with a cold washcloth."
(She's into face-washing, I guess!)

 

[LisaFreemontSt]

"You look so pretty. I hope nobody grabs you. "

She has been saying this, mind you, since I was 13. I went thru a 'body concious' period where I liked to show my midrift (prior to the youngerns of course) and I kinda understood her saying that then...more skin and all. But now I can be wearing a cardigan twinset and an a-line skirt and she says the same thing. She really loves retro inspired clothing alot, though and so does my dad. That is great.

 

[msrsimpkin]

Sadly, my mother is no longer with us, but she saw me through some odd fashion phases, and I just know she'd love my vintage look. She was always supportive of my fashion choices, but my current style is far more refined and feminine than I've ever been before, and I know that secretly, she would have liked me to have been more feminine.

 

[Miss Sis]

My Mum is very supportive and really interested in my collection of vintage clothes. She's always asking me to send photos of the last thing I did or what I've been buying as she lives half the world away from me. I don't dress vintage everyday - when I do I like to go for the whole look, top to toe.

I've always been interested in older styles of clothing so it's come as no surprise to my mum that I'm still interested now! She was always very into fashion, colours and style herself so perhaps I inherited it from her. Funnily enough, she was always trying to get me to wear lipstick when I was younger: "You look so pale - put some lipstick/blusher on!" lol

I bought her a lovely 1920s dress and matching beaded handbag for the Art Deco Weekend in New Zealand and she was thrilled with it. She kept saying "It's so beautiful!" and "It's just fabulous!" I think it helped that it's red, one of her favourite colours! Here's a pic of her:

 

[LisaFreemontSt]

My Mum is very supportive and really interested in my collection of vintage clothes. She's always asking me to send photos of the last thing I did or what I've been buying as she lives half the world away from me. I don't dress vintage everyday - when I do I like to go for the whole look, top to toe.

I've always been interested in older styles of clothing so it's come as no surprise to my mum that I'm still interested now! She was always very into fashion, colours and style herself so perhaps I inherited it from her. Funnily enough, she was always trying to get me to wear lipstick when I was younger: "You look so pale - put some lipstick/blusher on!" lol

I bought her a lovely 1920s dress and matching beaded handbag for the Art Deco Weekend in New Zealand and she was thrilled with it. She kept saying "It's so beautiful!" and "It's just fabulous!" I think it helped that it's red, one of her favourite colours! Here's a pic of her:

I love it! She looks darling in it too!