My Personal Nine-Day Challenge

[St. Louis]

In nine days I'm flying overseas for a work-related trip to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. I've been thinking about this trip all summer, and have been concentrating on preparing the work -- but forgot all about clothes and style! I don't want to go to England looking frumpy. And I've been wanting to spiff up my look a bit anyway, so this trip seems like an excellent opportunity to do that.

I've given myself a nine-day challenge to get ready. I want to make sure I'm comfortable & at ease in the new look. I want to be able to pull it off without too much fussing.

So here's what I came up with:

1. wear gloves when I'm going out (I mean, gloves for style, not for winter-warmth). I've always wanted to do this anyway and I have a drawer-full of fine vintage kid gloves. It's just that I rarely remember to pull out an appropriate pair and wear them.

2. try to get used to wearing vintage seamed stockings. Now that's a long shot. Can I do it? I don't know; I'll have to practice. I have about 8-10 pairs, and all the accoutrements, but I can't bring myself to wear them except for vintage events. (Self-consciousness, mostly.)

3. never leave the house without a starched and ironed handkerchief.

4. get used to tucking in blouses (I got this from the New Vintage Lady's blog.)


Four items be enough for now. I'd like to report on my progress, to keep myself honest. Any ideas or reactions? Do you ladies have any personal challenges you're trying to live up to?

 

[CinnamonCinders]

If the weather up in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne is comparable to that of north Wales lately, I would reconsider those gloves just being for style and consider how to waterproof your outfits. The UK has had a rather soggy time of it lately.

I certainly wouldn't feel self-conscious about wearing seamed stockings if I were you either. Even in the closed-minded part of the world that I live in at the moment, seamed stockings only ever receive positive comments if any at all.

I'm sure you're going to look wonderful when you come over and I hope you enjoy your time up there when not working. I'm afraid I don't know the place, else I'd make recommendations for your visit.

 

[Lady Day]

That's a good challenge.

Consider adding wearing a belt to your list.
I like your handkerchief choice. That's a good one. I carry one everyday and its a very useful tool!
I agree about the gloves. That might be a bit much, especially during the day. How about wearing gloves out to dinner or a concert or something. Having a pair with you might be good middle ground. It really the small things that will carry the style.

 

[Louise Anne]

A little premature I know but welcome to the UK.
Yes we not kidding when "The UK has had a rather soggy time of it lately."
Priority is water proof.

You will not have problems wearing seamed stockings there , there are a number of Pin up Models around there so seeing 40's and 50's is not that uncommon.
If you want to try out a really full vintage look and be period correct in every detail then a great place to be able to do that without any one looking at you is on a day trip to here if you can fit it in here

http://www.beamish.org.uk/

The only problem is that people might think you are on the staff as they will be wearing full period costume.

have a great time.

 

[St. Louis]

Checking in: three days to go. I'm so glad I tested these "challenges," because some worked beautifully and others not so much. I love wearing gloves; they make me feel so smart and sophisticated. The seamed stockings were another hit. Everyone who noticed them liked them. Wearing them every day took a bit of getting used to. Note to self: throw out the garter belts, totally useless. Girdles only. Tucking in my shirt is incredibly hard. I had no idea it would be so difficult. I don't get it; I always wear vintage styles. Turns out I find it unflattering (but that may be just an attitude problem.) I tried LadyDay's suggestion of wearing a belt, which worked better on dresses than on skirts.

I think it's because modern skirts, even if they look vintage, weren't meant to be worn that way? Is that just my imagination? I.e., the waistlines are too loose & the tucked-in blouses look a bit sloppy.

The handkerchiefs weren't difficult, because I've already been doing that for years. I just have to keep reminding myself.

I really liked having a challenge to live up to -- knowing that I would report on the FL kept me working at it. I'll report again when I come back from my trip. And then I think I'll try a few more challenges.

Thanks for all the helpful advice!

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'll tell you a good trick about seamed stockings for everyday: wear them with sensible low-heeled shoes. That completely subverts the modern fetishization/sexualization image they carry in the minds of too many people.

 

[St. Louis]

Actually that is exactly how it turned out, Miss Lizzie. I knew I'd be walking everywhere, with a lot of luggage, because I was visiting London for several days before heading up to Newcastle for the conference. So I wore vintage-style Beautifeel shoes and sandals (these aren't the exact styles -- I've had mine for years & got them for less than a tenth of the price on ebay.)

My trip was absolutely fantastic. For any FL members who live in or near London, you have to go see the ballgowns exhibit at the V&A! Now as for my personal challenge, I'd say it was mostly a success. I have kept many of the elements in my daily life since I returned: the gloves, handkerchiefs, tucked-in shirts. The seamed stockings have been slightly controversial at work & I'm not sure I can deal with that. One of the men actually bent over to stare at the back of my legs. (Inappropriate, to say the least.) For the time being I might wear them outside of work for a while.

One thing that really surprised me: I didn't see a single woman anywhere in my travels overseas who wore any version of vintage. Not even one. Has it gone out of style across the Atlantic? It seemed to me that 85 to 90 percent of the women under 40 were wearing skinny jeans, high-heeled boots, trench or blazer jackets, and had their hair cut in a smooth, slightly layered page-boy bob. The rest wore either very short skirts with tights, or (if they were on their way to or from work) above-knee-length black skirts with the same accessories as the skinny-jean crowd. They all looked fantastic -- I couldn't rock skinny jeans if Congress passed a constitutional amendment. The women who were closer to my age wore sensible, attractive clothes. But I think wouldn't have been caught dead in vintage. I have no idea whether people thought I was a circus freak, because everyone is so polite over there. I didn't get any strong reactions either way.

Just to clarify, I wore 1940s dresses (repros, not actual vintage); a navy blue 1940s princess cut coat; a maroon croc purse with a shoulder strap; my sensible shoes & seamed stockings; a vintage scarf; no hat. On cool days I added a vintage embroidered 1940s cardigan. My suitcase had to be new b/c I knew I would have to roll it everywhere & it was too full of books and papers for work to allow me to carry a vintage suitcase by hand.

 

[St. Louis]

Actually that is exactly how it turned out, Miss Lizzie. I knew I'd be walking everywhere, with a lot of luggage, because I was visiting London for several days before heading up to Newcastle for the conference. So I wore vintage-style Beautifeel shoes and sandals (these aren't the exact styles -- I've had mine for years & got them for less than a tenth of the price on ebay.)

My trip was absolutely fantastic. For any FL members who live in or near London, you have to go see the ballgowns exhibit at the V&A! Now as for my personal challenge, I'd say it was mostly a success. I have kept many of the elements in my daily life since I returned: the gloves, handkerchiefs, tucked-in shirts. The seamed stockings have been slightly controversial at work & I'm not sure I can deal with that. One of the men actually bent over to stare at the back of my legs. (Inappropriate, to say the least.) For the time being I might wear them outside of work for a while.

One thing that really surprised me: I didn't see a single woman anywhere in my travels overseas who wore any version of vintage. Not even one. Has it gone out of style across the Atlantic? It seemed to me that 85 to 90 percent of the women under 40 were wearing skinny jeans, high-heeled boots, trench or blazer jackets, and had their hair cut in a smooth, slightly layered page-boy bob. The rest wore either very short skirts with tights, or (if they were on their way to or from work) above-knee-length black skirts with the same accessories as the skinny-jean crowd. They all looked fantastic -- I couldn't rock skinny jeans if Congress passed a constitutional amendment. The women who were closer to my age wore sensible, attractive clothes. But I think wouldn't have been caught dead in vintage. I have no idea whether people thought I was a circus freak, because everyone is so polite over there. I didn't get any strong reactions either way.

Just to clarify, I wore 1940s dresses (repros, not actual vintage); a navy blue 1940s princess cut coat; a maroon croc purse with a shoulder strap; my sensible shoes & seamed stockings; a vintage scarf; no hat. On cool days I added a vintage embroidered 1940s cardigan. My suitcase had to be new b/c I knew I would have to roll it everywhere & it was too full of books and papers for work to allow me to carry a vintage suitcase by hand.

 

[Miss Sis]

There are plenty of people who do wear vintage of all eras round and about in London, but I'd say most of them are probably not hanging around Central London, but more particular areas in East/West London, and that you are more likely to see them in the evening rather than in the middle of the day. Vintage people have to work too, remember!

Glad you liked London though.

 

[Louise Anne]

There are plenty of people who do wear vintage of all eras round and about in London, but I'd say most of them are probably not hanging around Central London, but more particular areas in East/West London, and that you are more likely to see them in the evening rather than in the middle of the day. Vintage people have to work too, remember!

Glad you liked London though.

Yes I agree with the above you have to be in the right area, if there is a vintage event going on there there are plently of people wearing vintage, it's not really a middle of the day thing over here
.