Other vintage lifestyles

[koopkooper]

The thread on "why I hate the 70's" got me thinking, are there any people you've met that are into eras other than 20's-60's that are represented here?

Perhaps you've met someone who just loves the 70's that it has become a lifestyle like ours. I mean lifestyle people, not just those who wear 70's or eighties clothes, or inspired fashions cos it's trendy.

I did know of a guy who loved the medieval period so much he built a castle.
He lived in a portion of the castle and showed the rest to the public.

Now that's enthusiasm to build a castle!

 

[scotrace]

A friend of mine is very much into medieval re-enacting, and another does Civil War stuff.

We had quite a number of Civil War folk here as I remember.

 

[Jerekson]

fftopic:

Just yesterday as I was driving down the coast, I saw a castle on the far corner of a ritzy neighborhood, adjacent to a very bland small house.

This thing was truly incredible; it even had 6 ft. lion statues gaurding the lawn.

 

[Feraud]

I know people who love their lifestyles as much as we do our niche decade(s).
Their experiences are as valid as ours.

 

[Jovan]

I certainly love a lot of elements of the '50s and '60s. But I can't ever see how it could become a "lifestyle" for me. Especially when I'm absolutely appalled at how women were treated then and we aren't exactly doing bomb drills around my house.

 

[Sefton]

I've a friend who loves all things 60's and many things (mostly music)70's. I don't share many of these likes,but I don't think any less of him for his choices either. I've drifted around a bit in time in regards to finding the clothes,music,etc. that suits me best. Right now I'm living as much in a 20's~30's style as I can (excepting of course this wonderous/cursed thing that I'm using right now to post this message!). If I had the resources I'd go farther and live in a home over 100 years old and give up most modern things. Until then...

 

[warbird]

Most war between the states reenactors I know, even the most hard core, do not dress in any way vintage of that era when not reenacting. They may wear an item like a cavalry style hat or period style coat or boots, but not the whole get. Same goes for Cowboy Action Shooters. I don't know any of them who try to 'live' in that era.

Every morning I pass a castle. The man who owns it is big into medieval reenacting, SCA type of things. A renaissance festival is held there every year, as is the regional Highland Game festival. But he lives year round in the house, which for the most part even inside is quite old in appearance and lack of ammenities.

Most people cannot go too far vintage in lifestyle, without giving up the vast majority of modern conveniences. The golden era still had lots of those conveniences and while the styles were different they certainly were not near as different as a victorian would dress.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I like the Victorian-through-WWI period basically as much as I do the 20s-40s. The difference is that fewer things from that era are applicable to modern life. As much as I would love to wear a top hat or a morning coat around town, today it would be just a costume. (at least in Texas) Thus I generally confine my Victorian ambitions to collecting, reading, and Civil War reenacting rather than a full-time "lifestyle."

 

[Adelaidey]

I have a friend who is a pirate. I don't question it.... makes for great looks when we're out together. lol

 

[Barbigirl]

Victorian Era

The thread on "why I hate the 70's" got me thinking, are there any people you've met that are into eras other than 20's-60's that are represented here?

Perhaps you've met someone who just loves the 70's that it has become a lifestyle like ours. I mean lifestyle people, not just those who wear 70's or eighties clothes, or inspired fashions cos it's trendy.

I did know of a guy who loved the medieval period so much he built a castle.
He lived in a portion of the castle and showed the rest to the public.

Now that's enthusiasm to build a castle!

I have a friend who is very into Victorian Era. Apparently, there is a group similiar to us that promotes dandy-ism and Victorian dress.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I've met two very interesting people. One was right out of the British punk 80's, looked the part, talked the part, for all I knew he hopped in a time machine and ended up here. It wasn't Marty McFly either. There is a man I have seen twice who also looked like he is right out of the late 80's as well.

He had more of a MC Hammer style. Really neat to see. Black parachute pants, buzz cut, open shirt with wide collar. Even the sunglasses. What was most awkward about when I spotted him was we were both a few feet away from each other. While he was dressed in his 80s, I was dressed in my 40s.

 

[reetpleat]

As was discussed in a thread started by paddy, there are certain goth types who dress and somewhat revel in the victorian era. Morning coats, velvet waist coats top hats etc. They tend to be part of the goth scene, but I would bet in a place like London there is enough of them to form their own subculture. They probably get together to drink absynth and smoke pipes.

But I don't know any in Seattle. That is the one part of the goth thing I could get into.

I know tht when disco made it's first revival it was played a lot in clubs. But I heard in LA there wre people that would get really into it, actually doing disco dancing and wearing 70s clothes. I could get into that.

 

[The Wolf]

speaking of the '70s

I worked briefly with a young man that was very 1970s and was too young to remember them. He had long, slightly feathered hair. His clothes would look right on Robert Plant circa Led Zeppelin. The name Jeff Lyne sounded familiar to him. I said he's from E.L.O. ( no recognition), "later he was a member of 'the Travelling Wilburys'" (no recognition), "before all that he was a member of The Move (that he recognised).
He didn't seem like a '70s poser, he seemed from the early '70s.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Dan G]

I love The Travelling Wilburys! I love Led Zepplin! I don't love E.L.O.:eusa_doh: But I love the 70's!!!lol

 

[LizzieMaine]

When heading off to work last night, I was astounded to see a teenage boy coming up the street wearing a Civil War Union Army infantry corporal's jacket -- either he's a very young reenactor coming home from the wars, or 1860s era styles are, in fact, becoming the latest thing in streetwear for the younger set. Either way, he actually looked quite sharp.

 

[Sunny]

When heading off to work last night, I was astounded to see a teenage boy coming up the street wearing a Civil War Union Army infantry corporal's jacket -- either he's a very young reenactor coming home from the wars, or 1860s era styles are, in fact, becoming the latest thing in streetwear for the younger set. Either way, he actually looked quite sharp.

Sack coat, right? Very interesting. My father has been known to wear his Federal sack to work on casual Friday, and my Bro. No. 1 has worn his greatcoat to school on very cold days. For fitting like a sack, they actually do look pretty good.

 

[Sunny]

Most war between the states reenactors I know, even the most hard core, do not dress in any way vintage of that era when not reenacting. They may wear an item like a cavalry style hat or period style coat or boots, but not the whole get. Same goes for Cowboy Action Shooters. I don't know any of them who try to 'live' in that era.

The fathest-along I've heard of are the fortunate few who live in period homes or farms. And even they don't usually dress that way, unless their jobs are doing historical interpretation. Their homes would probably look like period pieces, simply bcause of the gear they've accumulated. Things like oil/kerosene lamps, period dishware, woven coverlets (not quilts) on the beds, etc. This stuff costs a lot of money, and being able to use it for practical purposes in the present just makes sense.

I've been known to wear my side-lacing boots with jeans. I've used a straw hat occasionally, and often my woven palmetto fan. A chemise makes a good nightgown, and I use my small coverlet on top of my regular quilt when it gets cold. Gum blankets/slickers and cav hats make great rain gear.

The interesting thing about the really old stuff is how terribly practical it is. It was a huge, but freeing, mindset shift when I stopped asking myself, "How can do I this in a way that doesn't look anachronistic?" and started asking, "How did they do it?"

 

[warbird]

One note of correction in the above Rafter post, many other things being true, but there were no muscle cars in the 80's. The insurance industry and fuel shortage of the 70's killed the muscle cars by 1974.

 

[warbird]

I certainly love a lot of elements of the '50s and '60s. But I can't ever see how it could become a "lifestyle" for me. Especially when I'm absolutely appalled at how women were treated then and we aren't exactly doing bomb drills around my house.

Lets see, i had grandmothers, a mom, numerous aunts and great aunts who all lived in the 50's and 60's and they found nothing appalling at how they were treated. They all had good jobs, families and in every way loved life.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Just as it's a bad idea to idealize any particular period, so too one shouldn't make sweeping assumptions about the worst aspects of a time. There really was no "universal experience" -- everyone experienced whatever era they lived in as individuals, and their stories will be as varied as the people themselves. After all, even in the worst pit of the Depression, with a third of the nation ill-clad, ill-housed, and ill-fed, two thirds of the population was warm and dry and had full bellies.