Retro=Frumpy?

[The Shirt]

I've been thinking about this since you posted the original question.

I've been thinking alot about this issue lately (retro=frumpy) and how to combat the frump. For those of us who wear pencil skirts and spike heels, it isn't an issue. It's also not an issue for those of us who are covered with ink/piercings. A sweet pink dress looks completely different on a tatted up chick with blue hair than it does on an overweight, middle aged mom with brown and gray hair. Is this an issue that you worry about or do you just not care? How does one keep buttoned-up peter pan collared blouses from looking frumpy?

I too am carrying some extra pounds, running a little late on my dye jobs once in a while, and though I love tats, don't have any myself.
I think one thing to focus on could be your accessories. I often look at some postings and think - that if I could emulate some of this - I would feel less frumpy. Pearls are great, but perhaps leave them out on the day to day and go with something more brightly colored? Some bakelite bangles perhaps? A colorful handbag vs the standard go to brown or black might "young" things up. A lot of outfits I think can be saved by a smashing pair of shoes in an unexpected color.

Nothing wrong with the pinafores and peter pan collars - but I think it's what you pair them with. I'm in a place where I am starting to think that the circle skirts are too young for me, so I am trying to explore other vintage looks and options. For my body type a wider skirt is better, but perhaps I need to select a skirt with less material, or gravitate more towards a 40s look instead. I don't want to look ridiculous, nor do I want to look frumpy. It's finding that perfect balance that is tough.

 

[KittyT]

I too am starting to feel that maybe the circle skirts aren't quite the look I need to be going for anymore, that maybe they look a little too young. However, they look good on me and are great for my body type, so I continue to stick with them.

I do find that when I look in the mirror and think I'm looking frumpy or dowdy, trading in my ballet flats or Remix for a pair of heels usually fixes the problem pretty quickly

 

[kamikat]

Last night, I got the remedy for feeling frumpy. I went to my kids' school talent show. Not only was I one of the very few women in a dress, but the only mom wearing make-up at all. It was so easy to tell moms from faculty just by make-up. I think my problem stems from reading too many blogs. The people who care enough to blog about fashion/shopping/vintage/sewing whatever are of course going to take care of their appearance, but the general public doesn't.

 

[Wire9Vintage]

Amen, Kamikat!

I fell into that "mom look" pretty bad... just got lazy. I had been a vintage lover for years, and I always cared about my appearance. Then, one day at my kiddo's school, I realized I was dressed exactly like every other mom there... baggy capris, flip-flops, t-shirt, tote bag. It was an awakening. I had the clothes in my closet that would drag me out of that "uniform," I was just too lazy to wear them. And, yes, wearing a pair of heels once in a while, doing hair and make-up... does wonders for my attitude as well as my looks!

Frumpy is as frumpy does? Attitude is a powerful thing!