Vintage Streetstyle Thread

[Paisley]

I believe that the young girls today are really throwing flattering out the window - it's all about interesting. Maybe flattering becomes more important as you get older, I don't know, it seems like the younger trends often, whichever time you are looking at, are quite unflattering. Oh well, enough about that.

I think young people in general have always disregarded whether something suits them to wear whatever happened to be in style. It takes time and effort to learn what looks good on you.

Clothes can be both flattering and interesting. The redhead in the dark suit is a prime example of someone wearing an all-around well chosen outfit.

I mean, if I know that I look good in pink and sick in yellow, isn't it just as easy to wear something pink? I guess I'm not sure why this conversation is necessary...

 

[Miss 1929]

So far, this is the only outfit that I think is beautiful.

 

[TessTrueheart]

I have to ask: Does it have to be flattering for our figure? And if so, why?

But I understand this is off topic, so just ignore me - I just wanted to point out that not everyone strives for the typical kind of attractiveness or beauty or whatever it is that the word "flattering" means. Maybe a certain outfit doesn't suit my figure, according whichever standard we are judging this by, but I might love it and might find it 100% in congruence with my person.

Maybe this is a Scandinavian/European thing, but I agree with Laura, and I see this a lot with my younger friends. They are interested in challenging opinions of style, self expression. They like to mix patterns, find ways to wear clashing colours, they like avant garde shapes and peculiar details. Mostly it's because they want to challenge themselves and their pre concieved notions about what is flattering. I see this at Hel-Looks all the time in the comments section: "I bought this jacket because I thought it was ugly and I wanted to see if I could make it work for me". It's a different way of thinking about clothing, that's all.

Also I'd like to say that we are not always the best judges of what's flattering on us.. I was wearing a scarf the other day, it was he "wrong" shade of red for me but I couldn't find my black scarf. I got so many compliments that day for that "lovely red scarf" it was ridiculous.

 

[TessTrueheart]

I have to ask: Does it have to be flattering for our figure? And if so, why?

But I understand this is off topic, so just ignore me - I just wanted to point out that not everyone strives for the typical kind of attractiveness or beauty or whatever it is that the word "flattering" means. Maybe a certain outfit doesn't suit my figure, according whichever standard we are judging this by, but I might love it and might find it 100% in congruence with my person.

Maybe this is a Scandinavian/European thing, but I agree with Laura, and I see this a lot with my younger friends. They are interested in challenging opinions of style, self expression. They like to mix patterns, find ways to wear clashing colours, they like avant garde shapes and peculiar details. Mostly it's because they want to challenge themselves and their pre concieved notions about what is flattering. I see this at Hel-Looks all the time in the comments section: "I bought this jacket because I thought it was ugly and I wanted to see if I could make it work for me". It's a different way of thinking about clothing, that's all.

Also I'd like to say that we are not always the best judges of what's flattering on us.. I was wearing a scarf the other day, it was he "wrong" shade of red for me but I couldn't find my black scarf. I got so many compliments that day for that "lovely red scarf" it was ridiculous.

 

[Lillemor]

My knee jerk thought was that yes; styles must be flattering but then I thought, what is flattering and who's to judge?

Usually street style is something I associate with "urban" (difficult to define but I know it when I see what I associate with it), boho, casual, effortless, combinations that scream insecurity especially when you see so many clones doing the late 60s, 70s, 80s retro twist with above listed boho, casual, effortless and not really shocking, just bad looking to my eyes but someone probably thinks the same of the various gothic styles I try to encorporate into my own style. In the end, if the person's happy with what they're wearing, I won't lose any sleep over it.

I flaunt my disregard for style rules I disagree with or that just aren't important to me such as how to appear taller or certainly not shorter, how to avoid looking too old, or too formal. I aspire to improve both my ability to pull together retro inspired looks and in the future I would love to affort and have more opportunities to dress more authentically vintage.

The various photo threads on FD aren't such a bad place to start at. Everyone should be free to form their own opinions and come away with whatever suits their own tastes. If wearing colors that suit you and cuts that flatter your figure makes you feel more confident, then that's probably right for you. My need to dress in a manner I consider flattering depends on my mood and general confidence on any given day.

Whether one's taste is more orthodox vintage or neo retro, I think it would be ideal if we were solidaric and supportive of each other rather than judgemental in a world where we all stand apart from the norm anyway.

 

[Smuterella]

So far, this is the only outfit that I think is beautiful.

which is the only "true" vintage one, in the style of this board anyway. I think its stunning, its the only one I would wear, but I can appreciate the visuals of the others.

 

[rosierawhyde]

We've seen her before, it's piksi from flickr:

I thought she looked very elegant and comfortable, in a kind of Hepburn-ish way, also because she has such a tiny stature:

We've also seen her before, va va voom vampy:

I would have never realized this was the same person. They are the same person right?

 

[Laura Chase]

I would have never realized this was the same person. They are the same person right?

No, they are three different people.

 

[rosierawhyde]

Ok Thanks for clearing that up. I looked at them and was very impressed with how she was able to change. I know people that change their look frequently, but man I couldn't see it! lol

 

[BombshellBella]

....

I flaunt my disregard for style rules I disagree with or that just aren't important to me such as how to appear taller or certainly not shorter, how to avoid looking too old, or too formal. I aspire to improve both my ability to pull together retro inspired looks and in the future I would love to affort and have more opportunities to dress more authentically vintage.

.....

Lillemor, I totally agree with you, I think everyone should just work with "rules" that agree or suit them. I don't think I will ever be able to do 100% authentic vintage, 100% of the time, but that doesn't mean I will never do it. I still have tons to learn. I always applaud people who don't look like carbon copies and have their own original twist on things. It makes life and fashion all the more interesting.

 

[Goldfish]

I am glad that this discussion took place because I thought about posting how some of the comments in this board irritate me - which I didn't post because I did not want to sound hypersensitive or too whiney. But when you hear "I dont like this, I don't like that, it's not vintage enough for me..." everytime you post something like I did it get's kind of frustrating, especially when you made and effort and looked through approximately 1000 pictures to find something vintage inspired... CC is always appreciated

 

[MissAmelina]

Keep the pics coming! It's interesting to read the different opinions. (As long as nobody is personally attacking each other or their taste).

I totally get the idea of wearing what you want to wear to make a statement, I really do....but I stumbled upon this picture today on the sewing pattern review site as I was researching different sleeve lengths (I am trying to tailor my clothes so I don't look frumpaliscious) and I just could not help but notice how much better this looked with sleeve #2:

It's the same outfit, but one simple alteration changes everything about her appearance.
I have all kinds of cute eclectic clothing in my closet, but I feel terrible when I wear most it for this very reason---it's not flattering to my hourglass shape. Anything that's not fitted to my waist makes me look a mile wide.
So everything is either getting tailored, or given away.

And maybe someday *I'll* be on the streetstyle thread.

 

[Lillemor]

I am glad that this discussion took place because I thought about posting how some of the comments in this board irritate me - which I didn't post because I did not want to sound hypersensitive or too whiney. But when you hear "I dont like this, I don't like that, it's not vintage enough for me..." everytime you post something like I did it get's kind of frustrating, especially when you made and effort and looked through approximately 1000 pictures to find something vintage inspired... CC is always appreciated

I think can totally understand that because in other contexts I get equally irritated with people who don't "get" vintage and criticize how it doesn't show any modern originality and people will make other hurtful remarks regarding a link or photos I've spent HOURS trying to put together for anyone's benefit to pick what they like from it.

However, I don't think most posters are aware of how the tone in their posts might be perceived and I know I'm usually more guilty of this than anyone else because I lack a "sensitivity gene".lol I never intend to offend, I have no trouble accepting opposing views and different tastes, and I hope we can continue to share our differerent interpretations of vintage with mutual respect for different takes on vintage.

Sharing opinions is fine. I'm not trying to change everyone's opinions to fit mine.

Uhm...I know I formulated that really clumsy, sorry.

MissAmelina, I think I understand what you're trying to draw attention to but won't it be individual what suits different people? Since we're not fashion slaves I hope, that when possible, most of us would choose a sleeve cut and length that flatters our arms and figure best (if we have the skills to sew).

Now I don't want to upset the original poster by distracting any more from her intention with this thread. I'll go search for some photos instead.

 

[cherry lips]

I flaunt my disregard for style rules I disagree with or that just aren't important to me such as how to appear taller or certainly not shorter, how to avoid looking too old, or too formal.

Whether one's taste is more orthodox vintage or neo retro, I think it would be ideal if we were solidaric and supportive of each other rather than judgemental in a world where we all stand apart from the norm anyway.

:eusa_clap Well put, Lillemor. The last bit about solidarity would apply to the entire female sex in an ideal world. Sisterhood!

 

[rosierawhyde]

Please keep the photos coming!! Its such a great referance to get new and refreshing ways to wear items. When I've seen something that I have that is similar, its wonderful to find new ways to wear it.:eusa_clap

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

This girls is so badass. Very accurate early 60s look, too.

Edwardian teddy girl style ...

All pics from gademode.dk.

 

[rosierawhyde]

This girls is so badass. Very accurate early 60s look, too.

All pics from gademode.dk.

I love these two. The girls hair in the first pic is fabulous! I love a good bouffant!

 

[Paisley]

Keep the pics coming! It's interesting to read the different opinions. (As long as nobody is personally attacking each other or their taste).

I totally get the idea of wearing what you want to wear to make a statement, I really do....but I stumbled upon this picture today on the sewing pattern review site as I was researching different sleeve lengths (I am trying to tailor my clothes so I don't look frumpaliscious) and I just could not help but notice how much better this looked with sleeve #2:

It's the same outfit, but one simple alteration changes everything about her appearance.
I have all kinds of cute eclectic clothing in my closet, but I feel terrible when I wear most it for this very reason---it's not flattering to my hourglass shape. Anything that's not fitted to my waist makes me look a mile wide.
So everything is either getting tailored, or given away.

And maybe someday *I'll* be on the streetstyle thread.

This is exactly what I was saying when I posted about the red, white and black outfit. I wasn't suggesting the outfit be scrapped, only that a few minor changes would make it look better on the lady wearing it.

 

[BeBopBaby]

This girls is so badass. Very accurate early 60s look, too.

I am so in love with this. It's almost one of those things that are so over the top, that they become wonderful. Kind of like a John Waters movie. I can't help but admire someone who has the chutzpah to pull of this look like she does.

 

[rosierawhyde]

I was thinking John Waters too!! Everything about it looks good. I always wish I had the time to do that in the morning, but that would only ever happen for me after a few hrs and that is time I dont have in the AM.