Young loungers

[Shangas]

I'm a youngster (23 this July).

I got into Vintage because I've always been a HUUUUUUUUUUGE history buff (one look at my blog, below, will tell you that!).

I love anything and everything related to history. My interest in 20th century history spans from 1900 until the end of WWII in 1945. I love the music, the fashion, the style, the designs, the culture...everything. Steam trains, vintage cars, ocean-liners, suits, spats, flapper dresses, fountain pens, records...everything. However, it was only since joining this website that I started 'indulging' (so to speak), by buying myself a waistcoat or three (so that I could wear my pocket watches the old fashioned way) and shaving with a vintage-style DE razor, as opposed to my brother's hopeless, modern cheese-grater, which was as likely to give you a good shave as it was to send you to hospital.

I've always loved fountain pens, from the age of seven when I found my first one at home. Ever since then, I've devoted all my writing to fountain pens and won't touch anything else.

I also love pocket watches and I got my first one at the age of eight. Over the years I've probably had several cheap ones. But I got my first proper one for my 21st birthday as a treat for myself. Now I don't wear a wristwatch anymore.

I never follow fashion. I've never been one to fold into peer-pressure. That stuff never interested me. Even at the age of 10, my friends used to tease me that I was more interested in Model T Fords (yes, I knew what they were back then) than in the latest sports-cars. I wear what I like and what I think is stylish. Fashion is fleeting, style is here to stay.

As a child, I used to go for walks with my mother during the weekends. We used to have two HUGE antiques shops literally just down the road from our house. I could spend ALL DAY in those shops (and frequently did!) looking at the desks and the watches and gramophones and pianos and all other kinds of awesome old things. Mother had to drag me away from there!

 

[MissECP]

Hello, I'm 21. I first started getting into vintage style when i was 15. I started to like 1940s/50s hairstyles after my dad became interested in WWII living history and i started listening to a local 'rock and roll' radio show. It slowly grew from there and over the years i have gotten involved in living history myself but, i'm now more interested in other aspects of the golden era: music, dancing, the furniture, old books, clothes, accessories etc. I also felt that vintage style suits me more as opposed to modern fashion trends (such as, low rise/ skinny jeans or straightened hair) and i now wear my hair in 1940s style mostly every day, with vintage or vintage inspired dress.

 

[ZoetteVDT]

I'm only young as well
but I really love the hair,clothes, music and pretty much everything to do with 30s/40s/50s. Mostly 40s. I don't really know anyone who lives anywhere near me who's into vintage stuff so it's really great that I found this!

 

[HannahJane]

Hello, I'm 20 and only just getting into wearing vintage but I have always loved it. I think I should place the blame for my love of vintage with my grandparents, I remember going to their house when I was very young and watching old films. I particularly remember seeing 42nd street and Swing Time and thinking how lovely everyone looked!

When I was a teenager I began learning more about the Golden era and WWII but thought I would look silly wearing vintage. Looking back I'm not sure why I was worrying considering some of the things I did wear were pretty horrific! lol

When I came to university I got more confident and realised that it didn't really matter if anyone else thought I looked silly as long as I felt good about myself. Which is why I'm now trying to put into practice all the things I've learnt about vintage fashion over the years. Like I said, I'm still only just starting out but I can't wait to own more vintage items and I'm feeling happier and more confident about myself than I have ever before.

 

[Shangas]

When I came to university I got more confident and realised that it didn't really matter if anyone else thought I looked silly as long as I felt good about myself.

An excellent way to think. It's thinking like that which gave me the balls to dress the way that I do and not care about what others thought.

 

[ScionPI2005]

As a child, I used to go for walks with my mother during the weekends. We used to have two HUGE antiques shops literally just down the road from our house. I could spend ALL DAY in those shops (and frequently did!) looking at the desks and the watches and gramophones and pianos and all other kinds of awesome old things. Mother had to drag me away from there!

I can definitely relate to this! I absolutely love looking around antique stores, yet I used to mainly browse them while out of town on vacation, seldom in my own city. My dad shares this passion with me, while it drives my mom nuts.

I seldom buy anything (I'd go broke if I bought something too often), but just seeing what treasures you can find is fun. I'd love to win a shopping spree to an antique store.

 

[Shangas]

Sadly, the two shops are no longer there. One closed down after years of business (strangely, its sign is still painted on the building wall, which is a beautiful old Victorian joint).

The other shop had to move after it received a very rude visitation by a speeding firetruck.

 

[StetsonHomburg]

I as some know am 13 and I got into the golden era
in a very odd way.... when I was about 9 I started
getting out of the fantasy star wars "phase" and I
watched the pirates of the carribean so I then had an
interest in the 18th century british navy/army... then
later I got into the Great war... and before you know it
I had an interest in WWII and from that I gained an interest
in the golden age....

 

[Kiri]

I'm 16 (Jan 21, 1994) I've always loved old movies, hairstyles and clothes etc, but I guess it just recently occured to me that there's nothing stopping me from dressing in the style that I love! I used to just dress 1940's/1950's at home, but in the past couple months I've gained the courage to step out of the door in that style. I was a little surprised as to how well it was recieved. I've had tons of compliments and only one bad comment so far. Of course I get the odd mean look from teenagers, but I never was much part of that culture anyway. I've always felt seperated from them, if that makes any sense. Dressing differently just makes that difference more pronounced and obvious I suppose.
My first love is the 40's, but most of my dresses are from the 50's so the majority of my photos are more 50's. I'm trying to build up a wardrobe of 40's, but it's harder to find, I guess I'll have to figure out patterns eventually. I've been sort of putting it off. I don't mind hemming and taking in clothes, but I've never made an actual dress or skirt before.

 

[StetsonHomburg]

I'm 16 (Jan 21, 1994) I've always loved old movies, hairstyles and clothes etc, but I guess it just recently occured to me that there's nothing stopping me from dressing in the style that I love! I used to just dress 1940's/1950's at home, but in the past couple months I've gained the courage to step out of the door in that style. I was a little surprised as to how well it was recieved. I've had tons of compliments and only one bad comment so far. Of course I get the odd mean look from teenagers, but I never was much part of that culture anyway. I've always felt seperated from them, if that makes any sense. Dressing differently just makes that difference more pronounced and obvious I suppose.
My first love is the 40's, but most of my dresses are from the 50's so the majority of my photos are more 50's. I'm trying to build up a wardrobe of 40's, but it's harder to find, I guess I'll have to figure out patterns eventually. I've been sort of putting it off. I don't mind hemming and taking in clothes, but I've never made an actual dress or skirt before.

Well You look beautiful in that dress, glad other teens are
"going vintage" instead of "punk, or skater"

 

[Miss Molly]

Well You look beautiful in that dress, glad other teens are
"going vintage" instead of "punk, or skater"

I agree! About the beautiful comment (you do look lovely Kiri!) and also about the teenage comment.

It's so nice to know there are more young people out there who are interested in vintage, instead of the usual trashy teen wear that you see everywhere now. My local village (and even my local city!) is pretty 'ordinary' and old fashioned, not many people wear anything remotely unique or individual. Even the indie kids who think they're being individual still shop at Topshop and wear exactly the same as every other indie kid out there!

Normally it's quite fun to be known as 'that vintage girl', but other times I just want to know that there are others out there my age who don't think I'm weird for spending hours trawling eBay for clothes which are 70 years old, and for listening to jazz and big band music instead of 'Dubstep' (what does that even mean?!) and Drum and Bass.

xxx

 

[AtomicEraTom]

It's great to see more young people going vintage. I really love it. I'm 19 and have been dressing vintage since I was about 10. I've always been kind of looked at differently for my dress pants and shirts, and loafers and such. I see all these kids dressing so trashy, it looks like they dug the clothes out of the garbage. My brother and sister are 16, and I wish they would dress with a bit more formality.

I'm also noticing, as my friends and myself are all getting our own places, that their homes don't even look like proper homes inside. A good friend of mine has bank furniture in his living room! I guess I just don't get the modern world.

 

[Vintage lover]

I'm 18, and I started dressing retro everyday at about 16. However, I got my first suit in about first grade. Wore a pinstripe imitation zoot suit to my middle school graduation party (my middle school was weird).

 

[Kiri]

Thank you very much.

I feel your pain Tom. My younger brothers are very into the here and now style. They don't understand why I like old fashioned things. Personally, I don't understand why they like the new things.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

And this is one of the many reasons why I love this place! I don't get it either. I joke with my sister, I live near the Amish Country, and they always shoot my sister dirty looks when she comes to visit and smile and wave at me. She says "It's just because you're dressed closer to how they dress"

My family is all very up to date, new vehicles, LCD TV's, a new house, all the modern conveniences and fashions. I'm happy with my collared shirt, dress pants, console TV, and 100 year old home.

Thank you very much.

I feel your pain Tom. My younger brothers are very into the here and now style. They don't understand why I like old fashioned things. Personally, I don't understand why they like the new things.

 

[Nikx]

22 Here. A little while ago I just thought to myself "I think I might look good in a hat". Well a few days ago google led me here and I've been consumed by the site ever since. I think it's safe to say I'm here to stay.

 

[Shangas]

Thank you very much.

I feel your pain Tom. My younger brothers are very into the here and now style. They don't understand why I like old fashioned things. Personally, I don't understand why they like the new things.

I have never...EVER been one for the here-and-now. Ever. At the age of 10, I was more interested in antiques than the latest computer-games. At the age of 20 I was more interested in how a pocket-watch worked than the latest mobile-phone app and now at the age of 23, I'm more interested in classic shaving than that canned goo and quintuple-razors that seem to be all over the place these days...

Vintage is better! You look cooler, you save money (sometimes!) and you stand out in the crowd. And everyone wants to stand out. If everyone was like everyone else, we'd all die of boredom.

 

[The Good]

Thank you very much.

I feel your pain Tom. My younger brothers are very into the here and now style. They don't understand why I like old fashioned things. Personally, I don't understand why they like the new things.

This is the same case with my family sometimes, actually. Specifically when it comes to clothing styles; the fedora, to top it off. My siblings in particular don't think the Federation really looks good on me. Like you mentioned, they don't understand the fascination towards these things. Whenever I'm asked about it next time, I'll just rationalize it as a hobby, because that's what it is.

 

[Derek WC]

I'm 15, and my obsession with the Golden Era was conceived from me first having a love of history and the 14th - 17th centuries. I've always felt out of place in school and whatnot, but not around older people.

 

[RockyHorror]

I'm 17, I've always kind of liked to recreate myself. When I was 12 I started dying my hair all kinds of crazy colors, and I just loved punk music, from there there was a pretty natural progression into psychobilly and then rockabilly music. I was so into the looks of modern pin up girls, and then I discovered Bettie Page. From liking that more edgy side of modern retro looks, I got really into classic movies and started trying to emulate the very classy looks of my favorite starlets. The whole idea of the hollywood makeover, changing everything about yourself (even your name!) was pretty enchanting to me, and I started reinventing myself to be more like the lovely women I admired. Then the vintage store opened in town and I barely shop anywhere else! I've never cared what other people think, I've always looked different, the curls and red lips just feel so natural to me!