Young loungers

[Wild Root]

My humble story.

Ever since I could speak, I’ve liked old trains… not new trains so much but, trains of the 20’s to the 50’s. As I grew older, (9 years old) I became interested in the TITANIC disaster… then, the Dark Ages, Renaissance then the 19th Century California Gold Rush… I was the first kid in the state of CA to buy an old cast iron Potbellied Stove at the age of 11. I also sold Grapefruit out side my house from our tree to make money to buy old hurricane lanterns… then it happened… WWII aircraft!!! Wow, soon as I saw an old WWII movie with John Wayne and the Flying Tigers, I was all about it! Drew planes, built models and watched whatever old or new WWII period movie I could!

I then decided I needed to find what kind of music I really liked… I was raised on 70’s and 80’s soft rock… Eeewww! Found an oldies station and listened to 50’s music… soon, my Grandmother introduced me to Big Band… I started to listen to that! I was hooked before long… I then found a station that played old radio programs… yeah, that was really cool… learned more about the cars of the era and styles… I then wanted an old radio… found one, now I have 20+ old radios and a collection of 78rpm records.

In 1996, I bought my first vintage fedora… then the second and the third and the fourth… then, a suit! Classic 40’s DB suit! Still have it today! And well, the snow ball that started with WWII aircraft became an avalanche of obsession!

Today, I drive a 1946 Plymouth, have two closets full of 20’s to 50’s vintage, six boxes worth of 78rpm records, four 30’s vacuum cleaners, three toasters, a blender, stack of old magazines and sheet music… have art deco lamps, a art deco dresser and even an old 1930’s Sears bed… oh, and the old 30’s chrome Air-Beam electric fan!

The Fedora Lounge is a home away from home… it’s great to be here with you all… I’ve seen this place grow to something very special!

Joined when I was 25… I’m now 28.

Welcome to this place! May your stay be a long and enjoyable one!

=WR=

 

[Jack Scorpion]

A moving rags2riches story if I ever saw one, Wild Root.

 

[SinatraStyle]

25 for one more week

I'd have to say that my interest started with the music. I'm not sure how I was originally introduced to it, but I have always loved Big Band Era music. Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington have been favorites for years.

More music, along with film and dance followed. Fred Astaire caught my eye making it impossible to sit still when he was on the screen. I was captivated when he paired up with Ginger. When my visual senses weren't being entertained by the screen, my ears were overwhelmed by "The Voice" - Mr. Frank Sinatra.

The entertainment industry of today just doesn't compare to the Golden Era. I love the fact that movies like Hollywoodland and Flyboys are providing the modern world a glipse of what they are missing. But as great as today's actors and actresses are they just can't hold a candle to Bogart and Hepburn.

My everyday clothing (business casual...although I hate the term) is a marriage of modern with vintage. I prefer to combine the two to create a subtle yet unique look. A fedora and antique wristwatch compliment a modern pair of slacks and pressed shirt nicely. Now that the weather is getting cooler and we are getting more rain I have added a tan London Fog raincoat to my wardrobe. The jacket is not truly vintage, but it looks it when topped off with a vinage fedora. (And more importantly, the combination keeps me quite dry.)

 

[Wild Root]

Still rags... no riches!

When I started to collect, these things were pretty cheap... still are now and again. I find modern clothes (the ones worth anything) to be way over priced and more so then the old... I'd drop $300 on a vintage suit WAY before I put it on a modern suit... the quality and style is far superior!

Takes years and a crazy old fashion ambition to collect... a deep passion must reside deep within to be driven to find the deals to dig, look, search and find!

Any one can do it... I'm not a man of any serious means of money... I guess one can say I've been very lucky.

=WR=

 

[Jack Scorpion]

When I started to collect, these things were pretty cheap... still are now and again. I find modern clothes (the ones worth anything) to be way over priced and more so then the old... I'd drop $300 on a vintage suit WAY before I put it on a modern suit... the quality and style is far superior!

Takes years and a crazy old fashion ambition to collect... a deep passion must reside deep within to be driven to find the deals to dig, look, search and find!

Any one can do it... I'm not a man of any serious means of money... I guess one can say I've been very lucky.

=WR=

Agreed -- but I wasn't speaking hard cash. Riches as in knowledge, know-how and a great collection. We're in raggy times.

 

[Wild Root]

Ah, I see, yes, I guess one could say I am a wealthy man in that case!

Thank you,

=WR=

 

[Novella]

Most of my "vintage-living" amounts to writing my own detective fiction, wearing fedoras and wishing I had the guts and the money to take it further than that.

Have any of your writing online? I'm always interested in reading detective fiction!

 

[MissQueenie]

Welcome, Bernhard!

I'm 23. I guess my story is a lot like the other loungers' -- I've loved history since I was a child, and I was captivated by vintage style through classic movies, old records, the deep-dark depths of my grandmother's closet, and old family photographs. The more I read and watched and listened as I grew up, the more drawn to the classics I became. In high school, I was blessed with a close girlfriend who shared my interests, tastes, and love for all things vintage. I was lucky enough to have neighbors who once ran a small theatre in Carmel, CA and were avid collectors of vintage furniture, clothing, etc -- many of the old costumes from their theatre days were stunning vintage pieces.

Long story short, I blame early and frequent exposure to beautiful things for my obsession. That, and surrounding myself with enablers...

 

[Bernard Newman]

something like this Granted, not golden era, but cool

Ah, the golden hall of the Musikverein. I was there once with school, a rehearsal for a concert, I think Stravinsky's "The Firebird", very cool.

I love history, and the periods I'm interested in are usually heavily influenced by the movies I've been watching and the books I've been reading. I started out as very interested in Victorian Britain from miniseries like The Foryste Saga.

It was the same with me: When I was eight or nine I read a lot of Jules Verne's books and wanted to look like David Niven in "Around the world in 80 days". It drove my parents crazy

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I'm young at heart.

I'm a few weeks away from turning 32, but I'm really young at heart! Besides, I'm un-employed and stay up way too late, some would say I'm trying to relive my youth.
It's really great seeing so many people talking about there different interests.
I've always had a passion for all things old. I really didn't come out of my shell until last year when I went to The Queen Mary. I met a lot of Loungers, they were all smart and sweet and very well dressed, and I said, "hey this is something that I have to do"!
This is such a great place to learn, meet wonderful people, and so much more. I'm very glad to find so many people out there who enjoy vintage as much as I do.
By the way, I don't remember who mentioned the Forsyth Saga, but I really enjoyed that too.

 

[Mr. Rover]

I just turned 17 in August....wow, strange to be saying that. I came to the Fedora Lounge when I was 14 interested in hats and then I realized I needed more to wear with my hats. I don't go out without a hat or a tie (most days). I suppose I just wanted to stand out of the crowd a little because I felt I had outgrown the cargo pants/phrase t-shirt look. I'd been wearing them since the 7th grade and it wasn't me anymore. Somehow suits and hats suit (pun?) my personality more as I grow.

-Ray

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I just turned 17 in August....wow, strange to be saying that. I came to the Fedora Lounge when I was 14 interested in hats and then I realized I needed more to wear with my hats. I don't go out without a hat or a tie (most days). I suppose I just wanted to stand out of the crowd a little because I felt I had outgrown the cargo pants/phrase t-shirt look. I'd been wearing it since the 7th grade and it wasn't me anymore. Somehow suits and hats suit (pun?) my personality more as I grow.

-Ray

It's so wonderful to hear a young gentleman wants to dress like a young gentleman. More power to you for going your own way, and being very confident while you do it.

 

[MissMissy]

I am 25. I like the Golden Era because I have 3 children who I would like to see grow up right. I look at other children and see how disrespectful they can be and how trampy and sloppy they dress. I am all for freedom of fashion but I get strange looks when I wear a hat while 14 year old girls bearing their "coin slot" hardly get a second glance (not counting the obvious male attention they seem to want from that).
Systematically each generation seems to be getting worse in my opinion. What will our society be like in 30 years? I shudder to think. I think etiquette should be a middle and high school subject requirement.

 

[Lola Valentine]

MissMissy, I couldn't agree with you more about children nowadays being disrespectful. One of the many aspects which I've always loved about the golden era is how respectful people were to one another. Manners really do go a long way. Children nowadays are not taught this. I'm studying to be a teacher, and have suffered dogs abuse from children as young as 5 years old, which would never have happened 70 years ago. Children know that they can get away with the abuse aswell, which makes teaching a tough job. Aren't societies meant to evolve and improve over the decades? I personally believe our society has taken major backwards steps, when people can't even be polite to each other anymore. Or maybe I'm just rambling on....

I just turned 21 three weeks ago, and have always loved the golden era, love the music, love the clothes, love the films, love the cars, the list is endless!! It can be quite hard to meet other young people who even don't think you;re weird, never mind understand your love, so this site is like magic! By the way Bernard Newman, you look lovely in your picture, the style definately suits you.

xxx

 

[MissMissy]

Lola Valentine,
I am glad to hear someone like yourself will be teaching! I think when children see an example of how things should and could be they are better for it. I have a friend who teaches and she is doing her best to set a good example. Good luck to you. :eusa_clap

 

[lindylady]

You're right

The behavior of children and young adults these days is appalling. I was on the DC subway the other day when eleven or so junior high students herded themselves aboard. You should have heard them, swearing and yelling, all about nothing in particular. It was just normal conversation for them to inject four-letter words into every sentence. One of the boys looked at a woman (she appeared to be about 30) and made a vulgar comment to her about the shape of her derriere. She did her best to ignore him, but the shock on her face was too real. Now I know I'm not too far from this generation (I'm 24), but when I was their age, you wouldn't even THINK about saying that to an adult! :rage: Amazing how much has changed in a decade.

As I mentioned, I'm 24 years old, but I've always been into classic films and vintage music. I absolutely adore the clothing from the 30s/40s/50s. Now that I have begun to learn more about the vintage lifestyle, I am introducing it into my life. I feel as though I'm finally coming into my own

 

[Mr. Rover]

I think being polite is actually becoming the rebellion.

 

[CharlieH.]

I think being polite is actually becoming the rebellion.

You've said it, brother...
Sometimes I'm puzzled at the fact that I can get away with cussing in public, but get dirty looks for tipping my hat.

 

[Naama]

Gr?º?ü Gott der Herr I'm from Vienna as well! And I'm 21. I'm not quite thaaaat authentic, but I try my best. I never thought that there are other people in vienna as well who are interested in Vintage.... I'm into the earlier years, speaking 20's and 30's. I get into Vintage because I always had a great interest in movies and movie history. I just LOVED those old films and wanted to look like them
Your on the swingstyle page as well, aren't you? But there's not that much going on so far, unfortunately......


Naama

 

[BJonas]

It's nice to see young people into the vintage style.

Oh, God. I'm 32 and talking about young people.

(Honey, get my cane!)