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your vintage Achilles heel

klind65

One of the Regulars
Messages
162
Location
New York City
Does anyone have a fault or physical feature which s/he feels is not as good as it should be and thereby compromises his/her vintage look? For me it is my hair - it takes a curl but never puts across that Rita Hayworth glamour and volume I covet.
 

zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
I would have to say it's the way my ears sprout from the top of my head. I love to wear a fedora but my hearing is always compromised!
 

Warbaby

One Too Many
Messages
1,549
Location
The Wilds of Vancouver Island
For me it's an age thing. Some outfits that would look great on someone in their 20s or 30s just don't look right on someone in their 60s. And while I haven't gained more than 10 lbs in the past 30 years, what little I did gain is all in the middle so those wonderful narrow waisted vintage jackets no longer work on me.

Rats.
 

Miss Neecerie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,616
Location
The land of Sinatra, Hoboken
For me...none of my weaknesses have to do with 'vintage' appearances.

Life is about making the best of things, and even back then, no one was perfect for any one 'look'.


Sure, there are a million things about myself that I would change...but none of them are ones that 'compromise' vintage appearance...since being a picture of vintage perfection is way low on the importance radar for me.

If I could wave the magic wand, I would rather fix things that affect my character, my goodness, etc....even if it meant keeping an appearance related thing I didn't like.
 

Flitcraft

One Too Many
Messages
1,037
As Per Usual...

If I could wave the magic wand, I would rather fix things that affect my character, my goodness, etc....even if it meant keeping an appearance related thing I didn't like.

Your response is right on target!

A tip of the fedora to you, Miss N.!
 

Elaina

One Too Many
It takes time and skill to get comfortable with oneself. I don't really fit in here because I'm not a 24/7 true vintage, I do the rockabilly thing more then that and I do a lot of early 60s, but I own what I do.

My hair may not be perfect, but that's kind of the least of it when I wear modern fabrics with a vintage pattern and mix and match the eras.lol
 
Chalk me up as another vote on the "spiritual/character flaws" issue.

The meat may be far from perfect, but it's only temporary--the other stuff is what I'm going to be judged on in the end, and I'd rather worry about the meeting with St. Peter and the verdict of history than something that's only gonna feed the worms eventually anyway.
 

HodgePodge

One of the Regulars
Messages
264
Location
Canada
If I could drop some weight I would feel more comfortable taking a stab at high-er waisted pants.
My hair doesn't seem to want to co-operate in any way shape or form with any kind of style moderately resembling vintage. 'Slick' product in my hair just makes it look greasy as all-get-out (in the 'eww gross' way, not the 'greaser fashion' way), and trying to part it one way makes it flip up at the side, and parting it the other disturbs some form of cowlick or swirl at the back.
My face doesn't tolerate shaving very well, either. Perhaps it is my routine, but either way, a 'golden era' look seems rather dependent on a clean-shaven face - every day.

I'm not very good at knowing how to put outfits together, either. Perhaps I'm just not cut out for 'the look.' I'd rather dress 'modern,' than look like a doofus.
 

klind65

One of the Regulars
Messages
162
Location
New York City
Diamondback said:
Chalk me up as another vote on the "spiritual/character flaws" issue.

The meat may be far from perfect, but it's only temporary--the other stuff is what I'm going to be judged on in the end, and I'd rather worry about the meeting with St. Peter and the verdict of history than something that's only gonna feed the worms eventually anyway.

Yes, I think anyone with sense values his/her inner beauty over his external transient looks. And I agree that developing and advancing spiritual evolution/ moral probity are the sine qua non of being alive. But I was asking explicitly about external presentation . I thought many people here enjoyed perfecting a vintage "look" yet might have one thing which they just can't get quite right. Guess I was wrong.:(
 

klind65

One of the Regulars
Messages
162
Location
New York City
HodgePodge said:
If I could drop some weight I would feel more comfortable taking a stab at high-er waisted pants.
My hair doesn't seem to want to co-operate in any way shape or form with any kind of style moderately resembling vintage. 'Slick' product in my hair just makes it look greasy as all-get-out (in the 'eww gross' way, not the 'greaser fashion' way), and trying to part it one way makes it flip up at the side, and parting it the other disturbs some form of cowlick or swirl at the back.
My face doesn't tolerate shaving very well, either. Perhaps it is my routine, but either way, a 'golden era' look seems rather dependent on a clean-shaven face - every day.

I'm not very good at knowing how to put outfits together, either. Perhaps I'm just not cut out for 'the look.' I'd rather dress 'modern,' than look like a doofus.
Thanks for answering my question!!:eusa_clap
 

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
My height. And if my parents are to be believed, my waist. But I've always been a very thin person. Even now I don't consider myself "overweight". Not even 'chubby'. They do. But mum and dad have panick-attacks over five pounds.
 

Amy Jeanne

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,858
Location
Colorado
Mostly beacuse of this message board and looking at photos of "normal" women from the 30s and 40s (as opposed to movie stars) I've began to accept my "imperfect" self and think I look great no matter what I put on. I also learned to sew and can make clothes tailor made to fit me completely. Because of this, I no longer feel I look "clueless" or "too fat" to wear whatever I like. I'm aware of what looks good on me and what doesn't.

Before I felt this way and before I could sew, however, I thought I was "too fat" to wear streamlined early 1930s dresses. I felt my hourglass figure only limited me to 50s-esque fashions.

I do have one current thing that hold me back from an overall look, though, and that is shoes. I REFUSE to wear shoes that either need constant policing or are TOO TIGHT! I usually wear my little white socks with my 50s-esque flat Sketchers with my little dresses.
 

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