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Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

deelovely

Practically Family
Messages
617
Location
Jacksonville, FL
BigLittleTim said:
Unfortunately (fortunately?) a 270 lb. man dressed in vintage clothes and a hat usually gets asked, jokingly (?), if he's a "hit man". lol
That's the usual response I get from those brave enough to say something.
Of course, they're all dead now...
BigLittleTim
lol lol lol
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
LizzieMaine said:
I forgot all about it being Halloween last night until I was sitting in the box office and a gal walked by dressed like Rosie The Riveter -- overalls, headscarf, lunchbox and all. I had my hair up in a scarf as well, and she gave me a ferocious scowl.
No doubt the scowl due to her realizing you are the real deal and she is wearing a costume. :)
 

Lady Day

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
9,087
Location
Crummy town, USA
Feraud said:
No doubt the scowl due to her realizing you are the real deal and she is wearing a costume. :)


So true. I noticed a lot of 'bobbie sockers' walking around the citay yesterday. Some had appropriate skirt lengths but I was all; you should have a pony tail, your shirt should be at least a nice fitting oxford, why are you wearing bangles, heels and socks?! :eusa_doh:

LD
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Lady Day said:
So true. I noticed a lot of 'bobbie sockers' walking around the citay yesterday. Some had appropriate skirt lengths but I was all; you should have a pony tail, your shirt should be at least a nice fitting oxford, why are you wearing bangles, heels and socks?! :eusa_doh:

LD
And in NYC everything was "sexy". Sexy female zombies, sexy nurses, etc. etc.
What is the deal with that? Is creativity dead in this city?
 

deadpandiva

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,174
Location
Minneapolis
Lady Day said:
So true. I noticed a lot of 'bobbie sockers' walking around the citay yesterday. Some had appropriate skirt lengths but I was all; you should have a pony tail, your shirt should be at least a nice fitting oxford, why are you wearing bangles, heels and socks?! :eusa_doh:

LD
I was planning on being a 1940's bobbie socker at work (Shirley Temple style).
I figured that noone at work would even notice I was in costume.
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
I've been reading through this thread and find myself in awe that you gals wear vintage all the time. I say "awe" because for me, in a small town in Nebraska, I am not brave enough to go out on the streets dressed in vintage clothes. But I would really, really like to try. I don't think anyone would insult me, but I would get stared at A LOT around here - and where the attire at my work is jeans and t-shirts, I would really stand out like a sore thumb.

Maybe I should start small? I'm thinking I should find a fab vintage dress for my company's holiday party.
 

CanadaDoll

Practically Family
Messages
961
Location
Canada
I wore a white 40's dress to class a few days ago, had the rolls in my hair and everything, and a friend told me I looked like a "cute little fifties nurse," I laughed, it really cheered me up.
 

Lady Day

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
9,087
Location
Crummy town, USA
Feraud said:
And in NYC everything was "sexy". Sexy female zombies, sexy nurses, etc. etc.
What is the deal with that? Is creativity dead in this city?


Here too! Garter stocking sexy pirates, Victorian 'gown' (mini skirt) lady and I saw one woman wearing undies and a long black thin jacket and NOTHING ELSE! :p AND it was COLD yesterday.

LD
 

zaika

One Too Many
Messages
1,480
Location
Portlandia
yesterday i dressed in clothing reminiscent of the 40's (maybe?) and wore one of my new old hats. i got compliments ranging from "you look like a glam movie star" to "oh my god, you look like my mom!" lol i really wanted someone to ask me what it was i dressed up as so i could say 'your mother.' lol
but my coworker, who sometimes wears a fedora to work (even though he's a harley dude most days) asked me today why i don't come to work dressed in vintage all the time. [huh] my answer was that i need to get my butt sewing and/or lose a ton of weight. but i was flattered nonetheless!
 

Miss 1929

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,397
Location
Oakland, California
Go for it!

AmateisGal said:
I've been reading through this thread and find myself in awe that you gals wear vintage all the time. I say "awe" because for me, in a small town in Nebraska, I am not brave enough to go out on the streets dressed in vintage clothes. But I would really, really like to try. I don't think anyone would insult me, but I would get stared at A LOT around here - and where the attire at my work is jeans and t-shirts, I would really stand out like a sore thumb.

Maybe I should start small? I'm thinking I should find a fab vintage dress for my company's holiday party.

Definitely you can get away with a lot more at a party! Some wonderful cocktail dress would be a great way to start.
Who knows, maybe there will be others in your town who also want to dress and feel like they are the only ones, and need someone else to go first.
I grew up in a small town and know what you are feeling, but why not be the town personality? What, are they going to burn you at the stake or something?
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
I live in a university town, so there's definitely a lot of originality around. But at its heart, it's still Midwestern with a lot of raised eyebrows when someone looks a bit different. :) Still, I would like to start incorporating more vintage pieces into my collection. Small steps. :)
 

ohairas

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,000
Location
Missouri
I say go for it! I'm from a small town in the midwest as well, and I just don't care anymore! At first the looks and comments bugged me, even tho they were mostly good, I just wasn't used to the attention. Now it really puts a pep in my step. I don't dress vintage every day, but at least once or twice a week if not more. Just depends on the weather and where I'm going... don't wanna mess up my vintage clothing ya know!
Nikki

AmateisGal said:
I live in a university town, so there's definitely a lot of originality around. But at its heart, it's still Midwestern with a lot of raised eyebrows when someone looks a bit different. :) Still, I would like to start incorporating more vintage pieces into my collection. Small steps. :)
 

BigLittleTim

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Boston
AmateisGal said:
I live in a university town, so there's definitely a lot of originality around. But at its heart, it's still Midwestern with a lot of raised eyebrows when someone looks a bit different. :) Still, I would like to start incorporating more vintage pieces into my collection. Small steps. :)


I think it's easier for a woman to ease into a vintage wardrobe than it is for a man. Women's fashions allow such a broad range of "looks" and styles, with great fluidity as to what "suits" a particular lady's physique, complexion, height, etc., whereas men's fashion changes glacially... about once every twenty or thirty years, and with little regard for how it looks on the individual.

Often I'll see a really attractive woman, in vintage or semi-vintage clothing, and just remark: "My, what a strikingly lovely woman!" without thinking: "Oh, yeah, she's wearing a 1940's skirt and blouse."

I think this is a round-about way of saying: "Women can get away with wearing almost ANYTHING they want, and it'll look good." ;)

-BigLittleTim
 

The Shirt

Practically Family
Messages
852
Location
Minneapolis
Amateisgirl - I used to live in Lincoln - so I'm glad someone is carrying on the vintage torch in Nebraska. Whenever I go back - I get the eyebrows too - now it just makes me laugh. Carry on!
 

Brooksie

One Too Many
Messages
1,166
Location
Portland, Oregon
Miss Neecerie said:
PS. Some of us don't wear vintage all the time...and its okay not to.

And some of us cannot wear it all the time like when I used to work at the Pub for the last year and a half and there was a uniform/dress code ......very good point Miss Neecerie.
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
I checked out a few vintage stores over my lunch break in downtown Lincoln, but didn't see anything that I liked. But just the fact that they exist gives me hope.

BigLittleTim, you're definitely right. It is a lot harder for a man to wear different styles. I think men aren't nearly as open-minded as women are, either, when it comes to what they wear. There's the whole male mentality to deal with. Not that we women don't have our own mentality, but it's a bit more forgiving, I think.

You all have given me courage! I'm planning my vintage outfit for my company's holiday party. I'm super excited!
 

Miss 1929

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,397
Location
Oakland, California
Within reason, of course.

Miss Neecerie said:
PS. Some of us don't wear vintage all the time...and its okay not to.

Certainly it would be difficult, time consuming, expensive, and what with wearing things to bits, wasteful, to do it every day.

Like most of the vintage collectors I know, I tend to wear a lot of modern clothing with vintage accessories or one vintage piece, at all times except special occasions and gigs. But it still says vintage to most people, probably because I am wearing a skirt...

The same kind of people who look askance at us for wearing vintage, are often the ones who would also wonder why we were so dressed up when we are in modern clothes if there is any degree of style in it. More fools they!

But their comments are amusing...
 

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