Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

[jtcarrey]

"why do you dress so matronly?"
"why don't you want to be comfortable?"
"you look like an old lady"
"you look like my mother"
"I'd rather be in a t-shirt and jeans than a dress"
"No wonder men don't look at you, you look uncomfortable"
"Why not wear jeans a nice top instead?"
"You've changed.. you never wanted to dress this way before"
etc.
all by my mother

 

[miserabelle]

I can't imagine preferring a t-shirt and jeans to a dress - I'm pretty shapeless as it is I'd rather not emphasise the fact! What's wrong with dressing up to go out anyway? xx

 

[jtcarrey]

yea, who knows.... I'm pretty shapeless too, very small I guess... I guess she hates the fact that I wear dresses on a regular basis now... wait til I get the courage enough to add the vintage hair, hot dog! she'll go nuts hahaha lol

 

[retrogirl1941]

I look at it this way, You never know who your going to meet. From the future boss to the future husband! Why do you want to chance it looking like a bum? Better dress nice to be safe! I do that even when I am at home, you never know whos going to knock on your door!


Samantha

 

[lyburnum]

I was really surprised this past weekend going for the Fedora Lounge meet in London. All I got was compliments from strangers! It was lovely. It was all men as far as I can remember, but they all said I looked very beautiful. Awww! My family are a little less kind... my sister recently said I looked like something out of the Sound of Music (and this wasn't meant in a positive way), she's also said I look like a cleaner when wearing dungarees, my mother says the way I dress does no favours for my figure and also that the way I dress has no class and she wishes I were a bit more like the 'modern classy girls', but most of the time they just give me weird looks and shake their heads.

 

[retrogirl1941]

I was really surprised this past weekend going for the Fedora Lounge meet in London. All I got was compliments from strangers! It was lovely. It was all men as far as I can remember, but they all said I looked very beautiful. Awww! My family are a little less kind... my sister recently said I looked like something out of the Sound of Music (and this wasn't meant in a positive way), she's also said I look like a cleaner when wearing dungarees, my mother says the way I dress does no favours for my figure and also that the way I dress has no class and she wishes I were a bit more like the 'modern classy girls', but most of the time they just give me weird looks and shake their heads.

What modern classy girls?lol Are those the ones with the not quite as short miniskirts and mid-driff tops?lol lol lol (those are ones that remind me of conservative dress for a stripper)

Samantha

 

[dahliaoleander]

I was really surprised this past weekend going for the Fedora Lounge meet in London. All I got was compliments from strangers.

That's because you deserved 'em!

my mother says the way I dress does no favours for my figure and also that the way I dress has no class

Excuse me?

and she wishes I were a bit more like the 'modern classy girls', but most of the time they just give me weird looks and shake their heads.

Uhh... Ex-squeeze me? (Excuse me)... Baking powder? (Beg your pardon) Who exactly does she have in mind when she says "modern classy girls?" Lindsay Lohan? Paris Hilton? Or any of those other "village bicycles"? (To coin a term...)

Cuz just by going by your avatar I say you look quite spiffy if I do say so myself! And much better than the other erm... Scarlet letter women seen so much on TV, movies, and strangely emulated in the streets, on the town.

 

[MissHannah]

That's such a shame Lyburnum because you always look so beautiful and classy in your photos. But then I'm guessing you don't dress this way to please your family... so sod what they think! You look fabulous and I bet your boy thinks so too.

I was down Brick Lane the other weekend and got stopped twice by people wanting to take my picture and got asked by 2 girls how I did my hair. People are really interested and complimentary in town - in the suburbs, not so much!

 

[imoldfashioned]

I must disagree with your mother lyburnum--you are always the eptiome of class in the photos you post here and, for the most part, I think the term "modern classy girl" is an oxymoron. Just stop by the Lounge if you want compliments!

 

[Miss L]

Last summer I went to a big classic car meet wearing my mum´s old 50´s dress (navy blue cotton, wide skirt, 3/4 sleeves and big collar) old handbag and her spike heeled 50´s shoes. And ponytail hairdo. A few middleaged people thought I looked nice, I think maybe they were reminded of their own youth. The younger ones looked a bit, in a nice way though, and quite a few men/boys in passing cool cars looked a little extra..which was kind of nice too. Everyone needs a little positive attention sometimes. I try to give nice comments if I see something/someone with style too. It takes so little to brighten someones day. Good karma and all that
See you

 

[Mary]

I don't get many compliments at all. Probably because my hair isn't set properly.

Ok I get -Nice dress but not any overwhelming ones.

I think I would get more stares and compliment if I wore hats, perfect hair and seamed stockings cause when I do I have gotten both compliments and awful wolf whistles but the ugliest of men. (I don't take that as a compliment)

Some think I'm overclass and I'm not. I'm a socialist and feminist. But I can understand in a way how they are thinking. They think I'm conservative cause I'm old-fashioned. And some of the clothes are "classic" clothes like sailor coats or suits and those are often favored by the overclass. But I'm not comfortable with this and I don't know how I should avoid it. Have you got any advice?

M

 

[ShortClara]

So, in short thay said I looked like a witch. Aah, don't you just love pre-teen boys? *gagging noise*

When I'm called a witch I place a curse on the offending person, so I guess they are right

 

[Caroline]

They think I'm conservative cause I'm old-fashioned. And some of the clothes are "classic" clothes like sailor coats or suits and those are often favored by the overclass. But I'm not comfortable with this and I don't know how I should avoid it. Have you got any advice?

M

Well you probably have heard it before, but you'll never be able to control the thoughts of others (believe me I've tried lol ) so just work on being comfortable with yourself!

As for comments when I dress vintage, mostly they are very sweet, usually from older woman who remember "those little belts" on dresses or there old Harris Tweed coats. ENDLESS compliments on Harris Tweed!

The somewhat rude comments come about from my shoes, and I don't own any vintage shoes, just vintage-y shoes. Anything over a 1.5 inches seems to make me subject to interrogation. "How can you walk in those?" "Are your feet tired yet?" "I can hear you coming down the hall" and the like. I think people (and by people I mean casual friends and co-workers) resent them because they themselves can't or won't wear them. It feels very creepy, frankly, but it's more about them than me.

 

[alexandra]

matronly

I get this a lot. I think it's because I have the body of a 45 year old woman and the face of a 12 year old lol

 

[Miss 1929]

"why do you dress so matronly?"
"why don't you want to be comfortable?"
"you look like an old lady"
"you look like my mother"
"I'd rather be in a t-shirt and jeans than a dress"
"No wonder men don't look at you, you look uncomfortable"
"Why not wear jeans a nice top instead?"
"You've changed.. you never wanted to dress this way before"
etc.
all by my mother

Jeans, and comfortable do not belong in the same sentence for me, I find them so annoying to wear!

Your mom sounds a little... jealous maybe? Afraid that you look more womanly than she does?

Or just plain boringly conservative?

Whatever, it's YOUR BODY AND YOUR CLOTHES!!!

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I went on holiday with my mum and brother last week to Lanzarote and I only took a few of my less impressive vintage cotton dresses (I'm petrified of losing my luggage and it be stuffed full of irreplaceable vintage!) but did my hair in rolls or a scarf and had my red lippy on every night for dinner. Well I got absolutely loads of stares, and really obvious ones too. One elderly woman in front of me in the queue turned round, saw me, and then stared at me for literally 10 seconds (a long time when you're being stared at by someone a foot away), looked me up and down, before turning round again and didn't say a word! I thought that was very rude, at least say something! I can only assume she didn't approve!

But then every time my mum got in the pool, she was stopped by ladies and chaps who wanted to ask her if I was a model and to tell her how much they loved my look, and looked forward to seeing me every evening to see what I had on! What pressure! lol A nice pair of ladies came up in the restaurant to tell me how lovely it was that I was different and that I reminded them of their mother in the 40s, so I was pleased.

I find I only get sniggered at by pre-pubescent kids, and only then occasionally. My brother told me while we were away that doesn't get "why" I dress like I do, but he still thinks I look nice.

 

[TheSwingingBee]

I was at Sprouts (local health food store) yesterday in pin striped capris, a nice black blouse, a black beaded cardigan, heels and nice jewelry. I was checking out and the lady at the check stand told me that I have an awesome style and should keep it up! I love that! That's why I always make sure to compliment women when I see someone dressed nicely, they usually don't know how to take it, but I know I like it when I get the compliments!

 

[jtcarrey]

I think alot of people's rude comments are made out of jealousy, I say we all do what we like and forget what people think!! (especially my mother ha)

 

[SarahLouise]

I was really surprised this past weekend going for the Fedora Lounge meet in London. All I got was compliments from strangers! It was lovely. It was all men as far as I can remember, but they all said I looked very beautiful. Awww! My family are a little less kind... my sister recently said I looked like something out of the Sound of Music (and this wasn't meant in a positive way), she's also said I look like a cleaner when wearing dungarees, my mother says the way I dress does no favours for my figure and also that the way I dress has no class and she wishes I were a bit more like the 'modern classy girls', but most of the time they just give me weird looks and shake their heads.

My mum doesn't really understand why I dress the way I do either. She thinks it makes women look much older than they are and that it's too formal. She also has the opinion that guys will be put off by the way I dress because they don't really know how to take it (which I think is true for most people in general, not just men). And Lyburnum, if your mum doesn't think you're classy she needs her eyes tested!

 

[SarahLouise]

I started my current job a few months ago and have had nothing but lovely compliments from my fellow colleagues and random people in the building. Lots of girls have just come up to me in the toilets and complimented my hair, lipstick or clothes; in fact, I've become friends with one of them who came up to me and said that I was the best dressed person in the office and that it was very Dita (if I had a penny for every Dita comment I would be a very rich lady ) I've also made friends with a fellow 40s/50s retro lady who came up to me in the canteen to compliment me on my style - it's really, really nice to finally know someone into similar things!

I think one of the nicest was when a colleague said that he kept imagining that he would see me in black and white, and that I look too elegant for the office and make everybody else feel scruffy. Whenever my female colleagues put on make-up or wear a skirt they call it "The Sarah Effect" lol

It's strange because in the workplace it seems my appearance has worked for me in that it's attracted people enough to approach me and make friends, but in my day to day life I get more negative reactions. I cannot STAND prolonged staring and by this I mean actual gawping, not just a quick glance (which I can tolerate and understand). Staring is just plain rude and bad manners.