Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

[Lillemor]

I got an odd remark yesterday. I posted a new picture on my flickr stream and a friend commented that I looked so ladylike. I struck me as odd because it was just a face shot. I guess having my hair and make-up done says "lady".

I think many people today simply don't know what else to call it.

 

[exquisitebones]

today was out of hte ordinary..

I was wearing, a very basic 40s skirt, with stockings and a sweater. a nice hat. and thats all.
i was at the grocer, and I had like 5 people stop me and say how lovely I looked.
one woman said I looked lady like, and another said I was cute as a buttion lol


I have never had so many nice comments while in vintage.

 

[VintageRed]

Funny faces...

Today I had to take my son to a doc's office that houses numerous physicians with their own sign in desks. The waiting room is fairly large and today, it happened to be quite packed.

I was wearing a basic skirt with a ruffle at the bottom, a coral colored sweater and my new navy pea coat with the flared skirt, stockings and shoes and had my hair all done up with small, soft victory rolls and the front bangs rolled up and pinned backwards. Full makeup and red lipstick.

I won't even tell you how amusing it was to have the whole room come to a record screeching halt and I literally watched peoples jaws drop. It was too funny. I had three nurses come up to me and comment on my hair and how "pinup but classy" it was.

I felt like I was walking on a cloud when Ian and I left, with many of the same faces following us right back out the door.

Even if they weren't staring in admiration, it was still fun to make ppl sit up and pay attention.

~D.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

I stopped by Starbucks after church on Sunday, wearing a non-vintage suit jacket, skirt, heels, and the new red lipstick I've been tenatively trying out. The barista said she liked my lipstick; it was "kind of '50s".

 

[newtovintage]

I know this may sound odd, but does anyone ever worry that by dressing vintage guys won't find you attractive? I know that thought has crossed my mind several times recently. I mean, a guy should like you for who you are, but attraction has to be in a relationship. Of the few, guys I know personally, most would be scared to death to tell their friends that they were dating a girl who dressed vintage or like an "old lady" as my younger brother puts it. How do you deal with those feelings of uncertainty? I love all things vintage, but I also don't want to be single all my life, since most guys where I live only wear t-shirts and jeans, except for very special occasions. I just need some advice and courage, I guess .
Sarah

 

[Odalisque]

I know this may sound odd, but does anyone ever worry that by dressing vintage guys won't find you attractive? I know that thought has crossed my mind several times recently. I mean, a guy should like you for who you are, but attraction has to be in a relationship. Of the few, guys I know personally, most would be scared to death to tell their friends that they were dating a girl who dressed vintage or like an "old lady" as my younger brother puts it. How do you deal with those feelings of uncertainty? I love all things vintage, but I also don't want to be single all my life, since most guys where I live only wear t-shirts and jeans, except for very special occasions. I just need some advice and courage, I guess .
Sarah

If a guy is put off by the way you dress, then he isn't someone you'd want to be in a relationship with anyway. You want to be with a guy who thinks you looks amazing in and out of vintage wear. A guy who appreciates your elegance and ability to go against the "t shirt" gain. Someone who has enough depth to himself that he won't count you out because of a bit of clothe.
Anyway, I know a lot of guys who really dig the whole "pin-up" girl look. Granted, that's a bit more sexy then most of us dress day to day. But really, you're dressing how you love and in a way that makes you happy and confident. There is nothing more attractive than that.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

I know this may sound odd, but does anyone ever worry that by dressing vintage guys won't find you attractive? I know that thought has crossed my mind several times recently. I mean, a guy should like you for who you are, but attraction has to be in a relationship. Of the few, guys I know personally, most would be scared to death to tell their friends that they were dating a girl who dressed vintage or like an "old lady" as my younger brother puts it. How do you deal with those feelings of uncertainty? I love all things vintage, but I also don't want to be single all my life, since most guys where I live only wear t-shirts and jeans, except for very special occasions. I just need some advice and courage, I guess .
Sarah

I wouldn't worry about what your younger brother thinks! lol Kids can think the silliest things sometimes...

I wouldn't change who you are or what you like just because "most" guys wear only T-shirts and jeans. "Most" is not all, and even the "most" might appreciate your vintage look. Besides, do you really *want* an SO who will be wearing T-shirts when you're wearing evening gowns?
(Yes, I know a guy can be very nice w/out wearing vintage or formalwear...but isn't it better if they do?)

 

[64tonya]

So-Cal Casual

My fella and I have been together for several years now. I kind of got out of vintage for a while and when we got together I was dressing "normal" I guess...In San Diego (where he grew up) dressed up is a short sleeve button-down shirt with jeans. I have worried about him feeling embarrassed at some of my more outlandish outfits, but he just says I'm beautiful no matter what I wear (and means it!). Now when we go out, he comes to me and asks what I'm wearing before he gets dressed! lol I wouldn't want to be with someone who didn't appreciate me for who I am. Vintage is more than just the clothes, it is part of who I am. So...love me, love my clothes!

 

[La Julia]

I know this may sound odd, but does anyone ever worry that by dressing vintage guys won't find you attractive? I know that thought has crossed my mind several times recently. I mean, a guy should like you for who you are, but attraction has to be in a relationship. Of the few, guys I know personally, most would be scared to death to tell their friends that they were dating a girl who dressed vintage or like an "old lady" as my younger brother puts it. How do you deal with those feelings of uncertainty? I love all things vintage, but I also don't want to be single all my life, since most guys where I live only wear t-shirts and jeans, except for very special occasions. I just need some advice and courage, I guess .
Sarah

I know what you mean, I am in my early 20's and I sometimes get people telling me to dress "young"

Just today, I had a beautiful 1950 purse and a lady in the street told me to get rid of it, that I should be wearing something fun & young, weird

The guy that truely falls for you, will fall for you & not your clothes, everything else just falls in place

 

[deco_darling]

The "You-think-you're-better'en-me-eh?" syndrome! I don't really know how to fight it, other than being polite, pleasant, open and approachable as I can be. It's not just with clothing either - I think sometimes the way I speak evokes the same reaction...the very vocabulary I use seems to make some folks defensive. It's always been that way.

I really *don't* look down on people because they choose not to dress like me.

I agree.


I've been called graceful, elegant, & charming. I mostly get comments on my clothes like "where did you get that blouse?" etc etc... I haven't received many terrible ones.

I do think woman don't like me. I have been told from other people that they say I'm snobby, rude, and unfriendly. I'm a very quiet and friendly person, and only talk when I need too and feel I have to suck up all the time because other people are insecure.

The way I dress gives many people the wrong impression as well, like I'm into myself or I'm better than you. Which is nonsense! I've certainly always had weird vibrations. Either way, I'm polite and considerate and I still get the fuzzy end of the lolly pop!

I suppose many of those people like putting people in some category. I remember I was told I look very Beverly Hills. Whatever that means! I think BH is a freak show! Oh well!

 

[Spiffy]

Re: Boys and vintage
One of my male friends who is usually completely oblivious to all things girly, and whom can barely dress himself (one of those surfer-slacker boys) paid me a nice compliment the other day.

I was hosting poker night and was wearing a belted cardigan over this strange jumper/dress thing I'd worn to class. We were discussing American v. British jumpers, and the males in the group were trying to decided what my 'costume' of the day was. I got "old lady professor" and "like a little victorian girl" before my friend finally declared that I just looked like I belonged in black and white.

Anyway, thought it was vaguely relevant...also I haven't gotten to post in here for a while, as everyone in my apartment/department is used to me running around in weather-inappropriate dresses and heels and tights

 

[Tikismall]

Vintage and the general public

I have been dressing vintage for so long now that I get suprised by peoples reactions still. I guess you don't think much of it when you're around it all the time. I gave away all my modern/trendy clothes a long while ago and decided to just stick with my vintage/timeless clothing I already had (and continue to buy )

I will say that most of the young men I met over the years have not really said much in the negative about my clothes.
The man I am with now is fabulous when it comes to my choices, he also collects and wears vintage so it was a breath of fresh air to meet someone who is like minded. There are a lot of lovely men out there who love a woman in pin curls and crimson lips!

And then there's....
The women and men who have judged me/called me "stuck up, rude, snobby, weird".
I just have to remember that I have no control over other people, only myself and I have to let their negative words go. It's nice to know that there are people like you all on here! It's a pleasent refuge from some of the non-appreciative modern world

 

[klara]

Re: boys and vintage.

I've been dressed vintage and vintage inspired for over 5 years and I'm married to the most wonderful man who looks nothing like me. He's listening to hardcore and hip hip and dresses that way. We look like a real odd couple lol And you know what? He loves the way I dress. I've joined him at a couple of concerts looking the way I do, and he's always proud over me, at times when I feel insecure he's the one encouraging me. My point is that when you meet the one it doesn't matter how you dress.

 

[Miss Caroline]

Personally... why would I want to be with a guy who didn't find me attractive. and if the reason he didn't find me attractive was because I dress vintage, quite frankly... sod him.
I guess, for me...as a teenager I was always different... into alternative music and lifestyle and as I got older and got more obsessed with the 40's and 50's and started to emulate the clothing of the time. I enjoy being different and I love the way I dress... and I am quite partial to a man with the same clothing tastes.
My boyfriend is a rockabilly looking guy with roots in ska music, so I think we look pretty good together, but I've dated guys who are into Metal with crazy long hair and such. I guess i've never had a "normal" boyfriend. But then again. I don't want one.
I've never worried about the way I dress not appealing to men because I'm only interested in men who would appreciate me for being me (in a fashion sense)

 

[MissJeanavive]

Two Words

Out celebrating Friday the 13th a man tapped me on my shoulder while at dinner with my beau. He looked at both of us and simply said 'thank you'. I turned and his wife was standing ready to go also smiling at us. We were dressed in our 40's finest.

 

[Lotta Little]

I don't usually wear vintage, more "vintage-inspired." Today as I walked through the lobby of my office building wearing ankle-strap heels, pencil skirt, peter pan-collared blouse and a belted cardigan I passed by two women and heard one of them say to the other "I bet she's somebody." It made my day.

 

[kyda]

I have a vintage inspired dress ( it has built in petticoat) and I wore that with a pair of black and cream peep toe shoes, men seemed to behave differently to me. Held doors open, moved out of the way when I went to walk past and look more ( I am happily married, so happy it is disgusting). My point if it makes you feel good and you are not hurting anybody by doing it go for it. Hold your head up and smile and you will be surprised what happens and who will meet.

 

[MissAmelina]

At work on Valentine's Day (and New Years) we get to ditch our standard black slacks and blouses and dress up as we please....so I wore a dress sewed from a 40s pattern, ankle straps and had my hair curled with the top pinned up (usually I leave it straight or pulled back when i wait tables, as I just can't be bothered).
I felt like a million bucks, and two gentleman (who were dining together in the gallery above the main floor) motioned down to me. When I walked up there to greet them I got a "Sweetie, you look FABULOUS! Rowrrr."
I prefer compliments from gay men...they give it to you straight.

 

[kamikat]

I prefer compliments from gay men...they give it to you straight.

Every woman needs a gay boyfriend!

 

[kyda]

having a gay boyfriend is that loop hole that you have when you are in a relationship. You can go out with him and go shopping and he will tell you if it looks fab or c@@#. And your partner does not the green eyed monster