Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

[Miss 1929]

Cripes

I tend to get the standard smiles and dirty looks while dressed vintage. However, I did have a downright unpleasant experience while not dressed in my vintage wear.
I live down the street from one of my favorite vintage shops. It's the one I can rarely afford but covet the entire store stock. So, about a month ago, I had a pocket full of paycheck cash, an itching to shop but no time to stop home and redress myself. I had just gotten off of work (food service) so I was in jeans and my greasy work shirt. Hardly a vision of yesteryear beauty.
So, I arrive and being to shop. And I notice the store owner looking my way. I continue. And now she's walked over to me. I figure she's just checking in to see if I need any help. Oh no. She stops in front of me and says " These are expensive clothes. We don't appreciate lookie-loos."
I still can't believe she actually said that. Just because I wasn't dressed to kill means I have no intention to buy and am just there to ogle the merchandise?

I didn't relpy. I just walked away and kept looking. Luckily for me, I was able to be rung up by the shop girl (who is very nice). I admit I felt quite smug when Mrs. Doesn't Appreciate Lookie-Loos came over and saw the $350 rung up on the register. I think that kind of knocked her on her butt.

So, I suppose the negative attitude towards vintage has a reverse side. Sometimes you can develop a stigma about non-vintage folks. It just proves you can't judge a book (or a customer) by it's cover.

you should have taken it all to the register, had them ring it up, then pull out the cash and ask her to be present while you told her "Look, this is the sale that you just lost because you were so rude. I will now go spend this on Ebay or in one of your competitors' stores." And then walked out.
It would have really hurt her where it counts.

I worked in retail early in life, and was trained to behave the same polite way to an apparently poor person as well as an apparently rich person, as you never do know what's in their pocket. Innocent until proven guilty.

 

[Odalisque]

you should have taken it all to the register, had them ring it up, then pull out the cash and ask her to be present while you told her "Look, this is the sale that you just lost because you were so rude. I will now go spend this on Ebay or in one of your competitors' stores." And then walked out.
It would have really hurt her where it counts.

I worked in retail early in life, and was trained to behave the same polite way to an apparently poor person as well as an apparently rich person, as you never do know what's in their pocket. Innocent until proven guilty.

I know. I really should have refused to shop there. But honestly, there were too many cute things I wanted to buy there!
I guess I'm willing to put up with snotty attitude if there are awesome fashions at stake.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I guess a neatly dressed woman must be a novelty for the boys, that they suddenly remember their manners?

It's probably that they can clearly tell you're a well-dressed woman with taste and style, and not some slag in worn-out Lycra, flip-flops, slobby ill-fitting t-shirt top, looking like she just rolled out of bed, or out from underneath one, who looks like one of the guys...only worse.

 

[Lillemor]

It would have really hurt her where it counts.

I worked in retail early in life, and was trained to behave the same polite way to an apparently poor person as well as an apparently rich person, as you never do know what's in their pocket. Innocent until proven guilty.

True, and for every lost costumer, you lose ten potential other costumers; the ones they're going to tell/warn.

 

[Miss 1929]

True, and for every lost costumer, you lose ten potential other costumers; the ones they're going to tell/warn.

Like us!

 

[MikeBravo]

At the recent Melbourne get-together we got the old "Are you making a movie?"

"No, we're just making an effort" was the reply. The lady seemed happy with that

 

[Smuterella]

It's probably that they can clearly tell you're a well-dressed woman with taste and style, and not some slag in worn-out Lycra, flip-flops, slobby ill-fitting t-shirt top, looking like she just rolled out of bed, or out from underneath one, who looks like one of the guys...only worse.

charming use of words

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

God forbid girls that look like guys!

 

[Laura Chase]

God forbid girls that look like guys!

Hihi, snap!

 

[i_am_the_scruff]

you should have taken it all to the register, had them ring it up, then pull out the cash and ask her to be present while you told her "Look, this is the sale that you just lost because you were so rude. I will now go spend this on Ebay or in one of your competitors' stores." And then walked out.
It would have really hurt her where it counts.

I worked in retail early in life, and was trained to behave the same polite way to an apparently poor person as well as an apparently rich person, as you never do know what's in their pocket. Innocent until proven guilty.

EXACTLY! People in expensive shops used to obviously look down on my mum when they had no idea that at that time in her life she could have spent a few grand without it meaning anything.

Haha, I remember when we were in New York in a chanel shop, there was me with facial piercings and pink hair and it was obvious that the people working there didn't want us around.

 

[Miss 1929]

God forbid girls that look like guys!

Unless done in the vintage way...like these friends...

 

[kamikat]

This weekend, I was at a science fiction convention. All weekend long, I got "who are you dressed as?". Granted, every other person there is in a costume, but I was just wearing my every day clothes.

 

[cherry lips]

Smuterella, ShrinkingViolet,
Have I mentioned lately that I love you?

 

[MarieAnne]

I had my hair in rolls one day and a friend asked me why I had popsicle sticks in my hair. [huh]

Just to be clear - I did not have popsicle sticks in my hair! But she was also drunk:eusa_doh:

 

[AudreyH]

Well, today, I was wearing a black evening dress. People were commenting left and right that I look lovely and I look like Audrey Hepburn. One lady even said "So are you going to Tiffanys for breakfast?" lol

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

Miss 1929, wow! You have the best-looking friends in the world. Who is that stunning redhead and how do I join her fan club?
Cherry lips, you know we love you too!

 

[Miss 1929]

Ain't they cute?

Miss 1929, wow! You have the best-looking friends in the world. Who is that stunning redhead and how do I join her fan club?
Cherry lips, you know we love you too!

This will totally make Eva's day as all of us often feel invisible next to the gorgeous blonde!

Go to my myspace page and hunt my friends, they are both there... www.myspace.com/Miss1929

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

Oh, cool! (The blonde is a stunner too, that goes without saying.)
We need a thread about vintage cross-dressing, don't we? Unless there's an old one already ...

Edith: Whoosh, I found one about Girls in Guy's Garb. Miss 1929, I've taken the liberty to post the photos of your friends over there to revive the thread, please object if it's not OK. I'd love to see more photos, new and old, of men and women in vintage style drag.

 

[Tamamiko]

I've had two polar opposite reactions to dressing vintage. The positive one was on Beale Street. I was asked by a couple of people if i was a) going to work. and b) if i was in a movie.
The negative came at work. Granted I may have been a bit over done, but I had plans to go out that night to the Memphis area FL get together. I was called into a conference with the higher ups and told to dress down and fit the mold.

 

[Miss 1929]

Boo!

The negative came at work. Granted I may have been a bit over done, but I had plans to go out that night to the Memphis area FL get together. I was called into a conference with the higher ups and told to dress down and fit the mold.

I hate jobs that think they can tell you how to live. If you're clean and not wearing anything with slogans that contradict the company groupthink, what does it matter?