Does vintage make you look.... *older*?

[funneman]

IMHO

I think people see a more mature person dressed in vintage style clothing and automatically assume that person grew up during the era he or she is dressed in.

Thus, someone who is thirty would seem to them to be closer to 60 or 70 when dressed in vintage inspired clothing.

 

[Lillemor]

It's not really vintage but my husband and I have noticed that when he buttons his top button of the shirt, he's perceived to be older because most men under 70 leave the top button open. We've noticed that when we're out walking and it's warm enough to just wear a shirt, even if there are other couples our age out walking, it's my husband the older generations smile and nod to. He's 41, I don't know how old he's perceived to be.

 

[Diamondback]

I had similar experiences with a sixties-vintage European-tailored suit back in college, as previously mentioned.

Kinda fun when it coincided with my occasional doing lunch with the college chancellor, as the combined effect of the suit plus admin connection induced everyone else to just get out of my way... (What, me, create a false impression of authority? Good heavens, no...[angel] lol)

 

[Forgotten Man]

Interesting question... Does vintage make you look *older*? Hmmmmm... well, when I started to wear suits, I used be told by a few that I looked more mature... that I liked.

Some people have said I dress like an old man... mostly people say I remind them of their father's when they were young... that's a compliment if you ask me!

I have shocked people when they find out my real age... they always thought that I was still in my early 20s... lol I wish!

 

[avedwards]

I often get called an old man, or I've had one person say "you look like my grandad". In the case of former I just went along with it. In the case of the latter I replied that the person's grandad must have had a very good dress sense.

 

[Edward]

...and then I'm usually annoyed that elements of my style are trendy. I know that's a childdish attitude and that I should care less.

lol I've been definatly anti-mainstream fashion since I was fourteen, and that's an inbuilt attitude I never could shake. I don't want to be part of your mainstream fashion set, thanks very much! It's a position to which I have held firm through metal, punk, goth, and right into vintage.... I remember at the height of the grunge thing, those of us who had been dressing that way for years before fashion gave it a name were utterly incandescent with rage that our beloved combat trousers came into fashion.... of course, the trendy ones werent real, but commercial fakes we took great pride in only wearing those which had been some form of military issue, somewhere on the globe (ironicly we were all pacifists lol ).

Funny, but I think my 30s stuff generally does make me look older. 40s stuff can make me look younger. It depends on the outfit and particularly the hair.

But frankly, if you like the look, Who cares if it makes you look older. I don't give a flying fig.

I'm vain. I don't care if it's the clothes, that's reassuring as it means the mainstream don't get it and I am, in the last instance, an elitist of sorts, I just don't ant it to actually be ME that looks old!

That's true to a point, but don't forget that casual or childrens'-only clothes didn't really exist in the Golden Era and before. At one point children were dressed in, literally, miniature versions of adult wear. Golden Era children were still dressed up; There wasn't the option of dinosaur printed turtlenecks or sneakers.

Going through the books I have of repros of Sears pages from the 30s through 50s, it seems that that was mostly the case - the kids pages are all minime adult clothes plus dressing up outfits (mostly military). That said, I was genuinely surprised to find a picture of hooded sweatshirts from the thirties!

Modernly - oriented folks might call it "older" but Golden Era folks would simply have recognized you as being well dressed, "respectable" and quite handsome I might add.

Why, thank-you!

 

[Darhling]

Funny thing, younger guys think I am older than I am, older men thinks I am younger! I couldn't convince a gentleman yesterday I was 30, he insisted on me being 23!! That made my night!!

 

[analiebe]

interesting thread... i collect and wear vintage clothing (or clothing made from vintage patterns) from the twenties through to the mid-fifties on a daily basis and have never had someone think i am older because of the way i am dressed - i have been told i remind someone of their mother/ aunt/ grandmother/ like i've stepped out of an old movie or of a more stylish past (all compliments in my book)... but i myself am almost always considered by others as looking younger than my 38 years (i'm lucky - good genes)

i personally think that the perception of someones age by others has more to do with how one wears their clothes as opposed to in what style they dress...

 

[Paisley]

i personally think that the perception of someones age by others has more to do with how one wears their clothes as opposed to in what style they dress...

I think there is something to that. Some FLers have seemed to me like they were about 80 years old, and I found out later they were my age or younger.

 

[Edward]

interesting thread... i collect and wear vintage clothing (or clothing made from vintage patterns) from the twenties through to the mid-fifties on a daily basis and have never had someone think i am older because of the way i am dressed - i have been told i remind someone of their mother/ aunt/ grandmother/ like i've stepped out of an old movie or of a more stylish past (all compliments in my book)... but i myself am almost always considered by others as looking younger than my 38 years (i'm lucky - good genes)

gah, I just sprayed tea over my keyboard..... what's your secret? I have you down for being 22!

i personally think that the perception of someones age by others has more to do with how one wears their clothes as opposed to in what style they dress...

Yeah, that's quite possibly it in my case. I've been a grumpy oul bugger since I was 14.

 

[analiebe]

gah, I just sprayed tea over my keyboard..... what's your secret? I have you down for being 22!

fftopic: a soft focus lens will do it every time edward

but really, just genetic luck it seems... on both sides of the family everyone seems to look much younger and live forever (my great grandmother died at 106!)... i'd like to think the secret recipe is made up of generous amounts of very very good coffee, liberal splashes of well mixed cocktails, a generous sprinkling of kicking up of the heels, enough love & laughter to spill over the edges, melancholy to taste (just enough to keep things from getting sickly sweet) & a heavy handed approach with dream chasing...
but maybe it just all comes down to keeping out of the sun

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

but maybe it just all comes down to keeping out of the sun

No problem in Melbourne!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Some FLers have seemed to me like they were about 80 years old, and I found out later they were my age or younger.

So true! lol :eusa_clap


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[jamespowers]

I think the term should be more mature. As the clothing denotes a certain air of being able to not only afford the clothing but actually knowing how to put it together.
Being older and more mature are sometimes mutually exclusive. We have all know older people who clearly defy the old bromide "with age comes wisdom." Sometimes dumb just stays the same. :eusa_doh:
I have never really noticed being appraised as older than I am. then again, I have spent a good portion of my life trying to look the age I am now.

 

[Edward]

but maybe it just all comes down to keeping out of the sun

Kat, the wife of Baron Kurtz, whom many here will remember as one of our former posters, another Aussie but on e transplanted to England attributes her looking a good 18 years younger than she actually is to the maxim "don't smoke and stay the hell out of the sun." lol I think there's a lot to be said for that - I barely go outside in July and August if it's avoidable.

 

[Miss Sis]

Staying out of the sun helps an awful lot.

(Another antipodian who doesn't go in the sun much)

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... I have spent a good portion of my life trying to look the age I am now.

If and when you reach your 90s, change this tactic. lol


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[jamespowers]

If and when you reach you 90s, change this tactic. lol


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90 would be good. I'll take it if they are giving it away.

 

[Tikismall]

People assume I am in my late 20's or early 30's.
For some reason when my hair is short this happens a lot more but when my hair is longer it isn't as frequent.

Funny...*shifty eyes* ha!

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"This is more of a semi Vintage look, horn-rimmed reading glasses, would age one awfully "