My Mother Says...

[MarieAnne]

Well the HUGE trend now is kids born in the 90s dressing like they are from the 80s lol

LD

I hope it doesn't last

 

[December]

I seem to be quite lucky that my mum and both grandparents approve.

My mum (born in 1963) actively encourages me. She bought me a gorgeous vintage sewing basket for my birthday, for example.

My paternal Grandmother (born in 1935) absolutely loves it. I try and wear a different outfit every time I see her because it makes her really happy and she is full of compliments like "You look lovely. I had a dress exactly like that when I was your age. I wore it to a dance... [insert REALLY long story here]".

However my maternal grandmother (born in 1943-ish), although she does like what I wear, will say things like "In the fifties I had a 26-inch waist" or "I wouldn't have worn my dresses that tight/short/long/etc".

My little brother however (born in 1999 lol) doesn't approve, or at least pretends not to. "Why are you wearing those silly glasses? They make you look like a geek". "Why is your hair all like [flails hands in the air]?" "Eeurgh! You look like an old lady!" He's only playing though.

 

[C-dot]

But the operative phrase was "my business, not yours." She could criticize us to beat the band, but no one outside the family could raise one word against us without catching the rough side of her tongue. And as testy as our relationship is, I have to give her credit for that.

I have to say LizzieMaine, your mum sounds like my kind of woman!

 

[Lorena B]

I started dressing 50's when i was 13.
In the beginning my mum helped me making me dresses and that stuff but eventually when i reached 16-17, my dad started making comments like "isnt she too old to wear those things?"
That really made my mum changed the mind and start telling me things like, " that doesnt suit you anymore".
Now i am 34, and i guess, she has got used to see me like this for such a long time that now she says that i dress really nicely and i have very good taste for clothes and loves it!!
" Clothes like those you sure cant find anymore" or " you dont see such a quality of fabric/style now" she says when i wear my vintage dresses.
My dad says nothing as he is used to see me like this too.
My mum even got to tell me that she knew i would never change my style, something that really liked too.
I consider myself very lucky about her.

 

[Tourbillion]

My mother rarely criticizes, and if she does she is probably right. lol

For instance:

She told me to buy a smaller size pants--My modern pants were really saggy-butt and horrible, the next size down was a lot better.

She told me my wavy eyebrows were evil looking--I thought they were 40's noir: When I saw them in a photo, they really didn't suit me. So I changed them.


*********
She bought a beret for herself while I was with her in France, and she doesn't criticize my headgear, or my hair. Her hair was longer than shoulder length for a while, but she usually gets updated cuts, she is anti-helmet head. I had a shingled bob for a while, she seemed to like that.

She doesn't like wedges though, she hated her mother's wedges too. She was born in 1943, and is a former 60's mod. She is more of a kitten heel type.

In short, she is not overly meddlesome, and generally supportive. A good mom.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

fftopic: Lorena! You're 34! I thought you were about 25! Not that I think 34 is remotely old, of course, but you don't look it!

My mum has long since given up hoping that I'll dress 'normal', however of all the looks I've sported over the years she prefers my vintage one by a loooong way. She always tells me how lovely I look, often complaining that I make her look scruffy! She buys me little vintage scarves and handbags when she sees them. And she loves that I wear red lipstick, she tried to get me to wear lippy for absolutely years! And she is incredibly supportive of my vintage modelling/blogging, telling practically everyone she meets about me. I am really lucky!

 

[Lorena B]

fftopic: Lorena! You're 34! I thought you were about 25! Not that I think 34 is remotely old, of course, but you don't look it!

fftopic: Wow, Fleur, thank you for those 10 years younger compliment
Yes, i do look younger than i am but so far you have been the most generous with me XXXXlol

 

[Slytherin]

My mother had a reason with time. I always get dressed in an extravagant way. Since long years i was goth. My little sister was always watched as prettiest and I think that exploited my desire to be different. Today at 35 years I have a man who likes when I get retro vintage dressed and appreciates my hairstyles and my make-up. I only start feel me pretty I believe. Thanks to him...

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Well, my mum is 73 and very chic and active. She spent a long time detesting my look but I hear now (through my sisters) that she says things like 'oh, Kate is into this vintage look, it's very stylish actually' and she's proud of the TV and writing I do.
She still comes out with gems such as 'you'll get scabies wearing dead peoples clothes' and 'oh lord my mother used to wear those...' But she's frightfully posh and will buy me little cardigans and she gave me her mothers pearls last year, so I think maybe she approves.
We haven't always had a great relationship, she sent me to boarding school at 11 but now, well we had a nice bonding afternoon where I made an afternoon tea, played 78s on my gramophone and she told me about dances she went to etc... only wish we'd become friends earlier.

 

[RockabillyHolly]

my mother says that at least this look is much better than all the baggy clothes i wore in the 90s. i was a teen during the grunge era (cringe). she does not, however, appreciate my tattoos. at least now that i'm 31 she's over hoping its just a phase.

 

[C-dot]

She always tells me how lovely I look, often complaining that I make her look scruffy! She buys me little vintage scarves and handbags when she sees them. And she loves that I wear red lipstick, she tried to get me to wear lippy for absolutely years! And she is incredibly supportive of my vintage modelling/blogging, telling practically everyone she meets about me. I am really lucky!

Fleur, if she wasn't supportive of you, I'd say she needed her head checked You're vintage style and beauty should be considered an institution!

 

[Naama]

My mother is also one of those who is lucky now that I dont wear any goth/grunge/punkish clothes anymore. I think shes rather happy with the way I look these days, I'm the excentric one and I think she accepts it now. And anyway, my mother isnt the type who says things like; I dont like this, I dont like that. shes the one who would try to convince me that I would look "so much better/ thiner/ younger (whatever)" when I would wear colours (like she told me in my goth phase lol )


Naama

 

[Lillemor]

My mother hasn't seen me in retro yet (don't own much vintage) aside from one twin set I brought with me to visit her last month. I don't know if she resented the conservativeness of it or the fact that it used to belong to my mother in-law. I've tried to explain my style to her. She doesn't understand it. She's very modern and just rolls with the waves without much though and can't understand why anyone would pay so much attention to dress in an outdated, formal and impractical style. My dad's ironically the only one who's shown any genuine interest in the vintage things I dream of collecting and the vintage interior style and wardrobe I hope will be mine some day. I'm not sure he gets the style either.

Last year my mom laughed at photos of my hair set. Luckily for her, I prefer my curtain hair to set hair (only because I haven't had any good sets and my scalp's a mess) until it's long enough for tidy updos. Also luckily for her my skin is all rashy bumps so I'm wearing loosely fitting, none scratch fabrics which mainly means very casual, modern clothes, iron free clothes and since she rarely visits us but we usually comes to visit her, I'm usually wearing modern, easy wear, iron free clothes around her. The only shocking thing was my "sense" of color coordination.lol She also glanced strangely at my bobby socks but didn't say anything.

 

[Paisley]

My mom was embarassed by the hunting knife my sister wore everywhere when she was in the Hell's Angels, and the fact that she wore a mink stole to interview for a job as a maid.

 

[vampygirl13]

My mom gave up when I wore a 1960's psychedelic jumpsuit to my first day of senior year. She knew I loved vintage looks from day one.

I don't dress vintage every day but that's the silhouette I usually have and she's never been too bad about it. She and my grandma are just glad I don't have pink hair anymore!

 

[*martini*time*]

I think my mom appreciates my new Me-ism. After a few years pretending i was happy in jeans and a t-shirt, i have finally discovered a love of dresses, skirts, cardigans and high heels! I think she's finally proud to go out with me without me looking like i just crawled out of a dumpster.

She's particularily good with shoes. I'll put my WHOLE outfit on, then walk up to her with one style of shoe on one foot and another style on the other and ask which looks better. She's usually right! She complains that i shop too much, but always compliments my clothes when i come home. If its shoes, first comes the "how much was that?" then "can i try those on?" we have the same size feet. She borrows my shoes and purses alot when she goes out to some parties with my dad and she always looks so cute!

I'm glad i'm friends with my mommy now, it took a long time, but it was well worth the wait!

 

[klind65]

My mother loves it. She grew up in the '30s and '40s and always loved the clothes then. Like me, she finds modern clothing an "abomination" in terms of style and fabric quality! Years ago, she complained that no one made clothing for older women (it's all made for adolescents) so, what she commenced doing years ago was to hire a dressmaker and have clothing custom made. I have always bought new clothes and had them tailored to vintage specifications i.e. ....nipped waists and lengthened skirts. But I am coming to the conclusion that it may simply be better to buy vintage patterns and have them made, as she does. So, I am fortunate to be able to share this with her. My father approves as well. He always looked to my mother for sartorial advice, anyhow.

 

[Lily Amelia]

She and my grandma are just glad I don't have pink hair anymore!

I haven't given my mother that satisfaction yet lol

She's a great mum but drives me mad when she goes on about it, to other people too, even though every time we go out together someone always comes up to me to say how much they love my hair and how they wish they were brave enough to do it [huh]

I don't dress vintage every day but tend to wear 50s style dresses, pencil skirts and capris, and have been wearing my hair curled for a few months now. Like a few more ladies on here I used to dress goth and she hated that, so guess my new look will be an improvement in her eyes!

She just doesn't like anything out of the ordinary really, so I don't take it personally! I keep telling her that if she'd let me dress 'alternative' as a teenager I'd have grown out of it by now lol I don't believe that for a minute though...

 

[Toni]

I would say my mum pretty much approves of what I wear seeing as we share clothes and shoes! She will always tell me if something doesn't look good but in a "It's nice but I've seen you in better" kind of way and I get the hint - I'll do the same for her too! Being on the same "rockin" scene we've got similar tastes too so I get whatever she gets bored of, or if I beg enough she'll give in and let me have it! We try out different hairstyles on each other too which is great.

As for tattoos - we both got our first ones done together, though I've had quite a few more done since then and she hasn't! We're more like best friends than mother and daughter and I wouldn't change it for the world!

 

[Eva Morsikova]

My mom didn't have a problem. At first, she was kinda 'eh?' about it, not upset, just surprised. (I used to dress in a very militant style, which made me look masculine) So there was quite a transition to it from combat boots to pumps.