What do you do when you can't find things in the right size?

[JiveBunny]

Hello! I have had an interest in vintage and vintage-inspired styles for a long time, and recently have realised that I'm probably a 50s girl, as my reproduction clothing fits me so much better than modern styles. I'm an hourglass shape, if slightly fuller than girls were then, but that's why reproduction and being able to sew is brilliant

However, I don't know how some of you do it full-time...because I have real trouble with accessories. I have size 9 (Euro size 42/43) feet. It's hard enough to find regular shoes to fit me, but there's absolutely no chance with vintage shoes, and many repro places I've seen only go up to a UK8. I have lovely dresses I haven't worn yet because I just don't know what will go with them or where I can get it.

I have the same problem with glasses - I adore cateyes, they'd look so much more in keeping than the Ray Ban type frames I wear everyday, but the vintage frames I've seen about are so small - even the wide-fitting ones have tiny wee eyeholes! Going without isn't an option sadly.

Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[JiveBunny]

Oh, just to add - although I'm a relative beginner and not a full-timer, I very much do not want to get those fancy-dress style frames sold on eBay. If nothing else, my giant lenses will destroy them...

 

[Romy Overdorp]

I was lucky to find a pair of vintage glasses for 7,50 euro's.

They're too wide for my head, so I must let it have adjusted.
I think you just have to look over and over again until you find some that fit you.
The main thing that will cost me a cr*p load of money are the actual glasses. So I'll just wear the ones I have now until they're too damaged to wear. Then I hope they can replace the glass in the vintage ones.

But all that will take a long time since I always wear contacts.

 

[RodeoRose]

My feet are pretty big as well (US 9/Euro 39), and even if you're blessed with little feet, vintage shoes are usually super narrow... so lots of vintage girls choose plain old retro-looking modern shoes (not even repro!).

Now, you may laugh, but stores that target the elderly set like my beloved Amerimark have vintage looking shoes that come in allll sizes, and even different widths. I just took a peek, and Amerimark's pumps tend to go up to US 12, with narrow through x-wide widths. They're really cheap too!

As for glasses, some girls on here have the new RayBan cat's eyes; completely modern, but with a great vintage aesthetic. Check out the "Stigma of an Astigmatism" thread (around here somewhere!) for lots of link to cute modern-but-vintage-looking frames. I myself have the same problem re: super thick lenses (my prescription is +5.75, eep!), so no vintage frames for me either. Instead I have a pair of RayBans in white!

I'm an hourglass shape, if slightly fuller than girls were then, but that's why reproduction and being able to sew is brilliant

Girls came in all shapes and sizes back then, too, even if Hollywood films and fashion models would lead you too believe differently

 

[Romy Overdorp]

Euro size 39 is not big at all, I have 39 too Most woman here have size 41/42. That would be US size 8.

 

[Miss sofia]

Hello! I have had an interest in vintage and vintage-inspired styles for a long time, and recently have realised that I'm probably a 50s girl, as my reproduction clothing fits me so much better than modern styles. I'm an hourglass shape, if slightly fuller than girls were then, but that's why reproduction and being able to sew is brilliant

However, I don't know how some of you do it full-time...because I have real trouble with accessories. I have size 9 (Euro size 42/43) feet. It's hard enough to find regular shoes to fit me, but there's absolutely no chance with vintage shoes, and many repro places I've seen only go up to a UK8. I have lovely dresses I haven't worn yet because I just don't know what will go with them or where I can get it.

I have the same problem with glasses - I adore cateyes, they'd look so much more in keeping than the Ray Ban type frames I wear everyday, but the vintage frames I've seen about are so small - even the wide-fitting ones have tiny wee eyeholes! Going without isn't an option sadly.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Deadmensspex. com have a fab selection of frames. Although as RodeoRose said, check the 'Oh the stigma of astigmatism thread' as there is loads of invaluable information.

I sympathise with you about the shoe issue, my best friend has the same problem and the same size feet as you. If you're a fifties girl, do you wear ballet pumps? They look great with dresses and trousers for a fifties look. Keds style pumps are great for casual wear or with a frock too or saddle shoes, all of which i'm sure you could find. If i see anything suitable i will pm you as i'm always foraging about online. I wear a 5.5 shoe and rarely find many vintage shoes that fit me as my feet are rather wide and many vintage shoes come up very narrow. I don't have an issue with wearing repro shoes as there are so many authentic looking styles to choose from and of course my feet aren't so big so i am lucky and have plenty of choice.

 

[JiveBunny]

Thanks all!

Miss Sofia - I do have Clarks ballet pumps. I'm waiting for them to make a green or white pair in the same style.

I tried Dead Men's Specs - gorgeous, gorgeous frames, but all fitted on the temple yet had too narrow eyes, if you see what I mean. They just looked like they were floating on the front of my face.

I'll look into the Rayban cat-eye. Brogues for women are pretty popular, but the ones that do come in my size look pretty tacky. Saddle shoes and Keds may be the way forward

 

[RodeoRose]

Brogues for women are pretty popular, but the ones that do come in my size look pretty tacky.

I actually wear vintage men's brogues, with all the punched holes and wingtips. They look really cute!

 

[JiveBunny]

See, I had to wear men's shoes at school, since uniform regulation ones weren't available in my size where we lived. Men's shoes sadly make me think of being an awkward teen

My choices for shoes are limited to two or three shops, depending on who's going up to a 42 this year. It's therefore a real pain when what you want isn't in fashion - one of those chains is like H+M or Forever21 and so is cheap, but very 'trendy' and not great quality.

 

[lareine]

Euro size 39 is not big at all, I have 39 too Most woman here have size 41/42. That would be US size 8.

I don't think this is right. I wear size 41 shoes and I think that is a US10 (ladies). But definitely some countries generally have larger feet than others! My husband is a UK14 (no idea how that translates to anything else but it's huge) and loves his Dutch army boots. The Netherlands was the only place we ever visited where he could walk in to a shop and find a pair of shoes to fit him right away.

 

[Lottie]

I have the same exact problem- I'm a EUR 42 (UK 9, sometimes 8). I've given up on trying to find vintage shoes years ago, but if you look carefully, a lot of modern shoes have a retro feel to them.
( for example, what about these?
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/office/brogue_baby/33/8139/27393/1?fs=8139
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/office/west_end_wedge/37/9924/26061/1?fs=9924
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/office/tender_bow/37/9547/25071/1?fs=9547
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/office/giggle_strap/33/8241/21995/1?fs=8241 )

Especially in the UK- you girls have access to a fantastic range of shoe shops, most of which stock a surprisingly big amount of shoes in a size 9! It's much harder finding cute shoes in Germany, but it's gotten better, and even so, I've managed to acquire a fairly large shoe collection
Also, I've found that it pays off to invest in basic shoes. I have a lot of bargain shoes at home that I rarely wear because they aren't all that comfy... On the other hand, the black mid heels that I spent a fairly large amount of money on (but they fit! ) have seen a lot of pavaments

Also looking for a glasses solution, though..

 

[SewingPeriod]

I'm just switching over to wearing vintage-inspired all the time, and I was really worried about shoes-- my current solution is a brand called "naturalizers" (http://www.naturalizer.com/) However, the ones I've got (I have three pairs), I bought at a thrift store, so I don't know what year they were made. They are super comfy, and the company has been around since at least the 1950's (I have an advertisement for their company from 1958 or so

Personally, I recommend modern shoes with the correct silhouette-- round toe, etc. Shoes must be comfy and well fitting, so I don't want anything too worn out.

 

[Lillemor]

Modern dress shoes are a serious problem for me. The vintage dress shoes from my MIL who wears the same size as me, has given me, fit much better and vintage sandals fit even better. Ideally I'd wear a 35½ but we don't have half sizes here so I make do with EU36 (some foreign vintage shoes say size 3) and buy 35 in modern sandals. Vintage sandals, even recent vintage (70s-80s) that say 36 fit just right.:eusa_doh: I fit a size 5-5½ when I lived in the U.S.

I have enough problems getting glasses frames that meet all my expectations and work with my prescription in modern frames so I don't even dare think of vintage frames.

When modern shoes in the vintage style you like are trendy; stock up! I do the same with clothes, colors in particular shades I know are MY COLORS (deep bright colors), etc. If your style is vintage and/or timeless enough, it won't matter that the items you stock up on quickly fall out of trend.

 

[LittleMissToniJo]

I am a US 9.5 M (I think that's 39.5 euro??) and I have an awful time finding vintage shoes. I do buy vintage-looking shoes, but I can't really afford true repros (like Remix). I'm pretty cheap with that stuff. All I see listed online for the bigger ladies' feet are 10AAAA or something. I need 3.5" of width at the ball so those are just out. It makes me so sad.

Did everyone have super skinny feet back then, or are those showing up because they were the only deadstock pairs left, i.e. NO ONE had those skinny feet and no one bought them?

I have both Naturalizers and Aerosoles that are comfy and have that cuban-style heel that I love. I'm digging this Amerimark site, too.

 

[Stray Cat]

I'm EU size 40 (US: size 10, or: Medium and UK size 12.. I think).
And I have no problem finding clothes that fit me.. by size.
But.. if they don't "hang" on me the way I want them to: I'll mutilate them. I'll rip it apart, and then take it to my sewing machine. And I will not stop until that piece of clothing look exactly like I imagined.
As for shoes. I also wear size 40 (US: size 9, UK size 6,5).
If shoes don't fit.. I don't cry over spilled milk.

 

[LittleMissToniJo]

Stray Cat - I do go to the tailor also!! I think some people frown on altering vintage clothes but I just feel like a girl's gotta have clothes that fit.

I wish I could alter shoes so easily :-(

 

[sheeplady]

I'm never going to find shoes that fit. I wear a US size 9.5 on my own, and I have to go up a half size to fit my inserts (orthopedic). The inserts don't fit into a lot of shoes (grr), I need to physically try on the shoes (double grr), and they wear on the shoes funny, so I feel bad destroying a good pair of vintage shoes- if I ever found a pair (triple grr). I like Clarks shoes, they are pricy but good quality. The Bonton (a US department store) tends to carry a lot of their "vintage inspired" styles.

If you are close to wearing a vintage size, you can find a good cobbler to stretch the shoes. I need to have this done on two pairs of my old shoes (not vintage) to fit my inserts. Basically, I think they can stretch a half size or a whole size.

For glasses, which come in a variety of sizes, I really reccommend Shuron. I just got my Shurons (see the eyeglasses thread, I posted a picture of myself). They come in all different dimensions- bridge width, lenses width, and temple length- any combo you need. Shuron is a US company (I am sure you could find them where ever you are or they may ship), are reasonably priced (around $100 for most frames), and they've been making these frames in near continous production since they first designed them the first time around. While not vintage and not old stock, they're not really reproductions either. They actually sent my husband three different sizes of the same frame to help with sizing, my husband sent the ones he didn't like back and only paid for one. Really great customer service, and you can take the frames to anyplace you like to get lenses.

ETA: The only problem I have with vintage clothing is finding it in the first place and having it be long enough, since I am tallish. I can't really give a size as US sizes are so variable and shrinking. For things that I love that are too short, I often add a band to lenthen the hem in a contrasting color. This also works if the hem is damaged. With the alterations- I figure vintage women altered things, and as long as it isn't a museum quality piece or the last of it's kind, as long as I am respectful to the piece, it is ok.