Your most non-vintage preference or attributes ...

[Dr Doran]

I think I can be both a product of my times and have a deep rooted appreciation for things not of my time. I don't feel much of a conflict in that regard.

A fine attitude. I feel the same. I suppose that for me, as with so many things in my aesthetic, I am defined by what I hate sometimes even more than what I love. I cannot stand the aspects of modern culture that the film Idiocracy lampoons so well. But there are plenty of modern things I like too.

I agree about Sinatra. My way has a certain appeal, even if part of it is kind of the cheesiness, kind of like William Shatner. ... But his later persona, the "saloon singer" he always talks about is way too pompous, arrogant, macho and full of himself to be taken seriously. The whole "phrasing" he is considered so great at comes off as contrived sappy emoting to me.

I have always hated Sinatra, but I thought I was the only one; certainly the only one on the Lounge. I am glad that other people find him as insincere as I do! I have not heard the earliest recordings, though. He was much better as an actor in the film Suddenly than as a singer in any song I have ever heard.

...about a whole life time ago, on my very first day at college in winnipeg, i met a girl fresh from Jamaica, bundled in about 15 layers of sweaters and freezing to death.She was terribly homesick and caught a bad cold the first week.We became best friends and she introduced me to reggae.She was a singer herself and played the piano, but her family was too poor to afford one.she lived down the street from Jimmy Cliff, who let her come over from time to time to play.I have been a diehard fan ever since.

That is a nice way to get introduced to a genre. For me it was the hippies in my high school and they were all suburban white dorks. Although I have not heard the entire canon, of what I have heard the music was banal, the vocals always high and childlike, and the lyrics always either:
1. Vague exhortations for revolution which, if heeded, would lead only to bloodshed and no improvement, or
2. Vague exhortations to "feel" and emote, or
3. Vague exhortations to love either romantically or (certain segments of) the human race, or
3. Concrete and highly specific exhortations to take drugs, as though anyone needs more encouragement to (mis/ab)use stupefactants.

... I don't drive a car, have a TV set, ipod or i-anything, no microwave, deep fat fryer, coffee machine or any other mod cons save for our oven, refrigerator and freezer. ... I am with the great Professor Tolkien in the view that the modern age is full of nasty, noisy mechanical devices which, whilst "labour saving" remove some humanity from day to day tasks. Sometimes I wish I had been born in his day.

I don't drive either. No ipod here. I hate microwaves and in fact distrust them, but it's more that I think they stink and make food gross than any theories about brain damage. I never liked Tolkien but I agree that with that sentiment. Reminds me of a marvelous episode of Twilight Zone with BUSTER KEATON (seriously) in which he is transported from the 1890s to the 1960s and cannot stand the noise and is shocked at the high prices.

The most un-vintage thing about me is my love of science fiction and gadgets. Then I saw Bladerunner with its homage to noir and it all came together for me.

Plenty of "retro-future" lovers on the Lounge! Brazil, Blade Runner, Gattaca ... plenty of people here love those films.

 

[Kishtu]

How do you manage with two kitties? I had to get an actual Dyson to cope with cat hair! And only one of mine actually sheds.

Ah, but we have no carpets!

Wood or tile floors throughout, apart from on the stairs, and I use my trusty Ewbank carpet sweeper on the stair carpet.

Having a peach cat is quite handy - he's quite camouflaged on light surfaces!

 

[Jovan]

I need to check out Gattaca again. I can't remember much besides the guy's height being shortened, they went up into space trading in EVA suits for business suits, and he was trying to pass himself off as another person. Blade Runner... well, what else can be said? I've only ever seen the director's cut. It's quite heavy, and a little more violent than I like, but still brilliantly done. What is Brazil about? I've never heard of it.

 

[leaette]

I don't understand what the big deal about Bette Davis is? I don't see the beauty that people talk about. Her eyes bother me. Her acting is OK though. That doesn't bother me.
I can't stand Danny Kaye. What is he on? His acting is always so forced for a laugh.
I don't like Ella Fitzgerald for one reason only: that scat crap she does. be ba zwee dop, blah blah blah.

I'm not ashamed to say that I love QVC. I'm a stay at home mom and they have really cute casual clothes to wear around the house. They are super comfy and easy for me. I refuse to wear vintage at home when I have a baby that pukes or drools on me daily.

And I can't stand "Bringing Up Baby" either. SHUT UP Katherine!

 

[Fletch]

YOu're just not listening to the right jazz. While I kind of have a soft spot for it, I kind of look down my nose at much of the white, society jazz bands of the era.

Well, you don't have much choice, really. Only the simplest, corniest stuff lasted long enough to have an identity - a negative one - for the next generation. Add to that the academic jazz concept that only the best and purest form of the music is worth preservation and study - despite its being basically a pop music at that time - and you can miss out on a lot and feel righteous doing it.

 

[dostacos]

First of all Ive never had a fedora
I don't like jazz older than the 60s.
I never dress vintage:eusa_doh:
I have absolutely no vintage/golden era products in my household. -except for my raybans, 12 zippos and the Rolodex on my desk.
I think that 90% of golden era movies are boring.

All I care about is planes, uniforms, A2s etc from WWII. Especially Battle of Britain and the pilots from that era.

BUT I AM VINTAGE...anno 1945!!!!

Does that make me a very bad person?

*Quick halfroll and stick back*

too close for missiles swithching to guns, stick back pipper on target squeeze off 50 rounds roll left kick in the afterburners to avoid debris field....

non-vintage well computers, cable most modern conveniences including smooooth Jazz.

vintage, some of the music, some of the movies [same as now, I like some music hate others] love the hats, and vests with suits

 

[reetpleat]

Well, you don't have much choice, really. Only the simplest, corniest stuff lasted long enough to have an identity - a negative one - for the next generation. Add to that the academic jazz concept that only the best and purest form of the music is worth preservation and study - despite its being basically a pop music at that time - and you can miss out on a lot and feel righteous doing it.

Well, speaking of non vintage attibutes, e are blessed to live in a time where an incredible amount of music of the pst is readily available. I heard somewhere that all you need is about a thousand buyers to make it worth mastering and putting on disc a collection of old recordings. Probabnly less now. In other words, if only 1000 people in the whole world, and you can find them via internet, want to hear something recorded, somewhere someone may well put it on a disc for you to buy. Hooray

 

[lolli]

Let's see. I am a newbie to this message board and to all things vintage. In fact, it would probably be more appropriate to list the things about me that *are* vintage.

-I love big band
-my makeup
-some of my clothing

Not many things about me are vintage at all. You may ask yourself why I am even here. To answer that question; I have an increasing interest in the 1940's. I absolutely love 1940's hairstyles, especially the reverse roll. What brought me here was my quest to learn how to do the reverse roll, and this board has sucked me in, so to speak ;D.

 

[Nick D]

I haven't owned a good vintage fedora in 10 years (the one in my avatar is modern.) I keep looking, though. I can never seem to find one in a style I like in my size.

I currently don't own a suit. Again, still looking.

The style of the Golden Era isn't my only interest. I'm also very much into the traditional dress of Scotland, and do have several kilts, which I wear quite often (they're not just for weddings!)

Chalk up another one that doesn't care for Sinatra. I find him contrived and artificial.

I'll probably never loose the facial hair, it seems clean shaven or a mustache was more popular in the Golden Era.

 

[Edward]

Going out on a limb here...I am sick unto DEATH of seeing vintage rockabilly girls with the same dyed-black-hair-and-Bettie-bangs look.

In principle I understand you with the clones issue etc and agree. In practice, however.... I fear the Bettie look will always make me go weak at the knees. Alas the reverse appears not to work ever!

They still use old dental tech in certain villages in Poland ... yikes ... having traveled extensively in Poland a number of times, I've seen it.

"But it's an antique! Heavy, sturdy - dull."

I'm definitely vintage in this respect: The Stooges RULE! Absolute comic geniuses!

I love Iggy Pop.... didn't think he was old enough to be vintage, though?

I would also probably die without psychobilly and punk. I love 30's and 40's tunes, but punk and psycho are really what get me.

Also, I'd be lost without the internet and cell phones. I would have no way to keep in touch with my best friend who has moved across the country, and when I go away to the Netherlands I'd have no way to communicate with my boyfriend. And that would be horrible! Thanks to Myspace, Facebook and all that stuff I'm able to keep in touch with a lot of people, some even from middle school, that I wouldn't be able to normally.

My enjoyment of garage rock, vintage blues, early folks music... all of it stems back to my early punk influences, and working backwards from them. IMO, the likes of the Ramones are what real rock and roll was evolving towards - prog rock was a dodgy, counter-evolutionary step that fortunately we got saved from . I know exactly what you mean about technology. I am still in touch with so many good friends I would otherwise have lost without email, plus i have had a lot of beneficial contacts with people I may never meet in person, all over the globe. Had I left Ireland in the 20s as opposed to the 90s, chances are a lot of those folks when I said good bye to them I would never have had any contact with them again. (Hence the leaving parties back in the day coming to be known as "American wakes" - that being the destination of most emigres at the time).

I do appreciate cheap air travel too - my grandparents never left the UK, one of the reasons being that foreign travel was back then rarely an option for the average person. I even rmemeber in the 80s a US holiday being considered a "once in a lifetime" kind of deal. Folks my grandparents generation find it impressively exotic that I moved to London to work - some of my family did the same in the immediate post war period, and that was a big thing too.

I'd be lost without my cell. The only reason I have a landline at all is because I need it for home broadband.

I never liked Tolkien.

Is that non-vintage, arguably? Tolkien wrote The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings in the early fifties (I think Rings was first published in 53, from memory). He first started writing about elves, orcs and hobbits during the Great War. Very far ahead of his time in that respect - he created the modern sword and sorcery genre as we know it today. 'Orc' is a completely generic genre word now - Tolkien invented it.

As for me, I'm more a retro-head (or maybe retro-futurist?) than a vintage person. I love themed events. Great fun, the idea of spending an evening in 1938, or 1954 or whatever. But what I appreciate about the past is the style and the positive parts of it. I don't want to go back there wholesale. Like others, I'm much happier in today's social climate. I'd hate to lose my freedom to be able to wear a bit of make up out. I only wish it wasd more, well, normalised for guys now (as in the regency period). If it was as normal for men as woman, I'd wear nail varnish and heavy eyeliner in the office regularly. I love how black nails and good thick kohl work with a nice suit, and especially black tie. Having gay friends, it's nice that the prejudice there is less (though sadly still not entirely gone). What we take for granted in the Rocky Horror scene now back then would have been impossible. Hell, even in the 70s the pioneers of the RHPS cult were often bottled on their way to the cinema if they dared be seen in costume.

I'm increasingly wanting to wear vintage style (I prefer reproduction mostly over genuine vintage pieces) all the time - eventually I will have enough of a wardrobe makeover that that will be possible. I'll never reject modern touches entirely though. I certainly won't refuse a great addition to an outfit because it's not the same as they wore in 1937. and my bondage trousers and various punk accoutrements will always get regular outings.

 

[Nick D]

Is that non-vintage, arguably? Tolkien wrote The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings in the early fifties (I think Rings was first published in 53, from memory). He first started writing about elves, orcs and hobbits during the Great War. Very far ahead of his time in that respect - he created the modern sword and sorcery genre as we know it today. 'Orc' is a completely generic genre word now - Tolkien invented it.

The Hobbit was published in 1937, and the rest of it was started, as you said, during WWI. The LOTR was started later, but the foundation was already there.

I would love to get a copy of the first edition Hobbit and LOTR. I've started collecting the various editions, and there couldn't be a better centerpiece. But it's about as likely as me getting a copy of the First Folio.

 

[Edward]

The hobbit was published even earlier than I had misremembered... wow. It still blows my head to think how far ahead of his time Tolkien really was, when you consider that as a genre the modern sword and sorcery type fantasy, much as it owed a debt to classical myth, Arthurian legends, etc, didn't really kick into swing in a big way until the 70s, if memory serves.

I'd love first editions too.... I have first editions of the last three Harry Potter books, but that's not quite the same. lol A signed copy, now that would be something. I have a few signed books (Leonard Nimoy, Tom Baker, Reggie Kray, Douglas Coupland, Terry Pratchett, Irvine Welsh and Nick Cave among them), most of which are either first edition or first paperback edition (slightly less desirable), though I doubt many of them (possibly the Kray autobiography aside) are really worth anything much at present.

 

[Jovan]

Okay, seriously now... my most non-vintage aspect is, well, my personality and the way I dress daily. I certainly don't carry the same common views as the times of the '30s-'50s, and it's impractical/inefficient to dress in a suit and tie every day when I work at a place like TJ Maxx. (But I have found some rather nice, vintage-y looking ties there that I need to share sometime.) I do however believe in classic principles, such as gentlemanliness and equal respect for all peoples. Those will never go out of style.

These days could use more well made suits with high armholes and ties that make small knots, sure, but at least we've progressed considerably when it comes to our morality in general. I do wish the bottom line wasn't money with a lot of people -- that's what we need to work on. So many companies have turned their backs on their quality standards and the bottom line is how much revenue they make. A shame.

 

[jamespowers]

These days could use more well made suits with high armholes and ties that make small knots, sure, but at least we've progressed considerably when it comes to our morality in general.

You're kidding right?! :eusa_doh:

 

[Jovan]

Things like rights for gays, minorities, and women have increased CONSIDERABLY since the time period this forum focuses on. There is no denying that.

 

[jamespowers]

Things like rights for gays, minorities, and women have increased CONSIDERABLY since the time period this forum focuses on. There is no denying that.

That has nothing to do with morality and the opposite in some cases. :eusa_doh:
Morality figures for that time compared to ours are incredibly low in comparison. They include teenage pregnancy, crime in general, trusting a person to stand by their word and every one of the seven deadly sins. [huh] :eusa_doh:

 

[Travis]

Things like rights for gays, minorities, and women have increased CONSIDERABLY since the time period this forum focuses on. There is no denying that.

I don't think anyone can argue that minorities, gays, women, etc. are treated better now than they were in the past. I also do not think that it is possible to say we have morally progressed in any sense. Some things may be better, but a lot of stuff has certainly gotten worse.

 

[Jovan]

That has nothing to do with morality and the opposite in some cases. :eusa_doh:
Morality figures for that time compared to ours are incredibly low in comparison. They include teenage pregnancy, crime in general, trusting a person to stand by their word and every one of the seven deadly sins. [huh] :eusa_doh:

I don't understand why everyone is that scared of teen pregnancy... it happened a lot in the past as well. From my POV, they should be using proper protection and precautions anyways. But we're getting really fftopic:. Sorry. -_-

 

[jamespowers]

I don't understand why everyone is that scared of teen pregnancy... it happened a lot in the past as well. From my POV, they should be using proper protection and precautions anyways. But we're getting really fftopic:. Sorry. -_-

You can choose to ignore it but the figures are still there. It didn't happen a lot in the past. In fact it was nearly non-existent.
1% is a much small number that 15% or even 35% in some areas. :eusa_doh:

 

[Jovan]

BACK TO THE TOPIC PLZ KTHX