Feel a bit out of place or maybe you just aren't used to wearing vintage style out and about? Getting comments like "It isn't Halloween yet you know?" or "Are you going to a costume party?" is never fun, you just like vintage style, you're not wearing a costume! Here in my latest video I wanted to talk about feeling costume-y in vintage, some tips for those who want to avoid looking too "costume-y" and an to extend an invitation to discuss the subject some more in comments. Do you feel costume-y when wearing vintage?
Things like evening looks (hair, makeup or garments) during a non-evening event also look costumey. Not that it doesn't look good, it could look amazing, but it will stand out at the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, one of the pieces of advice from "How to Walk in High Heels" by Camilla Morton recommends taking new fancy shoes TO the grocery store. You have a cart to hang onto, and long smooth aisles to walk down and time to work on longer strolls, and casual perusals and leaning and bending for items. :P It's a fun book about enjoying the glam side of a woman's life.
I agree, the formality or time of day can dictate whether one outfit or another looks more or less costumey for sure!
DeleteInteresting topic! I think a lot of this is just about being comfortable in your own skin, and having the confidence to wear whatever you want to. I personally would feel costumey in a modern athleisure look, just because it's not 'me'. I think the more you wear something, the less self-conscious you get about it. I have some items that I thought were a bit 'out there' but now I wear them without a second thought, and people generally don't bat an eyelid. I look forward to reading other people's comments! x
ReplyDeleteI agree that the more you wear whatever you want, the less people perhaps staring or commenting on it will bother. I was getting very strange looks back in my high school days for wearing crazy outfits to class so I have been used to it for over a decade now ;)
DeleteI agree with Porcelina that a lot is confidence, and also that sometimes confidence comes from just getting past the hurdle of the first wear. But since I often lack that confidence, not looking costume-y is important to me!
ReplyDeleteFor me, not wanting to do the hair and make-up can be a drawback as you mentioned, that it can make the vintage clothes look more out of place on me. I'm still trying to work that one out!
Confidence is key as they say, whoever 'they' are. I'm sure plenty of ladies in the past didn't wear the make-up and glamour hair all the time either!
DeleteHaving turned 50 this year, I think people assume that I having some sort of midlife crisis when I wear vintage, and i'm not very good at getting the hair and make up right, whatever right is. For me, I feel the need for some authenticity though, perhaps because I work in the heritage industry, but probably because, at my age, looking costumey would seem like immature dressing up. Equally, at my age, I feel less inclined to follow fashion and I am depressed by the conservative contemporary work wear approach so, if people think I look a bit quirky, that's good, if people feel I look like confused time-travelling mutton, then that's their problem, most people say how nice I look and I feel as if I am expressing a little but of myself. I am not bothered by the reaction of those who live in sweats and jeans, we live in different realities anyway. However, I'd be really interested in your thoughts on older women (40+) in vintage as I do think there is a perception that we should be 'grown up' as if demonstrating a conscious approach to your appearance (vintage or otherwise) indicates a level of vanity that we should have got beyond
ReplyDeleteThank you for such a wonderful comment! I think the first thing I would say on vintage style for ladies 40+ is that, of course, there were ladies in the 1940's who were 40+ and rocked these same styles then too, so I don't think the retro look is something just for young women, it is for all! I recommend checking out Nikki Redcliffe's instagram for lots of inspiration on wearing vintage at any age. https://www.instagram.com/nikkiredcliffe/ I think to avoid feeling costumey at any age in full on vintage style it is important to consider what they thought of as "mature" or age appropriate women's styles at the time. In my 40's catalogs for example, there are clearly labeled juniors and also mature ladies styles, and the juniors styles are of course much more girlish and the mature styles more sophisticated in comparison. Interestingly in the 1940s the whole teenage models/ideal was not yet in place, so people wanted to look like women, chic sophisticated women, not girls. I don't think wearing vintage should indicate that a person is any more or less vain than any other, and it is better that anyone of any age should take pride and consideration in their appearance. Style has no expiration date, and neither do women in general! I feel it is all a big myth to sell more anti aging everything! The hair and make-up do take a while of practice, but it may be more finding the right styles for you that work with your lifestyle, there were so many different ways to style and arrange hair back then!
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