Discussion Topic....Do You Wear The Vintage You Buy?

I only wear vintage - except for a couple of very comfy t-shirts (and my new Rosie the Riveter t-shirt) I wear either 40's or 50's, but generally the latter.

I feel very at ease in vintage and when I took the decision to 'throw out' my modern clothes, it was like coming home. I wish I had discovered it in my 30's but as they say, my vintage life began at 40 - er four minutes ago - nah better be honest - 10 years ago!

Anne

 

I, too, belong to the "Vintage Doesn't Fit Club" as Joey put it.
But Contemporary doesn't fit me either. LOL

I'm 5'10" and wear a size 6 or 8 - sometimes a 4, depending on the vendor. Slacks normally hit me abot 3" above my ankle. I have a 35" inseam, so I tend to wear men's jeans a lot - or else Levi's in a Tall size, but they aren't exactly easy to find either.

Having said that - it's obvious that vintage Dresses almost NEVER fit me. The waistline hits just below the chin, usually. So I wear seperates. Especially the 40's jackets.

I'd love to have my wardrobe (for work, anyway) be total vintage, but there is no way I'm gonna ruin a great piece of vintage merchandising the store. And I don't have an office gig yet, so til I start rollin in the dough, I'll wear what I got. ;)

Oh! All of the thrifts aeround here are having 50% off winter coats etc - so I just got a Fabulous 40's (I think) tweed coat with the most exquisite burgandy silk satin lining. It was going to be for sale til I tried it on - which brings me to another question...
How many times do you buy for resale only to keep the garment? hahahaha

 

I too have a hard time finding clothes. I am tall 5'10", long legged, long waisted with big feet!

I do love wearing a bit of vintage everyday. Mostly sweaters and a few dresses that fit me right now! (after atkins, there will be a ton more for me to wear!).

But I do save my 10 1/2 & 11 sized shoes for special occasions. Since they are hard to find and with a narrow width!

 

When I was young and thin, I wore a lot of vintage - like Jonathon, I started mixing vintage in during the late 70's/early 80's new wave thing... and I just never stopped.

Now of course, my size prevents me from wearing most vintage - I've altered a few things to fit - huge gathered skirts from the 50's can have new waistbands put on and things such as that...but for the most part, I just get to admire the clothes on the mannequin...

One way I do 'wear vintage' is by adapting or grading vintage patterns up to my size and cutting from vintage fabric - yeah it's new construction, but it's vintage to me!

And, I wear a lot of vintage accessories - jewelry and scarves mostly...

--Karen

 

When I wear vintage it is a vintage sweater or blouse with jeans. Got lots of dresses and suits that I rarely wear. Seems I don't have the right slip or the right shoes, or I need to sew on a button, or I don't have anyplace to wear it...

Carol

 

I'll second the <b>"Seems I don't have the right slip" </b>comment

 

I wear vintage everyday, today I have on a 70's poly jersey shirt in a fantastic trompe l'oeil effect basket weave print in bright blue, I am wearing that with a pair of boot cut jeans. My coat is 60's, asymetrical with a mink collar and I have umpteen blouses, shirts, tops etc which are vintage which I wear with a modern a-line skirt or jeans. I have a bright pink Pucciesque Mr Dino dress I wear for nights out (not many of those unfortunately so it doesn't get worn much !) and this summer I plan to be wearing as much 50's as possible head to toe, usually I wear Vested Gentress shift dresses all through summer and managed to nab the puppy print one last week !!
I love vintage clothes, I never run the risk of meeting someone wearing the same outfit as me !

 

I have a few vintage accessories that I like to mix in with my newer clothes. My grandmother gave me this great ring from the 1800s that I like to wear a lot.

 

I love mixing vintage with modern. I have a couple of Quant dresses and a lovely vintage watch I wear, plus a collection of 1960s dresses mostly size 8 though (I can only dream of getting into those!)

Wear vintage and dare to be different!

 

I'm also part of the vintage doesn't fit me crowd. I have 3 vintage dresses from the 40s that fit me nicely but that's out of tons of stock that I've been gathering over the years. I have hats and purses for myself but the really great stuff is put in my store.

 

I'm a shoe hoarder. I think I have about 20 pairs of those point toe, stiletto heel late 50s early 60s types....pink, red, brown, several black, gold, wicker, yellow, green, silver....its an illness. But I love them and they look great with a lot of styles.

I never got a small waist back after having Ava, but I do wear what I can get that fits when I can. I was excited when I opened the shop, as I was working from home til then and rarely dressed up.....thought I'd dress up in heels and vintage every day! But once I got opened up and started having to schlepp clothes from the back room, steam, tag, take pics on the manni.....I quickly turned to jeans and more casual vintage tops. Some Saturdays I deck out, and I always carry a cool vintage bag. With a busy lifestyle and a 4 year old its just not practical to wear dresses, vintage or not!

Doesn't stop me from keeping them though!

Ang

 

John Bates told me to wear his tiered gingham dirndl dresses down the pub. I didn't argue with him but I don't think I have the guts, though I adore people who do dress that radically!! Someone I know through my other occasional job does the whole retro thing with her hair, pin curls, marcel waves and amazing make-up.

I try to wear vintage as much as possible, but the casual pieces are the hardest to find and try as I might, I just can't find anywhere to wear my swishiest stuff! I buy as many moss crepe, chiffon and cotton blouses as I can possibly get and wear them over modern black boobtubes and with my favourite Topshop jeans (allegedly highwaisted but not quite on my natural waist - I simply can't find a decent vintage pair so I buy modern). My favourite crepe blouse is a bright yellow Alice Pollock one, which she once wore herself, and I suspect I'll wear that thing to death! At the moment I'm also teaming sixties minis with some skinnyish black jeans (I refuse to wear leggings), and I also team the black jersey boobtubes/leotards with various flippy vintage skirts.

I try to get as many Ossie/Alice/Biba/Bus Stop separates as I possibly can - they're just the best fit and shape! But it's also the reason I'm always so broke!!! ;)

I also have some gorgeous platforms, which I only ever wear for parties at my flat or to places where I know I can afford to get a taxi! I love summer, but autumn/winter is easier to do in vintage - I have so many coats and boots!

 

i used to wear some of my vintage items about 20 odd years ago.... and then i got married had kids...... let myself go, and now only wear jeans and hubyy's t.shirts.....oh ye and my bike leathers......i have put sooooo much weight on over the last few years.. that i dont feel confident at mo... but with the business really starting to kick off i really... and i mean REALLY do need to get the confidence to start wearing my vintage/retro items.... or even some smart 'girly' clothes....

its not as though i havent got anything...lol.... i have got a few hundred pieces.....of clothing......

i have started wearing nail varnish again.....

but when i do start wearing vintage it will be mixed with modern clothes....

 

I wear something vintage almost every day throughout the school year....my high school students really get a kick out of my wardrobe....several have even gone shopping with me to get their own goodies.

On my summer vacation I usually go strictly for comfort...but I do wear my vintage swim suits at the pool and occasionally get decked out in a sundress or the always easy..yet flattering..... a-line dress.

Cat

 

ABSOLUTELY! I absolutely wear vintage every day! Even if it's just a silly 80's sparkle t-shirt. My rule is, if I can wear it with jeans and heels, I wear it. I collect suit jackets and coats out the wazoo and wear them all - mostly 30's-60's. Usually some sort of tank or tee underneath, turtlenecks in the winter.

I don't wear many vintage pants - at 5'9" that can be tricky.

And I DO have some special party/cocktail dresses that I collect just to collect, and hope to get to wear. Right now, I know I'm going to a wedding in September and am trying to find the perfect vintage thing to wear to it - out of my closet! It's a matter of "which one do I FINALLY get to wear?!?"

I also have a CHristmas cocktail party every year JUST so that I can wear some of my best pieces and "show off" a bit. None of my friends "study" vintage but most appreciate it and collect it to an extent.

Perhaps sometime I'll share some photos.

 

I would wear vintage everyday, but alas it does not fit me.
and my feet are too wide so no shoes....
~sobs~
BUT, I always wear a pair of vintage clip earrings and carry a vintage scarf on my purse. I also take my vintage purses out for a spin when I go out to eat or for special occasions.

 

Oh and my eye glasses.....

 

I wear vintage almost daily. I love cotton summer house or day dresses from the 40s. I live in these during the hot Texas summer, and they are cute enough to wear shopping or out for a casual lunch. I usually carry a big straw purse and tie a scarf that coordinates with whatever I am wearing. You never know when you might need it and its a fabulous way to add a splash of color.

In the winter I always wear vintage coats and sweaters.