How much discomfort do you tolerate when...

wearing vintage?

Yesterday we had record breaking temps (83 degrees here just thirty miles SE of Seattle). I put on my recently purchased 60s cotton shift. Being 60s, it has high cut arms. And the high cut arms... well... they tend to chafe a bit. Actually wasn't too bad as long as I didn't reach forward. When I reached forward to bathe the baby, the dress chafed quite a bit and I ended up with red marks on my arms. So for the rest of the day I made a point of not reaching forward. Maybe I shoulda changed into something else, but I like the dress.

Am I the only one?

Carol

 

LoL!!!

I'm not a person who wears much vintage but even with regular clothes/shoes - I have to be comfortable. My sister though is just the opposite. She has shoes that do chinese torture to her feet - but she loves the way they look so she wears them. Everytime she does, we have to go to a lounge bar where she can sit all night, make sure we take a cab to and from (door to door service & no walking) and at the end of the night it doesn't matter - she's always carrying them home in her bare feet. hehehe!

 

Living in Phoenix, during the summer, where temps easily soar t 118, I cannot tolerate one iota of extra discomfort. I've always loved gorgeous, structured clothes, but they just don't suit my lifestyle or our climate. That is one reason my personal collection contains so many purses...unless they are major league heavy, there's no discomfort level.
Interestingly, I have found that some vintage fashion was created for resort/very hot climates. So, I do wear lots of Lilly shifts, Catherine Ogusts, and all those hippie gauze tops.

When temps hit 118, the idea is to have air flow. So, a shift with very little underneath and sandals is far more comfy than anything else. And, summer is the perfect reason to wear hats. You really DO need to wear them to protect your scalp from sunburn (and your hair from becoming orange lol).
joey

 

I am NOT a believer in the credo 'Pain makes you beautiful' - in my experience pain makes you walk/sit/stand funny & you usually have an unpleasant grimace on your face... nothing pretty about any of that!

I tried on a pair of Manolos a few months ago during one of my blessedly rare delusions that I can afford such things. I was going to a wedding, they were perfect for the dress and they were beee<i>youtiful</i> - I mean, perfect, exquisite shoes. Pointy stilettos, natch. It took me 45 seconds to realize I'd be miserable in them, not to mention bankrupt (also bad for the mood).

I'm destined to be one of the un-chic masses, but I think I can live with that

Carolyn

 

Well, I'll find out in June.

Found a wonderful huge swirley-skirted organza in my size with a draped shawl collar to wear to the daughter's wedding. Fab shade of very light tangerine.
Acetate lining scares me a little for a warmer month . . .
But then, early June here can be sweltering or a bit nippy, so we'll see.
I'll report back. . .

Aside from that, I am (as I suspect a lot of us are) a jeans-and-big-shirt kinda gal.
C

LOL @ Carolyn - <I>in my experience pain makes you walk/sit/stand funny </I> How true! :D

 

Well I tried those springolators that I found and if you look at my auctions you will see they are listed. No way can I go a whole day in them. I have a feeling to be comfortable I will be wearing flip flops to my sons wedding in June. Of course they will be pretty with beads. When my daughter got married last year I had a pair ready and waiting once the reception started. Oh and I had a skirt on during that with tulle bit scratchy in heat!

 

Flip flops! What a great idea...satiny and decorated in pearls!
When DH and I married, I KNEW that, clumsy me, would certainly trip, fall, or endure major discomfort if I wore heels....especially since it was a full mass with LOTS of kneeling. I happily wore flat ballet slippers tied at the ankles with pink ribbons.
joey
PS: I still managed to trip when I left my bouquet at the statue of the BV. We had to kneel, stand up and walk backwards...way too much manipulation for me! Thankfully, DH's first official job as husband, was to rescue me from my near fall.
joey

 

I am only willing to suffer discomfort for a formal or special event. That's when I usually haul out one of my strapless 50s taffeta numbers that requires the major body modification of a strongly boned corset. Other than that, you'll find me in overly large rayon print 40s dresses with sister ugly shoes or an insane circle or squaw skirt and cowboy boots. And I gave up heels a long time ago. Once you're given the decision of walking or looking fashionable, the choice becomes easier! ;)

 

I simply can Not be uncomfortable. My jeans are snug, not tight. As much as I love detailed tailored 40s & 50s suits, I don't want to wear them to work & ruin them. Plus, it's hard to climb a ladder & move clothing rods & racks around in a pencil skirt. heh

The other side of that coin is that I absolutely Hate Loose flowing muu muu lookin garments. So I go for cool lightweight fabrics for summer & I layer a lot in winter.

I will withstand a bit of pain to wear fabulous shoes, but only if I know it won't be for a long time. Luckily? for me, I prefer a bit of a heel.

Typically, I wear jeans & cowgal boots year round. With cool vintage tops. But I have two adorable summer dresses set aside at Evie's for New Orleans. ;)

And while I'm there, I will most likely wear flip flops or lightweight canvas shoes. Thing is, the streets in Nawlins are filthy & I hate getting that yuck on my feet. (rethinking the flip flops idea..)

 

I agree with being comfortable but not frumpy!<p> I am not much for the high heel thing anymore and wear flip-flops with skirts and Capri’s mostly in the hot months. I also like wearing tennis shoes! As far as vintage clothing goes I still like comfort over style but try to bring both into the picture whenever possible, if I had to settle for just one of those two choices it would be comfort every time.<p>Hey Carol, I am from the same side of town as you.....what town do you live in? I am from that notorious place called Tacoma—and yes it was very hot yesterday!

 

Sounds like most of us go for comfort. One thing I never wear is high heels. The last time I wore three inch heels I couldn't get out of bed the following day because my back was literally screaming in pain. So it's flats for me.

rj - I'm thirty miles NE of you in the (not so little anymore) town of Maple Valley.

Carol

 

I'm not much on discomfort. Having grown up in the sweltering South before air-conditioning was standard in everyone's homes and winters could be as painful (again, no central heat & air), I like to be comfy.

I also grew up with girdles and garter belts and bullet bras and pointed shoes (I don't know which was more pointed - my boobs or my feet). Believe it or not, the invention of pantyhose was a big improvement in comfort! You can just imagine a gal of 5'9" who could barely get stockings long enough in the first place, let alone shortening skirts to within the "I see Paris, I see France" stage.

Comfort.

Always.

Come in the door & off come the shoes, usually the clothes, and most likely the bra too (unless I know I'll be going out again later and it would be more of a pain to put it on again). Sorry, Jonathan, more than you wanted to know, I'm sure.

Comfort.

Yep.

 

What a great thread!

I've been known to almost cease breathing and to wear shoes small enough to produce immediate cramping through most of the legs. :P That was before foot surgery (and, hey, I'm in my 30s), though.

I most have to say that GAD you make me miss Austin, cosmic! I had three pairs of luscious cowboy boots that I used to wear with vintage dresses (black snake; tomato-red cowhide; and tan cowhide with chocolate, roach-killer, lizard tips), there, that are all gone the eBay way, now.

Steph

 

I grew up in the sweltering south before air conditioning too. Gad, it's painful to remember how uncomfortable we were in our pointy bras, garter belts, stockings, and high heels..oh, yes, I forgot, our slips!
I wore my first high heels + hose and garter belt to my Granddad's funeral. I was 13 and had begged and begged Mom to let me get high heels (they were really French heels) and to let me wear stockings etc. She finally relented and the first time I got to wear my grown up outfit was at the funeral. Well, it was in a packed country church, in Texas, on the hottest September 8th in history....105 degrees. Needless to say, the church had no air conditioning. I literally begged and pleaded with Mom (during the services!) to let me go outside or to the bathroom and take off the blasted hose and garters. Her wise response was "Jo Ann, you couldn't wait to grow up and wear grown up clothes. NOW you have to learn about the discomfort you must bear in doing so."
Enough said. I was scarred for life.
GIVE ME COMFORT!
joey