When you love vintage fashion, the people you know and love who don’t quite get it, are always pretty fascinated by us. Many find us a little “odd”, something I sometimes revel in. (Who wants to be “normal” anyway?) But then the questioning starts…..
So is that like a dead person’s clothes?
Maybe. If you are wearing 1940s clothes then it more than likely belonged to some amazing woman or man who is no longer with us. Does this matter? Hell no. The fact that we are recycling is something to be applauded not ridiculed. It is wonderful that clothes made 80 years ago are still a) in one piece and b) still stylish.
Vintage smells all fusty doesn’t it?
Well it can do, but us vintage fashion fans don’t actually want to go around smelling so work hard to restore and care for our clothing. We painstakingly hand wash it, hang it so it cannot be damaged – we look after it which is more than we can say for the fast fashion generation.
Oh but vintage only comes in small sizes?
This one is a tough one to answer as often the wonderful pieces out there are very small (remember in the 1950s ladies wore tight girdles to get that smaller waist) however women did come in all shapes and sizes before the 21st century. There are larger sizes out there – you just have to look for them. And if you really cannot find you size, how about making your fashion using original sewing patterns?
Nice shirt mate, is that an original?
Yes it is. And?
Don’t tell me, you got that amazing frock for 50p from a charity shop?
(Because vintage is second hand so therefore cheap?)
Finding a vintage dress is hard enough in a charity shop, and if you are lucky to, it probably won’t be dirt cheap. People who think we are being cheap by wearing vintage seriously have NO IDEA.
Oh vintage is so expensive isn’t it?
Er, didn’t you just say it was cheap? An original 1930s dress won’t be cheap (it is nearly 100 years old after all) but expect to pay for a non designer vintage dress the same amount as some people pay on the higher end high street. Or go to a vintage fair and spend a lot less – either way, what you spend on your fashion has nothing to do with anyone else!
Why you not wearing vintage today then?
So we are weird if we wear it, and when we don’t it seems to be an issue too? Boy we cannot win! Yes sometimes we wear modern clothes – to the gym, to lounge about it. Sometimes because we just feel like it.
Is your underwear vintage too?
No.
Where did you get that from?
So they berate us for being different then they are desperate to find out where to get that cool jacket from. And deep down you know that even if you told them they wouldn’t be able to shop there. It is just too “weird”.
Why do you wear fancy dress?
Now this is my favourite! We are not wearing fancy dress – like am I at a fancy dress party right now while on the school run? We wear vintage fashion for many reasons such as it is more ethical, it is unique, it makes us feel good…..but we are definitely not wearing it to be in fancy dress!
Or sometimes they just stare.
Just stare back.
