Category: Closet

Vintage Style: Black and White

Monochromatic, and shoeless.
Monochromatic, and shoeless.

As you have probably guessed, I wear a lot of vintage, or vintage-style, or vintagey-looking clothes. I also wander around a modern city, doing modern person things. This series of posts demonstrates how I do it.

It’s easy to dismiss fashion as frivolous, materialistic, and vain. I know I’ve always felt vaguely uncomfortable with how much I’m interested in clothing, as though it makes me a shallow person, or somehow less serious. But as I’ve thought about it, I’ve come to these conclusions:

  • We decide what to put on every day. It might as well be something that makes us happy.
  • I love reading about other people’s style choices, and I know I’m not alone.
  • Personal style is a means of expression. I’m not going to call it art, exactly, but it’s definitely creative. And I think that has value.
  • Liking pretty dresses doesn’t mean you aren’t aware of problems in the world.

There we go.

So this outfit was put together for a night at the theatre. I like it. It’s casual, but nice. It looks vintage but not costumed. It’s comfy. Definitely a combo I’ll repeat.

It consists of:

Dress: Thrift Shop (label says dBy Ltd.) I’d guess it’s fairly recently constructed. I bought it in 2011. It looks quite 1950’s, all shirtdressy and polka dotted.

Cardigan: Ann Taylor (on very significant sale)

Stockings: Hand-me-down. (I’d bet you they’re at Taboo Tabou, though)

Bag: Also the thrift store. Made by who knows? I paid $3 for it.

Shoes you can’t see: Angel Steps, Margie in black.

The shoes look like this. 

Vintage Underwear Day 1 & 2: It Begins

November 1,  2014. The Dawn of the Girdle.

Okay, so it isn’t that dramatic. Yesterday was the first day of the Vintage Underwear Challenge. It went pretty well.

I wore:

  • A pretty serious girdle, of unknown date, of possibly French or Canadian manufacture. I got it at a clothing swap a year or so ago. It has a u-shaped piece of boning on the tummy panel, and fastens at the side.
  • A long line bra of a sort of bullety variety, that I had altered. From eBay. Probably from the 50’s. Heavy elastic waist band.

I wore leggings over my girdle, because it was cold. I have decided that is legit. I wore it underneath for photos, because the world (or at least my mother) does not need to look at pictures of my bits.

I am making a ridiculous face, so as not to appear sexy.
I am making a ridiculous face, so as not to appear sexy.

 

Activities Completed in This Get Up:

  • Rode in a car.
  • Saw a play.
  • Walked a bunch.
  • Ate a lot of nachos.
  • Wore it for a good 10ish hours.

Notes:

  • It really wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt like a gentle hug around my middle, without being terribly obtrusive.
  • Running to cross the street requires adjustment. I had to bring my legs straight up and down like a show pony, rather than extend my legs in front of me. I am sure this looked super dignified.
  • This ensemble definitely created more of a waist than I actually have, a teensy bit lower than my actual waist. I am unsure of what I think of this.

 

November 2, Return of the Girdle

Today, I wore:

  • A much lighter “roll on” style girdle, with heavy-duty stocking clips. Obtained from eBay.
  • Long-line bra, from a clothing swap.
  • Vassarette stockings (from eBay, in original packaging).
Voila!
Voila!

Activities Completed in This Get Up:

  • Walked short distances.
  • Went to a party.
  • Wore about 8 hours.

Notes:

  • It was warmer today, but not warm enough to just wear stockings. I think I’ll eventually make a pair of bloomers, but for now, I chopped off the legs of an old pair of long johns. They came down to my stocking tops, and kept me quite comfy.
  • Real stockings are way, way sturdier than the kind sold for costumes.
  • Again, nothing felt too confining or uncomfortable.
Long john solution!
Long john solution!

So far, so good. Of course, it’s only been two days!