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How to avoid turning vintage into frumpy
Fashion faux pas that turn "vintage" into "frumpy"
Just like mini skirts and harem pants, the vintage revival trend has taken its fair share of victims. Like any major fashion trend, there is always a right and wrong way to participate, and unfortunately many have used vintage fashion as a means to completely escape the bounds of reality. If you've ever rounded the corner on your way home from work and spotted someone who looks like they've just stepped out of a black and white movie reel, then you know what I'm talking about. Let's discuss those fashion faux pas that can turn your vintage look into a total disaster.
Moderation
Remember, you're building an outfit, not a costume for a movie taking place in 1964. While you want to slightly reference an era gone by, you don't want to look like you just woke up from a forty year nap, and stepped outside to discover the future. Choose only one or two vintage pieces per outfit, and emphasize them by toning down the rest of your look. It's just like eating the whole box of cookies; too much of a good thing will inevitably turn you into a slob. Don't do it. Speaking of slobs, vintage clothes with poor fit, fabric, stains, holes, or tears are just as unacceptable as modern clothes with similar ailments. You wouldn't buy a new blazer with a hole under the arm, so don't crack just because it's vintage.
Mix vintage with modern staples
While you may be in total infatuation with say, disco fashion from the 1970's, you need to refrain from going all out in 70's garb. Throughout your day, you're still going to be required to take part in modern society, and people will probably think you're a quack if you show up to work looking like you belong in a Gloria Gaynor music video. To remedy this, be sure to mix your vintage pieces with modern staples. If you love disco fashion, then wear a bold pendant necklace with a t-shirt and jeans, or throw on retro platform shoes with a little black dress. Remember the rule of moderation; a good vintage outfit should be about 20% vintage and 80% modern.
Elevate your taste level
If you wander blind-folded out into the middle of a busy street at rush
hour, you'll probably get hit by a bus. The same principle applies to fashion.
Do not attempt to blindly go where you've never gone before. After all, even
style icons and it-girls have their share of faux pas, and
they're probably exposed to the fashion world a lot more than you are from your
10x12 cubicle or the front seat of your full-sized sedan while carting your
kids to soccer practice. Find someone fashionable that you can look up to,
preferably someone with a job, similar body type, and considered normal by
their peers. Noticing what looks good on them will help you determine what will
look good on you. Also, try to develop a signature style instead of a
schizophrenic one. Working too many different themes into your outfits will
make you look an asylum escapee instead of a fashion maven.
Use these tips to glide smoothly through the vintage revival, or apply this advice to any new fashion trends on the horizon and it should be smooth sailing.
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Comments (9)
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Tue Jun 7, 2011 - 9:51 pm
This is me. I want to be vintage, but I end up looking like the charity shop I just left. I laughed out loud at this line "While you want to slightly reference an era gone by, you don't want to look like you just woke up from a forty year nap". I;ve decided I will be Kirsty Allsopp, British TV presenter, home maker, all round big girl who wears what she wants and always looks good. But in a permanent-prom-dress sort of way. Google her.Reply -
2 replies, Last reply by UleyGirl on Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 2:39 pm
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Report Sat Jun 11, 2011 - 5:16 pmI agree with Morgan, that whole paragraph sounded wrong, what the heck is normal anyway? Normal in whose eyes? The reason why people like wearing vintage to begin with is to be different, and different is NOT "society normal". So people that like expressing themselves through vintage clothes, and express not only what they would consider art, but themselves, are not normal?... So as long as society says that what you are wearing is acceptable then you are normal, haha. I'd rather be 'abnormal', period. Re-read your articles after you have written them, "Normal" is perception, and the world is perceived differently by every human being, therefore you cannot try and make people see things the same way that you do. And really what does that have to do with anything? There are a lot of people that are pretty messed up in the head and dress nicely, so think about that.Reply -
Report Sat Jun 11, 2011 - 8:50 am"Find someone fashionable that you can look up to, preferably someone with a job, similar body type, and considered normal by their peers" How does that have anything to do with avoiding looking frumpy? Most people who wear vintage in a stylish way aren't "normal" and that's a good thing. WTF is normal anyway?Reply
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Report Fri Jun 10, 2011 - 6:59 amHey Guys! Thanks so much for the comments, I had fun writing this article. To see more of my stuff check out my blog at www.GoodwillHuntingg.com.Reply
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Wed Jun 8, 2011 - 10:02 pm
Wouldn't it be great if vintage stores had personal shoppers or stylists so that they could tell you when you looked hip and when you just looked like a refugee.Reply -
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Wed Jun 8, 2011 - 10:24 am
Oh, I've made some real blunders Vintage wise ! Luckily, cheap ones tho'. I just go for what suits me now. Vintage can mean so many things now - ie crimpolene dresses from M&S - ugh!Reply -
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Tue Jun 7, 2011 - 11:10 pm
"try to develop a signature style instead of a schizophrenic one" - eek! Guilty as charged.......Reply
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