Friday, November 7, 2008

Pitfalls of Vintage Clothing

I love vintage clothing. I love the evolution of style over time. I love contemplating how old an article of clothing is based on color and fabric. I love the workmanship. I never wear vintage clothing.

One reason I never wear vintage clothing is my height. I'm nearly six feet tall and that's gigantic for the Edwardian/art deco styles that really attract my attention. This lovely gown is from 1908.

From the measurements given, I'd estimate it to be about a size 0 or 2. At 53 inches in length from shoulder to floor, it's going to be slightly below knee length on me. If I could get it buttoned.

Another reason I never wear vintage clothing, as much as I love it, is that "vintage clothing" now includes items of clothing that I have worn back in the day. It's one thing to wear something from the early half of the 20th century, IE, before I was born, but it's another thing to wear something that I remember from high school.

Here's a pattern from the early 1960's. Not only did I sew this, but I wore it. A lot.

Don't you love the way the skirt is split to reveal the shorts underneath in the view on the left? I fought long and hard with my mother to let me hem it up shorter than the pattern shows. Should I mention that I used fabric in a navy blue print with large, dinner plate size daisies for the skirt and top? Groovy! Let's not even discuss a Carnaby Street style dress I made and wore extensively in high school that would make vintage clothing collectors drool if it still existed. (it may still exist, somewhere. I hope I never find it.) It was a cool burnt orange and orange checked plaid with white collar and cuffs, set off by a kelly green man's style tie. Yeah, baby!

Have you ever seen a picture of someone like Vera Wang with one of her over-the-top creations?



Lovely, lovely gown. I wish I could have found a large picture so you could really appreciate it. But check out Vera. She's got a black, ready-for-action outfit on, minimal makeup, and a low maintenance hair do. Vera Wang can create her ultimate fantasy gown, but when it comes down to day to day life, she's going for comfort and convenience. Sort of like my admiration of vintage clothing.