Dear Vintage Goddess...

Dear Vintage Goddess,

I'm writing to say that I'm actually really tired of seeing "vintagey" things everywhere I go.  It's in the magazines, stores, furniture etc.  Why is this such a big trend and when will it go away?  I'm ready for something fresh and new, not recycled boring!!

I love your revamped blogs.  I mainly go to your website to get my daily giggle or thought provoking story.

Kimberly H.

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Dear Kimberly,

Retro Inspired
Modern technology

Love your letter.  I love the honesty and your thoughts.  Why do we love vintage so much these days?  Aside from the lovely garments and accessories which are featured on our website, people seem to really love the juxtaposition of old design and new technology - or old design combined with current sensibilities.  But you're right, why do certain decades seem to be really all the rage these day?

I think that too many chefs can ruin a broth.  Today's market is completely saturated with retro and vintage inspired gadgets and copies.  There's too much of a good thing happening now and the overexposure is causing this negative backlash.

I think that people like to feel nostalgic and the young people of today almost don't feel like vintage and retro things are old.  We look at it as the past comforting us in cool, fashionable ways in our present.  We hear a new mix from an old song and those of us who know the original tune, hear that, whereas the younger people hear it as a completely new song. 



"Mad Men" cast
A big reason for retro popularity

But to answer your question of why certain decades seem really popular and when will it go away?  This current movement is not just in the fashion industry, it's in furniture, industrial design and many others.  A widespread phenomenon like this didn't happen overnight.  It was years and years of building.  The 1950's and 1960's are far away from present to become mythologized and romanticized.  That's as good a reason as any.  When will it all go away?  I'm already seeing signs of it happening.  But watch out!  Another big trend is around the corner.  Let's have fun with it and embraced it!

Carol

OBSESSION OR JUST DRESS-UP?

listal.com

On a recent episode of Anderson, he did a segment on a 23 old woman who is literally obsessed with living a 1950's lifestyle.  She was as uncomfortable with current fashions as her grandmother would have been. 

Sitting prettily on the stage, this woman, let's call her Amy, looked like she was magically transported from a glamorous pin-up poster.  Her boyfriend said that she was the real deal.  In the 2 years that they have dating, he had never seen her out of 1950's clothing.  Her home was like a Smithsonian exhibit as well.  Amy said that from the age of 13, she went into the past and stayed there.  She loved her grandmother's clothes and everything from that era.

womens-fashion.lovetoknow.com

As much as the notion of beaming into the past appeals to me, Amy's mindset seemed a little too obsessive.  I felt she is hiding in plain sight from whatever she might be scared of in present day.  She would rather be in a permanent fantasy stasis than live in the today and now.

As part of the show's program, Amy was sent backstage to be "transformed" into a woman of 2012.  The team dressed her in skinny jeans, cute top, trendy dangly jewellery and reinvented wedge shoes.  Amy re-entered the stage looking very awkward.  Her boyfriend and audience responded very favourably to her make-over.  But Amy was looking uncomfortable in her new skin.  I thought she looked really age appropriate without the pancake face make-up, complicated up do and crinoline dress.  She had been trying too hard.  Amy liked her new look but couldn't wait to reverse the affects of her appearance.  She wasn't comfortable without her mask to hide behind.  Admiration of all things vintage should enhance one's life, not act as a security blanket.

Is Amy living in an unhealthy fantasy land?  Probably.  That funny little expression from Oscar Wilde comes to mind:
"Everything in moderation including moderation."


Carol

Paris Fashion in the 1950s

What a great video this is! I even love the music, although it's 20 years earlier :-)

Enjoy fashions in Paris and then head over to British Pathe for more archival footage.

 Très élégant!

The Golden Age of Customer Service

I was in the shopping mall the other day with my niece. We walked into Abercrombie and Fitch, her absolute favorite store. While I too enjoy the styles (very nautical for spring and summer 2012) I was distressed at the customer service.

Nothing new here I'm sure for all my readers, we have all experienced awful customer service at one time or another. However, this one was funny, annoying, perplexing, bewildering and confusing all at once. 

As I approached the cashier to make my purchase for my niece, the young lady said to me, "Yo, what events up?"

I felt like a tourist in a country where I did not know the customs.

I realize teen slang has been around for generations. Perhaps I'm old. I'm also a stickler for grammar, but I was sideswiped and found myself not knowing how to answer her, not to mention mildly annoyed. I recognized the words - just not in that order.

Which makes me think of the golden days of customer service. The last of that being in the 60s where a lady or gent would head to their store of choice and be waited upon by more than one salesperson. Often an appointment would be needed, whereupon outfits would be presented (often on live models no less!) in front of the prospective customer. One received the clerks undivided attention.

Sigh.

While I don't need nor have the time to make an appointment, a full sentence and a little attention would be nice.

1920s lilac silk flapper dress

The Tender Trap

While watching the movie, "The Tender Trap" starring Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds, I was reminded of why I love vintage clothing, but not necessarily vintage ways.

Being a modern and very independent woman, there are often moments in old movies that make me cringe. In this movie in particular, the Debbie Reynolds character insists that a woman is unfulfilled unless married with children and living in the perfect house. After of course, the proper courtship with perfect romantic evenings spent gazing into each other's eyes under a peach tree. Frank Sinatra must bring candy and flowers, meet her parents and sit at the end of the couch. All the while Debbie Reynolds plans to reform his ways, make a man of him and eventually get married.

Whew, that's a lot of work for a man! Something this woman does not agree with. My apologies if any of my dear readers disagree with me...but while I love watching old movies, I need to keep an open mind. Times have changed and I for one am happy that we are embracing the fashions of the past. But let's just keep it to the fashion's shall we?

According to the plot line, a woman at age 33 has slim pickin's when it comes to finding a man. She is considered old. Well if she's old, I must be dead.There are apparently not a lot of worse things that can happen to a woman at that age. Notice how no one mentions a man at that age. This is where my woman power comes to the fore and gets a little annoyed. Double standards were rampant then, yet they still exist today - but that's another post! This is a convenient time capsule and a pleasant enough movie, but extremely dated!

Enjoy the fashions from 1955. (by the way, the Hollywood ending prevails - they get married and live happily ever after)

David Wayne and Celeste Holm - perfectly coiffed!

Debbie Reynolds with a floral cotton dress and matching cardigan.

Here is the movie trailer. The best part is the theme song sung by Old Blue Eyes himself. Enjoy!

Stand By Your Superhero



tripoetry.com



Vern: Do you think Mighty Mouse could beat up Superman?

Teddy: What are you, cracked?

Vern: Why not? I saw the other day. He was carrying five elephants in one hand!

Teddy: Boy, you don't know nothing! Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman's a real guy. There's no way a cartoon could beat up a real guy.

Vern: Yeah, maybe you're right. It'd be a good fight, though.




bing.com



I love these lines from the movie "Stand By Me".  These boys were on the cusp of adolescence, unaware that their child-like innocence would soon be gone.  We seem to currently be in a love fest with vintage and retro superheros.  Recently a remake of "The Green Lantern" scored top box office earnings.  Not too long ago the "Green Hornet" made its cinematic debut as well.  I think they're doing yet another Spider Man and more Superman movies.  The 1980's were all about beefy men fighting the bad guys.  The 1990's were filled with martial artists who became the main protagonists.  The new millennium gave way to more technically assisted heroes such as the "X-men" franchise and animated action figures.

All things retro being so current these days, it's no wonder that "old school" superheros are coming back in vogue.  I've always loved the heroes who walk among us like Clark Kent, Peter Parker and Matt Murdock (Daredevil).  Humanizing these godly figures makes them far more attractive and accessible.

I like that along with retro and vintage fashion, architecture, furniture and music, it's great to see that our superheros are not forgotten.  



Adventure Comics #319 Legion of Superheros, Fine



Superheroes Fashion and Fantasy Book



Vintage 50s Navy Blue Full Lucy Soutache Braid Dress S

Vintage retro MARVEL COMICS SUPERHEROS 3/4 t-shirt