Monday, December 6, 2010

A Love/Hate Affair



Have you ever noticed when you pick up a new album there are a few songs you love instantly, and a couple you either hate, or just think are a bit "eh", but then after time end up loving the most and loving them forever? I find myself the same way with style periods. I used to think the "romantic era" was dumbest period of fashion EVER! But something happened and now it's one of my favorites.

The same thing with vintage fashion. My personal rule is once hats and gloves cease being the norm, then it's all just too modern for me. Out of the "styles before gloves vanished" I used to kinda find the late 50's/early 60's styles borderline to disliked till recently...

I don't know why but lately I've been loving a bit of late 50's/early 60's style (maybe Madmen madness has struck me too?) I kinda like how everything is a little bigger, brighter and super feminine. It all seems really playful, still smart and a formal, but with a little bit of girlyness.

Over the weekend I took my silver brocade cocktail dress out for a spin with a full parure of paste gems, and big up swept hair. It felt great to wear and very "me" somehow. I don't know maybe as much as I love the serious 40's styles and admire those elegant 1930's sylphs I was just born to be a bouffant and bright pink lips kinda girl? We shall see!

One thing for sure, I'm on the hunt for some polka dot gloves and bigger lashes in the mean time! ♥

What about you guys? Do you always stay faithful to one particular period or like to play around? Are there styles you used to hate but came to love? I'd love to read more about every one elses love affairs with fashion of the past!

8 comments:

  1. I love so many time periods 'm still trying to figure out how to adapt them all into my style. I like Rococo, Victorian/steam punk, the 20s-60s and a little bit 80s goth. so yeah.

    I used to just hate the 80s, but know i see it has a kinda charm

    Sadly most places that sell cloths I like, don't come in my size, so it seams I will need to learn to sew.

    WINK WINK hey Viv, you should carry plus sizes WINK WINK ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've always been kinda all over the map. One of my favorite dresses is a Renaissance-era style dress (actually, I have several period-style outfits, I used to do re-enactment stuff), but I also have a collection of Gunne Sax dresses from the 1970's, which I love wearing.

    And then I have some lolita stuff.

    I guess the thing that all my favorite fashions have in common is full skirts. I don't know why I love them so much, but I always have. I think part of the reason I fell in love with lolita is that I finally found a fashion that put enough fabric in their skirts/dresses. I occasionally look at ModCloth, and I'm always finding dresses that are lovely....and I always wish there was about half a yard more fabric in the skirt. *sigh*

    When I made my first lolita-esque skirt, it had a half-elastic waistband and the side seams were the selvages, and when I was done I was just thrilled to find that it was so dang easy to make the kind of skirts I like!

    Thank goodness I just got a vintage Singer machine. With a ruffle foot. Whee!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the late 50s early 60s too! I think it was there before Mad Men, but it's just been reinforced by my total obsession with that show, now. I find it an interesting period because of how most people usually think of the 1960s - hippies, ugly dresses, ugly colors, weird shapes, but those things didn't come in until later in the decade, and they never came in for various sets of people. It's the architecture of the dresses, and the luxurious fabrics, the boat necks and flattering waists. Mmmm, delicious!

    Your brocade dress (and dresses) look amaaaazing, very period and beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i've always thought the world would be stunning for a return to Japanese Heian fashion (long hair, layered robes, poetry) for just one day. +)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm also plus sized so not much fits me. I find I hate the 70's styles the most. But yet i love bell bottomed pants a ton. The flair on the leg just seems so flattering to me.

    ReplyDelete
  6. To be honest there is not much that doesn't interest me. And as other plus sized women know it's hard getting hold of vintage items that will fit and look good. Even sewing dresses when you are a real hourglass shape can be difficult.
    That said, the 18th century, the 20s and the 50s and early 60s have me in thrall at the moment. Being female in the 21st century means I can have it all doesn't it? Well apart from the issue of money I mean!

    ReplyDelete
  7. BTW Divine brocade dress! Absolutely the BOMB!

    ReplyDelete
  8. For the longest time I preferred fashions before the Hobble-skirts. I had a "Meh" kind of relationship with the last century's fashion. I have always LOVED Victorian (later Victorian) fashion and Rococo, but, like you, I have recently become enamored of the 1940s-early 1960s era. Perhaps it is my love affair with petticoats...

    ReplyDelete

 

Based on layout and code by Lena