By request: Advice on vintage fashion for women over 40

Every now and then someone suggests a post topic that while I feel I have the theoretical knowhow to write about, I pause before doing so simply because I don't think that I have enough firsthand, real world experience with the subject matter yet.

My lovely friend and Canadian author Elinor Florence recently brought up the subject on my personal Facebook page of (me writing) a post on the topic of vintage fashions for mature women. Several ladies of varying ages, myself included, weighed in on the topic, and it didn’t take long for me to decide that I would love to tackle this far too infrequently discussed subject matter.

Though I don't consider myself to be of a so-called mature age in so much as fashion is concerned yet, I've certainly reflected on this topic many times since Elinor first raised it and decided  I would proceed to take her up on her request, even though I don’t have any first hand experience in this area yet in so much as being a woman in her 40s, 50s, 60s, etc and wearing vintage clothing is concerned. I hope that I will do both it, and those in this age range who sport or are currently thinking about starting to wear vintage styles, justice.

First and foremost, I genuinely believe that one can, and should, wear anything that their heart desires regardless of age. As long as you're happy, comfortable, and not hurting anyone or being culturally insensitive with your attire, the sky is the limit whether you're 18 or 98! A point that I've touched in numerous posts over the years, such as 2014's Dress Like a Cupcake Should Feel.

That said, objectively, there are certain styles, colours, garments, and even, one could argue, decades that typically suit certain ages better than others. Plus things such as one's choice of makeup, hair colour and style, jewelry, and even shoes can all go a long way towards creating an age appropriate look. We'll be delving these kinds of points in today's post, but first...


How do you define a mature woman?

What exactly constitutes a mature woman in terms of age in today's society? With the average female life expectancy continually rising and people frequently remaining healthier and more active into the golden years, the somewhat general age that I feel many early and mid-century fashion magazines, catalogs and designers designated as starting to fall under the mature header (40 - 45+ a lot of the time), may no longer ring as true. Does a mature lady now replace the rather unflattering term of a "matronly woman" and thus apply to those over 60 - 65 years of age or is a catch-all for those aged forty and over?





I'm leery as the day is long to put labels onto ages or people, but for the sake of simplicity, I will opt for the vintage starting point and say that this term applies primarily to those who are currently 40 years or older. Of course, if you're in the 30s and feel that it applies to you, by all means, avail of the advice here today (at 30 going on 31 next month, I swear I've already starting living and dressing with some of these tips in mind myself). And by the same token, if you're fifty-five, say, and don't feel like these points apply much to you or that you haven't reached a point yet where you're keen to think of yourself in this broad age bracket, then certainly hold off on doing so.

These are general pointers for stylish ladies of all ages, especially those who have reached mid-life or older. I cannot stress enough that they are not hard and fast rules in the slightest, but rather generalizations and guidelines based on a lifetime of studying fashion and beauty and understanding the art that goes into each, as well as how to make them work for oneself as much as possible.

In order to address the wearing of vintage fashion by those of a mature age today, it's important to first look backwards to the years or the early and mid-twentieth century (the 1900s through to the early 1960s). This was an exciting, wonderful, creative time for style and just as more and more mass produced garments were flooding the market and fashion was taking a stronghold in the public eye through the new found media of movies, so too were more distinct categories of clothing for women of different ages beginning to emerge.






Flip through just about any catalog with women's fashions from the 1920s - 1960s and you're bound to see clothing sized for, and aimed at, no less than three categories of women: Juniors (usually for teens and slender younger women under 30), Misses (for gals in their 20s - 40s+), and Women's styles, sometimes also called "fashions for the older (or graceful) lady" geared towards those aged 40 - 50 and up.

Though I don't doubt for a nanosecond that women from each of these general groups shopped from the others at least sometimes, these fashion categories were intended to help a lady find and buy garments and accessories that the style powers that be at the time felt were suitable for her figure, lifestyle, and in some cases, income, too.

It was widely accepted and acknowledged back in those days that a woman's style developed and matured as she aged and that a sixteen year old was not expected to dress with the same degree of grace and formality per se as her forty year old aunt or school teacher, for example. Not only did a lady's fashion sense deepen as she matured, but so too did her beauty in many cases (a point the French were especially big on).

Vogue even had a stylish middle aged encroaching on senior woman they dubbed simply Mrs. Exeter (pictured below), who not only dished about stylish advice for her well dressed peers, but who appeared on the cover the magazine not once, but twice (see this great piece from the Guardian's Invisible Woman fashion over 40 style blog for more on the history of this chic mid-age and mid-century lady).




Very few mature women back in the day would have ever considered sporting styles intended for a teenager, but that doesn't mean they all went full Whistler's Mother the moment they hit menopause either. As a lady aged, her figure often changed, as might her hair colour, and it was important that she continually dressed in ways that flattered these points and ensured she still looked like a respectable member of society. The demands of her daily life might have be different by the time her 40s came along and she may have had more formal social functions to attend, particularly if she was a part of of the middle to upper class.

Her daytime wardrobe, whether for the house or afternoons out, likely differed from her (usually more formal - but not always, think hostess gowns, for example) evening attire and rarely the two did meet in terms of the main garments at least (stockings, shoes, handbags, hats, and some jewelry may have done double duty). Nowadays few of us, even those who wear vintage regularly or all the time, maintain such strict rules with when we sport our clothes, but that doesn't mean we can't take a note or two from our foremothers who adopted this approach, especially as we age and enter an even more sophisticated period of our lives.

Time and time again I've heard ladies in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond say things to the extent of that they don't know how to wear vintage and/or that vintage is a young person's game. I would strongly argue against those points. When we don vintage clothing, we are emulating or drawing inspiration from decades past and in those very years, women of all ages certainly wore clothing - it was not, silly as this may sound, reserved just for the young. Nor is vintage today merely the realm of the youth crowd by any means.

Though many vintage reproduction companies and those making vintage inspired pieces do tailor their offerings to a younger audience, there are still vintage appropriate pieces to be had from some of these brands that suit the woman who is 40 years or older excellently (some which include Heyday, Revival, Freddies of Pinewood, Blue Velvet Vintage, The Victorian Trading Company, American Duchess, Puttin' On The Ritz, and 20th Century Foxy, to name but a few such companies that carry a selection of styles that work well for most folks who are middle aged or older).

And certainly genuine vintage and classic, timeless pieces such as those in my 2013 post A beginner's Guide to Buying and Wearing Vintage Appropriate Clothes offer a wealth of possibilities for the mature vintage fashionista.


Key points to keep in mind:

-Vintage has no age limits! Though some older women, particularly those above age sixty fear that folks will think that they are woefully out-of-sync with modern fashion by intentionally sporting old school styles, do not let this stop you from doing so for a split second. The only thing that truly matters when it comes to fashion is how you feel and what you think about your look.

That said, if this is a concern, you may find yourself feeling more comfortable when you wear one or two vintage items in the context of an outfit that also includes modern pieces. For example, a contemporary sheath dress sported with an art deco bangle bracelet and 1920s piano shawl for a cocktail party or a 1950s wool 49er jacket with 21st century bootcut jeans and classic lace-up leather boots for an autumn walk through your neighbourhood park.


-Another potential way to help try and skip over this perceived issue is to dress from decades prior to when you were born. So if you were a child in the 70s, you might want to stick with 1950s fashions, for example. Born in the early 60s, how about some chic, elegant 1930s or 40s threads for you?

If it's clear that you're too young to be from the era your wardrobe hails from, it may cut down on some people (at least those who know the basics of fashion history) assuming you're just wearing really old clothes and dressing "grandmotherly" (a term that personally, I've never been comfortable using in a derogatory context - one only has to look at websites like Advanced Style to quickly see that plenty of grandmas and great-grandmothers alike have killer style that can knocks the socks of that of scores of women several decades their junior!).


-Getting older actually allows you to rock certain styles that may have seemed matronly or overly conservative at an early age. Case in point, a fabulous Chanel suit might look akin to a little girl playing dress up in her mom's closet on a seventeen year old, but on a forty-seven year old it’s pure fashion perfection! The mature woman has the curves, poise and engrained elegance that comes from age that makes her as well suited for that garment as if Coco herself were sporting it.





-Generally speaking, one's skin texture and sometimes even colour (to a small degree) changes over time. Fabrics that once suited taught twenty year old skin to a tee, may not be kind to that of a seventy-fire year old. Gravitate towards fabrics like medium weight cottons, denim, tweed, velvet, stiffer silks, rayons that drape and flatter, well tailored linen, corduroy, knits, crepe, and in some cases, sequined or beaded materials, amongst others. Nylons, spandex, thin silks, gauzy fabrics, chiffon, tulle, and in some cases satin/sateen, to name a few, are fabrics that you may wish to gradually start phasing out or only wearing selectively in the context of an outfit that includes some of the more flattering materials mentioned above.


-Play up your best features and downplay those that you're not wild about. If you love your long, slender neck, reach for pearls, strings of crystals, ropes of gold and silver, scarves, and high necklines. If your waist is a point of pride, continue to sport figure flattering cuts, belts, princess cut garments, and styles that highlight this slender part of your body. By the same token, if you're, say, top heavy, don't opt for a sheer white blouse or slinky sleeveless shirt. Employee common sense and a second opinion from a trusted friend or relative when in doubt.


-There is a fine line between dressing too young or too old in the eyes of society and for women today, many of whom, as touched on above, are remaining active and looking vivacious later and later in life, it can be downright challenging to know where that thin line lays. When in doubt, it can help to veer towards the more mature side of things, but again, use your best judgment. It's served you well for decades now and chances are it's there to help on the fashion front, too.




-If you opt to wear vintage style makeup, ensure that it is flattering to your current age, complexion and hair colour. Unless you use coloured contacts, your eye colour is unlikely to change much with age, but that too (your eye colour) should always be kept in mind when getting dressed and putting on your makeup. Generally speaking, softer shades, such as taupe, grey, cream, buff, nudes, light browns, and whisper soft plums and sages suit mature faces superbly on the eyes.

Brown mascara, instead of black, may also be more flattering and is apt to really compliment those kinds of shadow colours. All can work in the context of a mid-century vintage look. For lips, which may thin or loose some of their fullness with age, outline and fill them in with either matching or clear lip liner and then use a lipstick brush to apply a becoming colour. Red, soft roses, tawny browns, and for some ladies, pale corals and call be strikingly lovely colours as their faces age.

Continue to moisturize frequently, wear sunscreen every day, avail of products designed to help combat the signs of aging if desired, and seek a dermatologist's help if problems as such rosacea or chronic dry skin appear. As skin thins with time, you may find you need less, not more, foundation and powder (or similar products). A light dusting of a good quality powder and perhaps a little highlighter or bronzer and/or blush may take the place of a whole slew of products that a twenty-five year old would be apt to wear.

For evening and formal occasions, you can certainly branch out more, but always try to aim for sophisticated, not shocking, with your makeup choices, regardless of the time of day.





-By the same token, if you're aiming for vintage hairstyles, mile high Victory Rolls or blunt Betty bangs might seem a bit out of place on a sixty-seven year old (though, to be fair, I have seen some older ladies rock Betty bangs superbly - it really depends on your face shape and overall degree of vintage style).

Some vintage hairstyles that may flatter and work well for mature women include, but are certainly not limited to, marcel waves, middy cuts set with pin curls into a flattering, face framing shape; pixie cuts (though these can easily read as very, very young, so proceed with caution), buns, chignons/French rolls, back rolls (see Tasha's great how-to post for tips on how to nail this classic 1940s style), and hair of any length tucked under a chic turban.

If your hair and makeup are both age and vintage appropriate, it will do wonders to help create a cohesive old school look when you slip on your clothing and accessories, and may also help strangers to quickly understand that you're intentionally dressing this way, not (to their mind) merely out of touch with today's fashion scene.


-Accessories can look amazing on older women, especially hats. I don't know what it is about a face that has lived life, but so many of them, made all the more beautiful by the the lines they've developed, look absolutely sublime when topped with a vintage hat. By the same token, gloves are always a vintage must-have and one that can be a great way of disguising your hands, if you're not keen on how they're looking with age.

Scarves, which can be worn in a multitude of different ways, are often amazing for mature ladies and indeed, rarely did a well dressed woman over 40 sport a suit without one in the 1950s. By the same token, furs, real or faux, can add instant elegant and regal-ness to any look and their (often) warm tones can perk up one's complexion like a sunbeam, so don't write them off to quickly, especially given how frequently they were donned in the early and mid-twentieth century.


-Select handbags that compliment your age and outfit alike. Classic styles and shapes in neutrals, solids of simple patterns will always look good and are apt to go with a wide range of outfits. It's usually wise to keep the size of your purse in portion with the size of your body, but as with all things in fashion, there are exceptions to this rule (for example, a small clutch may be the best choice for a woman of any body type if she's attending a black tie event that involves dancing).





-The sky is pretty much the limit when it comes to vintage jewelry! Most jewelry styles are timeless or artsy/funky enough that they retain serious styling power. With few exceptions (think extremely juvenile looking pieces), vintage jewelry is one of the best and most important yesteryear accessories that any 40+ lady can wear. I know for a fact through online conversations that I've had with some of them that a substantial portion of the shoppers who purchase vintage jewelry from my Etsy shop are in their 40s – 80s, and several have told me that while they don't sport vintage fashions often or at all, they can't get enough of yesteryear jewelry.


-Shapewear is always important. If you're a fan and can safely, from a health standpoint, wear it, don't shy away from shapewear. You don't have to bust out the boned corset by any means, but a nice pair of Spanx, say, or a girdle and/or long line bra can all do wonders, amongst other possibilities, especially if topped by a slip, really do smooth and make the most of one's figure.





-And speaking of medical concerns, it's normal that these become more common as a person ages. If you find that you need to dress with such in mind, be sure to check out my post Vintage Clothing for Chronically Ill and Special Needs Individuals.


-You don't have to do a complete 180 degree overhaul of your wardrobe or personal style just because your age advances forward. In fact, I'd argue that you're more apt to look at home in your vintage wardrobe if you stick with pieces that make you feel comfortable and confident. For example, if you've always gravitated towards the colours navy blue, pine green, and burgundy, keep those dark, elegant shades in your closet, perhaps with the addition or subtraction of certain pieces, but still present. The more we age in fact, the more important it is that we retain a sense of our identify through our fashion choices.


-There are tons of great books and websites devoted to the subject of fashion over 40 or 50. Though few really hone in on vintage styles, much of their general advice - such as the terrific tips offered up on How to dress over 40 from the engagingly wonderful website 40+ Style - can easily be applied to wearing yesteryear styles, too. Avail of these resources and continue to develop and fine tune your personal vintage style.


You might want to determine...

If you're new to vintage or just starting to get into it in a major way, you'll want to determine with decade or decades you currently feel most pulled towards. Once you've established this point, read extensively on the styles of the era. Watch movies from that/those decade(s), flip through magazines, peer at old photos, view fashion exhibits at museums and develop a sense of what women in your general age bracket were wearing then (you might also find some great ideas for places to find examples of such things from my 2013 post Seven Unexpected Places to Source Vintage Wardrobe Inspiration From).

How much do these styles speak to you? If the answer is something along the lines of "Not at all!" because you view them as too "old fashioned" or "grandmotherly looking", but you definitely love vintage from that period, don't fear in the slightest. Chances are there are many classic looks from that era which will work well for you no matter your age. Instead, turn to styles from that decade that have timeless lines, details and lengths to them. They're apt to steer you in the right direction through every stage of your life.




In addition, what are your signature colours and styles? These will be hues and styles (glam, minimalist, preppy, edgy, highly feminine, artsy, Southwestern, sporty, etc) that suit you, make you feel happy and/or confident when you wear them, go with numerous other items in your closet, and aren't horribly garish or unbecoming. Cultivate a garden's worth of these styles and you'll quickly have a closet that allows for easy mixing and matching and thus a more cohesive overall wardrobe.


What to wear, what to wear:

Naturally putting it all together is very important, but if you're not sure where to start of just need some more ideas on that front to get your creative fashion mojo churning, the following two lists are bound to serve you well on that front.

Here are fifteen vintage and/or vintage appropriate garments that work well for ladies of any age and most body types:


-Fitted white button down shirt

-Cropped, waist length or hip length blazer, depending on your height, in black or a dark neutral

-Tweed skirt suit (generally you'll want the skirt to hit at, or below, the knees for a vintage look)

-An LBD in a becoming fabric and cut

-Pearl jewelry

-Dark coloured oxfords

-Wrap blouses and/or dresses

-Classic style cardigans

-Suede or leather gloves

-A beret (seriously - it's one of the most universally flattering hat styles around)

-A medium width dark (brown, black, tan, etc) leather or faux leather belt with simple hardware

-Pumps/court shoes with heels no higher than three inches

-Pencil skirts that hit at or below the knees

-Shirtwaist dresses

-Fitted or slightly slouchy fine and medium weight knits (sweaters/jumpers)


And here are twelve genuine mid-century examples of outfits spanning sportswear to evening attire that are highly apt to work well for women over 40 (or anyone wanting to channel a seriously chic, sophisticated, skillfully put together look for that matter):



{A simply white polo style shirt and colourful little scarf lopped 'round the neck seem seriously glamorous when sported by Grace Kelly, just as they likely will on you as well, especially if you opt for vintage style hair and make-up, too. This is a great look for running errands, walking the dog, playing or watching sports, traveling, or gardening in the warmer months.}




{An excellent look for the chillier half of the year, this ensemble worn by Ginger Rogers in 1942 highlights one's figure so tastefully and offers a good deal of both warmth and modesty, thanks to the skirt suit, scarf tucked in around the neck, leather gloves, and wide brimmed hat. It would be a great choice of looks to wear to a wedding, church, the office, or just about any professional setting.}




{Sheer fabrics do not have to be reserved for the young alone! In fact, they can be surprisingly flattering on many middle aged and older ladies. The key is to balance sheer with more opaque fabrics and to keep the see-through material atop parts of your body that you're confident about, such as your neck, shoulders, and/or sleeves. Sheer elements, such a pockets or a ruffled trim, on opaque garments can be gorgeous, too!}




{Any one of these three fantastic daytime looks from 1947 would be a great choice for those in the 40+ age bracket. They're timeless, stylish, interesting, and a snap to dress up or down.}




{Here Doris Day, often seen sporting very youthful verging on twee fashions, takes things in a decidedly more grownup and understatedly elegant direction thanks to a striped top, boxy blazer, statement jewelry, and somewhat wide legged trousers that all telegraph a wonderful, very refined nautical vibe. This would be a fantastic look if you were going on a cruise or resort vacation.}




{Fear not the pale hues! Though some complexions are at their loveliest when worn with bright or dark colours as a person ages, most ladies, even those in their golden years, can usually still sport at least a few lighter shades wonderfully well. A good rule of thumb is to work with paler versions of your most flatting dark tones, though as with all things in life and fashion, experiment to see what suits you best on this front.}



{Whether on the court of off, Katharine Hepburn's c. 1940 tennis ensemble would look strikingly at home in today's fashion world and adds credence to the fact that casual styles are often amongst the most timeless one can possibly wear.}




{Joan Crawford excelled at looking elegant and immensely well put together throughout her whole career. Favouring classic, highly tailored styles that highlighted, but rarely overtly flaunted her figure, such as this gorgeous, subtly alluring floral print v-neck maxi dress and some bold jewelry. This would be a superb 1940s style for many middle aged vintage loving ladies to rock nowadays as well.}




{From the ankle grazing length to the abundance or ruching, this elegant evening wear dress would look splendidly becoming on many middle aged and older women. The matching turban, fur coat, and gloves up the chicness and instantly create a great an amazing 1930s or 40s look and are well worth keeping in mind if you’re aiming for a similar type of ensemble nowadays.}




{Monochromatic outfits, in a colour that flatters your skin, hair and eye colours, can be a timeless way to instantly look put together, sophisticated, and very fashionable, as this lovely fall suit ensemble from 1937 demonstrates.}




{Patterns and novelty prints absolutely do not need to get the boot when you hit your forties and beyond. Though a head-to-toe kitten or cherry print, for example, might evoke comments regarding mutton dressing in lamb’s clothing, middle aged and older ladies can still rock beautiful patterned garments with ease. Look for prints in sophisticated motifs, that are located areas that highlight a garment (like the hem, as seen her on this lovely daywear dress that Ava Gardener sported in the 1940s, collar, sleeves, or pockets), and that are in keeping with portion to your height and size.}




{The perpetually lovely combination of a button front/shirtwaist dress and a wide brimmed hat, much adored and worn during the late 1940s straight onto through to the early 1960s in particular, is one that suits women in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond extremely well. Add gloves, a classic handbag, understated jewelry, and perhaps a floral nosegay or corsage pin for extra style points. }


One very interesting thing when it comes to age and fashion during the early and mid decades of the last century is that the bulk of mainstream models - especially those like Dovima, Jean Patchett, Suzy Parker, and Dorian Leigh who became household names - were often in their 20s or 30s, not middle school or teen aged like we often see with models, especially on the catwalk in recent years (though there are of course exceptions to that statement, such as Carmen Dell’Orefice who first appeared on the cover of Vogue at the tender age of just fifteen).

It was widely understood that the clothing they were sporting would likely be purchased by those who were beyond their teen years and very often in the prime of their life and early golden years alike so companies and magazines were keen to show such customers the items they were selling/highlighting on models who were similar in age to their buyers/readers.


Who's your mid-life style icon?

I want to circle back to an earlier point I was discussing. One does not have to wear the styles that a sixty year old sported in the 1940s, if you’re that same age today. In fact, doing so may stand to age you beyond your actual years. I brought up this topic initially though to help highlight the difference between the kinds of styles that a twenty year may have worn then and what her Grandma was slipping into each morning. The key to wearing vintage as you age is to aim for classic pieces. Really, really, really classic pieces. Those garments and accessories that are as home today as they were thirty, fifty, even eighty years ago in many cases.

Seriously. When in doubt, ask yourself if you could see someone like Jackie O, Grace Kelly, or Katharine Hepburn would have sported it. If the answer is yes, chances are it's a safe, vintage appropriate bet. The importance of classic, well tailored, beautiful clothing really can not be stressed enough. I'd even so far as to say that this might be my top tip for wearing vintage or vintage appropriate styles if you're 40+.





Though the following is by absolutely no means an exhaustive list of such blogs and websites in the slightest, I'd love to point you towards the following group of uber stylish ladies, all of whom wear vintage whole outfits or pieces as part of their ensembles on either an every day or regular basis.

Each and every one of these talented women is over the age of 40 and their blogs serve as beckons of sartorial light for those in their same age bracket who are keen on vintage fashion - as well as to those in other all age groups as well.


♥ Isis from Fashionable Forties

♥ Jill from Grown Up Glamour

♥ Joanna from Dividing Vintage Moments

♥ Judith from Style crone

♥ Martha & Saskia from Two Ladies and a Wardrobe

♥ Patricia from Lady By Choice

♥ Rosy from Sewing Adicta

♥ Sacramento Amate from Mis Papelicos

♥ Shelia from Ephemera

♥ Tamara Beardsley from Tamara Beardsley

♥ Tiina from Elegance Revisited

♥ Tziporah Salamon from Tziporah Salamon



Is vintage just for young people?

As I hope we've firmly established by this point in the post, the answer to that question is a resounding NO!!!! Though many vintage reproduction/vintage inspired/rockabilly lines cater to a younger clientele, that doesn't mean that there aren't options available from some of them that will suit the vintage inspired wardrobe of a woman of any age (see the list of suggestions given earlier on).

Of course, repro and the like is just one avenue to a vintage look - the first one is, naturally, genuine vintage garments and accessories themselves. Thankfully we still live in an era when finding such pieces, especially online, is not yet a major challenge. Prices have risen a fair bit in recent years, but mid-century vintage can still be had for a reasonable price online and off, especially if you're patient, wait for sales, take advantage of coupon codes, and perhaps even join some of the many Facebook groups that are designed to swap and/or sell vintage clothing in.

Genuine vintage items come with a soul woven between their threads. Silent stories that whisper or shout or simply let you gaze upon them and write imaginary histories in your mind. They're beautiful and meaningful and will, beyond a doubt, enhance and enrich your wardrobe in so very many ways.

Part of the reason why don't necessarily see a huge number of women (or men) over the age of 40 or 50 wearing head-to-toe period appropriate vintage looks is that dressing in this way, or any of the many variations of it, is, for all intents, a relatively new cultural phenomenon. That isn't to say that some people haven't held onto or rediscovered looks from earlier decades or centuries and sported them throughout time, of course there have been such folks, but the notion of a vintage subculture is a fairly new concept for sure.




The 1950s wrapped up a mere 55 years ago and though there were folks who held onto or quickly rediscovered the fashions of this decade and those that proceeded it from the sixties onward, the idea of "being vintage" is a relatively new one. I hazard to even suggest a date as to when this style of dressing really took hold, but hopefully I won't get too many tomatoes hurled at me if I suggest that it was something that started to emerge in a real way during the 1980s, and which took a serious strong hold in the early 2000, spreading like wildfire through thanks to the web and the first online vintage sellers, bloggers, forums (like The Fedora Lounge), and later social media sites.

I wouldn't doubt for the tiniest of seconds that if you could gaze into a crystal ball and see many of today's vintage fashion lovers who are in their teens through forties in 25 or 35 years from now, a fair number of us would (and will!) still be sporting vintage. We're something of the first (or at most) second generation of people to fill our closets with mid-century styles so we don't have a lot of folks to look back on and gauge how popular vintage remains with young wearers as they transition into middle and later life. I personally think that this will be tremendously exciting to watch in the coming decades and really hope that if the universe grants me the years needed to reach that stage, I will still be rocking vintage when I'm in my 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond!

Of course, it should be stated for the record that people "come to vintage" at all stages of their life. I know others, like myself, who have sported it since their teens and plenty who joined "team vintage" in each successive decade of life right on up to their sixties. I don't doubt that there may even be some who got into vintage even later in life than that. Though one's teens through to their forties seems to be the most common age range to start wearing vintage, it's never too early or too late and anyone, truly anyone, who wants to can start rocking vintage, repro, vintage appropriate or vintage inspired styles at any point in time.

I’ve been reading fashion blogs for about a decade now and I can't begin to tell you how often during that time I've seen mid-life or older ladies who successfully incorporate big and small doses of vintage fashion alike into their looks. These are women who know their bodies, their styles, and the years they've tucked under their elegant belts to get to where they are today.


Final thoughts:

No matter your age, if you love vintage, wear it! Try, try and try again! What's the worst that can happen? An outfit doesn't work? Someone gives you a rude comment? You have buyer's remorse about that OTT hat? It's seriously okay. Life will go on, tomorrow is a new day and with it comes the prospect for a great new outfit. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, being tapped by the universe to sport vintage is an honour and joy no matter at what stage in the game it happens for you.

{To learn more about any image used in this post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

Embrace it and your wonderful age, whatever it may be, alike, and remember that while vintage may be decades old, you're always young at heart if you choose to be, and that fact can spur on sartorial creativity throughout your entire life.

If you're a woman over 40 who adores wearing vintage, please weigh in with a comment here. I want this post and its comments to be as helpful as possible for all those who are mid-life or older and looking for vintage fashion advice (plus I'm sure Elinor would love to get your take on things, too!).

My Journey into Vintage by Seanna from Retro Writer

Yesterday Tony and I headed out on the open road - and ocean - to embark on what promises to be a truly fabulous two week trip to Vancouver Island, BC. While we're away rubbing shoulders with Orca Whales (or so I like to imagine ;)) , traipsing through majestic Pacific rain forests, visiting oodles of museums and historical buildings, and also aiming for some massively needed R&R, I've lined up an awesome series of guest posts from fellow vintage loving bloggers that will appear over the course of the next two weeks.

First up, I'm delighted to bring you a personal fashion related post from my close friend and fellow bookworm, Seanna from the wonderful blog Retro Writer. Seanna is a writer, vintage/rockabilly adoring gal, and all around truly lovely person, who I'm honoured to have writing for Chronically Vintage. Thank you so much for doing so, sweet dear!

♥ ♥ ♥

I am so excited and thankful that Jessica invited me to guest post on her wonderful blog. At first I wasn't sure which vintage topic to address. Then I recalled a certain topic my sister had wished for me to write and so here it is: my journey into vintage.






I have often felt over the years that I was born in the wrong decade. If I had to go back in time, and I'd have to choose just one era, it would be the 1940s. My addiction/obsession or as I prefer to call it my undying love for vintage fashion began when I was just a girl.

As most girls in their teenage years, I did my best to find my style. I dabbled in the punk/goth with black hair, combat boots, and camo pants. I loaded my hair with gel and wore chunky leather bracelets with spikes. I even had pink streaks for a short time. I was determined to stand out. I'm sure this was my parents’ least favorite phase of mine.




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Then I drifted to the polar opposite end of the specter of the bohemian gypsy style clothing. Think 1920s drapey dresses with tons of embroidery and a whimsical feeling to it. I even grew my hair long midway down my back.

Finally I gave up in my late teens and just wore anything that fit. I rarely wore anything vintage because I had put on quite a bit of weight and felt uncomfortable in my own skin. I wore modern styles, anything to hide my weight gain. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried to find my style, the more I realized I was trying too hard to be something I’m not. And the harder I tried, the more my desire for pretty vintage clothes grew. Though at the time I didn't think I was at all worthy to wear such pretty clothes and self-punished myself. It was a low point in my life.

There were plenty of setbacks and one that nearly made me give up not only my love of vintage, but my love of writing. When I lost my dad two years ago I didn't see how any of that mattered anymore. All I wanted was my dad back.

Then it suddenly dawned on me, just a few weeks prior to losing dad, he took me to an antique mall where I bought a few pieces and he was so proud of me that after struggling with my weight and low self-esteem, that I felt confident enough to wear such items. And it was because of my parents and my sister, and my faith that I was able to achieve such self-acceptance and finally become the unique person I was meant to be.



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My journey into vintage isn't epic and it isn't life changing to anyone but me. But if it weren't for my love of vintage I'd still be searching for this part of me that didn't fit into this world I live in. It’s simple, I just love vintage and wearing it makes me happy. And I think it’s important that we wear clothing that makes us happy. Every single person is one of a kind. Why try so hard to fit in, when we're born to stand out?

What is vintage fusion?

No, it's not a type of top secret Cold War era nuclear technology, nor is it is a blend of cuisines from different eras. Instead, vintage fusion is a term that I coined a while back and have been using in the context of my own life for some time now to very accurately describe my wardrobe, and, I believe, the wardrobes of many vintage fashion wearers the world over.

Like a good deal of you, my closet is a joyful mix of vintage, vintage appropriate, vintage reproduction, 1980s does 1940s and 1950s, and related styles (such as the occasional rockabilly piece). Earlier this month I shared a new YouTube video that broadly outlines what each of these types of clothing is (save for "1980s does" fashions - that's going to be a topic I cover in one or more videos in the future), which if you haven't seen yet, you can watch either below or on YouTube itself.

 


 
In that video, I briefly mentioned the term “vintage fusion” and today I wanted to share more about it here as well. In a way, it's rather self-explanatory, but as with most things in life, there's more to it than meets the eye.

I'm a firm believer in a statement that my wise and wonderful friend Sara from the blog Lilies and Remains said in a guest post she wrote for Chronically Vintage a little earlier this year: "It doesn't need to be an authentic age to be an authentic style."

Now, of course, I madly, passionately, immeasurably love vintage clothing and accessories and have no shortage of such things in my wardrobe, but tucked amongst the 1940s crepe frocks, 1950s platter hats, and 1930s novelty brooches, you will find a fairly decent number of pieces that look the vintage part, but in truth are far newer, hailing from the 1970s right on up to being produced in 2014.

I've said it before (such as in the post Dress like a cupcake should feel), but I'll say it again, I am far too eclectic a soul to simply stick with one type of vintage or vintage style clothing and in addition to mixing old and new, old and repro, old and 1980s, and so and so forth, I'm also keen on, sometimes, combining pieces from different decades together to help create a look that intentionally channels the styles and spirit of a given decade or time frame (such as the make do and mend, typically minimalist types of styles seen during the years of WW2).




{A selection of four of the many, many looks I've sported over the years that blend more than one type of vintage and/or vintage-like clothing together to create a unique vintage fusion ensemble.}



In fact, while I have mad love and respect for those who are dyed-in-the-wool vintage purists right down to their ankle garters, it's personally inconceivable to me in the scope of my own wardrobe that I wouldn't blend a variety of different types of fashions from various sources and eras (in which they were created, that is) to put together the types of vintage styles that make my heart skip many a beat.

Vintage fusion takes place anytime you mix two or more types of vintage or vintage style garments and/or accessories together. It is a fabulous, exciting act and one that really has limitless possibilities and ways in which it can be worked and reworked until the cows come home.

There isn't a recipe or magic formula for success when it comes to vintage fusion, because any outfit that you love and feel good in while wearing a resounding success unto itself. However, I would say, that - assuming such is what you're aiming for - the key element it is to bring together an assortment of pieces that all work in beautiful harmony together to create an overall picture of having an authentic vintage look and feel to it.

This can be done, I promise you, with entirely new pieces, a blend of old and new, 1980s does 1940s or 50s and vintage, repro and vintage appropriate - you name it! Shuffle the proverbial deck of sartorial cards and have at 'er! Let the vintage fusion sparks fly and know now, my fabulously lovely and endlessly stylish dears, that there is now officially a term to describe the way in which so many of already dress, if not day in and day out, than at least some the time.

To borrow and slightly adapt an oft used catch phrase from one of America's most beloved domestic goddesses, Martha Stewart, vintage fusion: it's a very good thing!!!

How to build a vintage wardrobe on a budget

One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive is how one can can go about wearing vintage on a modest budget. As someone who lives on a strict budget myself, knows the value of a dollar something fierce, and believes deeply in making wise financial choices, this is a subject that's very near and dear to my heart. I've discussed it before in various posts over the years, such as 2012's Five ways to make your vintage wardrobe dollars go further, but with the tax season underway once more - a time when many of us tighten the reins on our spending significantly - now seemed like a great moment to delve into the topic again.

Though this question often comes from those who are just starting to wear vintage, or wear it on a more frequent basis, I believe that the following points will resonate deeply with most of us in the vintage fashion world, whether we're greenhorns or sourdoughs (to borrow one of my favourite terms from the Klondike gold rush days). Good financial advice and common sense serve us all well, no matter if we're on the budget of a humble student or a royal princess.

Before you spend a dime

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First of all, you need to access your wardrobe in its current state, exactly as it is today. Is it chock-a-block full of nothing but trendy modern pieces? Are there some classic basics in the mix? Is it geared more towards spring summer/fall winter? Do you already own a certain amount of vintage, repro or vintage appropriate garments? (For tons of tips on how to get started with wearing and buying vintage appropriate clothes, be sure to see this post on the subject.)

Are you looking to transition your wardrobe into one comprised largely, or even entirely, of vintage pieces, or do you plan on keeping some modern ones as well? It's up to you and there's no right or wrong here. It grinds my gears something fierce that a certain attitude crops up sometimes in the vintage fashion world that says that if someone loves vintage fashion, they have to wear it all the time. It's not a uniform, it's a genre of clothing and you're free to wear it however often you want. If that means 24/7/365, awesome! If it means just on the weekends, when the mood strikes, the vast majority of the time, or any of other percentage of your days, that's absolutely a-okay as well.

Your wardrobe is not a job. It's not a burden, and goodness knows, it shouldn't cause you stress. It should be a joy - something that you wake up excited to greet when you through open the closet door in the morning, not a source of serious worry or pressure.

Whether you take all of your clothing out and lay it out to see, or just carefully study what's dangling on your hangers and folded in your drawers, write down or make a mental list of the pieces that you feel already work well for your own particular vintage style. Truly take a few moments with each piece, no matter how big (coats, dresses, pants, etc) or small (jewelry, scarves, hair accessories, etc), and examine it. How modern does it look? Conversely, how vintage is it or does it look? Could it be altered and/or styled to help give it a greater sense of the decade you're after?

Even if nothing, or almost nothing, that you currently own is vintage or looks the part, that doesn't mean you should donate the whole lot to Goodwill right this very moment by any means. This post is all about wearing vintage on a budget, and unless you're in a very good spot financially, chances are you won't be able to ditch one wardrobe and purchase another overnight. I would argue even if you did have the means to do so, you would miss out on a great deal of the fun that comes from shopping for vintage pieces and constructing a beloved wardrobe over time.

Let's assume for the sake of example, that you've gone over your current wardrobe with a fine tooth comb and have a few pieces that are either vintage, repro, or vintage appropriate already (and let's further assume that they fit you well, are in good shape, and that you love them). What are these pieces? Are they almost all variations of the same garment? Do some or all of them work together or are they hodgepodge of lovely pieces that don't really go with one another at all?

Next, think about the kind of lifestyle that you live and what types of clothing are best suited to it. Every gals needs at least a few fancy, extra special occasion pieces in her wardrobe, but if you're a stay-at-home mom, recently retired empty nester, active sportswomen or busy college student, it might not be too practical to stock your closet with little else but evening dresses and toweringly high heels, especially if you're just getting started with wearing vintage.

Do not confuse practicality with being boring, the two needn't ever be on in the same, if you shop for pieces that you love and which work well for your lifestyle. Think about the kinds of garments you wear most often, the colours you love best, what sort of climate you live in, if you travel often, if time consuming types of laundering or dry cleaning are going to be an issue for you, and if you plan to work towards a wardrobe that's all (or almost all) vintage/repro/vintage appropriate.

Once you've accessed your current wardrobe, thought about the types of garments need need (and which - and this is an important point - are becoming on you), and have a firm grasp on what decade (or decades) of vintage fashion you want to sport, you're ready to start shopping.

Show me the money!

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First of all, let's take a moment to stop and determine what your current budget is. Most of us have at least a moderately fixed amount of income that pour in each month. It may be variable, but unless you've recently experienced some major life changes (job loss, new job, gone from a two income family to a single income one, inherited a sizable amount of money, etc), chances are you can at least ballpark how much you earn and what percentage of that money you'd like to put towards your wardrobe in a given month (or year, depending on your personal shopping habits).

This number is not set in stone for the rest of time. In all likelihood, it will fluctuate over the course of time, but whether it's $25, $100, $250, $500 or more per month, believe me when I say, knowing what you have to work with, instead of spending on the fly and hoping your purchase doesn't put you in the red, is such an important element of responsible money management, as well as long term wardrobe planning.

By thinking ahead to the amount of funds that you have not only in a given month, but for a season, half a year, or even a full year, you can better decide how you want to spend throughout the coming months. If you know that this is the year you're going to invest in a new vintage winter coat, it might be a good idea to put aside some or even all of your monthly clothing allowance for a while, until you've saved up the amount you need to make your purchase wisely, without having to rely on credit.

I'm not going to sit here and say I've never spent beyond my means in a given month, I have, but the older I get, the more I try very, very hard not to do so. I loath debt and love it when I can spend within my means and not have to stress about credit card bills, overdrafts, or if the money I spent on clothes should have gone towards something more urgent.

There may be times when spending beyond your monthly means makes sense, such as for an investment piece that you truly need, but try to only do so if you know for certain that you'll have the funds in your budget to pay off the item quickly in the coming weeks or months. Buying a $300 coat on your credit card today because it was on sale, may not end up being such a great deal in the long run if you incur $100, $200 or more in interest over time on it, because you bought it on credit.

When it comes to clothes shopping, as with all elements of life as an adult, you need to be your own accountant and banker. Ultimately, only you know what the right amount of money to set as your budget each month is, within the scope of what you and your family (if applicable) can comfortably afford. Do no sacrifice long term financial goals just to have a big wardrobe, it's not worth it for one red second, no matter how much you love fashion.

Once you have your budget in place, don't be afraid to look for ways to supplement it, if you feel it's on the particularly modest side. This could be selling/consigning some of your existing clothing, launching an etsy shop of any type that applies to your interest and talents, holding an annual yard sale, doing odd jobs on the side, dog walking, or any other (legal, of course!) way that you can think of generate a bit more income, if so desired.

There is no right or wrong budget for vintage clothing. Believe me, goodness, believe me when I say that I fully understand how, at times, it can seem like some of those in our circle are on almost non-stop shopping spree, whereas you're struggling to come up with $25 a month to spend on your wardrobe. It's easy to become disheartened with you're in the spot, but I encourage you to live for yourself and within your means.

You don't know the details of that other woman's life. She could be $30,000 in debt because of her spending. She may have a great job, live at home still, and have almost no bills (or debts) or other financial concerns to worry about. Maybe she buys, wears for a while, and quickly flips her clothing. She could be a professional vintage seller who has access to a large amount of yesteryear clothing and just keeps the pieces she finds for a song that she loves most for her own wardrobe. She might have been in your very shoes for many years and is just now able to start spending more because her circumstances changes. You truly never know. It's easy to judge or grow envious, but doing so gets you absolutely no where and isn't the healthiest or happiest of mindsets at all. Focus on yourself, your budget, your wardrobe and your life and you'll be on the right track.

Climb every mountain

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While some of us are fortunate to live in a city with one or more vintage store that sell mid-century pieces, a fairly substantial number of us (myself included) do not. Though nothing beats trying on clothing in person, thanks to the good, 'ol interwebs, you are never more than a mouse click away from a world of vintage clothing.

In either case however, price is often an issue. Many brick and mortar vintage, secondhand, and antique stores are highly aware of the demand for the items they're offering and price accordingly, some go even further, specializing only (or nearly only) in high end items. For those who are looking to stretch their dollar, such shops can often feel discouraging or like a waste of time. Some may be beyond the scope of your current budget, but most will hold sales at least a couple of times of a year, and all are a great place to get a feel for what kinds of vintage items you may hope to find elsewhere, so don't turn your nose up at them immediately.


Certain vintage stores are more reasonably priced than others, both online (in the case of etsy and eBay shops) and off, and these are the ones you'll want to gravitate towards most of the time. Visit every vintage, secondhand, antique, consignment and used clothing store in your town and/or surrounding area, if applicable/feasible. Chat with the sales clerks, or if possible, the shop owner. Let them know that you love vintage clothing, what you're looking for, and that you're always open to scoring a great deal (aka, ask them when their next sale is going to be).

I have a business card for Chronically Vintage, which I leave with nearly all vintage and secondhand clothing sellers I encounter. I let people know that they contact me anytime if they have well priced items I might be interested in, and often maintain a rapport with such sellers throughout the year by visiting their shops, making purchases, and mentioning in some cases that I'm offering them free publicity on my blog by linking to them when I wear an item I bought from their shop in one of my vintage outfits (note: I do not, and would never, say this so as to try and entice someone to offer me a bargain, it's simply a friendly way of showing kindness in the hopes that it will in turn be shown to you one day).

As time goes on, mid-century vintage is getting harder and harder to find at reasonable prices both online and off. I fully acknowledge this point and know it all too well firsthand, but I can also attest to the fact that vintage bargains do still exist. Yard sales, flea markets, thrift (charity/op) shops, auctions, estate sales, clothing swaps, local classifieds (newspapers, Craigslist, Kijiji, etc) and eBay (and to a lesser extent, etsy and elsewhere online) can all still deliver a good deal sometimes. Patience, timing, using a wide range of search keywords (for more on how to make keywords really work for you, see this post), and a bit of luck will all go a long way towards helping you get the most bang for your hard earned buck.

Just as it never hurts to let those with applicable shops know who you are and what you're looking for, don't be afraid to let the people in your life know about your love of vintage clothing either. From relatives to friends, coworkers to classmates, members of your place of worship to your hairdresser, local junk dealer (yes, they still exist in some communities), elderly neighbours or those on your softball team, it’s a good idea to simply share that you love, and wear, vintage clothing with such folks. I have been blessed to receive several fantastic gifts, completely for free, over the years because someone either had vintage items they no longer wanted or knew someone else who did, and passed them along to me.

Many people who are not into vintage themselves and have no desire to try and sell items online, are often all too happy to give things away or sell them for pennies on the dollar, so long as they know they're going to a home where these pieces will be loved and appreciated. In some cases, you may even be doing someone a favour, as they might not have space to store the items, need to downsize, or are getting rid of things after a loved one passed away. If someone gives you something as a gift, be sure to thank them with a email, letter, or small present in turn for their thoughtful generosity.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, when it comes to sourcing vintage clothing, leave no stone unturned, nor avenue unexplored. The world, thankfully, still houses a substantial amount of vintage items, and there are some well priced pieces out there just waiting for you to find them.

To the dressing room!

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Okay, so you know what you want/need, you've got your budget in place, you are aware of what your area has (or doesn't have) to offer in terms of local shopping options, you've spent time looking for vintage clothing online and now you're ready to start shopping.

When you're new to vintage, it can be tempting - and all too easy - to just start buying anything from your favourite decade in your size, simply because it's old and will fit. I get this for sure, but shopping with a plan in place and a list of items you need to help your wardrobe blossom is a far smarter approach, and one that's likely to lead to much less buyer's remorse in the long run.

If you're looking for wardrobe basis, don't be afraid to explore vintage appropriate options. Many can do a stellar job of looking the part of vintage, but may cost you substantially less. I am not biased at all on this front, and believe firmly in the power of utilizing ever avenue your have at your disposal to build a wardrobe that allows you to put together vintage looks, whether all of the pieces included in them are true vintage or not.

Classic pieces aren't called classic for no reason. There are items on the market that are, in some cases, almost indistinguishable from the same versions of them that existed 50, 60, even 70 or more years ago. Five examples would be: traditionally styled pearl jewelry, saddle shoes, leather driving gloves, fitted cardigans, and pencil skirts that hit below the knee. I'm not saying they're dead ringers. Fabrics, styles, cuts and construction techniques can, and do, change over time, but the overall look of some of these kinds of pieces (and many other fashion classics) makes them no-brainers for the vintage lover on a budget.

When you find a vintage piece you love, but which is beyond your budget or what you're comfortable spending on one garment. Go searching (online and off) to see if you can find something similar for a fraction of the price. I've done this time and time again over the years and it has lead to some of my best bargains and most beloved items of clothing.

I know that there is a certain "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality in the vintage and repro world, much as there is (heavily) in the fashion realm as a whole, but remember that you don't have to break the bank to be stylish or happy.

One of the greatest joys of vintage clothing is that, often, it affords you the chance to build a wardrobe of pieces that are unlike those that anyone else is wearing today. Savour the individuality of vintage fashion and the fact that it gives you an incredible sartorial voice all your own.

It's totally okay to buy repro and popular vintage appropriate pieces (such as those on sites like Modcloth), but don't feel like you have to stock your wardrobe with nothing but repro or the same kinds of styles of vintage clothing that your favourite bloggers are wearing. Be your own muse, no matter your budget.

Seven quick tips for building a vintage wardrobe on a budget

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-Hit every thrift store sale you possibly can. Ditto for yard sales, flea markets (swap meets), and estate sales (not all estate sales offer bargains, but sometimes you can really luck out on vintage deals there). Don't shop buy just for the sake of it, but rather use these discounted clothing sources to help you pick up some of the items that your wardrobe is missing/needs more.

-Mix genuine vintage with repro and vintage appropriate pieces. We've covered this above, but it warrants saying again, because I truly believe it's one of the most cost effective ways to build (and keep growing) your vintage wardrobe. Should you happen to sew and/or knit (which, unfortunately, I do not), be sure to include homemade garments into the mix, too. They're repro that you make at home yourself - talk about handy and awesome!

-Make the genuine vintage or repro piece you're wearing the star of the show in your outfit. Compliment it, if so desired, with vintage hair and make-up, to further create a period appropriate look, if that's what you're in the mood for.

-Host a clothing swap with your friends and/or relatives. Even if the people you invite aren't into vintage, they might have some vintage appropriate pieces amongst their offerings that would work wonders for your own wardrobe (while at the same time helping you unload some of the garments that you're no longer wearing).

-Accessories are your hard working, wardrobe expanding friends! Our foremothers know this well, and it's an approach to dressing that can help stretch your wardrobe something fierce. Think costume jewelry, scarves, shoe clips, gloves, hats, wraps, handbags, dress clips, stockings, and shoes themselves as a means of stretching the number of outfits you can get out of your vintage clothing.

-Ask for clothing (or gift certificates for places you love that sell clothing) for your birthday, holidays, or anytime someone wants to give you gift of your choosing. I do this each year for my birthday and Christmas with my parents, usually put the birthday money my dear maternal grandma gives me towards my wardrobe, and have long instilled in my sweet husband that clothes (or gift certificates for them) are always a winning, hugely appreciated presents for any occasion. I've been able to splurge on some of my favourite investment pieces over the years (such as my wonderful Jitterbuggin pinafore dress) because of thoughtful monetary gifts from loved ones.

-Embrace the fact that, like Rome, most vintage wardrobes are not built in a day. I completely get it. You want to have a super swoon-worthy vintage wardrobe right this very instant, but good things take time. My moderately sized wardrobe is rife with garments I love, that fit me well, are in good shape, and often coordinate well with one another, and it took years to get to this stage. I have spent more hours than I could ever count scouring eBay and etsy for deals, visiting thrift stores (and yard sales), and saving up funds, when needed, to purchase bigger ticket items only when I could do so in financially responsible way.

One's wardrobe is a never-ending work in progress, and there will always been pieces that I want or need to add to mine, and in each instance, I'll do so with my budget at the forefront of my mind. The thrill of the hunt - of finding a killer deal - is a ton of the fun of vintage shopping for me, as I know it for many others as well. Enjoy the process - you'll likely never start from scratch again (unless your weight shifts dramatically, and even then, you'll still be able to hold onto some items such as hats, jewelry and possibly shoes), so savour these formative days while they're here.

Now what?

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As your vintage wardrobe continues to expand, go back periodically and access what its strengths and weaknesses are. What are the glaring wardrobe gaps that you'd like to fill in the coming months? Are there any pieces that you no longer like, that don’t fit, or which you've otherwise have changed your mind about? Why not sell them online (or locally, if applicable) and put that money towards buying something that you want or need more in the moment.

Though it can be (very!) hard to part with vintage clothing, if it just isn't right for you and you're not going to keep it as a display/collectors piece, it is better to pass it on to the next owner, who can hopefully give it just the kind of love it deserves. I've sold many vintage garments and accessories from my personal wardrobe over the years, and am certain I'll continue to as time goes on. Some pieces will remain in my closet, I believe, for the rest of my days, but others are shorter term visitors, whom I'll remember fondly, but am happy to see bring joy to another vintage fashion lover when I say good-bye to them.

Keep your wardrobe in good order. By this I mean, both well organized (no one wants to have to buy a third basic black skirt because you couldn't find the two they already own) and in tip-top shape from a mending and tailoring standpoint. Small issues such as loose buttons, dropped hems, or tiny holes can often be remedied in just a few minutes for little to no cost at home. By nipping such problems in the bud as they occur, your garments will last longer, thus cutting down the number of new pieces you need to buy, thereby saving you money in the long run.

As time goes on, and your wardrobe blossoms, you may find you need to shop for a smaller number of pieces each year. You might also notice, that if such is the case, you have more money to spend on the individual items that you do buy, and can then start looking more towards some of the vintage investment pieces you've been daydreaming about for quite some time now.

Your personal style and your wardrobe will likely always continue to expand over time. You may be crazy for the fifties for a few years then decide that you're all about the 1930s for the next two, before heading into a phase where it's all sixties, all the time. Some items will see you through multiple decades that you enjoy wearing, others will work best in the context of their respective time frame, but all will be a magnificent part of your collective vintage wardrobe that you built with love, forethought and sound budgeting. With a bit time and effort, before you know it, you'll have the kind vintage wardrobe that inspires others who see you to want to start their own.

You asked: How I put my vintage outfits together

Last month we took a gander at the process behind how Tony and I do our photo shoots for the blog, and today I'm delighted to launch into a related topic, which I've been asked about numerous times, including in a comment by the thoroughly lovely (and super talented) Anthea from Sewing ♥ Vintage ♥ Knitting on this post, and that is...how do I put my vintage outfits together.

On the surface, much as with the question of how we take photos, the answer to this query seems like the kind of thing I could answer in a mere sentence or two, but as with so much in life, a bit of thought quickly reveals that there is, in fact, more to the process than what lurks on the surface and I'm happy to share what goes into the vintage looks you see here each week with all of you.

To begin with, like many people in our wonderful sphere, I have certain decades - namely the 1940s and 50s - that I most commonly dress in the styles of. These are the decades that not only fill my heart with immeasurable joy, but which (typically speaking) work best for my body type (short and curvy like a mountain pass). I have been endlessly smitten with the fashions of these two decades since I was the youngest of lasses, and knew in my heart of hearts as a child that I would grow up and wear the styles of this twenty year span, ages before I'd ever found out that other people were into vintage fashion, too.

This isn't, of course, to say that I don't enjoy fashions from other decades (which, on occasion, I may also wear an outfit from as well), it's just that this is my favourite era from a sartorial standpoint and thus I've centered the bulk of my wardrobe around this timeframe. As a result, most of the pieces on the hangers in my closet and the drawers in my dresser either hail from, or are designed to look as though they could have easily come from, the 1940s and 50s.

I mention this point because I think that in order to help facilitate the process of easily putting together outfits you love on a regular basis, it helps a great deal if you know which decade - or decades - you adore and want to dress from (a point which I discussed in more detail here), in order to build up a wardrobe of pieces that compliment one another in the sense that they are all from (or look the part of being from) the same era.

On top of knowing which decades work best for me, I'm also quick to acknowledge the fact that I'm the type of gal who loves a variety of different styles - a point I explored at length back in 2012 in the post How Many Personalities Does Your Wardrobe Have?, in which I highlighted some of the particular styles (such as ultra girly-girl and preppy) that set my heart aflutter year after year without fail.

Knowing then, which decades and styles I adore most, I've worked diligently throughout my adult life to put together a wardrobe the is rich in these kinds of pieces. While not every single garment in my closet is from (or made to look as though it could be) the 1940s and 50s, the vast majority are. Like many of us, my wardrobe is an enjoyable blend of genuine vintage, vintage appropriate, and vintage reproduction pieces, a good number of which I've tried to coordinate fairly well with one another.

This isn't to say that my closet looks like a super matchy-matchy capsule collection, it certainly doesn't (my tastes are far too eclectic for that to ever happen), but there is a general sense of cohesiveness that flows throughout each skirt, sock, bead and beret, and which I believe goes a long way towards my ability to put together outfits I love to wear with a good deal of ease.

Each of us is a different point in terms of how complete or incomplete our respective wardrobe is, and like most folks, there are still some gaps in mine (vintage trousers, I'm looking at you!), but I do have most of my bases - and basics - covered, which also aids in cutting down on the dreaded "I have nothing to wear" feeling that we've all been hit with many a time as we stood in front our well stocked closets.

Speaking of closets, mine is very small (you can technically walk into it, but you'll only get to take about five steps before you hit the back wall) and every last millimeter of space has been put to use (the same goes for all of my dresser drawers), but (humbly) very well organized. I sort all of my garments by type (skirts, dresses, short sleeved blouses, long sleeved blouses, cardigans, jeans, etc) and then further by colour, so that it looks like there are numerous rainbows bursting forth on the racks in there. Ditto for anything houses in a drawer or under-the-bed plastic garment storage container, as well as my accessories (save for brooches, which are arranged by subject matter).

As you may be picking up on, I'm big on creating an efficient, fun workflow when it comes to my wardrobe because I find that having a place for everything and everything in its place means that I don't have to waste time hunting for an item I need when I'm getting dressed. I can throw open the closet door, and know that my beige skirt is where its supposed to be and that I'll find a blue sweater sandwiched between the green and purple ones. Easy-peasy. No undo hunting, no "hmmm, do I actually own a red belt?" moments, and no time lost picking out the pieces I want in a flash.

But Jess, I hear you saying, how to you go about deciding what to partner with what - and how do you coordinate all of it? I'm glad you, like Anthea, asked, and am getting to that point right this very moment.

Colour. Yep, good old, find it nearly everywhere, colour is the secret behind how I put my vintage outfits together. I love colour with all my might. This doesn't necessarily mean that I go about looking as flashy as Carmen Miranda 24/7, but more often than not, I wear multiple colours in each ensemble I don and find that doing so can really help a look appear well put together.

I've always been smitten with colour - its power when it comes to influencing our mood or stirring up certain memories or associations is fascinating, and the ways in which different hues can be married together in the same look is a never-ending source of inspiration for me. There isn't a single colour I don't like at least a few shades of, and in the case of most garments and accessories, I've intentionally worked hard at trying to create a broad spectrum of different coloured pieces so that I can continually view my wardrobe as an artist's palette.

Much as a painter reaches for certain colours that he or she loves time and time again, so too do I have beloved favourite shades, but I try not to pigeonhole myself too much, because doing so can quickly lead to (overly frequent) outfit repetition and boredom.

Much as my closet itself is far from huge, I do not have a massive wardrobe, but because it's filled with so many different colours - partnered with some great basics like pencil skirts, shirtwaist dresses, blazers, gloves, hats and shoes in timeless neutrals - it gives the appearance of being larger than it is, because I can continually come up with so many fun new combinations of differently hued garments.

There's an old expression that typically goes along the lines of "I put my pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else", and this is certainly true for me too, but I don't necessarily begin getting dressed with the same garment in mind each day. Far from it actually. I constantly start with different pieces and accessories when it comes to putting together a look.

I've kicked off outfits with something as small as a pair of earrings or a pair of tights – doesn’t always have to begin with the largest item they’re going to sport. I'm typically struck by a certain mood each day, as we all are, and this plays into what I want to wear for a given day, as does where I might be going/what I'll be doing throughout the course of said day. Once I know those things, I usually feel pulled towards one or more items in my wardrobe, and build up from there.

I'll let you in on another secret behind how I compose my outfits: the rule of thirds. Yes, that very same rule of thirds which you may be familiar with if you work in (or have an interest in) areas such as photography, art, or graphic design. Though I don't interpret the concept as literally in my wardrobe as I would if I was taking a photograph, I do try to keep portion in mind when I'm getting dressed.




This shines through in two main ways. For starters it means that I (often) like to balance out the proportions of the colours that I use. Commonly I start with one, two or three base colours (for example, in the outfit above, I began with dark purple and black), and then inject one or more colours into my look via my accessories or perhaps another garment, such as a cardigan or scarf, which plays a supporting role, but doesn't steal the show, so to speak. In the case of this particular outfit, grey (gloves and tights) were the supporting colour. Because grey both a natural and very close to black on the colour wheel, it compliments this ensemble, without seeming garish or out of place.

The second way in which proportion comes into play for me is that I like to keep the general scope of my outfits well balanced in terms of how the pieces fit. For example, I'm not overly keen on baggy or super tight fitting clothing generally speaking, and if I do wear a garment that falls into either camp, I will almost always keep the rest of my outfit on the opposite side of things (for example, a slouchy shirt with form fitting capri pants or a curve hugging pencil skirt). On a 5'2" frame like mine, this is especially important, so as to not give the illusion of knocking further inches off of my height.

Speaking of frames, mine is far from perfect, but it's the only one I've got and I've learned from trial and error over the years, that some things work a whole lot better for it than others. By and large, I've tried to filter out those that don't work (no matter how much I may love them in principle) and to fill my closet with garments that I feel comfortable and confident in when I slip them on (here again, doing so helps speed up the process of getting dressed, because it usually means you're less likely to have to try on three or four - or more - similar items to find one that, if you're lucky, you're satisfied with).

Once colour and portion have been sorted, it's time for the finishing touches - these are not to be taken lightly, they can make or break a look, and have the potential to elevate it from merely nice to seriously specular. I love accessories - they're the delicious cherries on just about every ensemble I don, and at times, may even (intentionally) be the main dish themselves.

You've probably heard the expression before that you should always take off one accessory before you leave the house. While this can ring true sometimes, generally speaking, I don't pay it much heed at all. If one dresses with purpose and care, you'll likely know when enough is enough, so to speak, while putting your outfit together; there's no need to risk disrupting the balance you're created at the very last minute.

The types and colours of accessories you opt for will depend a lot on what your focal garments (i.e., skirts, blouses, sweaters, dresses) are and where you'll be going that day. Some people like to keep theirs on the understated side of things - perhaps a classic pair of gloves and a sophisticated brooch or a timeless strand of cream pearls. Others might add on some bangle bracelets, a vintage scarf on their head or some eye-catching earrings, and others still feel nearly naked if they're not decked out in accessories from head to bejeweled toe. There's rarely a right or wrong here, it's simply a matter of how many accessories you enjoy wearing at any given time.




Personally, I tend to opt for a medium number, and am never without at least a couple (say, earrings and a few bangles or a brooch and gloves). As a general rule, if the colours (and/or patterns) of your outfit are bold, loud or eye-catching, you'll want to tone down the volume on your accessories (stick with smaller pieces in supporting, rather than competing or contrasting colours. Matching like to like is also a good approach here, as in the case of the vividly hued outfit pictured above.

On the one hand this outfit might seem a little plain if each piece was examined separately, but the primary colours, small pattern of the shirt, and variety of hues at work here, help it add up to cohesive, youthful, lovely (if I may say so myself) ensemble that is anything but boring. Here, I started with a navy blue pencil skirt, red patterned shirt (the shirt has tiny cherries on it), and green cardigan (as there is a little bit of green in the shirt's pattern).

Three bold colours are often plenty, so instead of introducing more, I kept my accessories in the same palette. Red wrist length gloves, a red handbag, red and white shoes, a small red cherry brooch, a simple white headband (there's also white in the shirt), and bangles in colours from the main outfit creates a harmonious flow and a well put together over all look.

Opting for three key colours in an outfit is an approach I take often (I also use it in my crafting, such as when I'm making scrapbook pages, cards or jewelry) and which I highly recommend to one and all as well.

It often helps to start with one or two neutrals (such as black, brown, grey, beige, taupe, navy blue, denim, cream or white) so as to ground the look, then pick any two (or more) colours that you feel partner well both with that neutral and with each other. Of course it's possible to put together an outfit using fewer or more colours, but three is a really good starting place and one that I begin with more days than not.




Let's take a look at another outfit (this was actually the one that Anthea commented on with her question, so it seems extra fitting to include it in this post). At first glance, what jumps out at you most in this photo? Is it the energetic, charming floral print dress with its rainbow of hues? The lilac belt, the red handbag, the stack of different coloured bangle bracelets, the red shrug, or something else? Because the pattern on this dress was eye-catching, I knew that I was going to want to stick to solid coloured accessories in colours that pulled directly from the frock itself.

Having a plethora to pull from, I did just that, but created a second key focal point, the colour red. It appears in the pattern, then says hello again via the shrug, purse, hair flowers and one of the bangles. White, the background colour of the dress was also repeated here via the gloves and shoes, to help tone down the punchy palette a little, but still keep the look fresh and summery, as it should be given the warm, sunny day it was worn on. There are a lot of colours at work here, but none of them are dominating the show completely. They flow well together and work in harmony to create a look that, while bright, is not overpowering.

What about the opposite side of the spectrum, I hear you saying, what about outfits that are more low key and toned down? You bet - I love colour, but I don't go as "all out" with it everyday as in the case of the last outfit by any means, but that doesn't mean that you'll see me in head to toe black very often either. Even when my outfit is on the less vibrant side of things, I'll still usually include at least a couple of different colours, as well as visual interest via the types of fabrics I choice (think of the sheen of velvet or the nubby landscape of tweed, for example, and how they compare to a flatter material such as linen or cotton).

As a whole, whether you enjoy bright, medium, or soft shades (or tend to live in neutrals), colour is a pivotal and highly important factor in the success of an outfit. Of course a LBD or classic solid coloured suit can be fantastic unto itself, but even there, you'll likely find your look comes more alive if you include a little colour via your accessories. It can be as simple as silver or gold jewelry or as a elaborate as a vintage hat with seven different colours on it.




Working in a similar tonal range (for example, in the outfit above, the three key colours are all from the same tonal family), aiming for complimentary colours, or contrasts that still look harmonious are all great ways to put together a look - no matter your favourite decades or styles - that is bound to make you smile when see your own reflection.

Keep the overall time period you're dressing from in mind, too (though, of course, there's nothing wrong with mixing decades/styles in the same outfit), as well as the portions (and fit) of your garments, and you'll be well on the road to knocking out ensemble after ensemble that you absolutely love.

There are few greater compliments to a person's style than being asked how you put together your outfits, and I want to take a moment to sincerely thank Anthea for her question, as well as the other folks who have said similar things to me over the years. I dress from the heart in a way that brings me joy. I follow certain general guidelines of style, but am not afraid to break the rules. I honour the decades I love, but never hesitate to put my own spin on them, and above all else, I never wear anything that I don't, at least in the moment, completely love.

I encourage you to do the same - to experiment, embrace colour, and put together the sort of outfits you love seeing on others yourself. There's no magic or mystery to it, just a little bravery, a well thought out wardrobe, and a handful or two of great accessories - plus your own unique fashion sense, which, after all, is ultimately what is most likely to inspire someone else to take a style cue from you when they see how wonderfully you're dressed.