I’ve always loved a bit of vintage fashion, not least of all because I find the silhouettes really flattering and fun to wear.
Point in case: when going to a friend’s wedding last spring, this was the outfit I made to wear (complete with matching waistcoat and bow tie for my fiance – we looked a bit like we were going to prom in 1954 and I was living for that look).
I’ve recently fallen headfirst into the costube corner of YouTube, with Rachel Maksy being my new #goals (also I really just want to be her friend? She has a great dog!) but lots of other creators also really reminding me that it’s fun and cute to dress in less modern clothing. It’s the 40s and 50s aesthetic that I really love, which is her jam too, but I’ve enjoyed seeing people make and enjoy things from Edwardian and Victorian styles right through to things like proper olde robes à la française.
People in my life will know this isn’t a new interest by any means, then, but what’s newer is the actual inclination to wear these things more often. It’s a little bit scary to wear things that look ‘different’ to the norm, and I don’t always love attention and being looked at. But if it’s cute, it’s cute! For a recent trip outside (side note: it’s still quarantine times, going Outside is a Big Deal) I paired a modern patterned polo shirt with high waist jeans and a red lip and felt like a star! I’ve had increased success with the pillow rollers too for those more authentically curly retro styles.
I’ve been a subscriber to Gertie’s channels – including her blog here – for a long time too, and I’ve got several of her pattern books. I just joined her Patreon this week at last because of the picnic top/skirt combo (top is on patreon, skirt is free here on YouTube) and I can’t wait to make it! I may have thrown a small fit last night because the gingham I wanted was out of stock, but I’ve almost certainly got fabric in my stash anyway which will suit. But… not gingham. 🙁
Things like that though seem really easy to style, comfortable and importantly – adorably retro. So, here’s to making more of my wardrobe reflect the styles I want to wear!