A Hop, Skip and a Huge Leap

How I Tripped into Vintage Fashion

Dear readers,

Today I want to talk about one of my great loves, and how I first became enamoured by it. My journey into the world of vintage fashion has been a long one, and now I want to reflect with you on where it all began. Maybe you’ll find some inspiration as we go along!

My love of 1950s fashion sprung from my nerdy childhood preoccupation with history. I loved every historical topic we studied in school, from the Ancient Egyptians to the Vikings to the Second World War, and I loved them because I’m interested in people. I loved learning about how people lived in different eras; how they confronted problems, structured their societies and expressed their unique cultures.

A huge part of culture is, of course, fashion. I loved being able to look at the costumes of eras gone by and examine how they told us a story about the people who wore them. 20th century fashion tells us the interesting and diverse stories of people in a world which lurched from crisis to crisis. It is defined by spectacular innovation (see the Practical Dress Movement and the invention of synthetic fabric) but also reflects the horror of an era marked by humanity’s worst wars. We see the story of ordinary people’s struggles reflected in the shape and length of their dresses; first as constrictive as Victorian values in the 1910s, then fun and daring through the 20s, then slim-lined and long-hemmed as the 1930s and 40s brought economic hardship, fabric rationing and a yearning for the sombre.

Then, all of a sudden, the war was over. In 1947, the French designer Christian Dior debuted a collection so iconic it needed only one descriptor: The New Look. The name says it all; an exciting New Look for the new post-war era. The look declares that fabric rationing is OUT, and puts emphasis on using surplus fabric to create dramatically structured dresses, with nipped-in hemlines and voluminous skirts.

As we studied the post-war era in Britain, I found myself fascinated by the 1950s New Look. I read novels from the era, and sought out classic films which showcased glamorous actresses in these gorgeous, structured dresses. I started to take a casual interest in vintage fashion and pin-up looks.

Unfortunately, a lack of both time and money prevented me from investing in vintage-inspired clothing for a long time. The best I could do was adopt the skater dress; a modern interpretation with a nipped-in waist and shorter, less dramatic pleated skirt. I found these to be a lot more flattering on me than other styles of the 2010s, but longed for more drama and authenticity in my wardrobe.

Part of my reluctance also came from shyness. When you go around a modern town looking as though you’ve come from 1955 in Marty’s DeLorean, you’re going to stand out. I was concerned that while Grace Kelly looked amazing in her expansive, calf-length gowns, it wouldn’t quite look the same when I wore one, walking down a grey British high street surrounded by people in hoodies and jeans.

But now I feel a little differently, both about fashion and about myself. I finally know what looks good on me; skinny jeans do not, flared skirts definitely do. And I feel confident enough in myself to embrace something different. After all, I’ll always look different; I’m short, curvy and I walk with a limp. People tend to look at me funny anyway; they might as well do it for the right reasons.

Stay tuned for my review of my latest haul from vintage-inspired retailer Black Butterfly, from where I finally bought a petticoat!

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca