5. How Vintage Helped me Become the Woman I am Today

Truth Out

Vintage clothing was a way of expressing who I wanted to be a few years a go, but it has really helped shape the woman I am today. 

I've never really been one for convention... Although possibly not always through choice. Being 5' 11, I stand out a bit. When you are an insecure teenager and you're taller than all the boys ¬ it's a big deal. Especially in a world where we are led to believe small equals cute. Tiny dog, cute. Tiny girl and tall guy, cute couple. Tall girl and marginally shorter guy, double takes in the street. [Short tangent - Don't get me started on the clothes. High street shops jut don't cater for tall women. Short women, yes. Larger women, yes. Anyone over 5' 8, forget it. But here's where vintage has the advantage. Long hemlines were fashionable 50 years ago, much to my jubilation!] It's taken me a long time to feel cute in my own skin and I guess that is something that comes with age and experience, but this is definitely something I have vintage to thank for, as well as my fabulous partner. 

Engagement Party Snaps (fabulously choreographed by my lovely sister)

I discovered vintage when I was an undergraduate in Glasgow. There was this vintage kilo shop that popped up at the top of Great Western Road. I remember walking by it a few times and the thing that sticks with me about the shop was the smell. I was in my element trawling through the rails of clothes. And I eventually bought a dress; the first of my floral collection. It has shoulder pad and I love it ¬ now. It did take me a while to pluck up the courage to actually wear said dress. The first time I wore it out I just remember thinking, "oh gosh, everyone must be looking at me, this is the floweriest dress ever". At the same time though, I thought "flowers are cute and so by proxy I must be too". Now that dress in one of the more conventional items I own and I wear it to work regularly. 


One of my many, floral dresses - charity shop purchase - its way too big, but I love the off the shoulder look 

I was in Liverpool recently and I wore a dress that I picked up a vintage fair a couple of weeks prior. The weather was great, I felt great and that feeling was amplified by the heads I was turning in the street. I guess you don't really see people dressed like I was that often in Liverpool; rollers and PJ's would have been more inconspicuous, but that's not really my style. My height draws attention regardless and so I've started to play up to that by wearing more and more outlandish outfits.  My eye is instantly drawn to the bright colours and floral patterns on any hanging rail. 

Turning heads in Liverpool in my lemon dress

I definitely started out wearing vintage as a kind of mask. Vintage icons embodied the image I wanted to project; at a time in my life where I was coming to terms with the mess I had got myself into and how I was going to map a way forward. What I wore was an easy way to take control of my life. If I wore what society deemed to be elegant then I would be too, right? The longer I wore the mask, the more comfortable I got wearing it. Until one day it became the persona I wear everyday, I feel like I have grown into the metaphorical vintage stiletto. I guess I did some growing up and sometimes it takes a little bit of failure to do that. For you to look yourself in the mirror and assess where you are going. Moving to Birmingham a few years ago was part of that growing up for me. And it just so happens to have is a very active vintage scene which has fed my habit!

Thank you Birmingham it was a pleasure. Master of Science, that's me!

When I started to really enjoy life, it showed. Prior to meeting my fiance, I had come on leaps and bounds in terms of my own self-confidence, success at uni was big factor in this, but height had always been a sticking point for me. But life has come so far in the last 60 years, women can do anything they want, be anything they want and yet the Princess always ends up with Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome. Well this princess is done with the Hollywood idea of love... And why? I don't like to conform to stereotypes in any other part of my life, so why conform to this one? It's a terrible reason to rule out happiness and I'm so glad I got over myself on this one, or at least he puts me more at ease. Yes we get looks in the street, but as he points out my 5'11, floral clad person is quite the sight!

I love the person I see when I look in the mirror now, I'm not seeking the approval of others to make me happy. At the end of the day you have to be a little bit selfish sometimes and look after yourself. Whether that's running and going to the gym; giving yourself a manicure; or certain lifestyle choices, going back to uni, they all contribute to that. I enjoy being me in my own skin and vintage is just one way I do that. Owning my inner nerd is another, but that's a story for another day.



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