Vintage Style? - A (Sort Of) Fashionable JEI

Thursday, November 17, 2016


This week we're talking Fashion with The Zelie Group for JEI (Just Enough Info). I'm covering my favorite fashion era, the evolution of my fashion taste and my thoughts on vintage styling.

1. If you had to wear the clothes from another time period, when would it be?

The 40s or 50s. Those eras have cuts, patterns, and style that are what I generally pick out and that work for my body type.
Seriously, if I had an excuse to wear a dress like this I would do it in a heartbeat!
After wearing all dresses and skirts for many years now, I can say with confidence that I can take care of toddlers, do heavy cleaning, and any other tasks needed, in a skirt. Something that hits my knee, or lower, is my ideal length for feeling comfortable and confident - which just so happens to be the typical lengths of dresses in the 40s and 50s.

I do not own any true vintage pieces, but have had success looking for vintage inspired pieces in mainstream stores. For example, this is the swimsuit I currently own and found at Target.

This was at our rehearsal dinner. This dress has the look and feel of vintage but I found it at Ross for $12.
I do have some vintage jewelry I've inherited from relatives, and I'm working on wearing jewelry more regularly. I will occasionally try to style my hair in a vintage style, but I have long thick hair and sooner or later it's going to end up in a bun.

It is one of my guilty pleasures to watch Youtube channels of people are are into wearing vintage clothing and doing the whole vintage lifestyle. I don't think I really want to start my own vintage collection or anything, but I like their idea that you can have a little daily glamour in your life..


2. What are you embarrassed that you wore but used to think was cool?

This seems to imply I needed to have done cool things before.

Embarrassing things I've got loads of! But I didn't think they looked I cool (even then), I thought they were practical.
In middle school my uniform consisted of: running shoes, jeans (badly fitting), and one of my many A&M Vet or 4-H t-shirts. Eventually I discovered that wearing broomstick skirts and hippy skirts made it faster and easier to change and be comfortable going between classes, dance, and theater rehearsals. My feet were in far worse shape in high school, so I wore a lot of flip flops purely because anything more than that touching my feet hurt too bad.

It took most of high school and college to figure out what my true personal preferences were regarding style, color, and cut. I have never been particularly good at following trends and fads closely, I prefer to adapt what I have to echo trends without being too trendy. That has helped keep my clothing budget low, and allowed me to keep wearing pieces for years without fear of looking too dated.

3. What's your favorite article of clothing in your closet right now?

Maxi skirts!


Weirdly enough, I don't often wear them as maxi skirts. I'll pull them higher or lower to create different skirt lengths and silhouettes. 

I love these on days when I have long rehearsals or ballet class. They're easy to layer over my tights and leotard. I can pull them higher, add a belt and heels for more of an evening outfit. Sandals for a casual day outfit. They're one of the most comfortable things to wear on an airplane, but I'm not embarrassed to go straight to dinner in them.

Work horses of my wardrobe. Love 'em!

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Your turn! Answer the questions in your own post or in the comments!

1. If you had to wear the clothes from another time period, when would it be?
2. What are you embarrassed that you wore but used to think was cool?
3. What's your favorite article of clothing in your closet right now?

Next week we're talking about Thanksgiving!
1. Do you have to cook for Thanksgiving?  If yes, what’s on the menu?  If no, high five!
2. What famous person would you like to invite to your family Thanksgiving?
3. Excluding family, health and basic needs met - what are 3 things that you are thankful for?

8 comments :

  1. How interesting that you, Anni, and I all picked that 40s-50s style of clothing as our favorite. I'm not sure what it means, but you might be onto something with your anti-pants movement. :)

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    1. I think it says something about the flattering cuts and wearability of the 40s-50s style.

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  2. We have the same taste. You look beautiful in them. I'm a little too "fluffy" lol

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    1. Thanks Candy! I definitely do not look good in all the trends of that era, but I pick and choose what works.

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  3. I agree that the 40s and 50s offered flattering cuts and wearability!

    Also, I am so glad I am not the only one that plays with the length of her maxi skirt!! Haha - sometimes they are long, sometimes they are considerably shorter - all depends on my mood, the day, and what I am doing! They, too, are the "workhorse" of my wardrobe!

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    1. I'm wearing a maxi skirt as a midi skirt right now! ;)

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  4. Love it!! I draw a lot of my fashion inspiration from the 1960s-specifically the beginning, which still had some of the awesome looks from the 1950s, and the end, when hippie fashion (or anti-fashion?) started to come in more. I think it's so much more fun to base my personal style off of a decade in history than just throw on whatever is in stores. I haven't jumped onto the maxi skirt bandwagon yet, not sure if/when that'll happen. I think they look cute and are super handy, especially if the lengths are varied, but I just think I prefer something that flares out a little more. Though I do have one maxi dress that I love (though I usually trip because I try to take steps that are too big!), but haven't been able to wear for a while since it doesn't work that well with breastfeeding.

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  5. Cool skirts! Never worn them but I'm thinking I should try them.

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