Everyone should dress in whichever they like. Stay true to who you are. These statements are unquestionably factual, but let’s be honest: it’s not always that simple to dress like we want to, especially when we don’t want to be the center of attention. For those who adore vintage (inspired) fashion but don’t always have the confidence to dress this way, I’d like to offer some advice. I want to gradually motivate you to include antique clothing in your daily life and give you confidence in your wardrobe. The good news is that self-confidence has much to do with feeling good about yourself. And it is undoubtedly possible to develop self-confidence.
PS: This blog article is for anyone who wants to experiment with retro fashion but doesn’t feel at ease doing so. You can skip this post and read some of my (vintage) fashion know-how articles if you already think it is excellent wearing vintage and retro clothing in your daily life.
TIP 1: START WITH ELEGANT CLASSICS
It is possible to seem retro or vintage without being overly flashy. I always advise beginning with exquisite yet understated classics to ease into the (vintage) inspired look, such as a sophisticated black dress or an elegant ensemble of a knee-length swing skirt* and a blouse* or top* paired with pretty shoes, red lipstick, and if you prefer, stockings. I like to wear this outfit when I want to look elegant but don’t want to draw too much attention.
Compared to a haircut influenced by antique fashion, straight hair or a more recent cut looks more contemporary and discreet. I suggest attempting a vintage haircut in daily life as soon as you feel more at ease wearing retro or vintage attire. Lovely curls are a simple exercise that doesn’t require much time or effort. Following a nightly hair wash, I often begin to set my hair using sleep-in rollers*. I only need to do it in the morning to clean the rollers and brush my hair. A similar hairdo typically lasts at least two to three days in my hair, so you don’t even need to do this every day.
You might also test wearing a hat on warm days to see whether you feel comfortable. Start with a simple summer hat and an easy matching haircut.
TIP 2: CHECK TO SEE THAT EVERYTHING FITES EXACTLY
An essential piece of advice is to make sure your clothing fits precisely (this not only applies to vintage fashion, of course). A dress that is overly short, tight, long, or wide won’t ever make you feel completely at ease. So I advise against buying anything if it doesn’t fit. I recommend looking for a decent tailor shop if something no longer works or if you find something genuinely wonderful but sadly doesn’t fit. (Of course, if you can adjust your clothing on your own, this does not apply to you.) Custom-made clothing is a fantastic alternative. For instance, companies like Atelier Belle Couture and Grünten Mode provide custom clothing at relatively reasonable costs.
Make sure your clothing feels comfortable on the skin as well. Because it is difficult to concentrate on anything else when you are busy scratching yourself, a scratchy garment, for example, can ruin a whole day or evening and make you feel uncomfortable.
TIP 3: Wear suspicious clothing first in the evening or on special occasions
It is always a good idea to dress up or go all out in the evening or on a particular occasion. You can grow acclimated to the appearance in this situation without really sticking out from the crowd. A wedding, for instance, is a perfect occasion to wear a lovely dress with a floral design and perhaps even a petticoat without drawing too much attention. On the other hand, you can wear a highly stylish outfit and your most glamorous vintage jewelry to an upscale dinner occasion and most likely won’t feel overdressed. These are fantastic opportunities to experiment with more elaborate hairstyles and perhaps even venture to don a dazzling cocktail hat or fascinator.
TIP 4: WEAR IT AND TAKE HEART!
It’s time to take heart and wear something unique on the street after starting with more subdued vintage attire in daily life and dressing more glamorously for special events. Keep your composure, and never forget that most reactions to an attractive vintage style are good, even if people are staring. Perhaps you’ll even get some compliments! Try to accept it in this situation instead of replying, “Oh, that’s nothing remarkable,” or anything similar. (Of course, you don’t have to put up with crude remarks. Here, I mean genuine compliments.)
Overall, I always advise avoiding overly obsessing over other people’s reactions and never thinking about what others could think of you. Most of the time, this has no real impact and makes you feel uneasy. The most important thing is that you feel better in your clothing.
Tip 5: Know yourself
Keep your head up if you encounter criticism or unwelcome attention. You should wear whatever you want as long as it makes you feel good. No matter if it’s a plain pair of jeans and a shirt, a voluminous petticoat, a gigantic hat, a gorgeous tulle dress, etc. Everyone who truly admires you will accept your greatness and even encourage your style.
Since I’ve been wearing it in retro fashion for so long, I’ve essentially just had excellent responses. I also don’t care whether people are looking at me anymore. I’ve started dressing like I genuinely want to and have noticed a massive increase in my self-confidence. Since I adore my clothes and feel fabulous in them, it is simpler for me to put together an outfit in the morning. Another benefit of dressing vintage is that I wear my clothes far longer than I did in the past. My clothes are timeless classics, so I don’t need to replace them with something newer and trendier every season. So, the following is my main piece of vintage clothes advice for feeling better: