Understanding Ease

Have you always wanted to wear one of those va-va-voom fitted dresses from the 1950s?

Studio publicity still. 20th Century Fox, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A 1950s to early ’60s sheath dress such as the ones Marilyn Monroe often wore in the 1950s is almost always designed to highlight an hourglass shape, with a relatively fitted waist and a waist seam that doesn’t usually have any stretch.

If you know your measurements (and you need to in order to wear vintage clothing that fits) then you also need to consider how much extra space you need to be able to enjoy yourself in your vintage dress. This is called “wearing ease.”

How much ease do you need? Each of us is a little different in our fit preferences, but we all need to breathe, and most everyone needs to sit, walk, and move her arms. The minimum ease needed for wearing comfort in a fitted dress made of woven fabric is:

• 1 ½–2 ½” (3.8–6.4 cm) at the bust

• ¾–1" (2–2.5 cm) at the waist

• 2–3" (5–7.5 cm) at the hip (although it looks like Marilyn was going with less!)

So, let’s say you have a 28" (71.1 cm) waist, you will want to look for a vintage dress that measures about 29" (73.7 cm) at its waist.

Generally, for clothing made of a non-stretchy woven fabric, someone on the smaller end of sizes can comfortably go with the least wearing ease, while someone on the larger side will want to go with the higher ease measurements for comfort and a visually pleasing fit. By contrast, a garment made of a knit fabric can have no ease or even negative ease (in the case of a swimsuit, for instance) for a proper fit.

Another kind of ease is “design ease,” which is part of the cut of the clothing. Every era has a variety of styles and fits, and the ease will vary with the cut of the garment. If you are looking to fit a 1960s flaring tent dress made of a woven fabric, the design ease at the bust will be close to the wearing ease, but the design ease at the waist and hip will be much greater. For a strapless 1950s formal, there may be very little design ease through the bodice because the dress might not stay up if it isn’t properly tight! I think we can put up with very little wearing ease for more formal—and briefer!—occasions.

Even if you prefer a tighter fit in most of your modern clothing, please consider the age of the vintage garment and its fabric when choosing what ease you need. A vintage garment made of delicate or loosely woven fabric can show pulling along its vertical seams or even rip if worn too tightly. Thankfully, because of its construction, that 1950s strapless gown is more likely to be tolerant of a close fit. A 1920s beaded silk chiffon dress, on the other hand, is not going to tolerate any tightness.

Looking online, you may spot the waist measure you want for a vintage sheath dress, but the bust and hip measures look too big. That is not uncommon when comparing 1950s to modern sizing. The female body has gone through many fashion ideals, with fits that accentuate and exaggerate those ideals.

No matter what era of clothing you fancy, you have to choose by the measurement that most challenges the wearing ease you need, So, if you’re looking at a 1960s shift dress that has plenty of ease for your waist but is a bit too slim in the bust and hip, you will want to look until you find another shift with the ease you need at the bust and hip. Likewise, if you see a 1950s shirtwaist dress with a bust measurement that looks ideal for you, but the waist measure seems like it might be too tight, search for a similar dress with a waist measure that allows enough ease.

Even when shopping in person, knowing your measurements saves a lot of time, effort, and potential disappointment. Some vintage shops indicate measurements on tags. Others give general size indications or no indications at all. If you take along a measuring tape and measure the hanging item to get an idea if it will fit, you eliminate much of the guess work.

This blog is adapted from my book, Wear Vintage Now! Choose It, Care for It, Style It Your Way.

Dress like a star at home

A few years ago, I made it a resolution to dress like a star at home. I thought of my existence at home as a substantial chunk of any week and decided that dressing for the occasion of day-to-day life seemed like a worthy goal. However, I didn’t want to be uncomfortable, so I thought of the elegance of vintage loungewear and hostess garments. Maybe this interests you too?

The allure of vintage fashion extends to at-home style

There’s a timeless elegance in the comfort and glamour of wearing vintage loungewear and hostess garments at home. In an internet-paced world, where comfort often takes precedence over style, vintage fashion offers an escape to an era where time, beauty and sophistication intertwined.

Imagine yourself lounging in a silk robe adorned with delicate lace trim or bold embroidery reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour. The feeling of the fabric against your skin, combined with the craftsmanship, transports you to another era. Vintage loungewear is not just clothing; it is an experience, a way to embrace the worthy arts of relaxation and self-care.

Hostess garments, worn by our foremothers for informal-but-stylish entertaining at home, exude an air of charm and sophistication. Whether you are entertaining guests or simply enjoying your own quiet company at home, wearing a vintage hostess outfit instantly elevates the ambiance and invokes refined glamour. Look for intricate details, flowing silhouettes, opulent fabrics and beautiful prints that allow you to channel the grace and poise of hostesses from eras past. Even your cat may notice!

And another thing: You most definitely can wear these pieces outside the home now! The taboos surrounding clothing meant for in-home wear are no longer observed (at least for some of the world), and it looks great to head out with a leather or denim jacket over a vintage satin nightgown, or a vintage kimono robe over a simple black dress.

But it’s not just the aesthetic appeal that makes vintage loungewear and hostess garments irresistible and more versatile than you might expect. The quality and attention to detail that define these pieces ensure a level of comfort that is hard to beat. The fabrics used are often natural and breathable; silhouettes are designed to flatter without constraint, allowing for ease of movement without compromising on style.

In a world where comfort often comes at the expense of finesse, vintage loungewear and hostess garments allow you to have the best of both worlds. These represent a celebration of the artistry, craftsmanship, and beauty that can elevate your day-to-day life.

All items from Vintage Fashion Guild members

Top Row: 1960s to 70s leopard-print rayon/acetate robe from NobleVintageCothier on Etsy; 1940s to 50s white rayon and lace robe from vintagerunway on Etsy; 1930s Art Deco dressing gown from VintageFanAttic on Etsy; 1930s hand-sewn silk kimono with a metallic jacquard pattern of pekinese dogs from magsrags.myshopify.com; 1920s pink silk and lace dressing gown from daisyandstella on Etsy.

Bottom Row: 1950s rose-print polished cotton house coat from VintageFanAttic on Etsy; 1980s butterly-print silk caftan from Wyogems on Etsy; 1950s printed silk hostess dress from StralightVintage on Etsy; c. 1970 wool long tunic dress from my denisebrain shop on Etsy; 1960s black rayon velvet palazzo pants jumpsuit from TheBlackLotusVintage on Etsy.

Print mixing with vintage fashion, part II

Leigh in all her bright print-mixing glory

When it comes to print mixing I have a hero: Leigh Wishner is the Museum Registrar-Coordinator at FIDM Museum & Galleries. She wears prints and she wears them well—with confidence. Leigh also knows a lot about prints and textile history in general. Her Instagram account @patternplayusa is a fascinating and colorful appreciation of 20th-century American textiles and the stories behind them. A book is to come. I can’t wait!

I asked Leigh for a few sentences that would summarize her print-mixing philosophy. And, typical for her, she accommodated generously.

Pattern mixing—a fun, but understandably daunting, subject. The rules are there are no rules, but that said...there are "guiding principles" I think help it all make sense. It all boils down to scale, color, and pattern family.

There are two ways to mix prints of different scales: either extreme difference in scales (like small dots with giant dots), or very similar scales (let's stick with dots--two similarly sized dot prints, but of different colors). That's one way I look at things when I'm getting dressed. Two big patterns can look great together! Two micro patterns also have that capability. But a huge pattern and a small pattern together really work best when at totally opposite ends of the scale spectrum.

Color is the other pattern clashing/complementing factor. For me, one print usually picks up a color in the other print I'm wearing, like I have a William Morris print scarf that I like to pair with an Associated American Artists print that has overlap in terms of color and the motifs somehow "converse" with each other. Or, the colors don't "go together"—but there's something about the two dominant colors in the patterns that work in oppositions on the color wheel, like an orange-dominant floral pattern with a blue striped pattern. Or purple geometric with yellow gingham. You get the idea. Or totally monochromatic—a green leafy print and mod green chevron print sounds good to me!

"Pattern family" can be a lot of fun to play with! Let's say you have several different checked things on at the same time. Or vertical and horizontal stripes. Or two different florals. This is where scale and color can really help you determine what looks best! But clashes in pattern families also yield brilliant results—think tartan and leopard print, or polka dots and paisleys. I also like to think about how shapes and styles complement each other—like hard geometry with soft florals (which describes a pair of black/white stripe palazzo pants I wear with a pastel lavender silk floral tea timer). Or something with lots of curves and arabesques with something equally florid.

I also always start by picking the one garment that I want to "anchor" everything, and then work from there. It's a trial and error process that often means things are strewn about until everything is "just so"! I can get obsessive and I always need to see everything together to make a holistic "diagnosis" for how well something works out vs. how my mind pictures it.

And...accents of solid colors for accessories are good, but you can also extend pattern to purses, shoes, scarves, etc! But always: do what you feel most comfortable with. If you're not comfortable in your choices, you'll never feel as good as you look.

Equipped with Leigh’s ideas, I put together items from Etsy searches; many of these you will find in my vintage print mixing favorites collection. One of her ideas I really took to heart is to start with something you want to anchor your other choices.

And that reminds me: Choose a print (and item) you love! Duh, right? Well, that really is the first step with all vintage wearing. Sometimes I forget to say the obvious.

What do you think? Too much? Too little?

The Importance of Measurements in Choosing Vintage That Will Fit

Of the handful of Really Important Issues when choosing vintage clothing, fit is probably number one for most people.

There is no standard by which vintage sellers collectively describe sizes, but let’s be fair, there is no precise standard for modern clothing either!

Sometimes you’ll see a vintage item that has its original tag or label with the size marked on it, but don’t confuse this with current sizing. Vintage sizes do not coincide with modern sizes, nor are they predictable when compared with other items from the same era. In her study of advertisements in Vogue magazine from 1922 to 1999, Alaina Zulli found a great deal of irregularity, with a generally decreasing size number through the decades, due to so-called vanity sizing. As summarized in 2011, Ms. Zulli found that in the Sears catalogue of 1937 for instance, a woman with a 32" bust would have worn a size 14. She would have worn a size 8 by 1967, and today, she’s wearing a size 0.* Fit is all about measurements, not stated sizes.

I have tried to at least codify my own modern size estimates for the vintage items I have for sale, based on an assortment of websites’ and catalogues’ size charts. Other vintage sellers have done something similar. However, I would recommend that if you see U.S. size 6, say, or XL, even in my listings, do not assume it is the same as your idea of size 6 or XL. Go straight for the measurements and compare those to your own.

Many sellers, including me, suggest that you compare the measurements of an item you’re interested in with something similar of your own that fits you well.

When should you ask for further help from an online vintage seller? By all means ask if there are no/not enough measurements. A seller who offers almost no information may be a beginner or simply not very skillful. One characteristic that good sellers share is that their listings include most or all of the information you need to make an informed decision. Most good sellers will be happy to guide you if you need further help with the size or some other aspect. Just remember, don’t ask if that 1950s dress is a size 6—ask about the item’s measurements.

Copyright denisebrain

So now that you understand the importance of measurements for fit, here are the most common measurements you will need for clothing.

It is an extremely good idea to have someone help you with these measurements, at least the ones that would require advanced contortionism to manage on your own. Use a cloth measuring tape and keep it straight and snug but not tight as you measure. Stand tall and relaxed and don’t suck in, especially for the bust and waist measures.

Bust: With your bra on, measure around your body at the fullest part of your bust.

Print out to record your measurements

Under-bust measure: Measure around your body just under your bust.

Waist: Measure around the smallest part of your waist, just above your belly button.

Hips: With heels together, measure around the fullest part of your hips, about 8" (20.3 cm) down from your waist.

Shoulder width: Imagine lines going straight up from your armpits to your shoulders in back. Measure from this point on one shoulder to the other, across the back.

Outer sleeve length: Measure from the tip of your shoulder to your wrist along the outside of your arm.

Upper arm: Measure around the fullest part of your upper arm.

Neck: Wrap the tape around your neck about 1" (2.5 cm) above the point where your shoulder meets your neck.

Back waist length: Measure from the base of your neck to your waist in back.

Inseam: While standing straight, measure from the groin to the place where you would like the hem of the pants to fall (ankle or floor).

Outer leg length: Measure from the waist to the point where the hem of the pants will fall.

Rise (front and back): Measure from the groin to your waist at center front for the front rise, and at center back for the back rise.

---

You can be any size and look great; you just have to be honest about the size you really are.

For instance, when you measure your waist, don’t suck in or you’ll have to live with permanent duck face while wearing too-tight clothes. If you lose that weight you’ve been meaning to lose or whittle your waist with exercise, you can find a new vintage frock or alter what you have. But now is now—and you deserve to look and feel great right now!

This post is excerpted from my book Wear Vintage Now! Choose It, Care For It, Style it Your Way. In the book you will find further help with fit, considering such subjects as ease, vintage underpinnings, and alterations.

*Clifford, Stephanie. “One Size Fits Nobody: Seeking a Steady 4 or a 10.” New York Times, April 24, 2011.

Vintage Mixing

Recently I took a stab at four general vintage-wearing personas, modes of style that you might choose for every day, or flit between. One of these styles, The Vintage Mixer, generated a lot of comments. It seemed to need expansion.

First, a quick review. In that previous blog I proposed that there are— 

1. Wear-with-alls:  Not driven by vintage, just looking for a unique, quality vintage piece here and there 

2. Time travelers:  The total look, hat-to-shoes right out of a vintage Vogue

3. Walking works of art:  Creative and bold, using vintage but not necessarily all vintage

4. Vintage mixers: Mostly or all vintage, put together from various eras

That last type? Too broad. I'm now proposing these four distinct types of vintage mixing personas:

All-vintage Mixers

Era mashing

The Era Mashing Mixer is a purist about wearing mostly vintage, but as to which era, she is an iconoclast. For one outfit she may mix a 1940s jacket with 1970s wide-legged trousers, a 1950s blouse, and a 1960s bag. This might be done with purposeful harmonizing, or ironic wit.

Zara wearing a 1940s hat and belt, 1950s sunglasses, a 1970s polka dot dress, and a 1980s marabou jacket. I love that #justbloodywearit is her constant hastag and motto! Courtesy of @zeebeezsazsa on Instagram

SPECIALIST MIXERS

Showcasing collections of specific vintage pieces

The Specialist Mixer might see herself as a collector, connoisseur, and wearer of certain favorite vintage items in particular. She may tote vintage handbags, or cuff herself in vintage Bakelite bracelets, wear vintage modernist-print Vera scarves or pieces from the 1970s by Yves Saint Laurent. Her wearable collections may be estimable.

Just two of the many amazing vintage bakelite bracelet stacks the vintage maven Sandi of @lorrelmae has shown on Instagram. (Also, check out her Etsy shop!)

MODERN/VINTAGE MIXERS 

Interested in vintage, but interested in modern fashion too

Modern/Vintage Mixer types may seek out vintage that interprets new styles, or new styles that echo vintage. Not one to set aside the present state of fashion, but also fascinated by the past, the Modern/Vintage Mixer is a creative blender of the old and new.

People that I know in this group are sometimes motivated by the green side of vintage, being anti-fast fashion, careful to be sure their modern fashion purchases are ethically and sustainably made as often as possible. Sometimes their contemporary pieces consist of the basics, and they use vintage as the mainstay of their wardrobes.

Stop and ask! says Nicole, @theartyologist on Instagram and blogging (about vintage, sustainable fashion, art, and photography) at theartyologist.com

INSPIRED-BY-VINTAGE MIXERS

The goal is the total look, sometimes using vintage repro clothing

This mixer contingency may not be able to find what they need in good shape and in the right size (at the right time), or simply want to wear something that looks vintage that they needn’t worry about if jitterbugging or pruning the rosebush. Often these mixers are close to Time Travelers, their full-on vintage look created with a certain amount of repro vintage-style clothing. The Inspired-by-vintage Mixer might, for instance, wear repro shoes and jeans with an authentic vintage sweater and scarf. 

Photo from the account of Instagram's @missharlowdarling; also be inspired by the Harlow Darling blog

What do you think? Do you wear your vintage like any of these stylish mixologists?

I you enjoyed this, you might like my book Wear Vintage Now! Choose It, Care for It, Style It Your Way, available now!

Does vintage clothing make you feel like you’re wearing a costume?

We’re coming up on Halloween, a time when many vintage clothing shops see an uptick in sales for looks that spell flapper, mod, Downton Abbey, Titanic, hippie, pin-up girl and Mad Men.

If you want to go with a full-blown vintage look walking down the street during the rest of the year, I salute you! Many, though, fear the looks and questions at our workplaces, schools, and even home. But there are ways to make vintage look right at home on any day of the week.

Vintage clothing does not
need to look like a costume—
unless you want it to

The easiest way is to not try to overly coordinate a complete vintage ensemble, at least for starters. Show your love of the 1920s vibe with a gorgeous piece of jewelry or flapper handbag. Believe me, you will get the compliment: That vintage [fill in the blank] is so great!

Wear a beautiful 1950s coat to work. Carry a vintage handbag with your modern dress. Maybe on some occasion, you’ll feel like putting them together. But for now, give one or another a try.


And speaking of Halloween—

 

Find this pumpkin image in one of my Etsy shop’s item photos, send me a message (just a simple “found it!” is fine) from the listing page, and I will send you a $10 coupon code to use as a discount on a purchase of $11 or more. The code will be good through the end of November, 2016. [Hint: The pumpkin isn't in the first photo of the item.]

By the way, what will you wear for a Halloween costume? Who knows, I may even be concocting some vintage spells as a mad scientist (bwa-ha-ha!)

Survey: Advice for a beginning vintage buyer

“If you were to give one piece of advice to a beginning vintage buyer, what would it be?”

I asked this question recently in a survey of people who wear vintage, and the responses were really thoughtful. Also, even though it required a written answer, 110 out of 112 survey takers responded, which is a pretty overwhelming rate.

First, because I love a good word cloud:

See that big measurements? This is a very important issue for vintage wearers, with 21% of those surveyed urging a beginner to get accurate measurements both of herself and the clothing she is interested in.

Measure yourself and measure the item! Know how those two sets of measurements relate to each other. 

Measure twice, buy once. Know your own measurements and what that entails in a piece of vintage so you can better locate what you’re after. 

Condition and care were mentioned by 14% of the respondents. They wrote that purchasing something in excellent condition is important and that knowing how to repair and clean is critical. Some don’t consider buying anything with noticeable flaws, suggesting—

Never buy planning to fix.

while some, perhaps because of their own abilities, just suggested—

Make sure you check items over and if they need repairs make sure you can do them and plan a time to do them.  

Gaining knowledge about vintage was the top priority of 8%. What sort of knowledge? Mentioned was learning to tell if an item is truly vintage, learning the best ways to care for items, and learning how vintage is priced. And why should you gain knowledge of vintage?

There are so many resources to help you date clothing, make sure you know what you are buying and what it’s worth to you. Spending more than that on something will rarely make you happy. 

Study the era(s) that you feel drawn towards and really get to know the cultural history, as well as the fashion themselves, from those years. The greater you appreciate and understand the decades that you’re emulating or drawing inspiration from, the more cohesive and inspired your outfits stand to be. 

Slightly more people (11%) gave answers suggesting what and how to choose vintage for the beginner.

Start small, find that one piece that can work with things you already own and build from there with what feels right. 

Try out different eras. Don’t be intimidated. You totally do not have to look like Viva Las Vegas. 

Figure out which silhouettes look best on you, and buy what you like. Ignore labels. Ignore what’s “hot” or “trendy” (yes, there IS trendy in vintage), and go with your gut. Personal style is never based on popular consensus or trends.  

Pay attention to your lifestyle. If you hate to dry clean, go to a lot of black tie gatherings, never dress up, etc., let that be your guide. I have a closet of fancy dresses I have never worn—all purchased for a specific event, and then I didn’t. I do reach for my vintage cashmere coat, vintage blazers, etc. again and again. I am comfortable spending more on those items because they won’t just sit. Also, be mindful on how to care for your items in a way that makes them last and choose fabrics and items based on how much maintenance you are willing to do. 

5% mentioned the quality of an item, paying attention to what the price ought to be for a vintage piece of a certain type, era, and condition; investing in fewer but better things; and spending money wisely.

A few mentioned where to buy. Several stated that patronizing a good, reputable seller is mutually beneficial. Others suggested looking everywhere until you find your favorite haunts, both online and in person.

The largest percentage of respondents (37%) wrote a variation on a couple of intertwined themes.

Essentially, buy what you like, and don’t wait if you like something. Once you have it, wear it. Something like Nike’s Just Do It. 

If you love it, buy it then and there.  

Use the items, otherwise you are just a warehouse.   

Buy what you love so you will wear it!  

If you love it, buy it! Chances are you will never see one again. Buy what makes you feel happy/fun/beautiful etc. If you have to talk yourself into it, leave it.  

I love the enthusiasm that glowed from many of the answers I got to my survey questions. These were not the answers of fence sitters, but of vintage devotees!

Be confident in what you wear! Vintage clothes will make you stand out anywhere (office, party, walking about, etc.), so make sure you are happy in the skin you are in and the clothes you are wearing. Your clothes are just an extension of your persona, so have fun with how you dress! 

Amen! 

Survey: How you wear vintage, your favorite eras and items

Recently I asked denisebrain Facebook, newsletter and blog followers who wear vintage to take a short survey.

The responses have been so thoughtful and interesting that I thought you might enjoy giving them a read.

A favorite photo via The Sartorialist

Apparently, you mainly like to wear a piece or two of vintage in a mix with other clothing, although solid percentages of you wear head-to-toe vintage.

 How do you wear vintage?

What decades are your favorites for vintage fashion to wear? (answer all that apply) 

The women who took this survey have chosen to interact with me and my business, so I’m not surprised by the decade preferences!

The answers to the next question ranged quite a lot, but there were clear winners, judging from this word cloud.

What is your favorite type of vintage item to wear?

The most interesting answers were to the question—

If you were to give one piece of advice to a beginning vintage buyer, what would it be?

...in fact, the answers to this question were so good that I need to create a separate post showcasing lots of them! 

(coming soon!)