Exception #2 - Reflections upon style and fashion

Most of you don't know me very well. This blog is mostly about dresses, style and fashion. But to understand my style, you have to understand me as well, or at least know why I act and dress as I do.

I've loved fashion since a very early age, and except few exceptions I've never been part of the mainstream fashion. For me it's always been about style rather that fashion. So already in my early teens I started to experiment with different styles.

I guess I've always been on of those people who dress after mood, which has made my style a tad schizophrenic over the years.

As a teens I decided to become a hippie, so I started wearing big, colorful and flowery skirts and dresses, I was all about boho and I was more or less the only one. Yet something was missing, so already at age of 15 I started twisting the style.

During my high school years I started experimenting with the more darker sides of fashion as well, and before I knew it I was all about goth. Yet I was just a tad to happy to be all goth. I didn't really feel the pain you had to feel to be a goth.
And that's when I stopped trying to fit within a box and decided that I could be 60's boho and goth, well not at the same time, but I could switch between both styles, if I wanted. Who was there to stop me?

During my twenties I stated dressing in some way MOD. I'm not sure I was aware of that fact. But none the less I wore long boots, short dresses and had a very high bob.
I loved the 1960s and the MOD style as I have pointed out before on this blog. Yet the MOD style wash't fit for the stockings I loved so much. And as my fascination for stockings grew, so did the length of the dresses I wore. I guess it was a natural process for me.

I've been wearing post-world war II fashion the past 3-5 years. (More seriously the past 3 years). And I really do love the style, but the past year or so vintage has been hit by an inflation. More and more people are interested in vintage clothes. Interested in the lovely and elegant style of the 1950s. The New Look is back and I'm so very glad...

And then again I've never been the part of the crowd, and I actually think I've grown to like being the odd (wo)man out.  For me style is about making fashion and clothes personalized, but as the better part of the danish women are dressing 1950s inspired, I back out.

I woke up yesterday and didn't know what to wear. Well actually I knew exactly what I could wear, but I was getting bored, and just didn't feel like it anymore.
I somehow felt trapped and wearing the pretty dresses from the 1940s and 1950s just felt like a routine rather like pleasure. So I wen't to my parents attic and found my old MOD stuff.
A lot of it was unfortunately given to charity, but I still had some of the classics, and I will make some changes in my wardrobe.

I've realized I'm not schizophrenic just because I don't follow the same line of style for ever.
It's rather that I like to experiment. I mean, why shouldn't I? Style and fashion is all about been creative....

Fashion is fluent. That's easy to see because it always changes, yet it is always inspired by earlier styles. But what I came to think of is that style is fluent as well. As people we evolve, and we change; At least curious people, who are willing to explore life and the world, are evolving and changing.
That is exactly the same with the style. As long as you are aware, as long as you explore, your style will follow it will change and expand.
A lot of stylists are scolding women for lacking consistency within the style. But you don't need consistency. You need to play around and try stuff out until you find something you like. The best part is though when you get tied of the style and you go out to explore a new one.

I think choosing just one line of style for yourself is rather a sort of security blanket. You know what fits you, you get used to it, and you just keep going on like some kind of repeat.
I'm not a person that falls in to repetition or monotony. I like to challenge my self.

I don't have any plans of changing my style 100%. I still love all of my 100 1950s dresses, I just plan to broaden the boundaries I've put upon myself and my style the past year or so.

That's why I will be welcoming 1960s MOD back in to my life.

1960s was all about bright colors and big hair. I'm wearing a bright red a-line skirt that is just above the knee. I've matched the skirt with a black knit blouse and a pair of knee highs.

It's extremely important to me not to look like a teen, which you easily can end up doing you you don't give the look a lot of edge and some kind of twist. I've done it with the hair. This was one of my favorite up-does back than, but I've was never able to make it, cause I always either had a bob or a pixie-cut. 

The huge hair makes the look some how more grown up. 

I'm wearing big bracelets with bright colors. It's all about adding some kind of edge to the look. 

But it still has to be very fresh and young. 

#31

This is actually my first "real" vintage dress. I bought it from an old friend cause she had grown tired of it. I remember I just loved the color, and the fabric. For me it was one of the most exclusive pieces of clothes I had ever owned. I think this was back in 2007 or 2008, not really sure.

This dress was one of the turning points in my style and wardrobe. Soon after I realized how the fabric in vintage clothes have a very different feel and quality, and how I could never live without that feel. 

This dress has some kind of wool feel, or rather a heavy linen texture. And the color is just amazing. The style is very late 1950s or early 1960s. You can see it on the very simple round collar, and the length of the dress. I just love the simplicity of the late 1950s/early 1960s. And this dress is the perfect example.

Even though the color of the dress is amazing, tt's quite hard to find jewelry that can be complementary. So I used the leaf-shaped brooch my auntie gave me last time she was here, cause I though the green color would stick out when matched with the very hot color of the dress. And I was right. 

The hair was braided and messy, I didn't have time to make it neat today, but I used a pretty comb to keep everything in place. I think this is the first time I use this comb, even though I've had et for years.

#6 - Christmas Eve

Yesterday was Christmas Eve. I was fortunate enough to celebrate it with my neighbors and their family. We took off to the outskirts around noon, and I was home just in time to crash. So I didn't get to  update yesterday.

So you'll get it today instead.

Ladies and gentlemen; it's all about the details for me. One of the reasons why I am so hopelessly in love with the aesthetics and products of a forgotten era, is the details.

I bought this pink dress on etsy and it just arrived a couple of weeks ago. I bought it with two other which you'll see in time. 

This dress is a perfect example of are more low key version of the style Dior presented in 1947 under the name New Look. The fabric is some kind of sateen, and you wouldn't believe me how heavy this dress actually is. Yet it's so smooth and  fits perfectly. The heaviness of the fabric makes if fold perfectly regardless of you wearing it with og without a petticoat. Which in my opinion makes it perfect both during the winter and summer time. 

  

One of the reasons why I'm sure this dress is original from the era of New Look is the collar (left picture). This type of collar (with out neck-part) was often seen in the late 40s and early 50s. 

The pleating around the chest part is a typical 40s detail as well. 

This pleating gives the dress a feminine look without making the cleavage to vulgar.

The necklace is one I got from my auntie as an early christmas present and so are the earrings. I chose to match this jewelry with the dress to make sure that ti doesn't get over the top. 

Since the dress has such a strong color it is perfect with simple jewelry. And basically you can never go wrong with pearls. They are all time classics and a girls best friend, just as diamonds are. 

Shoes.. a simpe black pump, bought in H&M years ago. Always a classic.