Your Beauty Questions Answered - Fashion Edition

I'm back with another edition of my advice column. Seriously, I'm not trying to be mean -- I just believe in "tough love" (I guess you could call it). Sometimes people need a kick in the ass to realise stuff. Here we go....



Q: How do I get the confidence to dress vintage?
A: Only YOU can determine whether or not you give a flying fuck. I realise that some people prefer to be low-key while others like to be flashy. If you are one of those "low-key" people then just accept it and don't dress vintage.

Q: How can I dress vintage without looking like a costume?
A: You can't. Unless you wear modern pieces with vintage flair you will look like you are on your way to the playhouse. I dressed full-on vintage for about a year (dresses sewn from 30s/40s patterns and did my hair in fingerwaves) and I stood out like a sore thumb. I had the confidence to pull it off and I got lots of compliments, but I still looked like Halloween. Believe it nor not, sometimes even *I* felt like an idiot in my get-ups -- like someone you wouldn't take seriously. People who don't know you will only see a costume. It's up to YOU to not give a shit. You also have to have the attitude to back it up. Like I said -- some people won't take you too seriously upon first seeing you unless you PROVE to them you're not nuts.

I would also advise to not wear something you actually feel ridiculous in. Because then it REALLY WILL look like a costume because you WILL NOT carry it off and it will SHOW. Best bit of advice, there!



Q: How do I dress vintage and not look "rockabilly"?
A: Easily. They key is to look more "old lady" than flashy. Lean more towards pure 40s and 50s dresses and hairstyles without a lot of flair. As for me, I got tattoos, I do my makeup in cat's eyes, wear cat's eyes glasses, and I've been known to wear tons of cherries, but I never, ever look "rockabilly." I don't have a problem with that look and I actually like it, but I tend to lean more towards "old lady" -- EVEN WITH TATTOOS!

This is just my definition, but "Rockabilly" fashion is a mix of 40s/50s glam, "bad girl", and modern punk -- maybe with a little goth mixed in. It is deliberately flashy, colourful, and sexy. Vintage dressing in the 1950s style is just straight-up wearing 50s fashions. Nothing really "rockabilly" about it. Look at these women -- they don't look like they are on their ways to VLV to me:




Of course, these are just the two ends of the extremes. There are as many variations of 50s vintage fashions as there are people who wear them. The MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember is wear what you like, give it your own flair (or it WILL look like a costume!), and for god's sake, DO NOT GIVE A FUCK what other stupid, catty bitches think or say. Screw them.