V is for Vintage

"I've no idea when I'm going to wear it, the girl replied calmly.  I only knew that I had to have it.  Once I tried it on, well...  She shrugged.  The dress claimed me." - Isabel Wolff ( A Vintage Affair)


"Fashion fades, only style remains the same." - Coco Chanel

Ever get the feeling that you were born in the wrong era?  Yes, me too.  Some days, I feel I belong in the 1950's, other days, -it's the 1920's...and I have a strong affinity to the French countryside circa 17th century, I can't explain it.  I guess that would make me an antique, which is fine. All things vintage eventually become antique. 

Vintage wine, clothing, cars, furnishings, - the list is endless.  J'adore them all for many reasons, possibly due to the lack of quality in today's  High Street stores and shopping malls, everything seems so... so, homogenised, so 'Made in China', or 'Recycled from rubber tires.'  Do we dare to be different? I say, yes!  Vintage conjours up so many evocative images of bygone eras.  I always catch myself sighing at old furs, dresses, crocodile handbags, and don't get me started on personally stamped luggage.  Oh, and hatboxes!  Perfect for storing old letters. And, I often wonder about the lives and times that these wonderful pieces have endured, enjoyed...  How about you?  Are you a Vintage lover?


Photo courtesy: source via reqieme

Comments

Anonymous said…
Me, too! LOVE anything vintage. I was definitely born in the wrong century.
Bish Denham said…
I am vintage! :) When I see those retro prints and styles from the 60s and 70s I cringe. I do like the look from the 40s though, it would be nice if some of it crept back in.
Melissa Amateis said…
I'm a huge vintage lover! I'm particularly fond of the '40s, though I adore the Victorian style, as well as the Georgian Era. Oh, who am I kidding...anything from about the 18th century to the 1950s is fair game for me!
Danette said…
I can't tell you how many hours I spend in antique malls and stores. Sadly I can't find many clothes in those places as I am too tall but I love looking at them. The hats look quite divine on me though :) Hope you had a nice weekend! Cheers!
Baiba said…
I love the clothing! It looks so cute.

and in my taste of music I belong in 70s/80s :D
-B-
notesfromnadir said…
Vintage is just another word for classic. I think the styles from the 50s were so demure. Watch the movies made back then & the ladies wore hats & gloves & dress shoes. That was truly a different era. While I've imagined living back then reality intrudes when I see what they used to write with: manual typewriters!
Ann said…
What a terrific post! Love the opening quote... and hat boxes. Oh how I love hat boxes! I'm also a lover of old treasure chests!
Anonymous said…
I love Vintage. Only when others are wearing it though :)
Marian Allen said…
I love vintage houses, too. The beautiful woodwork, the quirky doorways and unique styles. Storybook style houses are my passion! :)

Marian Allen
Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes
Talli Roland said…
Dare I admit I'm not, really? *hides*

I like clean, modern lines.
Liza said…
I love to think about the stories behind old clothes, furniture and buildings. Yep, I'm a vintage fan.
Michael Di Gesu said…
YES!!!!!!!

I love antique everything and I even own a vintage condo and decorated it accordingly with antiques sprinkled with a few modern pieces.

I love eclectic. BUT it must always be stylish.... Hay, that's what a do for a living....
Karen Roderick said…
Very interesting. I'm not so much era, but country, in my mind I'm currently living in Paris! x
PK HREZO said…
Oh dahling! I simply die for vintage. Seriously, my fave dresses are vintage: one from WWII France, and the other from 1940s San Francisco. I love vintage jewelry, clothes, books, furniture .... it's just so much prettier. I'm with you, I was born far too late for my taste.
Heather Henry said…
I love vintage, even the word is wonderful. It makes me think of items that were made to last, quality craftsmanship, something you can put away in a cedar chest to pass down to your kids. The gloves I wear in winter are a small brown pair of vintage gloves, they're not especially warm, but I love the way they feel and look, so classy. I definitely was born in the wrong time period.
catdownunder said…
I am vintage - ancient - a cat in my 9th life (or it feels that way at times). My father would have been happier in mid-Victorian times with respect to the entertainment available. I cannot imagine my life without a computer but, in many respects I suspect I might be more at home in the 50's and 60's.

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