A can of worms...vintage survey part 4.

I suddenly realised that asking people for their antithesis of vintage style was risky as soon as I started getting responses but at the same time the answers were revealing, many thanks to those who contributed.
The responses fell into distinct camps:

The first featured quite predictably the trashier end of feminine celebrity, these were largely British (perhaps we just do ‘slapper’ better?) and included in great numbers Katie Price/Jordan, Kerry Katona and Cheryl Cole. Not that there were not American suggestions but these seemed, to my London centric eyes, to be more up-market: Paris Hilton, Lady GaGa any Kardashian and Lindsay Lohan.  I did wonder however how much of this stems as much from their behaviour as their looks? The American contingent, to my European eyes are not particulary anti-vintage. Taking drugs, having multi sexual affairs, ignoring social norms and making a fuss are all highly twenties and thirties. There is no particular morality to the multiplicity of vintage scenes. I have seen Paris and Lady GaGa look elegant although it is a rarity. Our British girls do however seem to get it wrong entirely and I must admit that Cheryl Cole would be high on my own personal list.  On the other hand often the tanned, plucked and extensioned ladies are at least paying attention to their grooming (does vajazzling count?). I'm a tad reticent to be completely damning, perhaps in 80 years theirs will be vintage style and elegance?

I doubt she chooses her own clothes though...

‘I have no idea, probably some footballer's wife that I don't read about in the "popular" media, or that terrible "Jordan" creature.’

‘Wearing only what is "in season" and jeans (so many people seem to wear jeans) no problem with them as such I just wouldn't want to wear a "uniform" out of choice.’

 ‘Not Wags or even gypsies, for they put as much effort in as we do! The barely madeup, wash and go with bird's nest hair school of 'fashion', where you spend a fortune on a bland, unimaginative, boring outfit.’

The second selection was of people who are actually held up as style icons and mercilessly foisted at us by the fashion press as examples of style.  Fashion bloggers, Hoxtonites, Alexa Chung, Pixie and Peaches Geldof, the Olsen twins and so forth. I was disappointed that only one person nominated Kate Moss.  Here the issue really is about style, plus corporate interference, mass marketing and a certain lack of character. There's just a big nothing in the way they look. In comparison the Cheryl Cole's and Lindsey Lohans start to look glossy and collected.

Yup, I have to agree the opposite of everything I personally like in clothing....

‘It seems hypocritical, but I think many of the modern hipster girls who obsess over vintage-via-Urban Outfitters clothes for the trendiness and novelty of it are the antithesis of vintage. I know this sounds judgmental, and honestly, many of my friends are very sweet girls who match that description (or at least aspire to); but it irks me to no end to see girls with no poise and no idea about history and the context of the fashions they so wantonly ape. I guess I would cite Zooey Deschanel as the poster child of this type: nauseatingly cutesy, but really just the vapid product of some marketing team.’

‘Any of the high street commercial bigwigs - producing cheap, mass-market items designed to be in fashion for approximately two days and fall apart after five washes. There's no lasting style, design or beauty there. That style ethos is about being a clothes hanger for fashion, not about the man or woman inside the clothes, and flattering their form.’

‘Any of those awful hipster kids that will say something like "it has a vintage essence", even though it looks like something an East German border guard might wear.’

‘Reflex reaction is to type something along the lines of those ghastly Beckham creatures, or Katie Price. A more obtuse part of me thinks Wayne Hemmingway, though. Or the Geldoff girls / whatever other society poppet turns up this week claiming they've gone "vintage" because Vogue / Time Out / whatever told them to.’

‘Anyone who thinks that the fashion from the 1980s is a 'vintage style'

So far I have been dwelling on feminine examples but the chaps who answered came up with a more diverse bunch but there were definite winners: Russell Brand, David Cameron and Simon Cowell step forward. Gary Glitter and Gok Wan take a bow. There were surprises, someone nominated Humphrey Bogart, another Grayson Perry. I liked these latter nominations, Bogart has his admirers as an actor and Perry is a fine artist. Perhaps we ladies have tended to be more inspired by dislike than a dispassionate assessment of style. Which brings me on to my last camps: the vintage backlash and the downright bitchy.

Get a tie!

Are these leggings?

‘Adam, William Blake, me’

‘"creatives", 30/40/50 year olds dressed as teenagers’

‘George Clooney (in a positive way) is thoroughly modern. He is relaxed, classic, minimalist and contemporary.’

‘MTV's ridiculous hip hop fashion.’

‘T4, baggybums, the High Street’

‘The antithesis of vintage style cannot be encapsulated in a singular person - anyone with the means but not the inclination to dress in a tasteful manner, with concessions to cleanliness and propriety.’

The vintage backlash is perhaps reflected by the number of people who suggested Dita von Teese, Betty Page, Bernie Dexter and Paloma Faith as vintage no no’s. Although I am not Dita’s biggest fan she does always look lovely, Betty Page is surely an icon and whilst Paloma is quirky she has been a vintage inspired woman for a very long time and they seem really really peculiar choices. I Are people sick of these ladies being held up as exemplars? Or is it they fact they are louche? I sometimes sense there is a prim, purist, domestic, prissy vs sassy, sexy, eccentric wayward battle going on out there.

Personally I like the way Paloma looks....

Following on from this was the suggestions of people who are making a living or have high profiles through their vintage activities. I don’t mind being nominated by one soul, I make no claims to vintage stylishness, in fact I usually look like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards, I'm just interested. But there seemed to be an envy/resentful/bitchy element out there directed at some rather blameless souls and that’s why at the beginning of this I said maybe I shouldn’t have included the question. On the other hand I suppose we all need to vent but c'mon, no reason for nasty trollish internetitus!

Personally I think anyone who makes an effort or is interesting or pleasant is fine and I enjoy seeing people enjoy their enthusiasm. I have my own bias (loathe East London style and think vintage stops at the sixties) but I'm aware of my little prejudices.

But what defines all of us is our own love of the styles, sounds and designs of the past. It is just a difference in how we display it. It may be that some people are posessive, they don't like to see things in the mainstream. I could be like that myself, I may have had an interest in the 30's and 40's for far longer than most of the people reading this but it provides no superiority. Some of the replies indicate that many of us are also as easy going.

‘My friends!’

‘I don't think that there is such a person.’

‘I don't have anyone. Anyone who embraces the vintage theme has to be positive - right?’

‘No one?!’

‘Tilda Swinton. And I love her.’

Throughout this post I have included quotes from the survey. Anonymous of course, if anyone want theirs withdrawn let me know. Also what do you think? Are we as bad as everyone else, is damning someone for their appearance fair or is it a way of demonstrating an independence from the herd? Or are the people in the vintage community, if it exists, just as bad? Please comment! pip pip, Redlegs. xx

Vintage Grand Inquisition part 2 Inspirations.

It was time to get down to the nitty gritty in the survey and see who you admire: 

Well there were quite a variety of inspirations, again refreshing.  Not a bunch of predictable dullards us! There were some favourites. The most popular 10 chaps were:

Bertie Wooster was by far the most popular inspiration for the chaps, proof of a sense of humour perhaps as he is in the books inclined to vulgarity! The always impeccable Jeeves gets a couple of mentions too. I suspect it is Mr Wooster’s lifestyle that is envied as much as his look… I know you all want to drink martinis and nick copper's helmets...

Duke of Windsor, quite a few people pointed out they didn’t like him much, so style divorced from character for many.

Oscar Wilde. The presence of Oscar and Beau prove the allure of the dandy continues.

Cary Grant

David Niven

Beau Brummell

Humphrey Bogart

Terry Thomas. Pleased to see a cad so popular.

James Bond. I am presuming most mean the Sean Connery incarnation but who knows…

John Steed

Interesting suggestions included Arthur Askey, Felix Yusupov Ludwig II of Bavaria, Baudelaire, Micheal Collins, William Blake, Jack Hargreaves 

The ladies were similarly eclectic in their choices,  although not perhaps in their first choice:

Dita von Teese, I was a little disappointed by this although there is no doubt she looks lovely and is the public media face of 'vintage'.

Rita Hayworth. Surprising far more popular than Marilyn or Grace Kelly. Ava Gardner was popular. Was it because their femininity seemed less stereotypical?

Ava Gardner

Wallis Simpson Again not a popular lady, but again marvellously stylish, think she took the Chanel look to heart.

Miss Lemon from Poirot, she isn't described as particularly attractive in the books but always wears the most fantastic clothes in the television series. And she is capable and modern.

Bettie Page  Bettie and Marilyn represent the sex pot inspirations..

Marilyn Monroe

Coco Chanel
Wallis Simpson Again not a popular lady, but again marvellously stylish, think she took the Chanel look to heart though rather than being completely her own stylist.

Queen Elizabeth 1^st

Grace Kelly.

It was good to see the female inspirations were largely speaking powerful women. Interesting inspirations included Frida Kahlo, Marie Lloyd, Vivien Westwood, Helena Bonham Carter, Lee Miller, Morticia Addams, Debbie Harry,Courtney Love and rather shockingly, Alexa Chung.

I’m going to copy some of the replies below to give you a flavour of the responses, they are anonymous but if anyone wants one taken off just bung me a line. I’d like to have included all but in the interests of brevity cannot!

‘Elizabeth Taylor - this is the most straightforward style inspiration. I love her overall style from the 50s and wish I could copy them wholesale (the nipped-in waist! the hair! the perfectly groomed eyebrows!) Jamie from http://fromme-toyou.tumblr.com/ - I really like her portrait series of interpreting the looks of vintage icons--she's great at doing vintage-inspired without looking half-assed or costumey. Barbara Stanwyck - I aspire to her sass.’

'Myrna Loy, Claudette Colbert, Annette Hanshaw, Chrissie White (silent film actress... utterly amazing, funny, inspirational, gorgeous!)'

'The original House of Worth (1890's), Madame Gres, Bette Davis'

'Gee that's a tough one! I don't really look to emulate anyone in particular. I get most of my inspiration from blogs and don't really pay much attention to 'figures'/famous people past and/or present.'

'I have no real style inspirations, if I admire someone it seems to be more for something other than style, like personaility or wit.'

'Hasse Ekman (1915-2004, Swedish actor and director) Jan-Olof "Jolo" Olsson (1920-1974, Swedish writer) Dr Faustroll (character in a short story by Alfred Jarry)'

'The Count of Monte Cristo Oscar Wilde Lain Coubert'

'Laurie R. King's Mary Russell Diana Gabaldon's Claire Beauchamp Fraser Maisie Dobbs from from Jacqueline Winspear's series'

'Christian Dior Claire McCardell Gretchen 'Gertie' Hirsch'

'Gianni Agnelli, Marcello Mastroianni, 50's rockers' style'

'I don't find individual figures stylistically inspiring, those I admire most dressed to best fit their personality and body - which I am trying to accomplish for myself.'

'Carmen Miranda, Frida Kahlo, Rita Hayworth'

'Erm, why does this survey stop at the 50s? My favourite decade is the 60s! The Beatles wives and 
girlfriends, Marianne Faithful, Frencg 60s singer like Sylvie Vartan have all been a huge influence!'

'General Gordon, Lord Mountbatten, Geoffrey Booza-Pitt'

'1. Archie Goodwin (of The Nero Wolfe books) 2. Humphrey Bogart 3. Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins (of Devil In A Blue Dress)'

'James Joyce - Baudelaire - Henry Miller'

'Dovima, Audrey Hepburn, Jean Patchett.'

'My great-grandmother, Margaret Caldwell Ogilvie, a milliner. Catherine Deneuve. The Flapper.'

'William Powell, Edward III, Marc Chevalier'

For what it is worth Minerva’s top three were:

Theda Bara

Lily Langtry

Miss Marple.
But then again I'm a bit vulgar....

So what do you think of these suggestions, surprising or predictable? I'd love to know....

Vintage Survey part 1.

What is your favourite era?	Percentage
1890-1910	5.0%
1920’s	3.0%
1930’s	14.0%
1940’s	22.0%
1950’s	19.0%
A combination of the above	37.0%

Thank you to everyone who filled out the ‘Grand Vintage Inquisition’, which was in all honesty more of a friendly nose around.  Just fewer than 150 people did and replies came from a variety of nations plus a good number of male respondents (thanks chaps!). This was a sample good enough to provide an overview of how people feel about vintage.

Why did I do it? Well there seems to be a lot of media confusion about ‘vintage’ aficionados, and a lot of events organised seem to get it ‘wrong’. It is easy to criticise and it appeared from comments on blogs that as an audience this group of people is very tricky to pin down. Probably a good thing, who wants to be pinned down? Actually on second thoughts that question should be re-phrased! The survey did provide an interesting snapshot, nothing more was possible with free online survey software. 

I started off by asking which period most influenced people; the 1940’s was, perhaps predictably the most popular single period. However it by no means dominated, some preferred the Edwardian period and the 1920’s, with Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire on the go this might increase. The largest number of people declared that they like a mixture of periods which seems to imply that the so called ‘vintage scene’ is not as influenced by re-enactors or historical groups as it might have once been nor is it particularly homogenous.

Someone also asked why I didn’t include the 1960’s as an option? Personally I regard it as ‘retro’ rather than vintage strictly speaking, although applying the 50 year rule 1960 may now count as vintage. Perhaps there are just too many of us who remember the sixties so it doesn’t have the distance of previous decades.  However if you are younger this might be a moot point. The views of any 60’s aficionados were just as relevant in terms of this questionnaire and their responses welcome. It is probably a good subject for a blog post though: are the 1960’s ‘vintage’?

The second set of questions asked why people were drawn to the vintage scene?   I was interested in this. From my own circle I noticed that people seem to have filtered in from other ‘alternative’ elements, ie Goth, punk, skater etc.  The sample in the survey, although revealed a spread of major influences. Interest in a particular period inspired most, but the ‘emotional response’ and ‘it’s a mystery’ results were high. It indicates the pull is not so much a trend thing for most. This explains the longevity of people’s interest in vintage, it’s genuine. 

Next time I’ll reveal the popular inspirations for respondents, some of the answers were very interesting and there were some clear favourites. As ever comments are welcome!

Pip! Pip!

What is your major influence ?