Well we all know the old story we buy beautiful vintage clothes or any clothes for that matter, they don't quite fit but we say to ourselves......one day I'll fit into them.............or..........I am going to lose the weight...............I'm starting that new exercise class next week I will trim down............eventually I will fit into it.
You probably have experienced this or a similar scenario.
Solution...................I have this conversation at least once a week with lovely ladies buying vintage.
Firstly...........if you want to wear vintage the reality is you need to find a good seamstress, someone who can alter clothes and alter them well and with experience in altering vintage. Clothes can be taken in, taken out or fabric can be added to make clothes bigger...............all is possible with a great seamstress.
I had many size 8 dresses turned into my size 12 by adding fabric down the side seam..............obviously it depends on the fabric and what can be best matched but anything in a plain color is easy otherwise your seamstress should be full of
great creative ideas,
that's her job.
The reality is there is only so much vintage fashion that has survived and that is in circulation and that you eventually find and looks great on your body.................but aha it doesn't quite fit.
I have seen so many girls walk away from a fabulous outfit that they just refuse to pay a seamstress to alter so it will fit them fabulously.
Secondly..................... gone are the days for many of us that can buy straight off the rack and the outfit fits you perfectly........................remember our bodies are
soooooooooo different to those of our ancestors say even 50 or 60 years ago
After the WW2 people were poor food was simple and limited...............a little and I mean little bread, butter, jam, milk for tea and the occasional piece of meat if they were fortunate..............and remember this food was wholesome unadulterated
unpasteurised no hormones added and wonderfully
notorious.
This kind of frugal eating continued for several decades until the mass production of food, dining out and takeaway/fast food was popularized and affordable. Preservatives, antibiotics hormones were all added to ensure that food remained stable and kept for long periods of time on the shelf.
Hence we started to eat more and the more we ate the less quality we got.
Women's bodies began to change according to this type of diet and in conjunction with the marketing of the new craze of fitness for women to be involved in athletics, aerobics, running, yoga,
pilates...............our bodies changed. We bulked up our bone structure enlarged and then if we didn't stay toned and we put on fat on that larger boned body we looked big, bigger, fat, overweight.
Thirdly............................ this is probably most important WOMEN WORE CORSETS, GIRDLES AND WAIST CINCHES...........this decreased there waist measurements by 4-7". Dior fashioned his famous waist cinch in 1940 and this meant the uncomfortable corset could be traded by younger women by this popular fashion addition.....................we have seen the photos women's waist were tiny, yes they were but they did have a lot of help. And the ongoing wearing of a waist
cinch or corset trained the waist to stay in.
So when you get down on yourself for not fitting into that fabulous dress just remember these points get yourself a great seamstress and good quality waist cinch and your ready.....................go girl go vintage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
