tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post2671637814413938878..comments2024-03-23T16:46:47.415-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: New York Times Discovers Existence of Repro VintageGertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-45814601493529302042011-06-07T06:12:33.839-04:002011-06-07T06:12:33.839-04:00I've been wearing vintage for many years and h...I've been wearing vintage for many years and have always been surprised that people say they can't wear it because only tiny sizes are available. There's lots of vintage out there that is way too big for me, unfortunately. It must be that 'funky smell' thing putting them off. I admit it is a problem--I have been airing out a recent blouse purchase for around two months now, waiting for a strong mothball smell to dissipate. The annoying thing is that the smell only appeared after I got it home and washed it. It would gag a maggot.suzynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-71351849759070191202011-03-24T07:42:08.827-04:002011-03-24T07:42:08.827-04:00This is an interesting subject, isn't it? I mi...This is an interesting subject, isn't it? I mix original vintage with my own production - which is vintage-inspired more than anything, as I draft my own patterns and have never really used commercial ones - and the odd off-the-rack garment. <br /><br />I generally don't buy repro; too expensive for what it is, I can do it better myself, and it rarely speaks to me. Someone used the word cartoonish. That's very apt, I think.<br /><br />As for vintage, I am not tiny (44-46, which translates to US 16-18, I think?) , but I find things that fit me well, or well enough to adjust, fairly regularly. The vast majority of my outerwear, jackets, coats, hats and all my fur, is vintage. I practically live in a late 40's suit jacket. I have some good dresses, shoes and undergarments as well, although I tend to save those for evening and occasional wear. <br /><br />The general impression I give off is probably vintage. I wear a hat (or cap, or headscarf) and gloves on a daily basis. I wear my hair up all the time. I don't own a pair of jeans. It works for me, I don't think of it as any extra effort.Pimpinetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08253317515828585697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-11454138768844065652011-03-04T19:20:02.876-05:002011-03-04T19:20:02.876-05:00Hi Gertie--just found your blog and am so enjoying...Hi Gertie--just found your blog and am so enjoying reading it. I am new to sewing, but open to experimenting, and really appreciate your dedication and time to us.<br /><br />I happened to pick up this book (http://www.amazon.com/Alligators-Old-Mink-New-Money/dp/B000J3EH34/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) and really enjoyed reading it. Perhaps you might enjoy checking it out AND get some tips for places to go, since the author's store (which is real) is in NY.<br />Thanks for sharing all your creativity with us!WyldFlamingohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07540342384095759977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-11658382177681108402011-02-19T01:44:23.463-05:002011-02-19T01:44:23.463-05:00I don't go for vintage due to the slim lines i...I don't go for vintage due to the slim lines it requires. When my mum died in 1995 she left a wardrobe full of her 1950s outfits but I had to donate them all to the Salvos as they were all for my mum's figure then- tiny waist, hardly any bust but more hips than me, plus she was taller with very narrow shoulders. I'm short and dumpy with swimmer's arms and shoulders, no bum and slim legs- not much fashion stuff suits me at all, but I DO make things that fit. In fact I made a dress very like the one you demonstrated in that blue rose floral, about 10 years ago- scoop neck, gathered skirt and all! The fabric must have been destined for that style! Now I'll dig out some photos of mum in her 50s dresses, eg. Aren't we cute in our matching outfits? http://www.flickr.com/photos/murfomurf/1284999847/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-26298233964244321402011-02-07T17:23:35.337-05:002011-02-07T17:23:35.337-05:00I own two vintage dresses, both of which appear to...I own two vintage dresses, both of which appear to have been handmade (one of which I had to make my own petticoat for, using Gerties' tutorial!)<br /><br />The first one I paid twenty pounds for at a 'vintage' shop (making it possibly the most expensive garment ever in my charity-shop wardrobe...) because I loved the print, only to discover, when I got it home, that none of the inside bodice seams had been finished at all by the original seamstress. Judging by the way it frayed after one day's wear, it had evidently been finished off in a tremendous rush to meet the deadline for some party, and then never worn again since! I'm still hand-finishing, binding with offcut strips, and otherwise stabilising all those endless seams... but it's a beautiful garment, and a ttracted a lot of attention on the two outings on which I've had a suitable occasion to wear it.<br /><br />The second one came to me from a friend in her late eighties, who had kept it from her youth because it was her favourite, and had been lent to an amateur dramatic society; the fabric of the side seams was torn where the back-buckled belt had been ripped out, either by someone attempting a quick change or through being worn by someone who was too fat :-(<br /><br />When I came to mend it, I found that someone had already attempted the same thing earlier, using very similar hand-stitching techniques, and the belt had clearly been ripped out <i>again</i>. So this time, as well as taking it in another half-inch on each side to clear the tear and improve the fit (alas, I discovered that there was another dodgy bit that lay just beyond the seam, and had to insert an invisible darn to strengthen it up) I sewed a bit of bias binding through the ends of the belt on both sides to spread the strain along the length of the seam instead of tearing the corners at the point where the belt end is sewn in. It stands up to a good tug now, so I'm hoping I've finally halted the rot as there isn't an awful lot of scope left for taking those seams in.... I haven't had a chance to wear that one yet, although I've got some thoughts about it.<br /><br />Anyway, my point is that the only 'genuine vintage' items I'm ever going get my hands on are those that come cheap because they're damaged or defective in some way; I don't object to that (I like mending things). Most of the 'vintage style' clothes I wear are simply vintage because I got them from charity shops twenty years or so ago, when they were merely old-fashioned... and I never throw things away while they're still mendable....<br /><br />But I don't really distinguish whether something is 'vintage' or just looks good. I discovered a long time ago that waists and long skirts suit me, but I'm no purist, and will happily veer between an Edwardian ruffled-blouse and ankle-skirt look (obviously not original!) or a 1970s Liberty woollen day dress that I've had since I was a teenager, which happens to be genuine (as above, when I got it, it was just 'old').Harrietnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-40468651778878982352011-02-06T13:04:20.177-05:002011-02-06T13:04:20.177-05:00While I love wearing vintage pieces, for my lifest...While I love wearing vintage pieces, for my lifestyle it's not practical to wear it all the time. So I prefer to mix up my wardrobe, I own some great pieces in clothes, handbags, & jewelry and will mix them in with my modern wardrobe (whether it be store bought or hand sewn). <br /><br />I don't like seeing cheap material in stores regardless of if it's retro inspired or a modern style. As with anything, styles come and go; what we were wearing in the 1990s will be the hot thing to wear in another 10-15 years.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14472883951161883895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-63839548349480387552011-02-06T01:45:17.214-05:002011-02-06T01:45:17.214-05:00i'm both. i have a terrific collection of vin...i'm both. i have a terrific collection of vintage dresses (late 1940s-1960s) that i wear on a frequent basis and i find pictures of dresses i can't hope to own (ooh designer pieces are lovely and $$$$$!). my answer to that is to "interpret" the pattern on my own and make the dress for myself. i seek out vintage fabric (i have a stash right now) and vintage notions. i haven't bought any repro pieces because they're generally more than i can afford to pay (grad student) and the few pieces i've seen (trashy diva and stop staring) have impressed me from the outside but not the inside. they aren't always lined and if i'm paying $100+ dollars (US) for a wool dress, i would like a lining. <br /><br />i also like customizing the pieces i make and buying repro doesn't allow that. vintage doesn't either, but i just can't pass it up if it fits....too lovely!quietandsmalladventureshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13882640501776166034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-30387753957773465252011-02-05T17:39:52.508-05:002011-02-05T17:39:52.508-05:00As much as I would love to wear 100 % vintage day ...As much as I would love to wear 100 % vintage day in and day out, I don't think it is simply possible. As with many of the previous points raised here, most of what I have found in vintage shops is teeny-tiny (granted, I am a small gal, but I don't spend my day smoking and drinking coffee, as my mama remembers her mother doing when she was a child), and requires "special handling". I have a lovely homemade dress that I would date from the 40's or 50's that I wear maybe twice a year out of the fear that the darn thing will disintegrate. And I paid $2 for it at a dry cleaner's in my neighborhood.<br />So, I guess my point is that I think (well-made)repro pieces are brilliant. The "older" fashions are flattering and chic, and I am happy to wear reproductions, made by me or found new or used.Coryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08170004104933284565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-37958463452566087802011-02-05T16:09:59.824-05:002011-02-05T16:09:59.824-05:00I have loved vintage clothing since I was little (...I have loved vintage clothing since I was little (I think endlessly watching "Annie" and "The Sound of Music" might have sparked my interest from a young age! I, too, started sewing clothing from vintage pattens for myself because I could rarely find the real thing in my size or in a wearable condition. I am all too happy to buy and wear reproduction vintage clothing and indeed, I am extremely grateful that there are those out there willing to make this kind of clothing (and shoes, don't foregt the shoes!). I have mixed feelings about the "vintage" trend of late. On the one hand I think hooray! People are finally starting to understand and share the aesthetic that I have coveted for so long. I feel a bit more socially accepted because of it. On the other hand I think Oh no! I am now going to be seen as a hopeless fashion follower and my passion for reproducing vintage clothes may be seen as one more peddler trying to expolitate the hapless fashion victims. I'm being melodramatic, I know. I guess I will just enjoy the ride while it lasts and adhere to the old position of not caring what other people think of me and just be true to myself.the Vintage Seamstressnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-60265585369469129052011-02-05T14:05:31.966-05:002011-02-05T14:05:31.966-05:00Casey:
As I recall, J. Peterman sold some actual ...Casey:<br /><br />As I recall, J. Peterman sold some actual costumes and props from the Titanic production, not reproductions. <br /><br />If you recall, just before the movie came out, after many delays, there was still much speculation that it would be a titanic flop.<br /><br />When I got the J. Peterman catalogue and saw the Titanic stuff on offer, I was astonished.atelierflounoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-52371780919177417682011-02-05T13:59:43.376-05:002011-02-05T13:59:43.376-05:00The New York Times has an irritating habit of acti...The New York Times has an irritating habit of acting as if something hasn't existed until it's written about in The New York Times. The Times is the paper I grew up with, and I used to revere it, but I no longer can take it entirely seriously. Slate and Gawker also have written about the paper's penchant for fake trends.<br /><br />Anyway, to your question, I like vintage reproductions if:<br /><br />--They're well-executed. Cheap material and frills are just depressing. Better an honest, T shirt made from nice cotton jersey than a fancy dress made from cheap acetate.<br /><br />--They're an "interpretation," not a slavish replication. For example, don't make skirts that women can't walk in. This is 2011.atelierflounoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-24432936545424186162011-02-05T13:51:10.770-05:002011-02-05T13:51:10.770-05:00Actually, the problem with fit isn't with vint...Actually, the problem with fit isn't with vintage clothes, it's with vintage stores. American women used to be tall and big, since way back in the 19th century. Taller and bigger than women from other places on the whole. But it's vintage store owners who make the choice to only buy and stock smaller-size pieces. Jerks..Marie-Christinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-2001410402127524232011-02-05T13:08:36.824-05:002011-02-05T13:08:36.824-05:00To me, 100 percent vintage winds up looking like a...To me, 100 percent vintage winds up looking like a costume. When I wear vintage, I pair it with a more modern shoe. Or a vintage coat and modern dress. Or when my vintage dress has given up the ghost, I make it into a skirt, which I then wear with a t-shirt and a cardigan.<br /><br />I also like going to thrift stores and buying vintage fabric and making something. Or getting modern fabric and making a vintage pattern.<br /> <br />I own some repro stuff, which as a seamstress, I can always change the details. I was a groomsperson in a wedding and wore a tuxedo dress from Daddy'os. I changed the button and the bow tie. Small stuff, but it does make it better.<br /><br /> I love the Trashy Diva clothing and it's quite well made.Melissa Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08900004734382130973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-35828492249578574792011-02-04T23:33:33.985-05:002011-02-04T23:33:33.985-05:00I haven't got much to add that hasn't alre...I haven't got much to add that hasn't already been perfectly well stated already, but I wanted to mention this: Every time somebody here has typed "repo" instead of "repro", either by accident or design, I've gotten the mental image of walking innocently down the street in my vintage-style clothes, only to have the Repo Man appear and rip them off of me!<br /><br />p.s. This is a wonderful blog. Great job, as always.Randinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-48962862064912385402011-02-04T18:57:50.933-05:002011-02-04T18:57:50.933-05:00I think it is both, like Andi says. It has been ar...I think it is both, like Andi says. It has been around for a while but it is also becoming a trend. <br /><br />For me it is about fit and looking timeless. I can't buy things that fit the way I want, and no authentic vintage garment fits over my curves. I love using modern fabrics, yarns and techniques to get a timeless look. <br /><br /><br />Look and fit at a fraction of the cost is what I aim for.Vickihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09873902018168238165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-11064529634385723252011-02-04T17:54:24.712-05:002011-02-04T17:54:24.712-05:00I've maintained a vintage collection since I w...I've maintained a vintage collection since I was a teenager and would like to observe that the comment about being able to wear modern underthings is right on. I am a "thin" person and I have trouble with some. I actually bought a foundation to see if it was workable...made my legs fall asleep. sigh!<br /><br />As for the actual wearing of my vintage, as a Mom I fear for my collection. I have a great piece in vintage lace but it is so fragile I am afraid to wear it. Kids shoes with velcro are NOT safe and if I need to snuggle my kid while wearing it?!? sigh again. Jeans and a T-shirt are really better Mom-gear despite any preferences I have. (Similar to the observation that the mosh is no place for beloved vintage, Mom-ing is often a continual mosh pit.)<br /><br />Beyond that, I find repro too short in general and actual vintage too short waisted...so I end up making a lot or making significant changes to much of what I can wear.<br /><br />Mostly I get my Retro needs addressed making reproductions of designs for doll collectors and their dolls, who don't need foundations, never gain weight and often don't even need to sit down. heheh It is a good outlet.k.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18263491230656715050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-13896186124686453102011-02-04T15:43:28.935-05:002011-02-04T15:43:28.935-05:00I agree with Nancy K's comments - all of them!...I agree with Nancy K's comments - all of them! <br /><br />I also found it amusing that yesterday there was an article in the very same section on the resurgence of men's hats, which went out of favor after WWII. Yet neither writer nor the Style editors connected the dots between the two articles. <br /><br />On chivalry - I'm not a retro dresser or sewist, but I have always noticed that the nicer (maybe more feminine?) I am dressed, the more gentlemanly the behavior of the men I encounter on the streets and subways of NY.Cliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05552253628640209694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-4854017339976054292011-02-04T14:57:29.474-05:002011-02-04T14:57:29.474-05:00I really love some repro vintage clothing, but get...I really love some repro vintage clothing, but get a bit tired of the same old prints (cherries, polka dots), colours (red, black and white - even though I love red!) and the nasty, obviously synthetic fabrics that many of them are made in. This is usually only a problem with stores that specialise in retro style. I always look out for vintage inspired stuff in regular high street chains though, as they're a bit less obvious when you find them. Miss Selfridge is the best place in the UK for little knits, peter pan collars, embroidered cuffs etc... in fact, I just went on their website and they've added a "vintage style" category, which they never used to have (hope this doesn't mean they're going to go downhill!).Tillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05346200271671855136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-68396252137702079302011-02-04T14:51:53.913-05:002011-02-04T14:51:53.913-05:00I can't sew at all, and I am rather tiny but a...I can't sew at all, and I am rather tiny but also clumsy and spill food on myself a lot. So I wear both repro and vintage items (plus contemporary). they each have their charms and problems. I think making something look timeless vs a trend has everything to do with our own personal style. If you always wear 50s style silhouettes, then it is obviously your own personal style. Vs. if you wear a 50s style gown to an event and normally wear D&G, it's more about following a trend.<br />overall, I didn't really like the article, I felt that it stated a lot of the obvious and was all over the place, touching on issues but not following any one through.melina beehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10079734489990081556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-27063527343205633482011-02-04T13:50:47.704-05:002011-02-04T13:50:47.704-05:00Ah, my issue with both new and vintage is not lack...Ah, my issue with both new and vintage is not lack of large sizes--it's lack of length!<br /><br />I am about 5'10" and many items are just plain too short. The problem is greater with vintage in general, and there are fewer pieces available. Repro is no help, since most modern clothing is manufactured for an average height of about 5'6"<br /><br />For both vintage and new, it takes a lot of trying on to find things that work. It's just easier if there are twelve choices (in new garments) rather than one (in vintage).Jackienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-10795092995393009522011-02-04T13:47:30.402-05:002011-02-04T13:47:30.402-05:00Hmm.. I think there's a difference between ...Hmm.. I think there's a difference between 'retro' and 'pin up' .. the dresses from 'Stop Staring' and 'Pin up girls' labels, to name but a few, were originally to suit the 'underground' (alternative) pin up/retro look .. not what that look has now become, spurred on by Mad Men - enter Anthropologie and more 'high street' brands - which is a mainstream trend. This look was underground for much longer than it has been popular in the mainstream now. When I started blogging it was the devils job to find anything 'vintage' and that was only 4 years ago.JuliaBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08796157310429701087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-73789860626864294492011-02-04T13:26:26.195-05:002011-02-04T13:26:26.195-05:00I'm definitely not a purist. But I prefer real...I'm definitely not a purist. But I prefer real vintage because there is something about it that makes my heart melt unlike reproductions even if they are beautiful.I like the vintage fabrics and how well things were made.<br /><br />Also, larger size vintage is not impossible to find. It drives me batty when people talk about how you have to be a size 0 to fit it. I have a closet full of clothes in a modern 10-12 that dispute that.<br /><br />I have worn a vintage dress to an event that literally was disintegrating on me and modern clothes don't tend to do that! But the reproductions usually are not as well made and they use cheap fabric (stop staring). Even Revamp which I love uses plastic zippers which boggles my mind!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-49459971320733421422011-02-04T13:26:24.087-05:002011-02-04T13:26:24.087-05:00Fit, and availability of the pieces I need, are bi...Fit, and availability of the pieces I need, are big determining factors for me in not going full-on vintage.<br /><br />My best vintage pieces are items my mother saved from her youth--because she, too, is tall, curvy, and larg-footed.<br /><br />Heck, most modern ready-to-wear doesn't fit well for me. Vintage cut actually works better for me--but the pieces are very scarce. Sites like Etsy, where I can shop through massive quantities of stuff to find things to suit my measurements, help a lot. However, you have to be careful about buying online. So, I end up mostly not vintage on most days.<br /><br />I do agree that a lot of the repro stuff I've seen is exaggerated (not truly repro, but cosstumey), and of poor quality. I'd rather wear well-fitted, good quality new items that are not retro in appearance than wear cheap and tacky retro.Jackienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-69836468028351376452011-02-04T12:50:01.147-05:002011-02-04T12:50:01.147-05:00I want to comment on the "pretention" of...I want to comment on the "pretention" of sticking to real vintage rather than repro. As others have said, often these repros are amazingly shoddily made! And they're expensive.<br />I only buy vintage. I also feel that this is an ethical choice -- i don't have to worry about the source of materials or where they were made, if what i'm buying was made 50 years ago and has already been worn and loved by at least one other woman. I hope that doesn't make me pretentious or a "vintage snob!"<br />Of course, i read your blog because i can also skirt ethical issues and ensure quality if i sew myself!public emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-12218862080742308252011-02-04T12:41:00.192-05:002011-02-04T12:41:00.192-05:00I'd love to do the purist vintage thing in my ...I'd love to do the purist vintage thing in my sewing, but I have a lot of learning to do before I'll be able to truly take advantage of those tools. For the comment on gallantry being more in vogue when you're wearing vintage, I've definitely noticed it. However, I know I act differently when I'm wearing vintage, almost like it's part of a costume or act, and I affect more ladylike mannerisms and generally (I hope) more charming manners, so they may be responding to this as well.Flynnhttp://pegeens-commitments.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com