The answer is of course, Hell YEAH! But this is also a question that comes up a lot for me through DM’s, comments and feedback from potential clients prior to having sessions with is…

‘I love vintage but I’m too big’

Or my favourite

‘I could pull this off if I looked like you’

Both categorically un-true.

Fashion can and should work for you, here is my golden rule for making sure you’re wearing the clothes you love.

Firstly, You will never pull off looking like anyone other than yourself. Choose something you love and wear the fuck out of it!

YOU are your greatest asset and learning to dress that incredible asset is what we want to do. So here is a little trick that has worked for me (& every person I have ever told) and something I find helpful when sourcing vintage for clients is taking into account historical ‘body’ trends for those era’s.

The Rule is this: Research the “Body Trends” of the era and shop for the one that suits you.

For me, for example my ‘body’ era was the 80’s….. I have more of what would traditionally be called an ‘athletic’ body type but I am also packing some ass.   

So the high cut/high waisted/form fitting shapes suit me better. I am also a sucker for high waisted ‘boyfriend’ jeans, see the Salvation Jeans and oversized leather jackets.

As much as I loved the clothing of the 90’s the body type then was very straight, thin and small boobed (that part works for me at least) which means I have to be a bit more cautious on sizing here. For example a straight cut 90s Cami dress will potentially be too tight across my butt but then massive up top because I would need to size up so much to allow for the butt….. however a bias cut is my friend. Any slip dresses I wear will always be bias cut.

So there are aspects of this era that work for me but it’s not a given. Hence why I need to be a bit more cautious when buying from this era.

Another example is the 50’s…… incredible era for clothing especially from a detail or hand crafted element and I definitely went through a phase of trying to make this work for me but….. truth is this bitch just ain’t curvy enough. The 50’s is designed for the girl with shape…. Got ass & titties then you just hit the jackpot as far as eras go for you. 

This doesn’t mean that you need to start dressing like Marilyn Monroe wherever you go but it does mean when you are looking for certain items an inspired or vintage fit of say a high waisted trouser from the 50’s is more likely to allow for more room across your butt than say a skirt from the 60’s because well….. you don’t have Twiggy’s butt.

The 60’s is a no-go for me…I am too tall meaning everything looks more like a top than a dress on me. It doesn’t allow for my curvier hips or legs meaning most often my butt would hang out the bottom of it if I can even get it over my hips. However for someone with a straighter physique this era works perfectly. 

Below is the bible of body trends in Vintage, print it out and pin it to your wall, don't be dictated by the clothes! And while we are at it let’s make body trends a thing of the bloody past! 

Have a day as nice as your butt!

Bex

xoxo