Its no secret at all that my favourite vintage period is the 1940s and 50s and that our children join us on our 1940s reenactment adventures, infact it seems one of the most favourite vintage periods for people of my generation!
I often wonder if, my children will continue with this love of this period or as they grow if they (along with another generation) will embrace a new vintage period.
Putting aside other factors the 1940s / 50s is a period when alot of our parents were born and grew up.
So, how much of that has influenced our enthusiasm for the period? Our parents nostalgia influencing our subconcious, rose tinted stories of 'the best days of their lives' increasing our love for the period.
There is alot being asked these days about when is vintage? how old does something have to be vintage? Well, experts will quote anything over 25 years can called Vintage which takes us to the 1980s. Fastforward 25 years till my daughter is the about the age as I am now and the 70s and 80s will be 50/60 years ago. not too far away from my 60/70 years since the 1940s and50s!
Although we wouldn't rush to dress from the period -(the above piccy might change that!!)
hubby and I definitely embrace the nostalgia of the 70s. Often buying original childhood games for the kids and rewatch our GoodLife DVDs with them!!
And there'll always be a babycham or snowball offered to visitors on xmas day, before dinner....
So will they jump into the 70s and 80s (the decades I was born and grew up) with as much enthusiasm as I have for the 40s and 50s or will those post war years always remain the desired vintage period?
I often wonder if, my children will continue with this love of this period or as they grow if they (along with another generation) will embrace a new vintage period.
Putting aside other factors the 1940s / 50s is a period when alot of our parents were born and grew up.
So, how much of that has influenced our enthusiasm for the period? Our parents nostalgia influencing our subconcious, rose tinted stories of 'the best days of their lives' increasing our love for the period.
There is alot being asked these days about when is vintage? how old does something have to be vintage? Well, experts will quote anything over 25 years can called Vintage which takes us to the 1980s. Fastforward 25 years till my daughter is the about the age as I am now and the 70s and 80s will be 50/60 years ago. not too far away from my 60/70 years since the 1940s and50s!
Although we wouldn't rush to dress from the period -(the above piccy might change that!!)
hubby and I definitely embrace the nostalgia of the 70s. Often buying original childhood games for the kids and rewatch our GoodLife DVDs with them!!
And there'll always be a babycham or snowball offered to visitors on xmas day, before dinner....
So will they jump into the 70s and 80s (the decades I was born and grew up) with as much enthusiasm as I have for the 40s and 50s or will those post war years always remain the desired vintage period?
For me, 30s to 70s are vintage, before this era clothes are part of history for me and I will never wear something before the 30s so fragile and rare.
ReplyDelete80s-90s are second hand for me so easy to find in every thrift stores. I cannot unederstand people who are wearing 80s or 90s for me it's bad souvenirs of my childhood!
I have the same problem with vintage cars. Meeting are now full of cars from the 70's or even 80's and for me a car must be before 1965 to have some interest...
This is a really interesting post. I think the 1940's/1950's will always be a popular period, it was an era of new technology, new thinking about society as a whole and that's bound to appeal. Plus there were so many gorgeous clothes!
ReplyDeleteR xx
I think your children will always have a foundness for the periods of history that you close to your heart. I wonder if my children will dress 70s or 80s when they are grown as well. I dont mind-as long as they respectful and educated about it. I dont appreciate these 20-something kids dressing 80s in 300 dollar jeans and ripping them up to look like what we wore. The 80s were about taking what you have and bascially throwing everything on bc money was tight then. I dressed in the 70s for bit while in college-I love my bell bottoms-the 70s have a special place in my heart. But I am just as intrigued as you about those times and nostalgia and what our kids will like. I think mine will want all of our cds and cassettes hehehe The 40s-50s are close to my heart bc of my grandparents and my parents-such good points you made. LOVE this post!! xox
ReplyDeleteI have been dressing in a 70s style since the 1990s, I find that sadly, because (I suppose) it was the naff era we all mocked in the 80s, the tasteful stuff - like that pic above - gets forgotten. What about Stevie Nicks, Bianca Jagger, Diane Von Furstenburg etc'?
ReplyDeleteHaving looked over my grandmother's pictures, there were plenty of Bette-Lynch-Alikes at Butlins in the 1950s, but their brasher style has been forgotten and only the best remains. I sometimes raise a wry eyebrow when a 20 year old tells me earnestly that EVERY 40s-50s woman looked like a pin-up. They didn't, especially not if like some of my forbears they were in the army and a bob or a bun were the rules!
Perhaps that will happen to the 70s over time - the glamour will come to the fore and the vulgar or boring/practical side fade away.