Why I Wear Vintage

Dear Readers,

I must apologise for having not written to you for so long. I've recently been under a great deal of stress for a number of reasons and while I feel I have got much better at handling stress I also recognised that instead of sitting in front of a laptop on my evenings and weekends what I needed was to focus on myself for a little while; have bubble baths, get back to doing the things that bring me joy, and occasionally spend a few evenings on the sofa as a blubbering mess. It's good, gets it all out.

While I have been away I have not forgotten my little corner of the internet and so I wanted to get back into it by talking about something which has been on my mind for some time. I feel I must be honest with you now and come right out with it. I don't wear vintage all of the time. And before anyone points it out I am aware of the irony that this is a self titled vintage blog and yet here I am confessing that I don't wear vintage all of the time. But how interesting that language is! I feel I am "confessing" as if this is something which shouldn't be so, which is a crime. 

I wear vintage because I enjoy it, because I want to go against the modern "norms" of what women should, and shouldn't, be wearing but most of all I wear it because it makes me feel like "me". I feel comfortable in it and as though it is a window to my personality. In my opinion what I wear is a means to display my character but that character has many different interests, expressions, facets; if I were to wear only one thing or one style I would feel very one dimensional indeed. For example some days I enjoy wearing little flowery dresses with chunky black boots; I feel the juxtaposition is interesting and it's also downright practical and comfy. 

However sometimes when I don't wear vintage I get a strange reaction from some people. As if I am out of place or do not quite fit with what their mental image of me is and they do not like it. They say in disappointed tones "oh you're not wearing vintage today" and then I feel like I've let them down for some reason which I realise is crazy. I don't wear vintage to please other people I wear it to please me. After these little encounters I usually end up with "I'm not enough" thoughts which I find most unpleasant as I sit there looking on-line at vintage shops thinking "I'm not vintage enough, I need a whole new wardrobe". 

In my life I enjoy a great many influences on my likes and passions, including the clothes I wear. I wear my clothes as ever changing painting of the personality within, to show different parts of my character or depending on different moods I am in. I hope you all dear readers feel able to express your personalities in whatever outlet works best for you. And most of all I hope you do not experience the "I'm not enough" thoughts, they are pesky yet destructive creatures, and you most definitely are enough.

ttfn!