Where to find other retro singles?

get_atomized said:

As for the vintage gentlemen, as much as I do appreciate a nicely suited and hatted fella, they seem to have an aversion to dating the type of girl who would like to borrow from their wardrobes! (Not that it would be a one-sided thing, they'd be welcome to mine as well!)

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Umm... there's the problem... while you'd certainly be welcome to borrow from mine, I don't think you'd want to, what with me being "all WWII, all the time" and all... lol

Now we're talking good music! I had a crush on Patsy Cline when I was a youngster haha. She has the most beautiful voice. I've got some Mickey Gilley going right now!

Chas said:

So what are you saying about Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Carl Smith and Johnny Cash?

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AtomicEraTom said:

Now we're talking good music! I had a crush on Patsy Cline when I was a youngster haha. She has the most beautiful voice. I've got some Mickey Gilley going right now!

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Tell me you don't have a crush on Mickey Gilley. lol

Diamondback said:

Umm... there's the problem... while you'd certainly be welcome to borrow from mine, I don't think you'd want to, what with me being "all WWII, all the time" and all... lol

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Hey, don't be so sure, sounds great to me! I'll be by for fitting

It would be a nice break from the soviet militaria the punk guys I know are so fixated on!

You sure about that, given that we're not talking garden-variety WWII, but "latter-day American Caesar WWII"? (think "Mini-Me version of Douglas MacArthur"--I just don't have the hair for "Pint-Size Patton", nor do I look good in anything tight like jodhpurs) Catch is, it also means having to sit through a safety orientation on some of the "accessories"...

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Now playing: John Williams - Raiders March
via FoxyTunes

get_atomized said:

As for the vintage gentlemen, as much as I do appreciate a nicely suited and hatted fella, they seem to have an aversion to dating the type of girl who would like to borrow from their wardrobes! (Not that it would be a one-sided thing, they'd be welcome to mine as well!)

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Any guy who touches my hat without asking usually receives a punch from me to teach them (I know it's violent but polite talking has failed me so often in the past). My mentality for females touching my hat is different though: they're welcome to put it on whenever they want.

Anyone who wants could borrow from my wardrobe in theory if I am sure I will get it back in the condition it went out in (usually that makes my father the only eligible borrower), the only problem would be that a lot of my things are too tall and too thin for normal people.

John in Covina said:

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They are out there some wheres! To be honest, I think that a lot of people get too wrapped up into a single special or one general type of music and then disdain all others. "I only listen to music by Beethoven as played by Australian Aboriginees on diggeredoos and English keyboardists on Moog synthesizers."

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lol Yes, in reality, if you love music, there should only be two types you hear: the good and thebad.

Also female singers that do that "thing" where they show off their abilities and see how many extra notes they can shovel into their vocals. I always imagine that scene where the King says to Amadeus, "Too many notes!")

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It's the aural equivalent of "too much crown".

Actually, men do this too.... the difference being, boys do it with guitars and widdly-widdly-whee three millions notes per second.

get_atomized said:

As tough as it is to meet eligible bachelorettes seeking the same, I've pretty much given up on the prospect of meeting many queer single ladies who are into vintage clothes. We are rarer than I would have thought. Hipsters and indie kids are about as close as it gets, as far as I have seen. As for the vintage gentlemen, as much as I do appreciate a nicely suited and hatted fella, they seem to have an aversion to dating the type of girl who would like to borrow from their wardrobes! (Not that it would be a one-sided thing, they'd be welcome to mine as well!)

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I look fabulous in a dress, but I'm sure that's not quite what you meant. I'm sure there must be some ladies' bars where you'll find a lot of girls who at least appreciate the suited butch-look, wherein 30s tweeds'n'tails style cross-dressing would go down very well. On the mainstream vintage scene, I meet very few folks who, to my knowledge, would be that way inclined.... I assume for the same reasons that these scenes tend to be very white-dominated here in the UK (i.e. the vintage era wasn't a Golden Era for everyone in terms of the way they'd have been treated...). That said, scratch the surface and you'll find that the offbeat side of the subculture should have more to your appeal (or to whom you appeal )... alternative cabaret, Weimar themed events, burlesque.... Steam/Dieselpunk, and on. At least that's how I see the UK scene, I'm assuming there are certain commonalities the world over.

get_atomized said:

I guess most people don't make the same link in their minds between vintage and queerness that I do.

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There's actually quite a bit of camp historical theory to back up your point. I'm reading a book right now;
Guilty Pleasures:Feminist Camp from Mae West to Madonna (Pamela Robertson)
that goes on and on about the continued appeal and adaptation of the Garbo/menswear archetype. So the connection DOES exist, imo.

Whoa. Sorry for geeking out, everybody. lol

Back on topic though, (wait, wait....what was it again?) I would once again suggest the library, particularly if you go often enough to get to know the check-out staff. I had a really long conversation with someone the other day about the silent Nosferatu. Which I checked out again, because I am a huge dork and enjoy silents a little to much.

Diamondback said:

You sure about that, given that we're not talking garden-variety WWII, but "latter-day American Caesar WWII"? (think "Mini-Me version of Douglas MacArthur"--I just don't have the hair for "Pint-Size Patton", nor do I look good in anything tight like jodhpurs) Catch is, it also means having to sit through a safety orientation on some of the "accessories"...

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Sounds good to me! How about you keep working the sunglasses, pipe, and big hat, and I'll work the jodhpurs! lol

avedwards said:

Any guy who touches my hat without asking usually receives a punch from me to teach them (I know it's violent but polite talking has failed me so often in the past). My mentality for females touching my hat is different though: they're welcome to put it on whenever they want.

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I'm not referring to borrowing clothes in the flirtatious girly hat-snatching kind of way, but more the 'let me raid your clothes and accessories to put together a great (masculine) outfit BEFORE leaving the house'! I crossdress. (And were I in masculine dress and happened to take your hat without permission, I would hope you'd treat me the same as any other impolite fellow! Luckily I know better anyhow.)

Edward said:

lo

I look fabulous in a dress, but I'm sure that's not quite what you meant.

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In fact, that's exactly what I meant!

Edward said:

I'm sure there must be some ladies' bars where you'll find a lot of girls who at least appreciate the suited butch-look, wherein 30s tweeds'n'tails style cross-dressing would go down very well.

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True, but in this case there seems to be a tendency to prefer ONLY a butch look, meanwhile, I crossdress in the other direction as well - wigs, dresses, girdles, etc. This doesn't always go over as well. I am interested in fluidity and ambiguity, something I find in the punk scene, but they wouldn't know what to do with cufflinks!

Edward said:

On the mainstream vintage scene, I meet very few folks who, to my knowledge, would be that way inclined.... I assume for the same reasons that these scenes tend to be very white-dominated here in the UK (i.e. the vintage era wasn't a Golden Era for everyone in terms of the way they'd have been treated...). That said, scratch the surface and you'll find that the offbeat side of the subculture should have more to your appeal (or to whom you appeal )... alternative cabaret, Weimar themed events, burlesque.... Steam/Dieselpunk, and on. At least that's how I see the UK scene, I'm assuming there are certain commonalities the world over.

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Burlesque is certainly one of those queerness/vintage crossover points, you are wise sir. Thank you for your replies gentlemen, and Spiffy as well

Pardon a digression here, but:

Strictly IMNSHO, YMMV, and all other standard disclaimers here - speaking as I am from the socially handicapped straight White bachelor perspective - but it seems to me that the various vintage scenes in the US have always leaned strongly towards people of a same-sex orientation. Not to the exclusion of others, as with the White thing in the UK, but that is really where a lot of the heart is - the fun, creative aspect of it, rather than the hey-look-at-our-stuff side.

We also have no other group in US society who can preserve and treasure history and yet still have a good time - be lighthearted, be social - with it. Those who do so in a solemn, scholarly way are not allowed that luxury and, indeed, probably wouldn't want it.

Mind you, I don't like having to be part of Group X or Group Y or assigning folks to pigeonholes. But it's part of the way we understand life in a big impersonal country, and so, part of the way we live. Americans are pragmatists (part of the reason we define "history" rather narrowly). What's true about people a good part of the time becomes a working assumption, and from there, often, a stereotype.

We've knocked off several of the more obviously false stereotypes, but we've got zillions more we will never examine. On some level, daily life runs better because of them, and if an individual gets tangled up in them every so often, maybe that's just to be expected.

Here ends the digression.

Can't say that I do. I have a strict preference for the fairer sex. But I do enjoy his music! Gotta love "The Girls all get Prettier at Closin' Time." or "True Love Ways" or "You Don't Know Me" to name a couple!

LocktownDog said:

Tell me you don't have a crush on Mickey Gilley. lol

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get_atomized said:

Sounds good to me! How about you keep working the sunglasses, pipe, and big hat, and I'll work the jodhpurs! lol

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Small problem: The Patton look doesn't work for anybody, and on top of that there's the weight from two ivory-handled revolvers (if you look at newsreel footage, that swagger was actually designed to hide the fact that he was really staggering under the weight of his overloaded gunbelt, and he was no small guy--well into the mid-to-high 6' range and probably weighed equal to both of us combined!)

On top of which, I figure I'm probably several frame-sizes larger than you proportionate to height, and then there's the ol' "flotation device" wrapped around the belly... lol

Fletch said:

Strictly IMNSHO, YMMV, and all other standard disclaimers here - speaking as I am from the socially handicapped straight White bachelor perspective - but it seems to me that the various vintage scenes in the US have always leaned strongly towards people of a same-sex orientation. Not to the exclusion of others, as with the White thing in the UK, but that is really where a lot of the heart is - the fun, creative aspect of it, rather than the hey-look-at-our-stuff side.

We also have no other group in US society who can preserve and treasure history and yet still have a good time - be lighthearted, be social - with it. Those who do so in a solemn, scholarly way are not allowed that luxury and, indeed, probably wouldn't want it.

Mind you, I don't like having to be part of Group X or Group Y or assigning folks to pigeonholes. But it's part of the way we understand life in a big impersonal country, and so, part of the way we live. Americans are pragmatists (part of the reason we define "history" rather narrowly). What's true about people a good part of the time becomes a working assumption, and from there, often, a stereotype.

We've knocked off several of the more obviously false stereotypes, but we've got zillions more we will never examine. On some level, daily life runs better because of them, and if an individual gets tangled up in them every so often, maybe that's just to be expected.

Here ends the digression.

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From my observations in Sf and Seattle of the gay intersection of vintage, there is definitely something to work wiht there.

in fact, drag king and other cross dressing, as well as some drag queen, but less so, is rife with vintage style if not actual clothes. I guess the bottom line is, how does a woman cross dress in modern clothes. women wear that anyway. Only by grabbing a hold of vintage styled masculinity, can a woman really put forth that she is truly dressing like a man and not just a woman who doesn't wear a dress.

I do remember fondly, the women in Sf I knew who were into men's vintage. U used to keep all my small sized mens stuff for them. They were very cool. I don't know that any of them saw themselves as men and wanted to transition, but some may have. But they were definitely androgynous/masculine. Some just dressed up, others liked to dance lindy hop together.

In Seattle, I recently ran into a woman who has been around the Seattle lesbian scene for many years, and later I remembered that I sold a motorcycle to her girlfriend about fifteen years ago. We got to talking because of her cool viintae outfit, and it was like old times in Sf. I really don't have any cool guys in Seattle I can actually talk vintage men's style with, and it was fun to run into someone I could with. she felt the same. We had great fun, and her girlfrined was thrilled for her to havve someone to talk too as well.

I guess we got a little off topic here.

get_atomized said:

As tough as it is to meet eligible bachelorettes seeking the same, I've pretty much given up on the prospect of meeting many queer single ladies who are into vintage clothes. We are rarer than I would have thought. Hipsters and indie kids are about as close as it gets, as far as I have seen. As for the vintage gentlemen, as much as I do appreciate a nicely suited and hatted fella, they seem to have an aversion to dating the type of girl who would like to borrow from their wardrobes! (Not that it would be a one-sided thing, they'd be welcome to mine as well!)

I don't really care for the ladies' dance clubs or bars (I'm not really into contemporary hip hop or remixed Top 40) and I doubt I would find what I'm looking for at most vintage-oriented events. I guess most people don't make the same link in their minds between vintage and queerness that I do.

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You obviously do not live in San Francisco. Not sure about LA. I am sure there is a lesbian vintage scene in New York. There just has to be. It is way too cool not to attract someone or other. I bet London and Berlin do as well. Seattle doesn't exactly have a scene, but it does have a few women I know who wear men's vintage and date women. That whole Victor Victoria, cros dressing gay thing is too delicious not to exist in afew places.

I know a lot of gay men are into vintage imagery. But few seem to take it as far as being into vintage clothing a lot.

I am not sure, but I certainly do hope there are at least a few of that august group present on the forum. I was told there used to be a cross dresser who chatted about women's clothing. I liked that idea. But not for myself. Too broadshouldered to ever look good in drag.

You don't need to find someone who's necessarily into the whole "vintage" thing, per say....What you do need to do, is find someone who's open to new things and not judgmental. But really, isn't that what any relationship should have within itself?

As far as making over or retro-fitting (ha! Pun Intendre!) my past girlfriends and my fiance.....

I've usually just taken my past girlfriends out with me to go shopping, I offer to buy them the occasional garment which is vintage themed, and eventually shift their stylistic paradigm toward my own more classical one.

This always works, almost no girl will ever really say no to free clothing. Start with basic classic items and progress into the more elegant and archaic.

By the time that we've been dating for a while, they're dressing themselves like movie stars of the silver screen. You honestly just need to find yourself someone with an open mind and moderately good taste; don't expect to reform or vastly improve someone who traipses about in hot-pink velour sweat-pants that say something like "Juicy" or "Naughty" on their seat, or anyone really, who would go out in thong sandals and ripped clothing or who thinks that personal hygiene and/or grooming are "fashion statements".....In my own humble opinion.

My point in case, is my fiance, When we met, (in High School, and even into her early 20s!) she basically owned a few knit caps (like Radar's cap on MASH), some hoodies, T-shirts (mostly band and touring shirts), a hand-full of actual blouses, 4 sports-coats, 1 fur coat (red/black pile....Don't ask), and plenty of pegged leg-low rise jeans and short-pants and sneakers. She now owns close to 20 dresses, 45 top-coats in all styles, 3 fur coats (1 capelette, 1 short coat, 1 long), 7 hats in all styles including cloche; wide-brimmed; skull-caps and felt hats and etc, I don't know how many blouses, skirts, or scarves, and I figure about 35 pairs of shoes along with at least 15 assorted cardigans and sweaters. She's become a True Clothes Horse, like me I just gave an incentive, a positive reinforcement (gifts of free clothes) to encourage her. Oh! and we just picked up a new Beautiful tweed peaked lapel suit with pencil skirt! Very Excited!

What a cute thread!

The first time I knew of my fiancé was a little over 4 years ago when I read something he posted right here in the Fedora Lounge. I saw some of his posts here and then happened to meet him in person when we were both attending a living history event.

John in Covina said:

They are out there some wheres! To be honest, I think that a lot of people get too wrapped up into a single special or one general type of music and then disdain all others. "I only listen to music by Beethoven as played by Australian Aboriginees on diggeredoos and English keyboardists on Moog synthesizers."

Music appreciation goes to pretty much all genres as long as you can appreciate it as music. (For me this leaves out 99% of all rap and associated sub sets. Also female singers that do that "thing" where they show off their abilities and see how many extra notes they can shovel into their vocals. I always imagine that scene where the King says to Amadeus, "Too many notes!") Modern country usually doesn't get me hooked and old doo wop is the type where a little bit goes a long way. Music always needs a hook.

Film soundtrack and scoring are really amazing. Some of the scores are truly like the best of modern classical music full of emotion from simple melodies to complex and powerful orchestral renditions of sweeping proportions. THe soundtrack cd for Total Recall always calls for high volume on the stereo. Some films introduce or reintroduce popular music, and soundtrack cd's for popular music that I like are The Jackel, Tomb Raiders and Kill Bill one. Also the pop music of the time on the LA Confidential CD.

One of the things that I like to remind people that are rock orientated only that all early rock music was DANCE music.

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Why, I would listen to John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Danny Elfman on digeredoos. LOL
Some film scores are lovely.

As for the people who cram all that idiotic warbling into one song? There's a term for that: melisma.
I do believe synonyms are idiotic, tedious, and pretensiousness. LOL