Fashion for misses

Laura Chase · Apr 21, 2009

I searched for a topic like this, and the closest I found was Age appropriate dress for your chosen era?. In this thread, I want to hear your thoughts on how to choose age appropriate vintage dress when you are in your twenties.

For this purpose, my definition of a "miss" is simply a youthful girl in her twenties. The precise definition would also entail being unmarried, but we can just skip that part, it seems so old-fashioned to define it by those parameters.

Being twenty-three and loving vintage/vintage-inspired fashions, for me, personally, there is an overhanging danger of dressing older than my age, especially since I really love the more elegant, covered up styles and, as ShrinkingViolet so wisely said today: "I think it has a certain charm to look like an old lady in a society so obsessed with youth." This is a very good observation and it's not that I'm obsessed with youth, I have just decided to live in the moment and to be present, to the fullest, in every period of my life. I want to enjoy the wonders that every age has to offer, and right now, this means to enjoy being twenty-three, young and frivolous!

I think it's easy enough to find youthful 40's styles, but for me, it's more of a challenge when it comes to the 30's and 20's - even the very youthful flapper styles of the 20's can come off matronly, when viewed with modern eyes.

Ladies, please post your thoughts on youthful vintage fashions and also examples of youthful looks.

These examples are almost all from the 40's and they are not all misses by the vintage catalogue definition, but I think they all have a certain youthfulness to them, without being able to put my finger on what it is precisely.

Darhling · Apr 21, 2009

What comes to mind first is colors! Use 'youthful' colors! pink, light blue, white and cute patterns and prints. White Gårdsangersko with a lovely summerdress looks very youthful to me also! (but not childish)

Paisley · Apr 21, 2009

I thought this outfit was cute, but maybe it's not what you are looking for.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=780606&postcount=96

Elizabeth.F · Apr 21, 2009

The younger generation back then dresses the way that the younger generation dresses now - casual. That means simple clothing that isn't terribly tailored and easy to wear (not too fancy fabrics or too tight, etc.) The suggestion pictures you gave look pretty good and I would follow Darhling's advice about fun colors too.

Lady Day · Apr 21, 2009

Laura Chase said:
For this purpose, my definition of a "miss" is simply a youthful girl in her twenties. The precise definition would also entail being unmarried, but we can just skip that part, it seems so old-fashioned to define it by those parameters.

If you are in your 20s, you are a woman, married or no. Most Junior fashions were for 12-15, then you were a young miss till about 18 when you got married. Then you generally go into in woman's fashions.

Most miss clothes Ive seen are brightly colored, puffy sleeved, often at the knee, lots of bows. Jumpers, suspenders, play suits, stuff like that.

I would call this one sporty not miss.

In the 40s a lot of the young gals started wearing pants because they were doing chores and the like. The girls in the overalls seem 15-16 to me.

These gals seem college age. If you are going by that as miss, then you can wear any type of 'woman' clothes.

So I guess between those two you could come up with your miss category.

Im sure there are many other ladies here who know more than I

LD

graverobbergirl · Apr 21, 2009

I'd say that all the pics you posted are of outfits considered "sportswear", and exude an image of activeness and vitality, which we associate with youth.

I agree, the color and fabric design choices will do a lot. The cut and style never seem to matter as much as color or pattern.

And I so have been coveting 40s overalls, now moreso than ever because of that pic your posted!

Lady Day · Apr 22, 2009

Whilst looking around for patterns online, I grabbed some 40s patterns that are very 'miss'

The gal in the pink dress is even drinking a soda.

LD

Lady Day · Apr 22, 2009

There are some 30s mixed into this batch.

LD

Lady Day · Apr 22, 2009

Last post.

*whew*
LD

cherry lips · Apr 22, 2009

Great thread LC, and great pics LD! <3 *swooooon*

Lady Day said:
If you are in your 20s, you are a woman, married or no. Most Junior fashions were for 12-15, then you were a young miss till about 18 when you got married. Then you generally go into in woman's fashions.

This is true (and immensely interesting!). I love teen and miss fashions <3 There's no harm in pretending to be a miss either...

Laura Chase · Apr 22, 2009

LadyDay said:

Oooh, thank you so much, Lady Day! I'd love to see more, if you stumble upon any. I especially loved the one with the hood, how cool is that? Is it on sale somewhere?

I also loved the one with the bows on the shoulders. *swoon*

LadyDay said:

Laura Chase · Apr 22, 2009

Lady Day said:
If you are in your 20s, you are a woman, married or no. Most Junior fashions were for 12-15, then you were a young miss till about 18 when you got married. Then you generally go into in woman's fashions.

Wouldn't you say, though, that the term "miss" has changed today? Not that it's used much today, but still, the sense of it has changed, and I think the word is cute, so I used it. lol

I realize that "miss" in the golden era sense is younger than me (until 18, you say?), but most girls today marry later (if we marry at all), so I think it can be stretched a little.

Again, thanks so much for the gorgeous pattern-photos!

cherry lips · Apr 22, 2009

I don't know about today (tell me, American gals!), but Lady Day's definition goes for the 50s, and I'm guessing 60s as well (at least '62... oh, how I love this song!)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN8VhQaR8bI

Lady Day · Apr 22, 2009

Laura Chase said:
Wouldn't you say, though, that the term "miss" has changed today? Not that it's used much today, but still, the sense of it has changed, and I think the word is cute, so I used it. lol

I realize that "miss" in the golden era sense is younger than me (until 18, you say?), but most girls today marry later (if we marry at all), so I think it can be stretched a little.

Again, thanks so much for the gorgeous pattern-photos!

For the sake of this, and this being a vintage forum, I try to have a bases for most jumping points rooted in the golden era.

I just think you are defining yourself for no apparent reason. Why are you so hung up on the term 'miss'?

Cherry Lips, its not really my definition of miss, but a fairly loose standard of the era(s).

Young girls dress somewhat differently from older married girls. Once you were older, you took off many of the ruffles and such, but probably reused the pattern again with a demure tone to it. Perhaps a longer hemline, no ruffles. Its all relative.

ps: I found all the above patterns for sale on line at various sites. Google is fun

LD

LizzieMaine · Apr 22, 2009

Lady Day said:
Young girls dress somewhat differently from older married girls. Once you were older, you took off many of the ruffles and such, but probably reused the pattern again with a demure tone to it. Perhaps a longer hemline, no ruffles. Its all relative.

Exactly. "Women's" styles, which were sized 34,36,38,40 etc. tended to be noticeably more conservative than "Misses" styles, sized from 12 to 20. The size scales were actually quite similar, except the women's styles tended to be a bit wider in the waist.

I don't really think there's anything today similar to this demarcation. Nowadays, everything from jeans-and-t-shirts to ultraconservative businesswear is sized for "Misses," and I suspect this is more a vanity thing than anything else. Heaven forbid any woman should ever perceptibly age beyond her early twenties.

kamikat · Apr 22, 2009

LizzieMaine said:
I don't really think there's anything today similar to this demarcation. Nowadays, everything from jeans-and-t-shirts to ultraconservative businesswear is sized for "Misses," and I suspect this is more a vanity thing than anything else. Heaven forbid any woman should ever perceptibly age beyond her early twenties.

I think maybe today's term would be junior. Yes, junior is sized from 1-15 and a miss 14 can probably wear a junior 15, but she would look like "mutton dressed as lamb".

Laura Chase · Apr 22, 2009

Lady Day said:
For the sake of this, and this being a vintage forum, I try to have a bases for most jumping points rooted in the golden era.

I just think you are defining yourself for no apparent reason. Why are you so hung up on the term 'miss'?
LD

I'm not suggesting you are mistaken. As I said, I just think the word "miss" sounds good, I did not put that much more into it. [huh] All I wanted was to see some youthful vintage fashions. Go ahead and change the thread title to "Youthful vintage fashion" if you like.

Lady Day · Apr 22, 2009

Laura Chase said:
I just think the word "miss" sounds good, I did not put that much more into it.

Okay, fair enough. I just think you can wear what you like, and if its youthful so be it

and if its not, I wont hold that against ya

LD

Lareesie Ladavi · Apr 22, 2009

Shoot, I'm in my 30s and I'd say those are super-cute, Lady Day. You gonna make me some of those?

A lot of them scream pinup. :eusa_clap

Laura Chase · Apr 22, 2009

Lady Day said:
Okay, fair enough. I just think you can wear what you like, and if its youthful so be it and if its not, I wont hold that against ya

LD

Hehe, thank you Lady Day. I would hold dressing older than my age against me though, I really want to freshen up my wardrobe.

Keep those pictures coming, ladies!

I'm off to google the hooded pattern Lady Day posted, it's gooooorgeous (said in a Little Britain-manner)!

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