Horror stories with vintage clothing

[MondoFW]

Hey guys,

As the vintage the Lounge typically prizes is very old and may be quite delicate, I was wondering if anyone has had any embarrassing or awful experiences with wearing or collecting vintage. I haven't suffered too much, other than when I was doing a photoshoot with an actor, and my (admittedly cheaply made) 1940's trousers I was wearing suffered a large rip. Luckily, it was deep in the seat, so no one noticed and I was able to change into other pants without embarrassing myself. What a shame, they fit so well too!

Has anyone here had any such noteworthy experiences? Do tell!

 

[Bobby Peru]

Years ago I snagged a time capsule condition ANJ-4. This jacket was so mint that it looked like a modern repro that was just stored for a few months. Supple, perfect shearling. Unissued condition. It would look to you like a new jacket if I didn’t tell you how old it really was.

The second or maybe third time I wore it, you can guess what happened. I crossed my arms a little tight and the back ripped open not very dissimilar to how Bruce/David Banner’s shirts rip on the back when he turns to The Hulk.

 

[MondoFW]

Years ago I snagged a time capsule condition ANJ-4. This jacket was so mint that it looked like a modern repro that was just stored for a few months. Supple, perfect shearling. Unissued condition. It would look to you like a new jacket if I didn’t tell you how old it really was.

The second or maybe third time I wore it, you can guess what happened. I crossed my arms a little tight and the back ripped open not very dissimilar to how Bruce/David Banner’s shirts rip on the back when he turns to The Hulk.

Ouch! The ANJ-4 is a remarkable jacket too! What did you do with it after it met that grueling fate? Were you embarrassed when it happened?

 

[Canadian]

This will make you laugh.

I was wearing a pair of repro pants and an old beater blazer and I was at a concert put on by a girlfriend. I bent down to tie my shoes and the pants split. Completely.

Luckily there was a funny haze in the air (this was when cigarettes were legal indoors) and I was able to zip home (a few minutes away) change suits and come back in about 20 minutes.

There was another time I was at a dinner put on by a student club devoted to business training. I was seated at a table, stood up (I am quite tall) and my knee caught on the table. The girl next to me had a nice, light coloured blouse (which as we talked, she noted it was from a high end vintage shop) and a carafe of wine off the table fell all over her shirt.

Naturally, what does a gentleman do when he has just wrecked a ladies blouse, and potentially her chance to meet university reps? I gave her my business card and the next morning she phoned me at work and I settled up, rather generously.

We have a local online rag (no, it's not Gossip Girl) which is devoted to entertainment and the arts. It's run by a guy who's too tone deaf to play the piano and too ugly to act. I've been on his 'front page' a number of times and sometimes it's kind of tongue in cheek (I, before I went to grad school was quite well known with ladies). I have a perfect morning suit, which I wear to daytime concerts where I'm performing and I've been photographed. It's really funny because when I got started with that band, we typically all wore white shirts and black dress pants. I went away for a while to do some other things and came back dressed in full White Tie (vintage tails, repro vest). What I didn't realize was that I was the only one appearing in white tie. So here I am in a room of young men and women (all adults, but I'm one of the older ones, it's an adult only group) and I'm wearing tails and a white bow tie and my friends are wearing white shirts. In fact, the principle clarinet was wearing black jeans and a white western shirt.

Why is this a horror story? I remember going out with a lovely young lady after the concert and we got into the bar and she turned to me and said, "Now really. Why the nerd outfit"?

C.

 

[Bobby Peru]

Ouch! The ANJ-4 is a remarkable jacket too! What did you do with it after it met that grueling fate? Were you embarrassed when it happened?

I’m embarrassed now because it’s the first time I’ve told it! I salvaged the zipper, buttons, goatskin elements and label. Those things are now long gone as well.