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Kid's Observations on Traditional Dressing

Mid-fogey

Practically Family
Messages
720
Location
The Virginia Peninsula
My daughter is 10 and I sometimes get to hear some interesting comments from kids on classical/traditional dressing.

I got "Why does you dad dress like Abraham Lincoln?" when I was is a sport coat and Federation. My daughter: "It's Indiana Jones, Lincoln wore a stovepipe hat." (Yay!)

Today at a soccer game I took our my handkerchief to soak in cold water for my daughter to put on her very hot forehead. The little girl with her said: "what's that?" She was talking about the handkerchief. I asked her: "doesn't your Daddy carry one of these in his back pocket?" "No" she said.

What are your interesting encounters with kids and traditional dressing?
 

Matt Crunk

One Too Many
Messages
1,029
Location
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
I'll have to go with the girl and her dad on that one . . . To me handkerchiefs are a fashion accessory for show only. The idea of carrying a snot rag around in your back pocket all day is one Golden Era custom I want no part of.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,161
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
Hmm. Although I have a couple of white hankies, I usually carry a bandana in my back left pocket for just that purpose. I have a lot of them, leftover from the days when I thought it was cool to wear them on my head under my helmet when I rode.
 

Mid-fogey

Practically Family
Messages
720
Location
The Virginia Peninsula
Hmm...

Matt Crunk said:
I'll have to go with the girl and her dad on that one . . . To me handkerchiefs are a fashion accessory for show only. The idea of carrying a snot rag around in your back pocket all day is one Golden Era custom I want no part of.

...Mine usually ride around in my pocket quite a while unused. It's a habit I picked up (and had drilled into me) as a young man. It was expected that a gentleman always had one.

I'd say about 99+% of the time I give it clean to my wife, daughter, or someone else who has an immediate need for it. Once I give it to them, its up to them to keep it and get it washed and back to me.

On another note, let's hear about our experiences with kids and vintage!!
 

Miss Sis

One Too Many
Messages
1,888
Location
Hampshire, England Via the Antipodes.
Overheard at a Rememberance Day Parade a few years ago when I was dressed in full civilian 40s attire with the Home Guard group:

"Mummy, is that lady the Queen?"

I think it was the hat that confused her. After all, only the Queen wears hats these days! lol
 
Messages
10,883
Location
Portage, Wis.
I carry a hankie in my back pocket always, especially in the summer, I perspire quite a bit, being a large-framed individual.

I have little kids always asking "Why is your hair wet?"
 

TessTrueheart

Registered User
Messages
526
Location
Sweden
I always carrie a hankie or two.

About two years ago, when my hair was long, my sister held up a picture of (a fully clothed) Dita von Teese to my four year old nephew and asked hom who it was. He answered "Tess!". Best day of my life. lol
 

FinalVestige79

Practically Family
Messages
787
Location
Hi-Desert, in the dirt...
Funny enough, today at Ft. Mac, I went in my 3 piece and went without the jacket for most of the day, this one kid about 7-8 points at me and says "Daddy, is that a ghost?" I guess the kid made an association between the pictures of vintage clothing in the museum and me!

I always get paired to "Grandpa" too...oy. I wear a hankie, and a pocket square usually.
 

The Wolf

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,153
Location
Santa Rosa, Calif
On days that I would pick up my sons from school while wearing my trenchcoat I would usually get "Hey, Inspector Gadget!".
I generally get the same coments from kids that i get from adults: "Indiana Jones", "You look like you should carrying a gun." :eusa_doh: , etc.

I also carry a white hanky in my back pocket. I have a few of them so when one gets used I throw it in the laundry and replace it with a clean one.

Sincerely,
The Wolf
 

Slim Portly

One Too Many
Messages
1,283
Location
Las Vegas
I was talking with a woman in a store, and her son (maybe five or six years of age) asked her why I was wearing my church clothes. On the one hand it's unfortunate that such a small child has already been indoctrinated to think that wearing a suit and tie is something special for a man to do, but on the other hand it's nice that he sees men go to the trouble at least once a week.
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
I have no kids of my own, but without a compelling reason I think I'd probably not dress a little boy up more than once a week either.

I don't have a problem with there being some clothes for special occasions, as long as those special occasions do roll around often enough.
 

Slim Portly

One Too Many
Messages
1,283
Location
Las Vegas
Viola said:
I have no kids of my own, but without a compelling reason I think I'd probably not dress a little boy up more than once a week either.
The subject of this thread is children's reactions to the way we dress, and the point of my story was that the boy lives in a world wherein it is strange for a grown man to be wearing a suit and tie just to go to the store.
 

Brooksie

One Too Many
Messages
1,166
Location
Portland, Oregon
Little children like to stare at me and sometimes I will hear a little girl whisper to her mom, "that lady is pretty". I think it is because I almost always look like a lady - even if I do not have vintage on (some days I do and some days I don't) I usually always have my hair done, make up on and classic attire, however I never hear it if I am wearing jeans, with tennis shoes (casual clothes - which I don't wear to often only if the occasion calls for such).
 

Widebrim

I'll Lock Up
The students at my school are quite used to seeing me dressed "traditionally," but sometimes they will ask me why I dress up all the time. I simply tell them that I'm a teacher, although considering how most other educators dress, I'm not sure if that reply clears up the matter for them much...:eusa_doh:
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
Slim Portly said:
The subject of this thread is children's reactions to the way we dress, and the point of my story was that the boy lives in a world wherein it is strange for a grown man to be wearing a suit and tie just to go to the store.

Aw, Slim, I wasn't fussing with you. And you always look great.

I was just reacting to the bit about it being a shame about the kid being indoctrinated to think they were special occasion clothes - they kind of are, aren't they? Isn't that sort of the point?
 

FinalVestige79

Practically Family
Messages
787
Location
Hi-Desert, in the dirt...
Widebrim said:
The students at my school are quite used to seeing me dressed "traditionally," but sometimes they will ask me why I dress up all the time. I simply tell them that I'm a teacher, although considering how most other educators dress, I'm not sure if that reply clears up the matter for them much...:eusa_doh:



:eek:fftopic: You're a teacher?! Thats Awesome! I wish i had a teacher that dressed vintage!! What do you teach?
 

59Lark

Practically Family
Messages
567
Location
Ontario, Canada
kids reaction to fedora etc.

The kinds of reactions vary, wearing a fedora old tired one with old style work clothes ie dark blue or gray, with top button on shirt with collar done up, are you a farmer ? (i was a long time ago) which colony ie mennonite colony ie group are you from ? plain clothing indicates being mennonite, some of the conservatives wear fedoras, straw one and plain felt ones in winter. my best one dressed in black, with overcoat and tie and fedora is he a undertaker? I always carried a white hankerchief but have lent them out and used them for emergency rags ie oil leaks or such am out so will have too buy some more and emb. them with my intials. 59LARK:eek:fftopic: :rage: :eek:
 

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