Motherhood & the Vintage Lifestyle

[buddy5909]

I can't help myself. I have been looking on Etsy at all the Maternity patterns. I guess I just hope I can dress a little more vintage if and when I get pregnant again. Here's one with a nice 1930s feel to it.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/25065510/circa-1985-vogue-1611-misses-maternity

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

I can't help myself. I have been looking on Etsy at all the Maternity patterns. I guess I just hope I can dress a little more vintage if and when I get pregnant again. Here's one with a nice 1930s feel to it.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/25065510/circa-1985-vogue-1611-misses-maternity

I have a bunch of vintage 50's maternity patterns I ran out of energy with my second one and didn't make a thing till about 3 months ago he is 2 1/2 lol

 

[KittyAnneMalloo]

I don't have any babies yet but I have the most adorable pram I bought at auction for $1 about 3 years ago. It's powder blue with chrome wing bits and huge bouncy wheels. The lady selling it said it was hers when she was a baby and she was born in 1957 So cute! My lovely chap has fixed it up and is getting some of the bits re-chromed! It reminds me of this....if it was a pram lol

 

[Lillemor]

The irony is that even though it doesn't show, my lifestyle is probably closer to that of what people had in decades past. We're a one income household, I'm a homemaker, we have 1 car but I haven't driven since 1997, I'm so called dependent though I don't think it's fair to look at my lifestyle choice so narrowly, we're just getting by. Our car was bought used in 05' and was an 01' model and we'll probably have it forever.

I had some "vintage" 70s maternity dresses. Hey, you gotta take what you get. I mostly wore my old clothes that could stretch during all three pregnancies. I had various short bobs during the first two pregnancies, one was permed and changed in to soft waves. I can't remember my hair the last time.

We had the house built at the end of 00' but not much has changed since and the decor is pretty much the same. Before that we lived in a semi-attached house and the baby slept in our room in the "basket" thing for the pram the first many months. The changing place has always been on the most convenient surface near a sink. We have 1 big bulky TV set from some time in the 90s. Flat screen?! What the heck is that?!

I got my first cellphone in 06', I'm on my second cellphone from 07' the battery is dying and I still haven't figured out how to use all the functions. Text?! My mother and MIL have to help me with that and our boys wouldn't dream of asking for such a luxury. They only got very lucky when my mom gave them an old computer of theirs.

Two of the boys share a room and a bunk bed, all their toys and clothes. The youngest one inherits his brothers old toys and clothes most of the time.

We had a few used, bulky prams. One was a metal frame Silver Cross I couldn't afford a vintage Skandia or Odder at the time though I would've preferred one of those because they're slightly larger than a Silvercross and we used the prams longer than in other countries. I used to know a lot about vintage prams and could debate them endlessly.lol

Most of the baby clothes my oldest had was vintage knits which "this" ungrateful brat/young mother didn't appreciate at the time so I chucked it all and bought supermarket jersey clothes instead. I also sold the silvercross and went through inumerous lightweight modern prams until I settled on another heavy pram. They are the safest and the best. I used to pull those prams up and down stairs and up the back end stairs of busses and down again. Things only got slightly easier when I moved on to a pushchair but that one was a heavy model too. I had an umbrella pushchair but I don't trust those modern lightweight "things". They just don't look or feel safe.

They were all breast fed and I used to blend and freeze baby food later.

So I'm not concerned about the lack of visual evidence of our "vintage" lifestyle.

 

[Vintage Rose]

Any vintage Moms out there?

So, do any of you have little ones? I have two under 5 years. My question is, what is the easiest way you streamline your hair routine and whatnot to save time? Right now I am new at curlers and it takes an hour (!!!!!) for me to do it. I don't want to spend too much time on myself, but I do like the idea (you may laugh now if you so desire) of June Cleaver. Why can't housewives (I do work outside the home part-time) dress for their work? Raising a family and keeping house is a respectable (I'd say pretty important as well!) calling. I don't like feeling sloppy and wearing sweats around the house. I like putting on a nice hat for errand running. I keep wondering how the moms in the 1940's and 50's did it with fewer conveniences. It must be able to be done. Any thoughts ladies?

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

There was a thread on here somewhere, I'm sure one of the other FL ladies will link you to it, but I think rolls are a good way to cut down on Coiffeur time! Once you've learned how to do them you can whip them up in no time!

Welcome by the way!

K

 

[C-dot]

I searched and couldn't find it One of the Bartenders will probably be able to.

In the meantime, I was reminded of some pictures exquisitebones (of The Mysterious Life of the Metropolitan Housewife) posted some time ago in the "Show us your hairdo's" thread. You can see them here. She's got the most amazing rolls, and the cutest little boy!

 

[kamikat]

My kids are now older than yours, 12 and 9, but I've been doing my hair since my oldest was in preschool. The thing about roller sets is that it actually gives you more time. I do my hair only twice per week. When my kids were little, I'd put them to bed about 8pm, then go wash my hair in the sink. I'd then take my box of rollers and clips down to the family room and roll up my hair while sitting with my husband, either watching TV or chatting. In the morning, it takes only a few minutes to brush it into place, much less than washing and blowdrying every morning. The thing you need to get over is the idea of not spending time on yourself. You are the mom, which means you spend all day taking care of others. You should spend time on yourself. In the end, it will make you a happy mom and wife to take care of yourself. Take it from someone who has been a stay-at-home mom for over a decade.

 

[sheeplady]

First off, I'm not a mom. Second off, I'm also from the US, so my comments are pretty much limited to my own experience (and reading) in my own culture.

For women who were working class and poor, they have had to long balance work and family. This was particularly true for working-class and poor minority women because of fewer opportunities compared to whites (both for women and men). There was never a time period when these women stayed home in droves (even when they had babies), mainly because it was never economically affordable.

In fact, even at that time (the 1950s and even more in the 1960s), more middle class women were returning to work and staying in their fields after marriage and childbirth, especially if they were trained or educated beyond high school. Previous to the baby boom, it was expected that you leave your nursing or teaching position once you had a baby. (If you didn't leave, you were often let go, unless you had extreme circumstances- widowed, etc. There were exceptions to this, but overall baby= leaving your position.) The greater demand for teachers and nurses following the baby boom combined with the high rates of childbirth by women in these same occupations, created a shortage of childless female teachers and nurses. Society changed: it became acceptable for middle class women to continue working after having children because society needed these occupations.

Basically, what I am getting at, is that most women did their hair etc. while managing their home AND work. So it is doable. Maybe not June Cleaver doable (after all, the actress did have a hairstylist on the show), but I'm pretty sure most women looked pretty glam!

I do want to thank you for starting this thread because I am always looking for tips.

 

[LinaSofia]

very true, Sheeplady. I think we often have this idea that all women in pre-60s stayed at home and it was really not the case.

I think that vintage styling can be quicker than modern styling once you get the hang of it! For me, on a regular morning, it takes only a few minutes to do my hair. If you put your rollers in at night, all you have to do in the morning is take them out and brush your hair. Alternatively put it up in whatever style you like, rolls or with a scarf or whatever takes your fancy. Once you are practiced at creating your favourite styles, it doesn't take long. Just think about the amount of time a lot of 'modern' girls spend on washing, blow-drying, straightening, curling or whatever. I don't do any of that in the morning!

I'm not a mum either though, so I can't speak from experience of having a little one to look after!

 

[C-dot]

Just think about the amount of time a lot of 'modern' girls spend on washing, blow-drying, straightening, curling or whatever. I don't do any of that in the morning!

Not to mention the money! The ironic thing, and the common misconception about vintage hair, is that it takes more time than modern hair. Not so.

I am not a mum either, so I can pretty well make my own time for sets, but I'm sure some time could be carved out like kamikat does!

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

Vintage Rose I have a three year old and nine year old. I am always looking for the easiest fastest way to set my hair. I used perm rods for a while but they are a bit uncomfotable for sleeping. Right now I have been doing lock loops when I set they are pretty quick and easy and dry faster than sponge rollers. I think we are both in the twin cities perhaps we should have a play date sometime (ok I really mean the kids but well moms can then chat too) PM me if interested.

 

[LinaSofia]

I don't have any babies yet but I have the most adorable pram I bought at auction for $1 about 3 years ago. It's powder blue with chrome wing bits and huge bouncy wheels. The lady selling it said it was hers when she was a baby and she was born in 1957 So cute! My lovely chap has fixed it up and is getting some of the bits re-chromed! It reminds me of this....if it was a pram lol

ah, jealous!! I've wanted one of those for years...

 

[Mae Croft]

Not to mention the money! The ironic thing, and the common misconception about vintage hair, is that it takes more time than modern hair. Not so.

I am not a mum either, so I can pretty well make my own time for sets, but I'm sure some time could be carved out like kamikat does!

I agree, that's one thing I hear a lot from those who don't style their hair in a vintage way but like the idea, "Well, I could never do that because I don't have the kind of time that you obviously have." - granted, that was a bitter reenactment of the many times I've been told that someone would love a certain style but they just don't have time, so they wake up every morning, wash their hair, style it, curl it, spray it - 45 minutes to an hour on hair every morning? I'd rather spend 10 minutes setting my hair at night then 2 or 3 brushing it out in the morning. Not a mom, though!

 

[Frenchy56]

I want to firmly second the stuff about vintage hairstyling - at least basic sets - being less time-consuming than a lot of modern routines! Case in point: I used to shower and wash my hair every night *without fail*, which also meant blow drying, and straightening the next morning (then still not being happy with it). The irony was, I didn't even need to shower, I just wanted to wash my greasy hair- no matter how much I just wanted to collapse into bed, I'd drag myself in the shower. Now, I wash and set my hair between every 3 and 5 days and it only really starts to look and feel greasy on day 3, which would have been unthinkable a year ago! I think my hair's healthier too- though I have to use a hairdryer to blast away some of the damp before I set (perms hold water ), it's certainly better than daily blowdrying and straightening, coupled with overwashing.

Whether I would still think/do the same if I had kids is another matter though

 

[sheeplady]

I just wanted to wash my greasy hair- no matter how much I just wanted to collapse into bed, I'd drag myself in the shower. Now, I wash and set my hair between every 3 and 5 days and it only really starts to look and feel greasy on day 3, which would have been unthinkable a year ago!

The not having to wash it all the time is wonderful, isn't it? I used to do 3-4 hair washings a week, and I'm down to 1 hair washing a week. I'm still not fully there/ transitioned, but I'm saving at least an hour or more a week. I know from my single-mom friends that finding time to shower can be really hard if no one can watch the kids.

If your hair does hold a curl well or a style well, you have to do it a lot less when you wash less. For instance, after I roll my hair for 2 days in a row, the third day it goes up in a few minutes. (This is from straight hair). Every day after that it is easy as pie.

 

[Mae Croft]

I get that, too! I used to have my hair start to grease up on me the day I washed it, now it doesn't even start to look greasy until day 4-ish depending on the weather (in this humidity, I'm glad I can make it to day 3!). I was told that would happen, I read that would happen, but somehow I didn't believe it. Mini miracle!

 

[Vintage Rose]

Land o' Lakes Gal, would love to do a playdate! I'll try to figure out how to use the PM. I still haven't figured out how to put in a photo. I am technologically inept. What are lock-loops? They sound promising.

Indeed, my morning routine is insanely fast now. It's the hour (I haven't been able to cut it down timewise yet) at night to roll it all up. My hair loses curl pretty easily and it's been super humid, so I've been setting it almost every night since I got my haircut. I also garden and help on a berry farm and I don't know how to keep the curls in for that. Maybe in the winter when it's bone-dry around here my hair will stay in a set longer. Not to mention it will give me something to do when stuck behind snowdrifts in the house.

I'm just in awe of the moms of the 30's, 40's and 50's. My grandma had 11 kids, a farm, and much less in the way of conveniences (initially no indoor bathroom!). My husband's grandma worked in a textile mill in North Carolina at 14 and took care of her siblings when not at work, and then married a soldier. Apparently she would get her hair set at the beauty parlor once a week. That had to be cheaper then... I just feel inadequate! Not tough and resilient like the golden era moms. The Americans sent their husbands overseas and worked in factories and took care of the homefront alone, and the Brits- wow- the guts the women of Britain had and the challenges they faced were amazing! Yet, they didn't complain, they toughed it out, AND they still looked gorgeous. I've got a zillion modern conveniences and I always feel like I'm short on time! AND one of the things I most adamantly want to do, is provide my kiddos a more "vintage" childhood. No ipods or video games or DVDs in the car to give me more time. I want them to run and play and use creative toys. I feel bad now because I sometimes have them watch cartoons just so I can get something done!!! Do any of you vintage moms have opinions about not just the vintage clothes, but also giving kids space to be kids in more of the way they were able to in years past? And if so, what are some of the games or toys or activities you do? How to get two insanely active tiny tots to behave long enough to clean the bathroom without resorting to cartoons?

Whew, that was longwinded!

 

[kamikat]

The key for me was to have a structured nap time. Both of mine had nap time until they entered kindergarten. Even if they were sleeping, they were required to stay in their rooms for an hour. I did my chores during that time. The other key was to let go of the idea of keeping a sparkling house. Do you want your kids to remember a clean house or a fin mom? There's plenty of time for a clean house when they enter school. My rule was to have one room in the house that was always clean, no toys allowed, do that the adults had one nice room to relax in when the kids were asleep. The rest of the house got done as I found the time.

 

[Hey_Laaaaaady!]

I'm not a mother, but can I pop into this thread for a moment? I'm currently a personal care assistant for the disabled, it is NOT a glamorous job and I get tired of wearing jeans & Tshirts all the time. Does anyone have any suggestions for glamming things up a little? Just to lift my spirits. I have to do lifting and dirty work, so nothing that's too...y'know. I thought about making a pair of high-waisted jeans and some pretty blouses, nothing too fancy. I just don't know. I love to be elegant and feminine but I'm having difficulty transitioning this into the one area of my life that really needs beauty...lol