Real talk, vintage can be intimidating for those that don't have a rockabilly sense of style. Because of that it's usually appreciated from afar, and girls just sigh quietly and continue on with their daily lives, wishing that some day they gather the courage to just wear that dress or go out with that hat. Well no more my loves. Today I teamed up with Hey Viv! Vintage- an Etsy store that has all that pinup and rockabilly glamour- to show you you can actually make vintage work with the style you already have! It's all about taking the vintage piece and giving it a modern twist. To prove it I took Hey Viv! Vintage's stewardess pillowbox hat and styled it in four different ways, spanning across different type of styles a girl might have: minimalist & simple, laid back & casual, cozy & feminine, and- lastly- just downright fancy & classic. See how effortless the statement hat looks in each one of the looks, and maybe gather the courage to try it yourself:
1. THE MINIMALIST LOOK: You'd probably pair a simple look like this with a wide brimmed hat or a sassy little fedora, right? Well why not a pillowbox hat then? If you're not looking to give off the vibe that you're heading to a soda-shop with your hunnie, pair the item with sleek, understated pieces. For example, in this look I chose form fitting overalls and a sheer box shirt to go underneath. The sheerness of the blouse is very on-trend and the fit of the overalls give a more youthful feel to the look, balancing out the vintage hat.
2. THE LAID BACK & CASUAL LOOK: When I first started playing with vintage I was under the impression that hats like these were only reserved for moments that called for full skirts and fancy prints. Sure, this hat would look killer with red lips and a dress that Betty Draper would kill for, but it amps up the charm factor when it's paired with something unexpected and laid-back. Like, say, a pair of high waist trousers and a rolled up plaid shirt. A beanie could have just as easily been paired with this look, but the vintage hat gave it a punch of class and a little more interest.
3. THE COZY & FEMININE LOOK: This is a look I see often on the blogoshpere and for good reason: the well known peter-pan-collar-dress-and-thick-over-sized sweater combo. It's a go-to for many during the fall season, and it never fails to make a gal feel cozy and cute without having to try too hard. I see many of you wear this look with a pompom beanie if you're feeling cheeky or with a beret if you want to add more to the sweetness, but as you can see here, a vintage hat brings in a slightly different vibe to the look. It helps make it feel a little more polished, a little more serious and lady-like. It takes your bundled-up fall look and transforms it into something you'd wear while pondering heavily over a cup of tea and stack of books.
4. THE CLASSIC LOOK: And then sometimes a vintage hat needs to be worn in all its glory. But that doesn't necessarily mean it has to be worn with a vintage dress. It works with a lot of different styles, but I personally like it best with demure and flirty numbers like this H&M long-sleeved dress. The outfit would have been lovely without any extra accessorizing, but the hat really helped to raise up the overall lady-like vibe another notch.
See, not as intimidating as you thought! Have any of you styled vintage hats before? I'd love to hear your styling tips in the comments below. And if you're curious about Hey Viv! Vintage definitely check them out here- they have the best authentic vintage around. And- bonus- they're now carrying fun and sweet Halloween costumes!
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And for more tips on how to style vintage in a modern way, check out my post on how to blend vintage with your every day style and how to style vintage with modern pieces to make it less intimidating!
