polka dot pinup: how to dress vintage & still look modern

Bows, polka dots, vintage silhouettes: these are all things that define my personal style. I often describe how I dress as "girly, quirky and retro". I love the 1950's and 60's, but never want my outfits to look like a costume or something straight out of a vintage store. I always aspire to look modern with a vintage touch. 

The dress I am wearing in these photo is by Lady V London, a British brand of retro inspired dresses and skirts. All of their pieces are both designed and manufactured in London, so the fabric quality is amazing, however, the prices are still reasonable, and they ship worldwide! All of their dresses and skirts have a modern fit, while still retaining a classic silhouette. The prints they offer range from traditional, like the polka dot one I am wearing, to more modern options, like a quirky cat or lip print.
Incase you're not in the market for a new dress at the moment, I wanted to also share some tips for dressing modern with a vintage twist. Here we go...

Hem & Mend:
You can easily alter a vintage find to make it look more modern. Some quick fixes include shortening sleeves, removing shoulder pads, or hemming. Even if you can't sew yourself, paying a seamstress to help with these alterations won't break the bank, since luckily vintage can usually be found on the cheap. 

Mix Prints:
Back in the day, everyone dressed very matchy matchy, so mixing prints is an easy way to wear retro silhouettes in a modern way. Wearing prints in different scales, but the same color palette always works best. 

Hair & Makeup:
Of course I also love wearing my hair in retro inspired ways. However, I don't aim for perfectly in place hair that was in fashion in the 1950's and 60's. Whether my hair is up in a top knot, or down in a half bouffant, I purposely like to leave some lumps and bumps or stray hairs to avoid looking too done up. In terms of makeup, I also love both a cat eye and a bold red or pink lip. Although I've seen a lot of girls rock both at the same time, I usually just try to pick one or the other.

If you are a fellow vintage lover and have any other tips for keeping your style current, I'd love to hear them!

Dress: C/O Lady V London
(www.ladyvlondon.com)
Hat and gloves: Kate Spade; Tights: H&M; Shoes: Steve Madden
Photos: Diane Dulgerian
​(www.dianedulgerianphoto.com)
Location: Sweethaus (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)