"Simple Vintage" Tips! || Retro Style for Work, School, Beginners 

HI I LOVE YOU ALL. Also there's lots of bloopers for this one, my mouth and my brain received two TOTALLY different memos this day. 😂😂

one thing i also notcied is that a belt makes it look more vintage, i mean you had one in every shot hahahhah

You're the only person I've seen who mentioned that the cat eye is not historically accurate, THANK YOU, I love winged liner like nobody's biz, but I'm sick of people saying "it's not vintage without the cat eye." Like seriously, fool. Fight me.

Button-up cardigans! They look nice and vintage-y with a skirt! I'm also a fan of wearing a sleeveless dress over a collared shirt for a retro faux vest-suit type look. Blouses that tie into a neck bow are great to pair with pants or skirts. I have a black sash from an old dress that I used as a neck bow on regular button down blouses for a simple vintage look.

I totally agree - vintage styled hair adds +50 vintage points. Which is why if you want to wear a REALLY vintage outfit but not feel too costumey you can tone it down by wearing your hair in a more neutral fashion. Wearing very basic makeup also does the same thing. I've been rocking the vintage style for about 5 years and discovered this all through laziness of course. :)

In the 50's we never heard of "pencil skirts" we called them "straight skirts" and they were awesome!! Called "tight skirts" too

"I am no fashion guru" You are woman. You are.

Can't agree more with the "just add a skirt" comment haha and 80's/90's pants are such a lifesaver! Also, you look gorgeous in navy 😍❤️

I think hair is THE biggest make or break thing. Definitely. Vintage looking bar can make even a super modern outfit look vintage haha! These are all great tips! I had actually been thinking about making a video like this but you beat me to it and I loved all of your advice. Maybe I'll come up with a few things you didn't mention. 😘

I think this and your "Faking Vintage" video both need to be first watching for every person looking to add more vintage to their life. And what helped me the most is knowing where to look and what shapes to look for. I'm plus size so here's my addendum for the size 14-26 set and such: - Know your shapes. Cuts from vintage times were different, so I have certain shapes of things I'm always on the lookout for. Skirts and dresses with an "A" line, cardigans that have a vintage sort of school feel, blouses that have the right sort of collar and sleeves and can be tucked into skirts. In the "Faking Vintage" video you did a great job showing how something might not have 100% vintage elements but those are easy to hide with a vest, put a skirt over it, or tuck or cut away. -When stores put stuff on clearance, that's the time to look. I got a Sailor dress from Torrid a few seasons ago for $13. I got a polka dot dress for $20, I got another dress for $28 that has skulls and glasses print on it(which is a bit more rockabilly but still looks so good and had the perfect shape, so I can't complain for $28. Target has Ava & Viv, which I've found some good stuff from there, and even Walmart had the best vintage style bathing suit a few years ago(polka dot with a tie neck, size 3x, $26). Old Navy occasionally has good styles, especially for shirt dresses with simple colors. You can also check ebay, although I would definitely check the reviews and stick to simple garments like a skirt, blouse, they do appear to have super cute dresses but I've yet to order one because Asian sizes mean I need to size way up. I have kind of a mix of modern and vintage styling and have been looking to incorporate more vintage gothy styling into my warddrobe the past few months after remembering how much I enjoy the look and feel of it.

And could you maybe add to your 'my favorite vintage...' series one on Jewelry? You've got great taste and I would like some inspiration for my next thrifting haul!

When you want to dress vintage but you don't have skirts. GREAT.

As a 5'11'' girl, I totally get the pants thing. Circle dresses all the way! I don't know if you take requests for videos, but could you maybe film a 'vintage style progression' video like (I think her name is something like) Karolina (with the polish last name)? I would love to see how you started getting into vintage and how it has changed through the years!

I go to a charter school so we can only wear collared shirts and navy blue or khaki bottoms and we can wear sweaters. I never realized how much fake vintage stuff I could wear while still being inside my dress code. Your videos have really helped me discover my own sense of style, thank you!!!

Wish me luck I am trying vintage

I love how funny she is on top of being so knowledgeable! I really didn’t expect to feel so edutained

I usually wear office trousers, and it helps if the material is tweed, the day after you posted your milkmaid braid, I wore that, some tweed pants, and a green and blue short sleeve sweater, so thanks!

Gurl where are you finding all these short sleeve button ups?! I love them so much but can't find them anywhere! 😭

Please can I hire you as my stylist pretty please

I literally dropped everything to watch this ❤

The skirt and shirt combo is way forgiving for height and size too. Vintage dresses are pesky to size sometimes too.

If I wasn't working, I would definitely dress vintage. As it is, I work with small children/outside in all weathers, so dressing nice is definitely not a priority. (Have to wear things that are okay to get paint/glue/snot/dirt/mud/etc all over.) The skirt trick is a nice one--would you have some good sources for shirts? And I wouldn't mind playing around with doing vintage hair, but I haven't managed to locate a good tutorial/idea for styles that work on naturally curly hair. Most of the tutorials start with straight hair being curled then brushed out. I'm not about to straighten my hair just to curl it again, but if I were to brush out my curls they wouldn't do anything resembling a pin up brush out...

just realised how little skirts i have whitch is really weird since I love them haha

One reason I wear more skirt and shirt combination on workdays is the amount of washing. I can wear stuff under my arms 2 days tops. It's just easier to just change the shirt than the whole dress. I really love dresses, but I wear them more on WE's.

Oh, you are wearing underskirts too, I love it! I have just started wearing them, especially for historical accuracy and because I saw Ginger Rogers wear them in the movies, she looked SO amazing! 😱😵😍🥰 It really feels so much better wearing them underneath your skirt/ dress. 👍🏻 Also thank you so much for crediting the music you use in the description, I am always collecting. :)

Also men's trousers at the thrift store are nice for trying to look a little more vintage. I bought some enormous trousers and took in the waist. I added some decorative gold buttons & they look very vintage inspired.

you make me smile every week, favorite you tube channel by a landslide. PS a pet video would be so cute!

You look so nice in olive green and navy! I don’t have many skirts in those colors but now I need them 😂

There's this woman who looks like she's just walked off a period film set, that I keep seeing at Euston Station in London. Sometimes she looks like Veronica Lake, sometimes Greta Garbo or Ingrid Bergmann. She's absolutely perfect to the last detail and the clothes are incredible. I don't know what she does or where she gets them but its like her wardrobe is joined to the BBC period drama wardrobe and I have been wanting to take a photo but I am sure she gets pestered all the time. Now I have found your site I can use you as an excuse so I don't sound weird...but she has to be seen to be believed!

I've always loved vintage as far as I can remember, but since I went to England this summer and discovered Collectif I'm even more obsessed with this style ! I personally think high-waisted jeans or pants are great to begin with if you feel less comfortable in a skirt or a dress. For now I'd like to be able to look a little more vintage with modern pieces I already have... I'd love to hear about your other tips ! And I still need to work on my hair... Vintage style is a lot of work actually ! 😜

I love your personality and editing so much!

I am here for vintage aesthetics! Sometimes I wonder what life would be like in the mid 20th century and before then, it's weird how times, and especially fashion, has changed!

The level of excitement I feel when you post another video is borderline embarrassing. I love these types of videos! I wish the stupid thriftstore in my town would get some circle-skirts! I need them for twirling-purposes. Also, you are teh funniest :D

You are absolutely awesome! I love your sense of humor and you doggie! 😂❤️

them editing skills on point !! ♥

I own quite a few reproduction dresses, but this spring I bought a few long, full skirts from a modern shop and it definitely makes my style more varied!

your hair looks so gorge here!

I really love vintage things. Im just starting but I can say that this is the style I want. Not all 19 years old want stuff like this plus vintage is so modest 💖💖💖

Your channel is my FAVORITE.

Omg the editing on this is so nostalgic! I would love to see Rachel react to some of these older videos, I feel like she would cringe a lot at them 😂

I try the '80s and '90s clothes, and in my mirror I see it as older vintage, but I feel like without the hair and makeup, everyone else just sees it as '80s/'90s still. lol

I love that little bun snood thing! I just received a hand-knitted snood from a friend, and I'm so excited to use it for lazy vintage days!

Can you do a tutorial on your hair!? Its so cute, i still have trouble with my victory rolls but the style you are wearing is simple but vintage, so cute

some old rules i grew up with, from an insistent Nana: matching hat and gloves and shoes and hand bag, otherwise, white gloves. she wore gloves into her nineties. wear a hat in the sun!! in Australia, that is still excellent advice, and has helped me to age well. girdles, bras, pantyhose, full cotton briefs, and full petticoat or half-slip. and a white cotton singlet under everything.. or else!; even under spencers. soooo much underwear! but no skirt or dresses without a peticoat or half slip , and pantyhose always with shoes, but not sandals. boots with trousers were for horse riding.... these were rules even through the nineties and beyond. it was a lot of work, and life was much more formal.

What kind of sorcery are you doing to keep your bottom up/down shirts from puckering open on the chest?!?!

Out of all my morning notifications, this was top priority

I've even made my school uniform look vintage with a good vintage hairstyle

I will cherish your knowledge. I also agree on the dress thing people are instantly nicer when theres a dress bonus if theres red lipstick, doors are opened, dropped things are picked up, compliments ample

Hey Rachel! I need some advice 'bout hairstyles. Could you help me? I'd love to rock some vintage styles, but I have very curly and thick and poofy hair (it's a 3a + 3b texture) and it's... incredibly hard to find vintage hairstyles that would look good without ironing my hair down or being for 4a/b/c textures, which is a completely different kind of hair. (Which is......... quite weird, because the vintage style was all about emulating curls and curly hair.......) Would you have some recommendations - either by other youtube gals or other kind of resources - that could help me out? Love your channel so so _so much!_ Keep on doing your awesome job and being this gracious and beautiful person that you are.

I love this. If I could dress 40s all the time I would but your right, it's a little costumey sometimes and I don't want to draw too much attention to myself. So thank you so much for this. I adore your sense of humor

Would totally appreciate some tips on like. Men's vintage style

you are terrific. amusing and very good at explaining the how's and why's of the vintage wardrobe. thankyou again for sharing your knowledge, you are a delight!!

I’d love to dress vintage but I’m fifteen and I already don’t fit in with others. Also, vintage style is quite hard to find for affordable prices!

I found a beautiful circle skirt at m&s yesterday! Im in love

you seem to like doing the tutorial videos, vintage color matching can be a trick. Maybe a color theory video, The colors are so cool buy it can be so intimidating...

I love your videos...just looking at your house in the background makes me miss my mom. I want to make my apt. look like your home...and love your style...love ya

*le smack* poor baby!!

I am totally all for authentic vintage style, but it's nice that you show how to do vintage style in an undemanding way.

I know this vid is SUPER old. I'm 5'9" too. I have a hard time finding vintage and vintage-ey pants that are long enough... Thanks for all the tips!

Love this! You are right, hair is everything! They make or brake your outfit! I've mastered the barrel roll with high ponytail and can get it done in under 5 minutes and it's instantly recognizable as retro. My person tip is cardigans with brooches! Cardi's are already very vintage accurate, but the second you pin on a brooch it's perfect! Plus it's a way I can throw in dashes of nerdyness with my Disney and Harry Potter enamel pins I wear as brooches.

I love watching your channel. I am a huge fan of vintage but not brave enough to wear it since I work with animals it's difficult not to get dirty or covered in rabbit hair lol. But thank you for sharing :)

Just discovered your channel and you retro fashion ones are wonderful!

Another good hairstyle when people don't want to curl their hair is the 1950s ponytail in one of her other video's

Rachel you are a gem! I’m so glad I found you! I’ve done some shoots in Vintage and have been trying to add pieces slowly but you are an INSPIRATION! I look forward to watching you every week! Thank you so much! 🦋🦋 @RachelMaksy

You are an absolute doll.

I love how creative you are and end of you're videos are great.

You said “put a skirt on it” and immediately I thought “we can pickle that”. And to top it off I only live a few minutes from Portland.

I'm trying to very slowly move my wardrobe to be a little more vintage and get that 40s/50s look and I found this video super helpful!

That green skirt with the white blouse looked soooo good! Also have you dyed your hair darker? Oh man I really need to lose weight to be able to dress nice :/

My day was kinda bad, and so watching this made me laugh and smile with your humor and how much you clearly love your style! Keep being you! ❤️

Just terrified of wearing vintage, mostly at my basically cut throat middle school 😂😂😂 also because of height/size

Absolutely agree about the hair! My dress for my sister's wedding was more modern and did some pin curls on top and poof! Everyone kept commenting on how my ensemble looked like it was from a long ago era. P.S. It isn't a proper Sunday night until you upload!

I clicked SO fast.

Black capris or check/tarten capris always make me feel a lil vintage. Plus, my fave shoes, brown brogues. Or saddle shoes. Sahh cute.

Such a great video! I'm looking to get more vintage and vintage style clothing. :)

I love skirts💙💙💙 I went vintage this year and I love it. I even lucked on the prettiest Italian made oxfords💚 I also used to be so embarrassed to shop at a thrift, but I was suprised about how much more variety they have.

The more you know.. rainbow

I am sewing vintage 1930 gown and 1940 long sleeve blouse to go with my modern cotton/wool tweed suite and/or raw silk suite. I have a true Simplicity 1960's seven day wardrobe pattern which I will be making a pencil skirt dress, a 4 piece 1940 wardrobe pattern, 1940's & 50's vintage dress pattern, blouses pattern, wrap dress and skirt pattern. I have been sewing for 2 months now and really amazed on how my projects are looking professional. I have bid, brought vintage buttons to use on my vintage garments. I am looking forward to wearing my vintage garments ever day but not the hair because I have Locs but then in another country they were wearing Locs in the 1940's lol. great video

Glad to see this is a trend. People generally fit into clothes differently in decades past... like they wore belts! I like your style.

The blooper reel killed me! Thanks for cheering up a fan in Saudi Arabia!

this is just the video i needed!!!!! you've inspired me to become a lot more confident in wearing vintage-y things but with school and everything man is it HARD sometimes to get up to confidence to do it!!!! thank you so so much for this - it was super helpful 💓💓💓

Those boots you paired with trousers are A M A Z I N G

Omg the Portlandia reference at 2:58 .... we love that

Thanks a lot for making this video! I love dresses and circle skirts, but I‘ve got pretty low self esteem, so I‘m struggling a lot with wearing them at work. Your knowledge came at the very best moment for me and I will use it the best I can! 🥰

Haha! I love this so much!! Thank you so much for all the tips and being so down to earth about it! ☺️

Tucking shirts into pants/skirts automatically adds to the vintage look for me! Literally everything looks a bit vintage when tucked in, its awesome. And if it's difficult to find authentic trousers or 80s-90s stuff like it is for me unfortunately, very loose fitting pants that are snug at the waist (or made snug by a belt) are the way to go. Some '70s style bell bottom slacks can look quite '30s as well!

I have discovered your channel one week ago, and I love It so muchhh! You are sweet and your voice give me peace!!! Thank you 😘

I watched your faking vintage video, and I'm happy to say I went to Wal-Mart and found an outfit! I like the 50s style, and I'm pleased that it wasn't hard to find items I could make look vintage 😊 Thanks!

Would you do a 'My Style Evolution' video? I'm really curious what your style was previous to the vintage since you mentioned you've only been doing it for about 5 years. Also, SO ECSTATIC about getting two videos a week now! I hope you'll be able to keep it up bc you have quickly become one of my absolute favorite internet personalities!!! Such quality content, impeccable editing, and of course, aesthetic af!

Ah this is great! Thank you for all the great tips!! I was so pumped when I saw the little bun net/bow! That is what a lot of riders use when showing! I used to show horses, and we call that a "showbow"!! :D I've got a ton of them! I never thought of using them for a vintage look!

Love the "just add a skirt" bit, I *hate* trousers (pants) and would never wear them if I could choose!! ;) Though I'd say not all skirts qualify, I just very recently got into vintage (natural as I love feminine styles, which current fashion really isn't), and the skirts I've mostly been wearing up to now don't really look vintage-y at all... At least IMO. :)

Man i really love dresses they are so comfy and easy! I would def start with that. They can be so fun ☺️

You were not obvious at all, I'm very new to dressing vintage so this was VERY helpful!!! Also I love the extra bits at the end of the video they are always funny to watch! :) xx

I love watching your videos. I've always been attracted to the 1950's pinup style. Your videos are inspiring to me to thrift for 1950's styled stuff.. :)

I'm catching up on your earlier videos, I know what you mean about vintage looking costume-y, I have remarked on this before so thanks for the tips and it backs up what I have said myself before!

I need more trousers, but I feel that they draw more attention than a skirt so def be prepared to be looked at :) for me, I love a red lip, mascara, light brown eye shadow and defined brows. thanks for your tips.

I literally just found your channel yesterday and I absolutely love it! Your tips are super helpful to me as a beginner, even tho I'm more into the 60s and 20s style. You also have a really calming voice, listening to you talk is super nice. :)

I loved the tips! I already dress vintage to go out with my friends but soon I'll be working in an office and I was worried about being 'too much' tho the enviroment. Looks like 40's is the go to for more casual outfits.

Your hair is STUNNING here, omg. And Navy is definitely a friendly color for you! Thank you for sharing the knowledge! I work for the DoD, and I have to be "conservative," but I still want to be ME, you know?

The perfect topic! I was just wondering how you handle 'workaday' vintage, or more comfy vintage options. Loved it!