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Do you remember that horrible movie Head in the Clouds with Charlize Theron? I do. There’s a scene where she comes home and wipes off the lines she drew on the back of her legs. The movie was set during WWII when many women couldn’t afford nylon stocking so instead of going bare-legs they drew in two black lines to give the illusions of stockings. The rest of the movie is a blur. But that scene started my love affair with seamed-lined stockings about 6 years ago! As you know, I don’t normally love dresses or skirts that would be appropriate to pull off a stocking look. But my luck changed recently at a vintage swap party (see post here) where I scored a vintage Givenchy wool dress that I just adore. And voilà, I’m a lady.
In celebration of fulfilling my 6 year dream of one day wearing seamed-lined stockings, I’m hosting my first giveaway courtesy of Sock Theory. Please leave a comment with what makes you feel like a “lady”. I’ll pick the best story and Sock Theory will mail the winner a new pair of Seamed Thigh High Stockings to your doorsteps. Can’t wait to hear from all of you. Giveaway story submissions ends this Sunday, April 4, 2010.
Dress: Vintage Givenchy dress
Jewelry: Vintage leather and gold chain necklace
Shoes: Dries Van Noten
Bag: Balenciaga
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Thanks so much for your participation guys! I loved all your stories which made it so hard to pick a favorite. But I read and re-read all your comments and picked a winner. The new pair of seamed-lined stockings, I’m happy to say, goes to Dee! Here is her comment below:
“I feel like a lady whenever I’m wearing anything from my grandmother because she is without a doubt the classiest lady I have ever met! She lived in Vietnam during the time when the Communist party was kicking people out, confiscating anything that was valuable, expensive jewelry…clothes… so she dug a hole in the ground and would hide her stuff there so they wouldn’t take her designer clothes and makeup away and luckily some of that stuff made it’s way to me when she came to Canada!
So whenever I am wearing her fur collar or her dresses I feel like a lady and a proud one that my nana loved clothes and that how she chose to dress herself was so important that she was willing to risk her life for it! Now that’s what a lady does!”
on Mar 30th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
I feel like a lady when…
I wear inappropriately high heels to class (I’m a college student… most people just wear sweatpants, but for me that simply won’t do, dahhhling!)…
I paint on red lipstick to get breakfast in the morning and see the imprint it leaves on my coffee cup…
and I break out one of my 1950s cocktail dresses for a special event and feel that cinching in my waist change the way I walk and the way I stand…
xx
Ava
http://www.aandhblog.wordpress.com
on Mar 30th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Poor Head in the Clouds… what is it about movies with stuart townsend that even though they’re not so great, there’s still a charm to them that will make me watch them.
Great bag and great stockings. Also I think it’s phenomenal that what you’re wearing is all one-piece dress, and Givenchy at that! Well done
on Mar 30th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
LOVE LOVE LOVE your bag and shoes!
What makes me feel like a lady?
Hm…nothing like a comfortable figure skimming (not hugging) curve-enhancing dress and high heels (4″ maximum, 3.5″ minimum). Being comfortable is key, I believe…
xx
on Mar 30th, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Haha! I have same giveaway! I have entered!
on Mar 30th, 2010 at 11:23 pm
By the way I love Ur outfit! Super!
on Mar 30th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
First of all I just have to say that I am enormously envious of those shoes. I can’t tell you how many times I wishfully fondled them.
This post got me thinking, because when I initially read the question, I couldn’t find a an obvious answer. I couldn’t even find a few. A well-fitting, put-together outfit and some heels will make me feel more feminine, I think, but after thinking the whole thing over I don’t think I’ve ever felt like a “lady” (in the seamed-stocking sort of way) because it’s a label I’ve been taught to resist. So, as of now, I suppose I’ve disqualified myself! But if I were to continue, I would say that the closest analogue that I can find in my life is the feeling of being complete, satisfied, and successful in my identity (of which being a woman is a part). So, my non-answer is that I feel the fullest contentment in my identity when I am dressed in a super put-together, outlandish, and well-fitting outfit, a pair of kick-ass shoes, after having accomplished something undeniably impressive and substantial. It’s the best feeling in the world, and it’s the closest way I can relate to feeling like a lady.
Sorry for such a long comment!
xx Persephone
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 12:28 am
Ah, the “cuban heel.” I used to work at The Sock Man (St Marks Place) and those were quite a popular style. I never owned a pair oddly enough but looking at your post has certainly brought back both memories and stirred a desire to own a pair.
off with her head!
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 1:55 am
You elevated an outfit that would have been lovely on its own to a memorable look that is completely polished. Well done!
The spritz of perfume behind the ear. Taking time to rim your lips with liner so that your lipstick stays perfect. Adding a ring that sparkles to an otherwise simple ensemble. The extra coat of nail polish. These are the things that make me feel like a lady.
Best
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 3:55 am
Oh!! I remember head in the clouds, too! I have no idea why, but I do. Aw. It wasn’t that bad….but it certainly wasn’t that good either…
I Have always been in love with back seam tights. I wear them regularly, but I do a lot of contemporarily weird things, so I’m glad to see you wearing them as well. You’re so cool- that dress is amazing on you, Mimi- you are such a lady.
My answer is weird, though: Menswear makes me feel like a lady. Maybe it’s because my body is so ultra femme, but something about wearing the most un-feminine clothing gives me the perfect contrast to feel super super ladylike! That’s always been why I’ve loved menswear! Especially with a feminine detail or two like great heels, or jewelry, and great hair and makeup!
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 5:29 am
These stockings are v unusual! Love the dress as well.
)
Lola Re
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 7:41 am
I’m probably the biggest bargain shopper out there – but nothing makes me feel more like a lady than a good quality dress that fits well, heels that are comfortable & all worn to somewhere where laughter, good food & drinks are a must.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 9:10 am
Whenever I feel like I’ve been in an outfit rut, putting together a nice cardigan and a pearl necklace immediately makes me feel like a lady. Even if it’s paired with slim dark jeans, the simple cardigan and necklace add a rustic classy feel. This is always my go to fix and makes me feel so sophisticated.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 9:43 am
I have really put a downer on Head in the Clouds. I guess to their defense it could have been worse. Still not making it any better. But anyways I’m loving these stories! Keep them coming!
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 10:14 am
Spending hours primping. Getting my hair done at the salon (which happens once in a blue moon
). Perfume. High heels. Dangly earrings. Lipstick.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 10:49 am
i never saw that movie, but i like the outfit it inspired for you! i like how the longer dress keeps the stockings from looking tart. and i love those shoesss! i have tried them on probably 3x at butter last year. they’re so pretty.
as far as feeling like a lady… i think my best ladylike moment was when i broke a heel on my way back to the office from lunch. i ducked into the nearest cobbler where a guy in an hermes suit, who i chatted with while i was waiting, paid for an extra shoe shine for my boots after they were fixed. i didn’t even know he did that till after he was gone. it seemed like an old-fashioned movie kind of moment.
and this is not a story about me, but one of the most lady-like things i can imagine. there’s a scene in joan didion’s ‘river run’ where the main character has just had a shower on a really warm night. she takes a bottle of ‘joy’ perfume, which is the most expensive perfume at that time, puts it in her hands and then rubs it on her neck and wrists. i don’t even LIKE that perfume, but after reading the book i got a little sample, and i must say i feel super grown-up and girly when i put it on (then gag at the smell).
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 11:11 am
The ankle strapped shoes is perfectly matched with the length of the dress. Great combination.
I feel extremely lady like right after I shave my legs.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 11:19 am
I feel most like a lady when I wear my fitted black suit, heels & hair severed back in a low ponytail & smoky eyes. Yeah, makes me feel like a lady. Think Tom Ford as a women.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Being confident in my femininity makes me feel like a lady. What’s great about that is that it can be accomplished in so many ways -
- Wearing all black to work
- 4in+ heels
- Wearing a black bra
- A swipe of red lipstick
- Carrying a mens wallet
- Achieving the perfect balance of sexy and classy
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 12:38 pm
I feel most like a “lady” when hosting an event (whether it be work-related, greeting visitors and attendees or entertaining guests in our home). Graciousness brings out the “lady” in all of us.
Would love those seamed stockings! =)
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I feel most like a lady when …
I am wearing an a-line floral skirt (a la Prada), classic pumps, fitted top, my hair down, cat-eye sunglasses on, minimal makeup, and walking down the sidewalk in the city, purse in one hand, and shopping bag in the other after having made a glorious purchase at Bergdorf’s.
In short, it’s about looking, feeling beautiful, and exercising my independence.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 8:33 pm
They are gorgeous stockings!
I feel like a lady when I’m wearing a spotted blouse, 50s style pencil skirt that finishes just below the knee, some pretty stockings, two tone heels and a splash of red lipstick paired with dramatic eye make up
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 9:03 pm
those stockings are amazing, and i love the length of that dress!
http://www.keepfashion.wordpress.com
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 9:06 pm
I feel like a lady when…
I perfume myself in the morning. There’s something so subtly sweet about the scent and the way it lingers throughout the day. I’ve come to notice that each woman has a particular way of sprinkling herself in a scent that is so personal to her – I, for example, spray once on each side of my neck (making sure the mist hits the collarbones as well) and then once on the inside of my left wrist, which I rub on my right wrist. It’s a beautiful thing to feel so freshly feminine and powerfully ready for the day. Perfume is one of those discretely sensual ways we women allow ourselves to be exposed to others, without being exposed at all. The musk is a sneak peak into each of us and as Baudelaire expressed in Exotic Perfume, it can be the sweetest way for our lovers to remember us.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 12:55 pm
I just happened upon your blog and I love it…have been reading through all your posts and I think they are truly gorgeous…will be back!
Love love love,
Erin
xx
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Love the tights!
I feel most like a lady when I’m wearing my highest heels (either YSL booties or Louboutin pumps). (I’m normally in flats.)
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 4:28 pm
I feel like a lady whenever I help the old lady from my apartment building carry her groceries whenever I see her coming up the street, or when I’m aware that I’ve done something to brighten someone’s day. It may something very small, but I believe that courteousness is the epitome of ladylike behavior. Whenever I see this particular old lady smile at me I feel worthwhile and elegant and that is a feeling that no perfume or beautiful piece of clothing can compare with.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 6:50 pm
I feel like a lady whenever I’m wearing anything from my grandmother because she is without a doubt the classiest lady I have ever met! She lived in Vietnam during the time when the Communist party was kicking people out, confiscating anything that was valuable, expensive jewelry…clothes… so she dug a hole in the ground and would hide her stuff there so they wouldn’t take her designer clothes and makeup away and luckily some of that stuff made it’s way to me when she came to Canada!
So whenever I am wearing her fur collar or her dresses I feel like a lady and a proud one that my nana loved clothes and that how she chose to dress herself was so important that she was willing to risk her life for it! Now that’s what a lady does!
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 9:02 pm
This isn’t exactly a story about what makes ME feel like a lady, but it’s a sweet story about making someone else feel like a lady…
I used to have a set of keys to my good friend’s apartment. They were for emergencies, in case she lost her keys or needed someone to check on things. But for her birthday I “broke in” and left her a love letter, a pair of white gloves with satin ribbons, and a long string of pearls. She called me in tears, knowing only I could have gotten into the apartment and said, “Oh Steph! No one has ever made me feel like a lady until now!”
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:43 pm
I feel like a lady when it just so happens to be one of the few days I’m made up wearing a dress and cute shoes when a cute boy opens the door for me…
When I come across the few men who still are chivalrous, who make my heart skip for that split second, they make me smile inside and be glad that I’m a gal!
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 11:12 am
Your dress is lovely.
I feel like a “lady” when I’m wearing a very neatly tailored dress accentuated by a great vintage gold lion belt, cream snakeskin pumps, a few well placed dabs of Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus, and thigh high crochet knit stockings. But then, so would everyone.
I feel like a lady when I’m wearing something quite casual and relaxed–there might even be flip flops involved, and I’m suddenly pulled into a situation that requires competent, serious conversation. If I can more than hold my own and make everyone forget I’m wearing a little sundress while they’re all in suits, and instead, concentrate on what I have to say, then I feel like a real lady.
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Beautiful.
Anyone can douse themselves in perfume, color their lips ravishing red and wear a tailored cocktail dress. Yet not many can be the true definition of that femme fatale.
I feel like a lady when I go out with the boys. That girl who throws off her ankle murdering heels and runs barefoot. Her once elegant chignon, now a mess of curls. The neatly-lined lips, now bare, only to expose the natural hue of pink. Her teeth somewhat crooked and a smile that reveals one dimple and the remnants of her last meal. She laughs shamelessly, refuses to eat only salads, dares the boys to out-drink her. Her jokes are crude, walk is slightly clumsy and she anxiously tugs at her skirt’s hemline as if she was a little girl again.
That’s what makes me feel like a lady.
on Apr 3rd, 2010 at 11:45 pm
I feel like a lady when I am poised and confident in attitude and style. Wearing a pair of killer heels helps as well
stop by my blogs!
http://dreamingchiffon.blogspot.com
http://notthathaute.blogspot.com
on Apr 4th, 2010 at 2:32 am
You look wonderful in this dress.
I have a love for seamed stockings too!
on Apr 4th, 2010 at 4:15 am
Those are lovely. I especially like the diamond pattern at the heel.
I feel most like a lady when I wear a pretty vintage 50s cotton shirtdress in the summer, not terribly unlike the one you’re wearing. It gives me a feeling of being proper, but still at ease. Modernity is all about girls who want to dress like boys, it seems. And though I definitely don’t see anything wrong with that, there’s something so nice and refreshing about just dressing like a girl and doing it well.
on Apr 4th, 2010 at 5:21 am
Oh, odd question.
There’s this moment, that happens randomly, when I accidentally touch my thigh through the dress or skirt and I feel the straps from the garter belt I’m wearing. I rarely go out because my life is busy and chaotic but when I do I like wearing vintage garter belts, the ones with wide straps. That moment, when I feel the strap through the material, makes me feel so lady-like that I instantly want to use a long and thin cigarette holder and sip a glass of red wine, while giving slow motion diva looks to those around me.
Yeah, maybe I should stop watching old movies
on Apr 4th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
I think it’s the small touches that make me feel like a lady, going the extra mile to feel pretty and alluring and, well, lady-like. A well-tailored dress may be an obvious go-to for a ladylike look, but it is the smallest detail that makes a difference. Stockings with seams are a great example. But I can be wearing an old T-shirt and jeans, but if I add my favorite heels, a pillbox hat, and my grandma’s hand-me-down pearls, I feel like a lady. Those old-fashioned touches–decorative hats, pearls, or lace gloves–can push things from quirky or wild or funky or whatever and into the realm of Lady (with a capital L). Even the things that other people can’t see: when I wear the La Perla panties and matching bra I splurged on last Valentine’s Day–because I was single and wanted to feel better about it–it doesn’t really matter what I’ve got on over those. I walk a bit taller, my stride’s a bit longer, and my chin is held high.
In other words, it’s an attitude and the tiniest touches can give you the boost you need.
on Apr 4th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
I feel like a lady when I am able to wear a pair of heels, slight red lip and a sassy little outfit out, even if i am a bit overdressed it feels so exhilarating to feel so good. With a new found confidence, I feel like I could take on anything.
on Apr 5th, 2010 at 6:04 am
Thanks everyone for sharing your stories! I felt so privileged to have such an insight. I read and re-read all your comments and picked my final winner! Drum roll please…It’s Dee with her beautiful story of her grandmother’s clothes that has been passed on to her. I will repost her story so you guys can read it for yourself. Thanks so much again. I have more giveaways coming your way so stay tuned.
on Apr 8th, 2010 at 11:26 am
I love the tights, the shoes and the dress! Wow! I love your blog and think you might like mine too: ellenitza. Stop by when you have a minute.
on Apr 10th, 2010 at 11:46 am
Oh I love back seamed stockings! I own several pairs myself but these look especially sturdy. Nothing worse than getting a run in your seamed hose. this outfit is perfection on you!
I feel like a lady when I wear a vintage dress that shows off my waist, red lipstick and comfortable, high heels. I would rather have lower heels or boring heels so long as they are comfy. Wobbling about with a sour face due to painful shoes is not lady like at all!