So, I decided to dive into these ‘old fashion models’ lately. Not the people, mind you, but the whole aesthetic, the way things were presented. You see these elegant drawings in old magazines, or those super posed photos, and think, “Huh, that’s kinda neat.” Well, I thought I’d try my hand at, you know, doing something with that vibe.
Getting Started – The Initial Spark
It all started when I was clearing out some old boxes. Found a stash of my grandma’s magazines from way back when. And I mean way back. The paper was yellow, smelled a bit musty, but the illustrations? Wow. These weren’t just clothes; they were statements. But also, kinda funny looking by today’s standards, right? All those tiny waists and peculiar hats.
So, my first step was just staring. Lots of staring. I spread them out on the floor, trying to get a feel for it. It wasn’t about copying one specific thing, more like absorbing the general… atmosphere. I figured, okay, let’s try to sketch some of these. Easy, right? Just lines on paper.
The Nitty-Gritty – Actually Trying to Make Something
Wrong. So wrong. First off, finding good references beyond those few magazines was a pain. You search online, and you get a million “vintage inspired” modern things, not the actual old stuff. And when you do find it, the quality can be pretty rubbish.
I decided to try recreating some of those classic fashion poses. You know the ones: hand on hip, impossibly arched back, looking off into the distance like they’ve just remembered they left the iron on. Here’s what I did, or tried to do:
- Gathered my tools: Just some basic pencils, an old sketchbook. Nothing fancy. I thought about digital, but wanted that old-school feel.
- Picked a few styles: I focused on stuff from maybe the 40s and 50s. The silhouettes were so distinct.
- Started sketching: And this is where it got messy. Those proportions are wild. The legs go on forever, the shoulders are either massive or non-existent. It’s like they weren’t drawing real people.
And the fabrics! Trying to get the look of those heavy silks or tweeds with just a pencil… let me tell you, it’s a workout for your shading skills. I spent hours just trying to make a skirt look like it had actual weight, not like a flat piece of cardboard.
The Frustrations and Little Wins
There were times I just wanted to chuck the whole sketchbook out the window. My drawings looked more like caricatures than elegant fashion plates. Everything felt stiff. And the faces! Those serene, slightly bored expressions are harder to capture than you’d think. Mine mostly looked confused or slightly constipated.
But then, every now and then, a sketch would sort of… click. A line would fall just right, or a shadow would actually make something look three-dimensional. Those were the little wins that kept me going. It wasn’t about making perfect art; it was more about understanding how those old artists and designers saw things. They had a very specific ideal of elegance, and it was fascinating to try and get inside that mindset, even if my attempts were clumsy.
It’s funny, you start off thinking it’s just drawing pretty dresses, but it ends up being a whole history lesson. You see how styles changed with the times, how much effort went into creating those images before Photoshop made everything “perfect” with a click. These old fashion models, they weren’t just selling clothes; they were selling a dream, a very particular, very constructed dream.
What I Ended Up With
So, what do I have to show for it? A sketchbook full of slightly awkward, sometimes okay-ish drawings of women in old-timey clothes. No masterpieces, that’s for sure. But I also have a much deeper appreciation for those old styles. It’s not just “old fashion” anymore; it’s a whole different way of looking at things.
Honestly, it was a pretty good way to spend some time. Made me use my hands, made me think. And it definitely made me realize that “simple” and “elegant” often hides a heck of a lot of work and very specific, sometimes strange, ideas. It’s not something I’d do for a living, but as a little project? Yeah, it was worth the effort. Kinda like figuring out an old puzzle, you know?
