'If you dress like a lady you will be treated like a lady': Miss Vintage UK who claims that women who dress like Miley Cyrus may attract unwanted attention

  • Holly Foster, 22,  was recently crowned Miss Vintage UK
  • She says that her way of dressing encourages the right reaction from men
  • She adds that dressing in a revealing manner may attract unwanted attention

Although victory rolls and ankle length skirts may seem a little dated to many women in their twenties, for one it is a way of life. 

Holly Foster, 22, prides herself on her lady-like attire, adopting the style of women in 1950s, which has recently seen her crowned Miss Vintage UK.

However, her floral prints and pearls are more than just a style statement as Holly says dressing this way - and 'not like Miley Cyrus' - earns her more respect from men.

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Holly Foster dresses in an entirely vintage style wardrobe and shuns modern day provocative dressing

Holly Foster dresses in an entirely vintage style wardrobe and shuns modern day provocative dressing

Encouraging her peers to lengthen their skirts - the fashion enthusiast has controversially claimed girls today were often left 'vulnerable' because of their provocative clothing - and are led to believe they will achieve fame and fortune like the controversial singer by not wearing much. 

Holly even suggests that women who dress in a more revealing manner could attract unwanted attention.

Holly said: 'Girls my age will go out on the town in skimpy - largely unflattering - clothing and they are surprised when they are not treated with respect.

Holly says that by dressing in this fashion young women can provoke a better reaction from men
Her wardrobe is made up of many vintage finds

Holly says that by dressing in this fashion young women can provoke a better reaction from men

Holly lives by the motto 'dress like a lady and be treated like a lady' 

Holly lives by the motto 'dress like a lady and be treated like a lady' 

'If you dress like a lady you will be treated like a lady. A short skirt or perhaps more a see-through top, may attract unwanted attention.'

Holly added that she had witnessed it in action when she has been on nights out with friends.  

'I go to nightclubs like other girls my age and when I do I'm always struck by the same thing.

'You walk into a room all the guys are looking at you, just up and down like you're a piece of meat and I think if girls had longer skirts they would feel more confident and safe.

The 22-year-old was recently crowned Miss Vintage UK (pictured here) and says her role model is Dita Von Teese

The 22-year-old was recently crowned Miss Vintage UK (pictured here) and says her role model is Dita Von Teese

Controversial: Holly says dressing like Miley Cyrus attracts the wrong sort of attention

Controversial: Holly says dressing like Miley Cyrus attracts the wrong sort of attention

'I think there is a certain element of responsibility that comes with designing clothes and an element of responsibility when it comes to wearing them.'

Holly recommends converting to her strict dress regime in order 'to be treated like a lady.'

'I think if girls dressed more demurely they would find they would be treated more as adults particularly and treated like ladies.

'If you compare a modern day woman with a vintage 1950s lady, the difference is just that - she's a lady.'

Despite her admiration of the burlesque stripper Holly shuns Miley Cyrus and says her provocative dress is a bad influence on young girls 

Despite her admiration of the burlesque stripper Holly shuns Miley Cyrus and says her provocative dress is a bad influence on young girls 

Holly says that modern media is to blame for negative teenage body image and if young women were to embrace the 50s silhouette there would be less body confidence issues 

Holly says that modern media is to blame for negative teenage body image and if young women were to embrace the 50s silhouette there would be less body confidence issues 

The 22-year-old was quick to add that although she would never wish any harm on women because of the way they dress she believes they should be wary. 

'I don't believe anyone under any circumstances anyone should be taken advantage of, however when it comes to clothes young women have to take responsibility for their look if they do not wish to be left in a vulnerable position.

Holly blames current pop stars for their influence on young stars with her being particularly unimpressed by one chart topper. 

Favouring the style of Audrey Hepburn she added: 'I think Miley Cyrus in particular who is always in the news for wearing very little just gives the wrong image to young girls.

'It tells her young fans that being naked means success and she is influencing them to wear very little in the hope of fame and fortune.'

Holly's penchant for retro outfits has become more of an obsession over the years and she admits to spending her entire maintenace loan at uni on skirts, cardigans and cotton gloves 

Holly's penchant for retro outfits has become more of an obsession over the years and she admits to spending her entire maintenace loan at uni on skirts, cardigans and cotton gloves 

Holly didn't start her vintage transformation until she was 17
Holly said before she discovered the retro styles she had felt awkward in high street fashions

Holly didn't start her vintage transformation until she was 17 and said before she discovered the retro styles she had felt awkward in high street fashions 

Despite her shunning of the scantily clad, Holly's idol may come as a slight surprise and slightly contradictory in the form of a Burlesque stripper. 

However, Holly claims this kind of nudity is slightly more tasteful.

'I think Dita Von Teese has got it absolutely right, though she is incredibly sexy and a burlesque dancer she dresses like a lady, she leaves something to the imagination - she looks classic.'

Holly's vintage influence began at an early age. Growing up with her grandparents, Holly would watch endless old movies from the 1940s and 1950s and soon became a big fan of the musical Grease.

Holly first became fascinated with all things 50s while watching the movie Grease as a child

Holly first became fascinated with all things 50s while watching the movie Grease as a child

The Miss Vintage UK winner controversially added that she believed that revealing clothing 'encourages a man to come and take advantage'
Holly when she first began embracing the vintage look

The Miss Vintage UK winner controversially added that she believed that revealing clothing 'encourages a man to come and take advantage'

But it wasn't until she joined a musical theatre course when she was 17 she had the confidence to undergo her vintage make over - first purchasing a 1960s crimplene dress in a charity shop.

Holly joked that, while studying at university of Norwich, her habit soon became an obsession blowing her 'entire maintenance loan' at vintage fairs becoming addicted with cardigans, cotton gloves and long circle skirts.

Now she will only wear 'granny style' clothing and has spent more than £2,000 creating her pin-up 1950s collection.

Holly says that not everyone is as keen on her vintage look with her mum dubbing her outfits 'granny style' 

Holly says that not everyone is as keen on her vintage look with her mum dubbing her outfits 'granny style' 

Obsessed with homing the perfect look and collecting precious items, Holly hopes to purchase a Lilli Ann suit (which would have been worth up to £3,000 at the time it was made) which she describes as the 'Ferrari of the vintage world.'

But Holly wasn't always so confident in her appearance, and says that before discovering retro styles she had struggled to accept her body growing up and blamed feeling awkward in 'ill fitting high street fashion'.

The blogger, who works in retail, believes if women were encouraged to dress for their shape rather than fashioned on the 'straight up and down Primark mannequins' less teens would suffer from body image issues as she did.

'I definitely feel in the recent years we've seen more coverage of why its irresponsible for magazines to print stick thin models.

Holly has now spent almost £2000 funding her habit

Holly has now spent almost £2000 funding her habit

'It encourages girls to want to try and emulate that kind of figure without considering the consequences - it results in anorexia, girls looking gaunt.'

Holly added that the contemporary media obviously played  a large part in influencing young women and vintage influences had been more realistic. 

'What is really interesting is when you look at vintage magazines the 1950s really embraces all shapes and sizes because young women were told how to dress for their shape.

'Someone like Audrey Hepburn was very slim but it was never about that it was about her fabulous style.

'Today in our fashion magazines, the fashion industry uses tiny models as clothes horses in baggy tops and tight jeans and young girls are left disappointed when they look fat or ill shaped in their clothes.

'If more girls dressed for their figures, they embraced the fifties outlook on fashion I believe we would have less eating disorders, less girls being so desperate to be skinny.

'Young people would concentrate on wanting to look nice rather than being as thin as possible. It would be about the clothes and not about the size of them.'

Last August she was crowned Miss Vintage UK for ability to put together 'the perfect 1950s outfit' and now models within the Vintage community.

'I think I love the vintage community because it embraces more than just wardrobe, everyone is very respectful and well mannered. It has old fashioned values which has been lost in our society today.'

 Although Holly hopes to inspire others to join her way of dressing she admits that her friends and family are not entirely on board.

'I have friends who dress 'normal' and they accept me for the way I am. They find it funny sometimes but I suppose its each to their own.

'My mum struggles with it sometimes because I don't dress like her friends daughters she will describe them as my 'granny dresses' but overall my family are supportive of my look.'

As for gaining respect from men Holly says that she receives a very positive reaction from the opposite sex.  

'Men I meet tell me I look attractive because I leave a little something to the imagination and I find older people will often come up to me and say "I used to wear that"'

 

 

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