What era/century does your sim(s) live in?

I usually play an aesthetic rather than an era - I suppose it's set in modern times. If my Sims are more techie or business-focused, they generally get more trendy clothes and an ultra-modern house. If they're more creative, I tend to build more retro houses and dress them in comfortable clothes.

If I have a particular story in mind, however, I can suspend disbelief, ignore the cell phones and build a non-modern house (as best I can, given the choices in furnishings), and dress my Sims (as much as possible) in a style appropriate to their time or the story. I just ignore the townies and the modern houses in the neighbourhood, but that's not really so difficult when I'm focused on one family that rarely interacts with other Sims.