Tag, you're it!

Well now, it's been an awfully long time since we last spoke and I hope you're all keeping well. My absence has been due to a number of factors which I won't bore you with since I'd feel like I was moaning and really I'm not. I've been eager and planning on getting back to blogging for some months now and here I finally putting finger tips to keyboard; but then something happened and I didn't know what to write. It felt strange, like I was beginning for the first time all over again, and I felt like I ought to do something to introduce myself and say "hello world" for the second time.

I haven't been away from reading other's blogs but unable to write my own due to time and tools so when I came across the Vintage Tag post on Jessica's blog at Chronically Vintage I knew it would be just the thing to reintroduce myself and also get me back in the game. So here we have for your reading pleasure my answers to the 21 vintage lifestyle questions, enjoy!

21 Vintage Lifestyle Questions and Answers

1. Who are your style icons?

Red, white, and blue

I would have to say that I'd find it very difficult to pick out and name just a few as I feel there's so many influences. I've been gradually finding "my style" within vintage and am gathering collections and outfits which I feel reflects me though it can change so quickly depending on my mood, the occasion, or what era I'm enjoying at the moment. Although I tend to stick to either 1940's or 1950's in my outfits inside I feel it's all a mash up of "every day" women from the times, rockabilly, and Hollywood glamour all tied together with a bow on top! My biggest influence in both clothing and life style is Lola Lamour as I'll explain in a later question.

2. What is your favourite way to get inspired?

Blogs. I love reading other people's blogs and would say that it's been a large factor in my pursuit of vintage; I also dabble in a little Pinterest which many will testify is extremely addictive. Other than that I find that looking at the outfits other ladies are wearing at the events we go to is very inspiring. I enjoy looking at the different styles of dress from those who dress military to the Land Girls and then the civilian clothing.

3. What's your most used hair tool?

Hair spray - to the point that once my boyfriend told me that he likes the smell of hairspray as it reminds him of me. My name is Rowena, and I'm addicted to hairspray.

4. What's your favourite hair tool?

Can I say hair spray again? I have an issue. But otherwise it's my curling tongs which are covered in roses and were a Christmas present a couple of years ago from my boyfriend. They're really small as they are in fact travel ones but really they are the only thing to get a curl in my infuriatingly poker straight hair AND they don't burn my hair like my Nicky Clarke curlers used to.

5. Updo, down or half and half?

My hair unusually down, celebrating my beautiful friend's
birthday

I would say that totally depends on what my straighter-than-Jesus'-geometry hair feels like doing on the day and also on what the event is. Generally though on a day to day basis my hair is tied back in a pony tail.

6. Is vintage something you do every day, on weekends, or for special occasions?

If left to my own devices I would definitely do it all day, every day; however I don't go all out vintage when I am at work. I have had a few comments though on how I'm quite vintage styled and I think the vintage still shines through.

7. What's your favourite blush and lipstick?

I don't wear blush as I have never really felt it necessary since I get a bit pink generally anyway. When it comes to lipstick I would say I'm easily pleased and own lipsticks from a ranges of prices but my favourite has to be Boots Natural Collections in Crimson. It's a cheap brand and yet I always favour that lipstick over all my others. I also own a nice Boots Number 7 one in bright pink which tastes like vanilla, yum!

8. Dress, skirt, or pants? Heels or flats?

Is that an offer? No, I have to choose my favourite? Oh alright. I would say that around 85% of the time I can be found in a pencil skirt and flats as that's what I always wear to work.

9. Off-the-rack or homemade?

If I buy "new" clothes then they do tend to be off the rack but I'm working on that homemade aspect too and have been sewing a pencil skirt in my spare time. I've only been working on it since October 2012!

10. Do you swing dance?

I'm going to have to say no. I have been to Lindy Hop dance lessons with my boyfriend back when we both had more free time but by no stretch of the imagination can I dance. That's not to say my dance teachers weren't good, they were fantastic, more like I am un-teachable. Just too stubborn to let someone else take the lead.

11. Extreme vintage or subtle touches?

During the working week then subtle touches but come the weekend it's generally extreme vintage or rockabilly twist.

12. Favourite perfume?

Hairspray it would seem. But mainly because I don't wear any perfumes since I hate them. On other people they are nice but too much perfume or perfume on me and it's yuk!

13. Favourite skincare product?

Moisturiser since now that my skin isn't so spotty it likes to be dry and flaky instead, mmm nice!

14. What does your family think of your style?

I think they really like it. They definitely support me in it and buy me lovely purchases for presents. I think my sister offers most in the way of discussion about it, my motives for doing it, the social aspect of it, that sort of thing but not in a horrible or nasty way, just discussion.

15. Favourite accessory?

One of my vintage micro misaic brooches because I find wearing other accessories a bit of an annoyance sometimes but a brooch you can pop on, look pretty, and forget that it's even there. Until you put it in the washing machine, dun dun dunnn! My favourite mosaic is my red love heart one which was a gift from my boyfriend.



At a dance last November with my boyfriend and a friend from dance class

16. Do you find the vintage community welcoming or snobby?

If I am being truly honest I have found mixed welcomes but I put that down to individuals and not the community as over all I have met some really amazing people though vintage and they have been more wonderful and down to earth than I ever would have imagined.

17. What drew you to vintage style?



Un-vintage Me

Over all I think I have always had fascinations with different decades since I was young. I remember I used to fray my jeans and bleach or tie dye anything I could get my hands on when I was young because I wanted to be a "hippy" and I loved the whole "earth child" thing of the 60's. I was a small child so I think it's totally acceptable and I'm only partially embarrassed by it. Later on when I was in my teens I moved on to the 80's and I have to admit a lot of my music taste still languishes in the realms of the electro pop of the decade. I still own one prom dress from the 80's which I don't think I will ever part with. It's neon and garish and I love it. Then I became an emo, a massive emo to be precise, I can admit this now with the wisdom of age. I still retained my 80's love though and mixed the neon with the black to create the jolliest emo looks. Then I grew up and I wanted my style to as well since I was tired of everyone thinking I was 12. I tried dressing "high street" but something was off, something was missing, I wasn't quite ME. Then on the telly was a lady called Joanne, though these days she's more known on the vintage scene as Lola Lamour, and that moment was a total game changer (check out my 1980's buzz words!). Lola was in a show called Time Warp Wives and from the moment I saw it I was totally taken with the whole idea of a vintage lifestyle. Years later (last year in fact) my boyfriend and I met Lola and her husband Kevin at the 1940's weekend in Woodhall Spa and I have met her twice more since then. They were absolutely wonderful and we were both totally star struck.


Lola and Kevin when we met them last year at Woodhall Spa

18. Favourite places to shop vintage?

Etsy and for real life shopping Tasty Vintage in Lincoln.

19. What vintage eras are your favourite?

1940's and 1950's - that's easy.

20. Most glamorous film stars?

Glamour is a very personal thing, what I would define as glamour may well be very different to the opinion of others.

21. Favourite vintage object that you own?

Make up compacts which I
received for my birthday

My pristine, unused vintage Stratton make up compact. Along with the micro mosaic brooches I also collect make up compacts and in particular Strattons. My friend Becca started my Stratton obsession when as a birthday gift she gave me a coral coloured one with a lovely gold starburst on it. While I was inspecting it I noticed the name Stratton and instantly recognised it from a 1950's advertisement. That moment something began and now every time I see a Stratton I must buy it! I do have two criteria which I also apply to my brooches; they must be under £10 and I must personally like them, I wouldn't just buy one for the sake of it.


So there we have it! My answers to the game of vintage tag, I hope everyone also considers themselves tagged and it continues on. I have enjoyed answering the questions and sharing more of where my love for vintage came from.

Until next time!