Johanna Öst

Vallentuna, Sweden

"I've always had this wish to have a 'glamorous' life, which pretty much meant wearing pretty vintagey and princessy outfits all the time, but I never felt like I could give up all the other great clothes that didn't fit that aesthetic. Then my style sort of naturally evolved into that ideal anyway."



Swedish artist Johanna Öst loves clothes, beauty, and vintage fashion. She started "The Wardrobe Project," to clean out her wardrobe and go through all her clothes that she rarely used. Johanna incorporated every garment into a great outfit, in which she would take a picture of. Now she has a catalog of great outfits for inspiration.


This self-taught Swedish artist finds inspiration in her life from anything that is beautiful, exiting, or mysterious. Johanna's Öst dreamy and unique arts and illustrations are known all over the world. "I've been drawing and painting all my life. All kids draw and I did too, and I never stopped. In my art I'm very inspired by folklore, mythology, and fairy tales," Johanna added.


Johanna speaks fluent Swedish and English, and a bit of French. She loves toys, mainly vintage. She is especially a huge fan of Barbie, which she herself collects. Johanna also loves making things, weather it's painting, sculpting, various crafts or anything creative she can make with her hands.


Besides being a very creative artist, Johanna is also a university history student. She's been going to the history candidate program at university for about a year now. She has also taken a short university class on historical fashion.


Her interest in history started as a kid. "I was especially into kings and royalty, and Gustaf III, the late 18th century Swedish king, has always intrigued me." Johanna's biggest history interest are the 18th century, mainly the 1770s, -80s and early -90s. She spends a lot of time researching those times and especially the fashions. She even makes her own 18th century clothes and sometimes she goes to such events.


We asked Johanna what her dream job would be. "I would love to be able to live more comfortably off my art and illustration work, but I'd also love working at a museum with historical clothing. Ideally I'd do both."


Johanna loves clothes, beauty, and vintage fashion. She said that she loves lots of other styles as well, but that she feels the the vintage style is the ultimate for her. As long as she can remember Johanna always loved looking through old magazines and pictures and the typical glamorous 50's and 60's bombshell has always been something of an aesthetic ideal to her.


When she described her vintage style Johanna said that she mostly wears 50's and 60's styles. She especially wears early 60's, which is the perfect mix of the 50's and 60's. She does occasionally though wear something more of the 40's. She also adores the 80's fashion, although she doesn't wear as much 80's styles anymore. And, as she mentioned earlier, she loves the fashion of the later part of the 18th century.


The Wardrobe Project is a photo catalog of Johanna's outfits. She started the project to clean out her wardrobe. Johanna explained, "I had so much stuff and some things rarely ever got worn, so I decided to go through it all, incorporate every garment into a great outfit, and take a picture. That way I would use it all, discover which things actually didn't look good in any outfit and should therefore go, and I'd have a catalogue of great outfits for inspiration."


Some of her outfits featured in the project are either inherited, given to her by friends, or bought at flea markets, thrift stores, ebay, or online stores. Some of it is just regular clothes from regular stores that just happen to work with the look. To achieve her retro look, Johanna sets her hair with pincurls and then hairsprays it. On her personal blog, Johanna explains in details her basic makeup products that she wears for her photo shoot.


Her living room/kitchen/dining area is decorated in a mid-century inspired style (pictures below). The sideboard, sofa, and chairs in the living room are all vintage. The coffee table and the other sideboard beneath the window are both from IKEA's "Stockholm" series, which is mid-century inspired. "We have a 60's sofa set and a bunch of other vintage or vintage reproduction furniture. The dining area is inspired by american diners. My vintage toys and dolls are also displayed all over the place."


Johanna doesn't considers herself a Timewarpian. "I believe that things are always getting better. I'm into the aesthetics and pop culture of the past, not the morals. I think I'm living in the best time possible. And I would have missed so much great music and movies if I actually wanted to live in an earlier time!"


We asked Johanna what year she would visit if she could travel back in time.


"It would be a tough choice between the 1700's and the 1980's, but I'd have to go with 1785 so I could see what things actually looked like, and take tons of photos."


Some of her favorite things:
Movie: Gone with the Wind. "It's been my favorite since the first time I saw it as a kid. It's just the best. The story, the actors, the costumes, everything is amazing."


Her favorite place in the world: Disneyland! And being at home.


Her favorite vintage website: http://miss-vintage.com/


When asked Johanna how would she describe herself, "A creative hermit who loves beautiful things."


Copyright © 2008-2010 Time Warp Wives

Johanna's Photo Album:

Johanna

Contact Information:

Johanna's Art and Portfolio Website. Here you can also purchase her art work.http://johannaost.com/


Her makeup review post from her Personal Blog: Johanna's Blog


18th Century Blog: http://18thcenturyblog.com/

Jenny The Retro Housewife

State of Illinois

“I’m sure there are several different opinions of what a retro housewife is, but for me its many things. It's deeper than just liking vintage clothing or objects. It's rejoicing in taking care of your family, it's pride in your home, [in] being a good hostess. It's wanting what is best for your family and knowing that you are the one that can best provide those things that are best.”

Jenny, who authors the Retro Housewife Blog, loves the simplicity of days gone by and strives for that in her life. Although she considers herself a modern retro housewife and is passionate about her roles as housewife and mom, Jenny finds it important to take time to nurture herself and find her own individuality through things that she loves.

This Army wife and mother is orginally from New York. She lives for God and her family, is passionate about housekeeping and child rearing, and believes in old fashion values and morals. Jenny tries to teach her daughter about differences in people and about kindness despite those differences. She also has taught her that words can hurt and that compassion is a quality she already has in abundance. “God is huge in our life, and he guides us every step of the way. We strive for togetherness. It seems like so many families are just doing their own thing these days. They are more like roommates than family”.

Jenny's talents are not limited to being a thrifty and financially frugal housewife. She is also quite creative. She sculpts, draws, paints and is an interior designer. She also loves photography and is a pretty good at it. Jenny related, “when my daughter was a baby I would take a lot of photos of her and have them developed at Walmart. I soon learned to bring my camera with me because they thought they were professional and wouldn’t let me print them."

Jenny comes from a long line of artists. She is a descendant of Lillian Miller, a famous painter who specialized in Japanese art. Her grandfather was a sketch artist and carver. Her father paints, sculpts, draws, and has the ability to quickly teach himself to play most instruments. It’s no wonder that this housewife's creativity comes naturally.

Jenny admits that she is a neat freak and that it helps in being a retro housewife because cleaning doesn’t feel like a chore. “I love everything in its place. On the other hand, that can be a negative too, because anytime things are out of place, I feel like my house is a wreck!”

She also loves to cook. Her daughter has been helping her since she was a year old. “Some days we just get up and want to make cookies so that’s what we will do. These are the memories that will stick with her.”

This passionate housewife and mother has had to face one of her biggest challenges, to which many housewives and mothers can relate - monotony. Jenny explained, “We love being together, but you really do have to do your own thing once in awhile, especially as a mom. Being a mom and a wife is important, but you have to remember that there is an individual inside and if you don’t nurture that person you will disappear and become quite dull”.

When Jenny’s husband got out of the Army and they moved to Illinois, she went through a few months of feeling worthless and boring. Jenny was used to doing it all and felt guilty if she asked her husband to do anything. “I had gone from being a leader of my husband’s company Family Readiness Group, meeting with higher ups in his battalion, dealing with the family members, solving problems, etc., to being stuck in the house all day everyday with no friends and a two year old who, at that time, they said was autistic. I just felt like I had no clue who I was, I was lost. I never had a break from my daughter, I was never, ever alone.”

Jenny then started to take steps to take care of herself. Jenny bought herself a membership at a gym that had a daycare. She would spend an hour or two each day doing Yoga or Pilates while her daughter happily played with other children her age. At home once or twice a week, Jenny would leave her daughter downstairs with her husband, put the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs, take a bath, give herself a facial, and read while she soaked. “I did something that was for me and that saved me. When I saw the positive effects taking care of myself gave my family, I started to do more for myself. You need to take time for yourself each and every day, even if its only 20 minutes.”

Jenny also found herself through her blog. “At first I didn’t tell anyone that I was starting it, that way no one I knew could read it and know it was me. I wrote from my heart and with honesty, no fear of hurting anyone’s feelings. As comments came in and I got to see that other people appreciated my thoughts and there are people out there like me. That was priceless.”

To women who have lost their individuality Jenny advised, “Fight for it! I know how confusing it is. I mean how in the world do you figure out who you are? Take a notebook and get away by yourself, write down your perfect life, your perfect work, no limitations. For instance, mine was getting a massage once a month, having a tiffany blue kitchen, taking a class, having hot stew on a cold winters day, learning a new craft.” Jenny ended up with a list about a mile long. And what she learned was that even though some of those things in her list, were not possible to do because of her circumstances, many of the small things were and that they added up to a big part of her life. “So what I couldn’t achieve, I kept as a dream, a goal. What I could achieve, I started to work on," she said.

Her Retro Housewife Blog was Jenny’s first experience blogging. She started this particular blog back in May of 2008. At that time she was learning to clean and live without chemicals, because of her daughter’s sensitivity. Her intention was for her blog to be about going green. Then as Jenny started to write she found that she had other things to say and people were actually reading , which still amazes her. So The Retro Housewife Blog as we see it now was born. “My blog is actually a hodge podge of things. One day you may come on and find a recipe or a book review, the next day it may just be my opinion on a subject. Sometimes I run series, for example I recently ran one that featured daily videos on how to apply pin up make up. I like to post things right out of my vintage housewife manuals so my readers can see right into the past, see what housewives were told, what was expected.”

In one of her posts for her Retro Housewife blog, Jenny describes what her perfect town would be. “A perfect place for me would be a place of simplicity where women stayed home with their children. Their children could roam the neighborhoods playing without the fear of abduction. New neighbors would be welcomed with a plate of cookies. Dinner parties would be the norm and people would take pride in the appearance of their homes as well as themselves.” As a side note, after Jenny had described her perfect town, she realized that she had created a Stepford town.

Jenny’s passion for vintage has always been there. Back in the fifties, Jenny’s father who was then a teenager belonged to a band. So she grew up with him teaching her the great songs from the fifties. In addition she also grew up watching shows like: I Dream of Jeannie, I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Andy Griffith Show. She also enjoys old films like, Roman Holiday and Hitchcock films. Her favorite artists are Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn. Jenny gets inspired by her collection of vintage cookbooks, vintage aprons, table cloths, and older TV shows and movies.

Although Jenny doesn’t consider herself a Timewarpian, she admits that part of her is. “I enjoy the comforts of modern age too much to give them up. I guess you could say I’m a Timewarpian Hybrid."

Jenny enjoys the clothing, the cooking, the books and cookbooks, the shows, the etiquette, the values and morals. And she strives to incorporate that into her life both in how she looks and in her home. Jenny then added, “I think balance between the two worlds is a good thing.”

We asked Jenny what year she would visit if she could travel back in time.

“I don’t think I could pick a specific year to go back to. I could narrow it down to the WWII and post WWII era. I know it was a hard time with the war. My own husband has been to war twice now for a year each time, so I have a taste of what it would be like. Its such a huge part of American history and how amazing would it have been to live through that. It seems like Americans really banded together, working together toward a common cause. Post WWII is because it was a time of hope and joy. The part I don’t think I could handle would be the inequality between the races, it breaks my heart to know how minorities were treated back then.”

She shared with us her goals: "I was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. So I'm currently working on a gluten free cookbook. And I'm hoping [to get] published in a couple of years."

Her short term goals are: Work out 3-5 days a week. Eat well. Take care of her appearance. Then she added, “bite my tongue when I don’t have anything positive to say.”

Copyright © 2008-2010 Time Warp Wives

Jenny

Contact Information:

Update: Jenny changed her blog address to fit her theme. Below is her new address.

The Retro Housewife Blog:

http://ahappyhomeisaretrohome.blogspot.com/

Joanne Massey

Birmingham, England.

“We shy away from the modern world because people are so quick to judge and ridicule you for being different. We live in a free world and should be able to do as we please. It’s just something that I have loved and been into as long as I can remember. I was just born at the wrong time!”



When Joanne Massey aka Lola Lamour was approached by the producers of the “Time Warp Wives” to be part of the documentary, she was promised lots of coverage of her singing career as Lola Lamour. Instead the show concentrated on the housewife aspect of her life and nothing more. Joanne was not only disappointed but also felt misrepresented in the documentary and so she wants to set the record straight as to who she really is.


“I am just an ordinary girl from Birmingham, England,” Joanne said when she first described herself. When she talked about her family life Joanne mentioned that she has a great family, that she was bought up by a wonderful mom and dad in a very loving and protective environment, that they taught her right from wrong and good from bad, and that her family is always there for her. Then she added, “I am a total Daddy’s girl”.


Her Sunday afternoons were spent watching old films with her dad and her brother and Summer holidays were spent watching Elvis films with her mom. “My brother was a huge influence on me as he read lots of books on the old stars and was always full of amazing facts. He was older than me and had money to buy records. He used to get a lot of old stuff that I would then listen to.” In those days there was no Internet so Joanne would constantly bombard her mom and dad with questions about films, film stars, singers, fashions, and the old days.


As a girl, Joanne had attended an all-girls grammar school and got good grades. She said that she never really had much ambition, though. “I just wanted to marry somebody like Rock Hudson, have a Dachshund and be as good a person as Doris Day.”


She considers herself to be a very lucky person. “I have a good life. A fabulous supportive husband, he is my Rock! I have two Dachshunds. I exceeded my expectations!” Joanne also said that she has a terrific circle of friends. “We are very close and can rely on each other for anything.”


Joanne said that she is quite happy with the simple things in life. “To quote the song,” she says, “’The best things in life are free’, I believe that to be very true.” She also loves animals. She gets a lot of pleasure from country walks and feeding the birds and deer that come in her garden. “It makes me smile each day to see them.” Joanne says that a perfect day would be to be at home with her husband Kevin and the hounds. Maybe a walk, some baking, and then snuggling on the sofa, watching a good old movie.


Joanne has three jobs and she enjoys them all. She works part-time in the shop at a National Trust property near where she lives. “Its a great place to work. Its right on my doorstop and I can cycle to work in the Summer on my 1930's push bike! My colleagues at the shop are good fun and lovely people. I also get to meet and chat with the customers and many locals come in for a chat.”


On some weekends she also works for the lord who lives at the property, which is her second job. Joanne said that it has been a great experience for her working there. She also had worked for Lord Patrick Lichfield up until his death a few years ago. “I enjoyed every minute of it. He was a true English gentleman and I miss him.”


Joanne would work at his house whenever he would have a house party, which was every other weekend in the Autumn as it is shooting season. “I was and am a maid. I do the rooms, serve dinner and help in the kitchen. Pack and unpack for guests. It was one of the best experiences of my life as I met many rich and famous people.” Since Joanne began her singing career, which is her third job, she hasn’t been able to work there much.


Her singing career began as a dream. “When I was young, I would watch all the old stars singing in the movies and dreaming that I could be like that one day. I never really thought that I could sing but I would just sing along to Ella Fitzgerald and Doris Day.” The turning point came when she was reaching the milestone age of 30. She decided that she should do something about her dream. “I had always lacked any confidence and was unsure about my ability. I mentioned it to Kevin and he bought me a CD for my birthday with some backing tracks on for me to have a go at singing with them.”


One evening, her friends Martin and Deb, also from the Time Warp Wives show, had come over. Joanne hid in the dining room while they were in the living room and sang "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree" to see if they thought she could sing. Her friends said that it sounded good so she plucked up the courage to join her local Amateur Dramatics group. “Again, I nearly chickened out but my ‘rock’, Kevin, made me go....he drove me there and practically pushed me in the door.” This turned out to be a good move for her. Firstly, it enabled Joanne to meet her best friend in the whole world, Nikki. “She is quite a bit younger than me but has a great sense of humor and loves anything retro. We hit it off right away and have been best friends ever since.” Secondly, it gradually gave Joanne the confidence that she lacked. Joanne then landed her first solo gig, which required her to sing "Secret Love" by Doris Day. In the next show Joanne had a main part. She eventually worked up to lead roles. The highlight of her career came when she got to play her dream part of "Calamity Jane".


Meanwhile, her friends Martin and Deb saw an ad taken out in their local paper by a big band looking for a singer. Of course, they thought of Joanne. “I felt so silly when I called the band leader,” she says.


He asked what key she sings in.


“I don't know!” she replied.


He asked if she read music.


“No!”


He asked how old she was. She was 31.


“He was nearly putting the phone down and I jumped in by telling him I knew all the old songs. He fired loads of song titles at me and I said I knew them all. He agreed to give me a go and I got in!”


Joanne spent several weekends attending 40's and 50's events. She would always listen to a friend of hers, Paul Harper. He is a natural entertainer, singer. and comedian. “I mentioned that I had started singing and he said that I could get up and have a go with him. After that, it all sort of snowballed and I got bookings coming in. Me and my brother decided that the name ‘Joanne Massey’ was far too boring for a singer. I picked ‘Lola’ and he picked ‘Lamour‘.


Now she spends nearly every weekend at an event somewhere in the country. “I mainly sing at wartime events, on railway stations, on old trams, in disused airfields, at hangar dances, village halls, I have even done arenas! I do many events along side Paul Harper. He has really helped me develop my act. We have fun together and do some duets and a bit of comedy. It keeps things fresh.”


Singing has been something that Joanne loves doing. “You can let out a lot of emotion in a song, happy or sad. I love to entertain people and its such a buzz if people are enjoying it. Its a great feeling when you see the residents enjoying the show and singing along.” Some places where Joanne performs are old folks’ homes, sheltered housing, and stroke clubs. She also performs for people with Alzheimer’s. She said that it’s so rewarding to get a reaction from people who cannot express themselves very well. And that it always amazes her how people who are suffering from memory loss can still remember words to songs from 60 years ago.


Joanne has appeared on several TV shows, including a house moving program and a Doris Day documentary, which she was very pleased with. The Time Warp Wives documentary, on which, Joanne, her friends, and their respective husbands appeared, turned out to be a disappointment for her. She expressed her sentiments when she said, “I feel that we were all misrepresented in the TWW documentary, not in all aspects of our lives, but definitely our working lives and our social lives.”


The producers came to visit them and spoke to them all about how they wanted to make a program that showed their exciting lifestyle, how it was interesting and fun. “The lady producing the show was interested in the fact that people chose to live in the past. After the initial interviews, the producer told them that she wanted to concentrate on the women as they were the stronger characters and had a lot to say. She seemed genuinely interested in the fact that we all work and also manage to keep house and keep up our appearance. We were all strong women, as were the women of the time, especially wartime women who kept the home fires burning, etc! I was promised lots of coverage for ‘Lola’, and so we agreed to do it.”


When filming finished, they were called to say that they were changing the title from Time Warp Women to Time Warp Wives. “This was obviously what she must have wanted all along.”


Then the producer came to Joanne’s house to show the final documentary to her and her friends. “Tea and cakes on hand of course!,” Joanne added.


After they watched the show Joanne told the producer that she was really disappointed in the final product as she had hardly mentioned her singing career. “There was no advertising for Lola. We filmed some great footage at 40's events of me singing and lots of people in period clothing that she left out. I was also angry that she had just concentrated on the housewife aspect when there was so much more she could have shown.”


Joanne then added, “Don't get me wrong, I do love to keep house, bake and be a housewife, but there is certainly more to me than that. This didn't come across at all.” She then had emailed the producer of the program since it was finished and expressed her disappointment in how it turned out. “I trusted her to show us all as we really are. I also told her how upset Di and Deb were.”


The producer expressed how sorry she was they felt that way, though she indicated that they had lots of good feedback.


There has been a mixed reaction to the Time Warp Wives documentary. Some people loved it and some hated it. Most people that Joanne has seen at events where she sings have said that they loved it and that they really enjoyed the program. “Older people especially said that it bought back lots of lovely memories. That makes me feel so much better.”


On the other hand, people that know Joanne have all said that it wasn't a true portrayal of her at all. They also thought that the documentary was inaccurate, staged, and quite amusing. “My friends all know that I run around all the time doing so many things, traveling all over the country, always busy. I don't just stay home cleaning my floor! If I have a day off, I love to bake, keep my house nice and have tea ready for Kevin, but there is definitely more to me than that!”


There were also many people on the Internet and various critics in newspapers who said that Joanne and her friends were like the Stepford Wives, and that they had their heads in the sand. “We were slagged off by womens’ lib people and lots of forums on the internet were saying that we were silly. All these things were very hurtful. When you have been depicted incorrectly, you feel so frustrated. We all spent days on forums justifying ourselves. [If] I did choose to stay at home and look after my house and husband, then that would be my choice. What’s wrong with that? Nothing! Just because we choose to wear the clothes and surround ourselves with things from past eras doesn't make us freaks. Everyone has their own style and taste, this just happens to be ours. [It goes to] show that people are less considerate these days and have no manners.”


But, Joanne concedes, “I know that you can't please all of the people all of the time.”


Joanne has been a "Timewarpian" since she can remember. “It’s a complete passion of mine and something that I have loved since I was a child watching those films and singing along with Doris Day!”


Joanne had embraced this lifestyle ever since she was a teenager and started to develop her own style, instead of having to wear what her mom chose for her. She then started going to 50's gigs and then 40's gigs. “I have only had boyfriends who also shared my passion and when I met Kevin we dreamt of our ideal home. We got married and then were free to buy lots of household items and furniture. I have never been into anything else!”


We asked Joanne why she loved retro things. She said, “There is so much style to everything, clothes, decor, cars. Everything modern just seems bland to me in comparison. I couldn't imagine driving anything but my Ford Anglia. Our house to me is so bright and cheery. Color everywhere!” And the fact that Joanne hides modern things away, because it doesn't go with anything of her decor. “It would look out of place to have a microwave on the side in my kitchen. Its only the same as somebody having a home decorated in a Victorian style not wanting an Ikea sideboard!”


A good suit, nipped in at the waist, is a favorite of hers. Joanne loves to feel ladylike. She doesn't go out of the house without her make-up. “My hair became red after watching the film Cover Girl with Rita Hayworth!” Joanne said.


When asked if she wore jeans, she said, “Yes, I do wear jeans, but they are original 1950s ‘Jeanies’, like a Capri pant style with a side zip.”


However, Joanne doesn’t own any sports wear at all. Nothing made of fleece and no trainers. She does, though, have some Converse pumps and some wellies for walking the dogs. “I do sometimes buy new clothes but only if they have some retro styling”, she added.


Joanne has been inspired all her life by so many old stars, old films, and singers. Her two favorite stars that she mentioned were Doris Day, which is her main inspiration, and James Stewart from A Wonderful Life. Joanne mentioned that all of Doris Days films are "feel good films".


“If I ever feel down, I just listen or watch Doris and it brightens my day.” Doris Day has also dedicated her life to looking after animals.


Joanne told us that modern technology is a good and bad thing. “The improvements in health care and research are all wonderful. Mobile phones are great for an emergency, and computers are a must in today’s society. I don't know how I coped without one.” Joanne buys her vintage clothes from America from the comfort of her own home. She can source things to decorate her home with, and research anything she wants to know about old movies. Joanne’s thoughts about our modern world are, “It’s good these days that women have more of a choice in life and can do whatever they want . Also, the ability to travel and see the world [sic]. You can experience a lot more in life as things are more accessible and more achievable.”


The one thing about the modern technology that Joanne doesn’t like is that people don't communicate in the same way anymore. People just text each other instead of actually speaking or writing letters. The Internet also has lots of bad things, like pornography. Also, children nowadays spend too much time playing computer games, which is full of violence. “What happened to playing outside with your mates? The way we used to play when we were young taught us about friendship, and I think we also learnt skills that help us as we get older. My husband Kevin used to paint things and make go carts. This is probably why he is so handy nowadays.”


Besides that, Joanne doesn't like the modern fashions, the cars, the films, or the music. She just hates how society has changed. “People are less likely to look out for each other. People just seem to worry about themselves. What has happened to community spirit? I hate how people have lack of respect for themselves, their neighbors, their country. You can't even tell somebody off for defacing your property as you are likely to get kicked to death or stabbed. I know there has always been crime, but not to such an extent.”


The only modern TV show that Joanne loves to watch is Ugly Betty. “It puts across a great message. Betty is supposedly ‘ugly’ just because she looks different to them . Betty is always saving the day and is so moral and thoughtful. You just love her to bits. She is the best person in the show, showing you don't have to be beautiful to be beautiful. Oh, its great!”


We asked Joanne what year would she have preferred to live in and why. “That’s a hard question. I think that I would maybe like to have been born in about 1925. That way, I could have lived through all my favourite decades!”


If Joanne could go back in time she would choose the year 1953. “I just love the film Genivieve. Its in color and was made in Britain in 1953. Everything looks so beautiful. I just want to be there.”


Joanne described what a perfect world would be. “A perfect world would be a peaceful world where people looked out for each other. No wars, no crime. Love thy neighbour! People would be happy because they had the sun in the morning and the moon at night. Doris Day would be president!! Just like living in an episode of The Waltons.”


When asked to describe herself, Joanne said, “Sensitive, quite stubborn and fun-loving!”


Copyright © 2008-2010 Time Warp Wives

Photo Album:

Lola Lamour

Contact Information:

"I do all sorts of gigs all over the country, from festivals to weddings. I sing anything that I love.....so that is generally songs from the 20's through to the 50's."


My rates are reasonable and anyone looking to hire me can find me at:
www.myspace.com/misslolalamour




Email me at: misslolalamour@yahoo.co.uk.

Candice De Ville

Melbourne, Australia


“I believe that to a great extent you create your own reality and can choose to
live in a more beautiful world, even if you do spend most of your time chasing
after two small children.”



Author of the popular blog "Super Kawaii Mama" and hostess of her own vintage hair tutorials. Candice De Ville, a wife, a mother and freelance writer has a personal mission to introduce more glamour to the world, particularly the world of the stay-at-home mom.

Candice lives in Melbourne, Australia with her two beautiful daughters, aged four and one, as well as her husband, two dogs, a nursery of fish, and an acre of gardens. Aside from being a very busy stay-at-home mom, she also moonlights as a vintage and pin up model as well as a freelance writer and general socialite.


Her days begin about 5.30 a.m when her eldest pokes her in the eye to request breakfast. “So the first part of the morning is breakfast, housework, emails, and then off to the gym. I arrive home about 10.30 when the youngest goes to bed and the eldest needs to be entertained, lunch made, more housework or gardening done", she added. Her afternoons are usually filled with shopping, sewing, or crafting while the baby sleeps again.

You may wonder when Candice does much of her writing. She explains, “When the baby is sleeping and the eldest is playing.” After the children are all cleaned and feed, it is dinner for the Mr and herself which is usually followed by either heading out on the town for a social engagement or just collapsing on the couch to catch up with her favorite blogs.


Candice decided to start her blog after a confrontation with a woman at the gym, who verbally attacked her for looking the way she does. “Instead of washed out and haggard, I decided to spread my message of feeling good through daily glamour in a more public forum. I believe that to a great extent you create your own reality and can choose to live in a more beautiful world, even if you do spend most of your time chasing after two small children. I’ve now been blogging for nine months and have a following into the thousands which was a huge surprise to me!”, she added.


In her blog “Super Kawaii Mama“, Candice concentrates on her own take on fashion, style and many of her inspirations. “I’ve made it my personal mission to introduce more glamour to the world, particularly the world of the stay at home mum."

Her blog also features examples of her daily outfits, health and beauty tips, styling recommendations, style icons and inspirations, as well as discussing the ethics of fashion in a wider sense. In addition to her blog Candice is currently authoring her first book and looking forward to many more fashion filled adventures.


Her vintage hair tutorials came from a desire to connect with her readers. Candice wanted to demonstrate that “looking good is not all about having a lot of money or a team of stylists behind you.”
Most of the styles she started out with began as happy accidents that she refined. “I have since been studying different vintage looks I’d like to achieve and figuring out short hand ways to achieve the same styles with the wonder of modern products.” For example, Candice recently did a two part tutorial showing how to do a 1960’s inspired half up do without any backcombing. Then she got a little more creative and discovered a way to create a Beehive style also without backcombing either. Which was very clever.


Candice grew up watching old movies and always wanted her world to be as glamorous as the one on screen. “My favorite movie would have to be Mame with Rosalind Russell. The costumes, the opulent sets and most of all the larger than life character of Auntie Mame, who shows me that there is a wonderful life to be had when you are older. Its not all about being young and beautiful to have a great life,”


We asked her what her favorite vintage style was. She explained, “I find I romanticize about the 1930’s to the early 1950’s the most of any vintage era. This is probably due to the Golden Era of Hollywood at that time, combined with the idyllic advertising of the 50’s.”
About those Golden Years of Hollywood movies, Candice said that she can watch one and literally leave the theatre feeling like a different person inside.


She has also been collecting vintage clothing since she was about twelve years old. “Beautiful vintage clothing really speaks to me. It is as if it carries an energy from its heyday and allows me to create the most fantastic scenarios in my mind, that I can help but play out." Her vintage clothing comes from relatives, friends, Ebay, thrift stores, and specialty vintage stores. Her personal favorite store is Circa Vintage in Melbourne. She was also very fortunate to have a grandmother who kept all ofher significant pieces from the 1940’s onwards and gave them all to her. “Heaven!" Candice exclaimed.


Candice doesn’t consider herself to be a Timewarpian because she values too many developments from the modern age. However she did say, “I pick and choose what suits me to create my own version of the perfect reality.”


She also mentioned that she was quite concerned that today’s women don’t have an understanding of how fortunate they are. “The idea that feminism liberated women and now we can “have it all”, is generally abused... I respect the developments that have been made but also see that, unlike our predecessors, I now have a choice in what “it all” is. And that is why choosing to stay at home with my children, or cook for my husband is a privilege, because it is a choice. I do, however, have a lot of ideas that could be considered old fashioned, but I consider them timeless. For example, I am very keen to see my girls study deportment, grooming, and all sorts of home economics subjects. It’s all about balance.”


We asked Candice what year she would visit if she could travel back in time.


“That is a tricky question as there are so many aspects of the past that would be very difficult to live with. Social inequality of different races and sexes would be hard to take as would the absence of today’s medical developments. But with all that said, I think I would most love to travel to that wonderful space in time between the two wars, for all the technological, artistic and social glamour of it all.”


When asked to describe herself, Candice said, “a dramatic, glamouros, eccentric!”

Update:

Candice has a brand new website! You can visit Super Kawaii Mama at: Super Kawaii Mama


Copyright © 2008-2010 Time Warp Wives

Candice De Ville

Contact Information:

Super Kawaii Mama Blog: http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au


Vintage Hair Tutorials: http://au.youtube.com/user/superkawaiimama

Marzipan Jones

Western Massachusetts

“I've learned that the homemakers back then were some tough broads! You had to be in order to get everything done in such a stylish and gracious manner without expecting a salary in return.”



Star of “My 50’s Life”, Marzipan Jones is living as a 1950’s housewife for a whole year. Her most difficult challenge is not being a housewife or a mom, but rather is that she has to be made up everyday; dresses, stockings and heels while she performs her housewife duties.



Marzipan lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and their 4 year old little girl. She is originally from upmarket suburb, West Hartford, Connecticut which rank the 76th in Money Magazine's 2008 Best Places to Live.“ As you can imagine it's fairly well-off and fairly preppy. I was definitely a square peg!”

Her husband is a screenwriter and the creative director of Mirage Studios. “He thinks about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles all day long. He's stuck in the 80's while I'm stuck in the 50's!” Marzipan is not only a homemaker but she is also freelancer writer and a poet. Her works have been published in many literary journals.

We asked Marzipan what is the 50’s year housewife. “The 50's year housewife is Marzipan Jones, my alter ego. I'm basically living out the next year as a stereotypical 50's housewife and following the golden rules of such wifedom.”

Marzipan Jones had been meaning to conduct a year-long experiment for a long time and always had the idea of “doing a 50's year” in the back of her mind. “I've always been extremely interested in 50's pop culture: the music, the literature, the films, and especially the clothes! And as a feminist who respects a woman's choice to stay home, I always found the 50's notion of a June Cleaver-type to be both intriguing and a bit frightening."
So when Jones found herself staying at home with her child, she thought, why not do it all the way?

She started her social experiment on her daughter's first day of this school year, September 3rd, 2008. “The first day was the toughest! I was a lot less relaxed then about the idea of a 50's wife and got up rearing to go like a frantic squirrel. I coaxed myself into thinking I had to look completely "done" by the time I ate breakfast. Now that I've watched "I Love Lucy" I know that women didn't always look perfect when getting their kids ready for school". She also ran ragged that day trying to spend every minute performing housewifely chores. “I space my time out better now and as a result am not as sore when I wake up in the morning," she added.

When asked what were her 50’s housewife Rules she said, “I can't use any kitchen appliances that wasn't invented in the 50's. I can't listen to cds or watch movies if they're not on the tube. I can only consume that which was created prior to or in the 50's. I get all my news from my husband." Marzipan is also not allowed to partake of any modern media including newspapers, magazines, books, movies, or music. She has allowed herself though to use the internet when it relates to the project or to her writing career. “As my readers have assured me, helping out with the family finances is more 50's housewife than not!"

There are some exceptions to the rules. Marzipan is allowed to use equipment if it relates to her daughter's health or entertainment. “I use a nebulizer for her asthma and I will let her watch dvds or listen to her "They Might be Giants" cds. I tried making her into a 50's kid for a few days and let's just say she went a little crazy." Marzipan does try to incorporate more "retro" activities into her daughters days like; pumpkin picking, hayrides, painting, reading books, playing with puppets, and playing board games.

In her 50's Year experiment Marzipan also has to dress according to the fashions of the time: heels, stockings, garters, pointy bra, skirts, dresses, sweaters, gloves, hats. “So far the pointy bra has been a bust (no pun intended) and I'm hoping to find one that actually fits!"

We asked her what were her 50’s housewife duties and schedule like. “The home has become the central part of my identity so my duties are cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, anything that has to do with the cleanliness of my home except that which is traditionally man's work: garbage, yard, handyman work. And of course, caring for my daughter."

The month of October 2008, Marzipan had broken her foot, so her schedule was thrown off. Her schedule prior to her foot incident consisted of waking up at 7am, fixing her daughter’s breakfast, getting dressed, taking her daughter to school, and cramming in as many chores as possible in the 2 1/2 hours while her daughter was gone.

Marzipan's Weekly Chore Schedule is:


Monday: dust, vacuum, and mop 1st floor.

Tuesday: vacuum and dust basement.

Wednesday: vacuum and dust 2nd floor.

Thursday: laundry day

Friday: clean bathrooms


Included are the other chores that go along with a day: toting her daughter to playdates, cleaning up after 2 cats and her daughter, making meals, cleaning dishes, and generally tidying up. “Sometimes finding the time to incorporate the chores is a chore in itself!" she said.

I also try to read 50's magazines during the day when I get a moment, just to feel "in touch" with the times and to garner sartorial or social inspiration.

Marzipan said the easiest thing about the 50’s experiment has been the cleaning. “I do enjoy it and do feel much better knowing my house isn't a mess!" Though the most difficult thing that she said about her social experiment has been the pressure to look "done" while she is cleaning. “Hose get torn, garters slip, and I've even ripped a few dressed from bending. I suppose I'm still not used to wearing tailored clothing while I stretch!"

Another difficult aspect has been her husband's reception of the new 50's self. “He loves to cook and before this project we split the household chores equally. It's funny but he actually enjoys doing these things so when I tried to take them away from him he didn't like it one bit. In fact, we were having so many arguments about my taking over that I eventually let him do his own laundry and ironing." I figure it's more 50's housewife of me to let him do whatever will make him happy. After all, that's my purpose, to make my family as content and comfy as possible.

We asked Marzipan what she have learn so far about your 50‘s experience.
I've learned that the homemakers back then were some tough broads! You had to be in order to get everything done in such a stylish and gracious manner without expecting a salary in return. I also lend my own role as mother and wife more value for some reason. Modern society doesn't really appreciate work that has no monetary receipt. People are often valued according to how much money they make. I struggled with this as a freelance writer making much, much less than her husband. This throwback into 50's magazines and ideas about motherhood hasn't made me want to give up non-wifely pursuits, but it has helped in not making me feel unfeminist or like a failure for not having a "real" job."

Her blog “My 50’s Life” documents some of what is going on in her day-to-day life as a 50's housewife. She also keeps a diary where she jots down notes about her experiences and some of these get transferred into the blog. “Sometimes I post about aspects of 50's pop culture that I also find interesting or amusing such as the whole duck and cover idea as well as retro food-related pieces."

Marzipan have a passion for any music that is raw and visceral which brought her to Billie Holiday and Chet Baker. She also fell in love with torch singers of the 30's and 40's like Ivie Anderson and that led me to 50's singers like Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney, and Julie London. "These dames had so much class, glamour, and spunk that popular modern singers (Madeleine Peyroux and Nellie McKay excluded) just couldn't compare to. I also really enjoyed the way they dressed. In a time of belly-baring tops and low-slung jeans, I loved the throwback to a more mysterious look," she added.

When asked to describe her vintage style. “I know that as a 50's housewife I'm supposed to wear mostly shirtwaist dresses but I can't help loving cardigans and skirts for every day. They can be both flirty and demure depending on how you walk in them or what shoes you pair with what. Her 50's make-up consists of liquid foundation, loose powder, eye-shadow in brown or white, black eyeliner, black mascara, and lipstick in either pink or red. “I love Revlon's 'Cherries in the Snow', a classic!"

Regarding her hair, it's naturally wavy so she doesn't need to curl all that often, “I do curl for special occasions like a party or going to dinner. I usually use bobby pins to give it some volume or I wear a headband for a more prim effect. Sometimes when I'm feeling a bit more 40s I wear Victory Rolls."

The 50’s social experiment has given Marzipan more self-esteem when it comes to her abilities as a mother and wife. “I know how to bake a cake from scratch now and the right way to darn socks which doesn't seem like much but little things do somehow round a person out,” she added.

We asked her what advice would she give to anyone that want to do this retro experiment. “Brace yourself! Especially if you're a stereotypically modern woman who loves her microwave and take-out! Oh, and make sure you have the right wardrobe for the part beforehand. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at my closet in a panic because I don't have enough to wear!"


Copyright © 2008-2010 Time Warp Wives

Marzipan Jones

Contact Information:

Youtube Video Blog: http://www.youtube.com/user/Lipstick501
News Release: www.venuszine.com

My 50's Life Video

Regina Ann Moscrop

San Jacinto, California

“I really like modern kitchen appliances. Love the microwave and crock pot. However, I do hold old fashion values”.




Owner of Bear Flag Republic and Designer of BFR retro shoes, Regina lives on a 20 acre ranch with her husband and their two children . She loves Marlena Dietrich, vintage hats and the Cicada Club in Los Angeles.

Regina describes her family life as very old fashioned in a lot of respects. “We are Christians and believe in the gospel. We believe in putting family first!” Regina’s children learn about the Bible and they learn about family and responsibilities. They have a chore schedule so they learn how to perform in a family. Regina also said that her children are courteous, respectful to adults, and believe in paying it forward (doing good deeds before they are required).

Her children are limited to exposure of TV and Video games. They play lots of card games and board games. Regina’s children know what a Victory garden is and can take care of themselves in an emergency or disaster. They have been taught to cook, use a rifle, and how to use a first aid kit. They also raise chickens and plant gardens and fruit trees at their ranch.

Regina decided to start her business when a friend of hers was getting married on the Queen Mary and it was a period wedding. “ I had the hardest time finding vintage clothes to fit my larger hips. The 40's women were much thinner and less hippy.” The groom for this wedding was a musician so they wanted to get him a radio/CD player that looked vintage but had all the modern elements. But instead it turned into a treasure hunt that ended with them buying antique dishes.

Afterwards, Regina had a knee injury which gave her time to put together a business plan for creating a store where these items would be very much available. The little hunting expedition that began with the Queen Mary wedding led Regina to do something she enjoyed.

Regina’s store the Bear Flag Republic cater to the retro enthusiast. All of her items are based on the 30's 40's and 50's. Her stores sells a variety of items and there is something for everyone. Her best selling item which is her BFR retro shoe, has a 1940' wedge with a sole designed to swing dance in. For women there are retro clothing provided by Bettie Page by Tatyana, Stop Staring, and for the purist Lipstick Vogue which are handmade designs from originals.

For men there are shirts from Classic Steady, Spectator wingtip shoes also with a special suede sole to swing dance in. In fact the Spectator 1 has been featured on Dancing with the Stars. And then there is Pomade from wax based Highlife to Layrite the newest pomade that washes out. In store there are tin signs, night lights, radio's & CD players, knick knacks, & lingerie.

We asked Regina what she likes about her business. “The creative element of taking a picture of an old shoe and turning it into a BFR shoe. I love the work, the things I have learned, and the fact that it is ever changing. We are defining who we are and expanding in new areas, and that is something I am instrumental in. It is never stagnant and the events are fun. I have met some famous people who are average Joe's and swell individuals.” Regina’s fashion shows had gotten wide acclaim and her models are becoming famous. “ It is always nice to see others do well”, she added.

Another main reason why Regina loves her businesses is the flexibility to spend more time with her family. “Working somewhere else provided a barrier with my children because it was tough to make sporting events and dancing, but now I am in control. In addition, the business brings tax dollars to our little town.”. Regina works 3 days a week and her husband works 2 days a week in the store. Regina also can work on the store via the computer, which allows her to work from home too.

The next best thing about her business that is consistent, is the friends Regina has made. “They are the most genuine heart felt individuals who also care about my success.”

When asked to describe her vintage style Regina said,“ I love 50's knit dresses because by then women were more curvy again. Women were starving in the 40's rationing sugar and meat for soldiers and those clothes are often to narrow for me.” When Regina goes out she wears retro or vintage dresses with seamed pantyhose, not stockings like they would have, “because pantyhose are more comfortable, they don't slip down or wrinkle at the ankles (I have short legs), and the garters don't show,” she said. Her husband likewise looks like he stepped right out of the 40's, in his Elliott Ness suit, spectators and fedora.

One of Regina’s favorite retro places is the Cicada Club in Los Angeles. It was a clothing store in 1928 and was restored to its past elegance. You will find people there who live the life, their home is 1920's or 40's. They drive their old cars everywhere and wear vintage clothing all the time. But the best part of the Cicada Club is the entertainment. Swing bands, singers and dancers.“ I have seen a girl trio like the Andrew Sisters, girls with umbrellas descending the grand staircase and dance just like you see in the old films. It is the best bargain in town and out of town for that matter.”

We asked Regina what year she would visit if she could travel back in time.

"Different reasons for different time periods. I love the 30's because women were feminine. Clothing was romantic with lots of sheer ruffles and open back dresses. But I love the 40's too. Women were patriotic but coming into their own as society was changing. It was acceptable for women to wear slacks. I am sort of complicated I guess, I love that women were women in the 30's but I love women were released from the caste that had been their role for centuries in the 40's. Men tipped their hats for ladies and opened doors, I'd like to see that again."

We asked her to give advice for women that are planning to start their own business.“ Do what you love and you'll love what you do".


Copyright © 2008-2009 Time Warp Wives



Regina's Favorites:

Cicada Club:http://www.clubcicada.com/main.asp

Regina's Recipe Tips: Mother's Macaroni Recipe

Vintage Hairstyling Book: Beauty Page

Regina Ann

Contact Information:

Bear Flag Republic:
http://www.bearflagrepublicusa.com

Ebay Store:Bear Flag Republic
MySpace: Myspace.com/bearflag135

Lorelei Lee

Dallas, Texas

“I love wearing vintage, listening to old music, watching old films, and dancing. But I also love taking care of my husband and making sure he is comfortable.”



As a teenager, Lorelei Lee started buying antique dresses. Years later she is an Antique Dealer, a wife and a homemaker. She loves the clothes from Gone With the Wind, the handsome and rugged Clark Gable and the soulful Billie Holiday.


For the past year, her husband has been overseas serving in the Navy, so right now a typical day is a tad different than it will be when her husband comes home. But on a typical day she would take her dogs out for their morning walk, then tidy up the house before heading out to search for antiques at auctions or garage sales. “That can sometimes take all day. But its worth it when you find that perfect piece.”


When Lorelei’s husband is home, she tries to make breakfast for him before he heads to work. “I like to make sure the house is in order before he gets home so he doesn't have to worry about anything. I will take care of any errands and pay the bills during the day. When he comes home I'll make dinner, sometimes he will if their is something he wants to try. We will talk about our days and maybe watch a movie."


Lorelei mentioned that she loves wearing vintage, listening to old music, watching old films, and dancing. But she also loves taking care of her husband and making sure he is comfortable. “Its wonderful to cook a nice dinner, sit down at the table, and talk about our day. We have our roles in the household. He will work, mow the lawn, take care of the cars. I love to cook, clean, plant in our garden.”


At the same time her husband doesn't mind helping her if she needs it, and she doesn't mind helping him either. “We are there for each other no matter what, and we can talk to each other about anything. Our marriage is very strong.”


We asked Lorelei about her retro photo shoots. “I've always loved pin ups and the old Hollywood images I would see in magazines, books, and on television. I started out just having some photos done to send to my husband overseas.” She then started getting contacted by other photographers. So far she has worked at Miss Missy Photography in Fort Worth, DarkIllumination Photography in Fort Worth and other photo studios in Austin and Dallas. Lorelei said that currently her photos are not for sale. Perhaps they will be in the future, if there is enough interest.


Lorelei’s passion for vintage started as a little girl when she would play with her great grandmother's tea set. She started buying antique dresses as a teenager. Then she began buying dresses from the 1800's to 1920's. “Over the years, I have collected many antiques and my collection has slowly but surely taken over the house”, she said.


Lorelei favorite vintage place that inspires her is Jefferson, in East Texas. Most of the houses are from the late 1800's to 1930's. “It is full of grace and beauty. We enjoy going there whenever we get the chance. In fact, that is where we got married!”


The Victorian Elegance Show is one of Lorelei‘s favorite events. It takes place in February and September. Antique dealers from all over come and sell their things. They usually have a fashion show where the models wear antique clothes. Some people will go dressed in their Victorian finery. “I actually just had an 1880's dress made to wear to the event this year,” Lorelei added.

We asked Lorelei what year she would visit if she could travel back in time.

“I like the 1780's because of their clothes. If I have to choose just one time period it would most likely be 1940's after the war. The music, style, and people just seemed so wonderful at that time. Not to mention, the modern conveniences that they had in the 1940's compared to 1700's.”


Lorelei’s Favorites:

Film-Gone With the Wind-love the clothes

Music-Glenn Miller Orchestra-light and fun. Makes your feet start tapping.

Singer-Billie Holiday-soulful.

Actress-Marilyn Monroe-beautiful. Very funny.

Actor-Clark Gable-He is so handsome yet rugged.


When asked to describe her vintage style Lorelei said, “Classic pin up with a glam/rockabilly twist.”


Copyright © 2008-2010 Time Warp Wives

Lorelei Lee

Contact Information:

Spokesmodel for Betty Bows and accessories. www.myspace.com/bettybows


In October Lorelei be in LA for the Lipstick Vogue fashion show: www.myspace.com/lipstickvogueclothing



You can also find pictures of Lorelei at: www.modelmayhem.com/loreleilee

Dolly Dahl

Northern California

“I personally prefer staying home and being a '50's wife', but that doesn’t make me any less interesting to my man."





Born in Virginia but grew up in Scotland. Dolly Dahl lives in a tiny house in Palo Alto which she shares with her husband and their little dog Butters. She loves Marilyn Monroe, Technicolor Musicals and being a Housewifery.


Dolly works full-time as an event planner for a social networking site. In the morning she normally has a couple of meetings to go to, depending on which event she’s planning. “After work I’ll walk home and start planning dinner. I normally have a few hours before my man gets home so I’ll use that time to pick up around the house, light the scented candles, and start to prepare dinner,” she said.

Part time she does pinup modeling. “I wanted to take some photos that had a cute playfulness to them.” Some of the photos are shot by James at Compass Rose studios. The rest are taken by her husband. It’s only a hobby right now but she's definitely open to offers!

Dolly started blogging back in 98, and has been hooked ever since. She has several blogs. Her main focus is on her Housewifery blog. “I’ve always been obsessed with the 50's housewife and all that went along with it. I collect old housekeeping manuals and cookbooks. I was amazed at what an art housekeeping and 'wifery' used to be. It was taken very seriously."

We asked Dolly to define “Housewifery.” “Housewifery is the art of keeping house and enjoying every minute of it. There is still a lot of controversy around whether a woman should go out to work or stay home and keep house. I really feel like it doesn't have to be all or nothing and not everyone has to want the same thing. I personally prefer staying home and being a '50's wife' but that doesn’t make me any less interesting to my man.”

Something interesting that Dolly said was, “Over time I started to notice that there were a lot of ladies out there that didn’t know how to do the basic things like cooking, cleaning, mending. We weren’t given the basic tools and lessons, unless you were lucky enough to be taught by a mother or grandmother.”

Dolly loves cooking, cleaning and decorating. “I love taking care of my man. It makes me more fulfilled than any job I’ve ever had.” She also loves to bake and is currently on a quest to finding the perfect cupcake recipe. She has a sewing machine and she is trying to teach herself how to make clothes. “I love the idea of being able to whip up my own retro dresses!”

Her passion for vintage started when she was a child. “I was always dressing up in poodle skirts and saddle shoes and watching old tv shows. My parents always listened to Frank Sinatra but that was about the extent of their vintage influence.”

Dolly loves watching Marilyn and Betty Grable films. “I watch How to Marry a Millionaire any time I need a pick me up. Watching it instantly makes me happy.”

In addition she likes to take her favorite 40's and 50's glamor and household manuals, curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and just lose herself. "I love getting ready at my vanity in the morning. There is something very retro about taking the time to sit down and apply my makeup and put in my curlers!"

Dolly is also a huge fan of the red lipstick and red nails. “I try to always have my nails perfectly manicured no matter what I’m wearing. You always look polished if your nails are well polished!”

We asked Dolly what year she would visit if she could travel back in time.

“I’d have to say mid-fifties. I feel like it was meant for me. The clothing, the houses, the cars, the housewifery, everything feels like me. I love the idea of living in a time where people made an effort. You didn't leave the house without looking your best, no sweatsuits and flip flops. The men all looked amazing in suits and hats.

When asked to describe herself she said, “A true retro gal in all senses of the word – Donna Reed, Lucille Ball and Bettie Page all rolled up into one.”

Copyright © 2008-2009 Time Warp Wives

Dolly Dahl

Contact Information:

Housewifery: www.housewifery.com


MySpace: www.myspace.com/dollydahl


One of Dolly's Favorite Website:
www.Miss-Vintage.com

Stephanie Strowbridge

Grand Rapids, Michigan

“I would describe myself as a Timewarpian. I definitely stick out like a sore thumb! But that is OK with me!”





Stephanie Strowbridge specializes in hair styles from 1930's-1960's. Besides being a part-time hairdresser, she is also a busy wife and mother. Stephanie is a huge fan of Vincent Price, she loves watching classic movies, and almost always wears a scarf.


She starts her morning bright and early at 7:00 am getting her son off to school. Between being a hairstylist, writing her second book, working with a photographer on retro-inspired photo shoots and traveling to events on occasion, she maintains her house, and spends time with her family. “My days are kind of a jumble of all those things!”, she exclaimed.


The 40 year old beauty school where Stephanie attended was owned by a man who started doing hair in 1927! The man was still living, still cutting and styling hair, and still at the school while Stephanie was there. “He was 100 years old! He taught me the correct way to do finger waves. He even taught me the way a barber holds combs and the way a barber services men. I was fortunate to have had this training,” she said.


Due to the popularity of the "pin up", many ladies come to her wanting a "pin up" style. “I love classic glamour and I enjoy bringing that out in people.” She also does men's hair and enjoys pompadours and D.A.'s. Stephanie is the only one in her area that offers these specific services. “I also feel it is important to maintain a professional atmosphere as well as a relaxed atmosphere,” she added.


When asked to describe her vintage style she said, “I feel good and confident in a good fitting dress! I have a drawer full of scarves. I almost always wear a scarf. I feel it is important to accessorize and to accessorize out of the box.” Stephanie wears vintage inspired clothes as well as authentic vintage clothing.


Stephanie’s love of vintage started when she was a kid. She would watch old movies and TV shows with her dad, who also likes classic movies. “I had a love for Vincent Price at a very young age! I would collect anything concerning him.” An interesting tidbit that Stephanie shared with us was that Vincent Price also wrote cook books, collected artwork from around the world and supported American Indians.


She and her husband are huge movie people and are always listening to music. “A good black & white movie or a good rockin' song can inspire.” Stephanie also loves photographs and draws inspiration from old photos.


We asked Stephanie what year she would visit if she could travel back in time.


“I'm not sure to be honest. There are things from certain years that are great, like the fashion and glamour of the 30's and 40's or a brand new 1959 Cadillac Eldorado! I would love to have seen Jerry Lee Lewis bang up the piano or follow Edith Head in her fashion greatness. I think Robert Kennedy was a great man and changed people's lives during that time. But, with all the good things that you can think about during all the different decades, there are also hardships that make me thankful for today.”


The latest retro event that Stephanie attended was Rockabilly Weekenders. “It's nice to be with similar minded people who enjoy the same things that I do. It is nice to see ladies dressed up, feeling confident, and looking glamorous!


Copyright © 2008-2010 Time Warp Wives

Stephanie Strowbridge

Contact Information:

EMAIL: MsBettyBlueEyes@aol.com


CUTS N' CURLS: www.myspace.com/cutscurls


RETROPOLIS: Authentic Pin Up and Period Appropriate Photo Sessions. www.myspace.com/retropolisusa