Living Dolls are mothers, nurses, models, photographers, graphic designers, grandmothers, students, teachers - infact you name it, they come from every walk of life but have this one thing in common - they love and live vintage !
Our stunning Miss November has more than classic vintage looks to her bow - she posesses an intellegence to her pursuit of the vintage lifestyle that is downright inspiring.....here is the ever lovely, Miss Jasmine Shae
What
does 'vintage' mean to you?
Vintage
is a way of life. It’s the obvious things like clothing, cars, and music, but
it’s also the values and history. I love wearing something that I know has a
history, that other women have cherished, enjoyed, and passed down. I love
knowing that you won't run into another gal with the same dress as you, or walk
into a home where they have the same clock or kitchen set. And I love feeling
like I am a part of something bigger, and that I am continuing the story of a
well-made piece of history, instead of flooding the world with another cheap
dress destined for landfill within a year.
What was it that
first prompted your interest in vintage culture?
Like
most of us in the culture I have always loved old movies and idolise women such
as Rita Hayworth, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, and Edwige Fenech. I used to
love looking through my nanna’s wardrobe and remember being mesmerised with the
glamour of everyday items. She had a hairbrush and mirror set, which, as a 5
year old, I thought was fit for a queen. The silver inlay and brocade pattern
was like nothing I had ever seen. She died when I was 9; I inherited the set
and it became my most prized possession. To this day I often think of her when
I’m vintage shopping and wonder whether she would have liked this dress or that
hat.
What
is your favourite era, and do you 'live it' every day? In what ways?
In
my younger years, however, I was a punk kid. I died my hair every colour under
the sun and immersed myself in the clothing, music, and ideology of the era.
Over the years the punk music was joined by psychobilly, rockabilly, and even
some country (gasp!) When I turned 21 I had an overwhelming urge to wear dresses
and so my trips to op shops became less about tartan skirts and leather jackets
and more about vintage dresses and brooches, and I started to care when I had a
run in my stocking!
I
would say my day-to-day clothing is most closely aligned with the 50s (I love
interesting patterns, swing skirts, and head scarfs), followed by the 40s for
a-line skirts and dresses, and the early 60s for structured wiggle dresses.
I
guess I ‘live it’ every day. I wear a mix of vintage and reproduction vintage
clothing everyday, have a collection of cats eye frames (the one redeeming
factor of wearing glasses!), wear my hair in vintage styles, listen to old
music, and drive a Chrysler cruiser (a modern car made to look like a 40s
street rod – although I dream of one day owning a 1930s Ford or 1950s Chevy).
Tell
us about your favourite item of vintage clothing, kitchenalia, music, furniture
or whatever !
That would have to be my vintage
brooches. I have at least 50 that I have collected over the years from various
vintage fairs, op shops, and online stores through eBay and Etsy. They are a
great finish to any outfit and are also practical if you want a bolero,
cardigan, or wrap to sit just right.
Can
you share with us why vintage culture continues to hold such appeal for you?
One thing I think we can take from the fashion of the 40s and
50s, is that we can dress in a feminine and sexy way, but also remain classy.
Now if only men today would get that memo! There is an internet meme making the
rounds that says something like “A well tailored suit is to women what lingerie
is to men” So true!
I also love the positivity and comradeship of the culture. While
woman actually living in the eras we idolise might have had it tough in terms
of equality in the home and workplace, the culture now is thriving with
confident and vibrant woman who are so supportive of each other. I have made
some great friends who are all extremely intelligent, independent, and
beautiful woman. And who, most importantly don't judge you for having over 100 pairs
of shoes!
Do
you have any tips for anyone starting out in the vintage scene?
Don’t
worry about what others will think – do what makes you happy. I have met so
many woman that say things like “I would love to dress like you do but don’t
think it would suit me” and/or “I don't have the confidence to dress that way”
Trust me, start wearing vintage and repro vintage and you will instantly feel
more confident, confortable, and happy in yourself because you are doing what
you want to do. Plus you are guaranteed to get complimented every time you
leave the house, which can’t be bad for a woman’s self esteem!
My
other piece of advice would be to use the internet. You can learn so much about
clothing design and hairstyles of an era and you can find some great bargains
on Etsy and eBay if you know what you’re looking for! Then just immerse
yourself in the culture. Go to your local vintage fairs and rockabilly events,
learn to swing dance, practice hairstyling, and do whatever it is you want to
do.
Now
is your chance to provide us with an overview of who you are and what you do.
Hopefully
the essence of my views and beliefs have come across already, but as to what
else I do – I live in Brisbane, Australia with my partner Glen and my two
adorable dogs. I’m a psychologist and recently have submitted my PhD, which
means soon I’ll be able to make everyone call me Dr! I’m an avid reader and
adore science fiction and Australian fantasy. I also love old horror movies and
60s and 70s Giallos, which is good as my partner owns pretty much every decent
one that there is. Completely opposite to that I love old fairy tales and
Disney animation, especially the films from the 30s to 90s. I love dressing up,
especially for Halloween. I used to speak Japanese fluently, now I speak it
badly but long to go back there to live in the snow for while. I’ve dabbled in
a bit of vintage modelling, for two reasons – so that I can wear some amazing
garments, and so that I have the photos to look back on when I’m old and
perhaps show my grandkids that I was pretty awesome back in the day. My many
pipe dreams include teaching in Japan, living in Europe, designing clothing,
owning a vintage boutique, and writing a book.
Finally,
what or who inspires you and why?
My
nanna – she will always hold a dear place in my heart for igniting my love of
vintage.
My
mum – she raised my brother and I as a single parent and always pushed us to
want more from life and I believe she is responsible for my drive to succeed.
Laura
Byrnes, creator of Pinupgirl clothing (one of the repro brands I buy from) -
she is inspirational in her passion for what she does and her drive to always
innovate and better herself. She grew her company from nothing (her sewing in
her lounge room) to being arguably the most popular repro brand around today,
and yet she doesn't sit back and rest on her laurels, she is always pushing
herself to come up with something different.
Isobelle
Carmody – An Australian fantasy author – I grew up reading her books and I
think they have affected my views on a lot of things, from treatment of animals
and vegetarianism, to prejudice and human rights.
Douglas
Adams – his unique and light-hearted view of the world has always stuck with
me. It’s hard to take a bleak perspective on things when you share his eyes. His
quote “Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to
believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?” is one of my
favourites. It sums up my views perfectly – just try to live in and appreciate
each moment.
Joe
Strummer (back to my punk roots!) – he has always inspired me to think outside
the box and question mainstream views and beliefs and some of his lyrics
resonate with me still. Whenever I am unsure of what to do I think “Are you
going backwards or are you going forwards?” It’s my life motto.
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