FAQ

A handful of questions I will answer about my blog, my love for vintage, my art and me!

༺ About Lavender & Twill ༻

When did you start this blog?  September, 2013, but I also blogged for around four years at a similar vintage inspired blog called Depict This!

For more background to Lavender & Twill I answered 11 Questions All About Blogging you might find interesting.

Why did you name your blog "Lavender & Twill"?  I wanted to find a name for my blog that represented the sort of space I want it to be ~ welcoming, beautiful with that peaceful calm of an old English rose garden, yet still elegant and chic.  Dedicated to a creative life of beauty, style and vintage. I liked the name "Lavender & Twill" because it spoke of home-like, old-fashioned fancies to me, and that's how I ended naming my blog after a flower and a fabric. 

Where do you find the vintage images (photos, illustrations) that you use in your posts?  Like most bloggers I always have an eye out for good reference photos and graphics to illustrate my posts with; but that being said Google searches and Pinterest tend to be my main source of  images.

Who takes your vintage outfit and portrait photos?  Either the Mister, or myself and my tripod!  I favor using the self timer set to the max of ten shots over a handheld remote. I've found that the remote is difficult to conceal in photos and looks very awkward. I'm always wanting to check how the photos are turning out anyway, so it's no trouble for me to be running back and forth to my camera to set the timer for the next batch of photos. I'm sure it makes for a funny sight however!  (─‿‿─)  

What camera and lens kit do you use?  A Cannon Eos 550D and the EF Lens 50mm 1:1.8 STM.  I bought this camera and lens several years ago, and I upgraded my lens recently. It was the best decision for improving my photography, but I still would like to upgrade the camera body sometime in the future.

While the 550D is a great entry level DSLR for those looking to move up from a point & shoot, I wouldn't necessarily recommend the body with the kit lens. If you are going to purchase the 550D I would definitely recommend just buying the body and purchasing a separate, higher quality lens to go with it.

༺ Hair & Beauty ༻

What brand/color of hair dye to you use?  Confession time!  Yup, I'm not natural red head, more of a mouse blonde.  At the moment I am permanently a Clairol Nice & Easy - 110 Natural Light Auburn. I love this color and probably will always be a redhead because it's my 'natural' color now, even though I might stray every once in awhile.

What’s your skincare routine like?  Fairly complex, as I use a selection of facial products that changes day-to-day. I will pick the products I use to cleanse and balance my skin as well as moisturize depending all on how my skin is feeling that day. I have a range of light to heavy duty products, but I stay away from anything for oily skin as my skin can be quite dry and sensitive and will break out easily or be burnt by strong products.

A few of my favorite recommendations are:

•  LUSH eye cream if you have super sensitive eyes like I do, it's the only eye cream I can use
  
• Sheet masks by Boots in Collagen or Peptide, and for cleansing you absolutely can't go past the Soap & Glory 'What a Peeling' face mask for a deep clean of your pores!
  
• After moisturizer I like to apply an oil and I always go for a Rose Hip Oil, preferably by Trilogy. I posted about the benefits of the oil in Review: Rose Hip Oil.

What color lipstick do you use?  I use a variety of shades 90% of them red ~ what can I say, I just adore a classic red lip. I'm really loving Maybelline New York Matte Lipstick ~ Siren in Scarlet for a fabulous vintage colour and effect. It's not too drying, but has that authentic matte finish.

What are your go-to products and tips for a 1940s or 50s make-up look?  

•  A good concealer

•  A light BB Cream or foundation that isn't too cakey

• A light mineral setting powder to mattify your makeup {it was always all about the matte back in the day!}

• Manicured eyebrows {you don't have to fill them in, but this does help them to look more finished and vintage}

•  Brown or black mascara

•  Brown or black eyeliner {1940s makeup looks do not require the eyeliner, but it is pretty essential to a 1950s makeup look}
  
• Matte eyeshadow in a tone that matches your skin; rose for blue undertones, browns for yellow
  
• Red lipstick & lip liner {there is a shade out there for you! If you want, a simple way to start wearing red lipstick is to try a stain or gloss. It's lighter, and doesn't require as much application effort so that can be a great beginning point}

• A nice simple rouge, either a rose pink, apricot, or red ~ but try to match the undertones of your lipstick as that is key in a vintage makeup look. Alternatively, you can lightly dab a tiny bit of your lipstick on each cheek for a truely vintage rouge.

• Manicured nails {they don't have to be polished, but well kept nails was an important part of a lady's beauty routine back in the 40s and 50s} 

What hair cut do you have?  Previously, I have oscillated between two authentic vintage haircuts ~ The Middy Plus and The Long Length. I wrote all about Doing An Authentic 1940s Cut ~ The Middy Plus if you want to learn more about it.

Currently as I am situated in Thailand, I stick with a light U-shape and a few layers, but not a vintage cut as I am following the Curly Girl Method right now to achieve the best curls in my natural hair that I can. 

How do you curl your hair?   I don't... Most of the time it's all natural!  Sometimes I will set in barrel pin curls to neaten my fringe. But for a particular look when I really want to go all out, I love a Lauren Bacall page boy style, so I will set my hair with rag curls using the steps from A Wild Tea Party's Rag Curling Tutorial. 

What products do you use for curly hair?  I don't shampoo very often, and I use Lush's Retread conditioner, as I love Lush products for really soothing and moisturizing my hair. It is very important for curls not to get frizzy ~  to control curly hair, it's all about the moisture! 

For my natural curls, I use Thursday Plantation Aloe Vera Gel, a pump of Aveda Be Curly Style Prep, and lastly, Good Clean Love - All Natural Personal Lubricant. Yes, you read that correctly - I do indeed put lube in my hair. I'm not crazy, look it up!! 

For styling a finished pin curl set, like a page boy, I brush out, use Suavecita Pomade, put long clips in and spray the heck out of it!! 

For treatments when my hair feels dry, or is looking a little fluffy, I will massage in some Avocado Oil after conditioning in the shower and just leave it.  If you don't put in too much oil, your hair will just soak it up and you'll have super soft and bouncy curls. And if it's really bad, a once-a-week mask using Lush's Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Eaze will get it right back to a healthy shine.

༺ Vintage Fashion ༻

When did you start wearing vintage clothes?  I discovered that there was such a thing as vintage fashion in 2010 and haven't looked back since. I've written about Why I Wear Vintage if you are interested in finding out more.

What are some of the “must have” items in your wardrobe?  Circle skirts, brooches, cute shoes in loads of different colors to match... All the dresses! I also love a great purse, a hat and a pair of gloves for accessorizing. But being a busy mama also means that I adore my Freddies of Pinewood vintage reproduction jeans and couldn't live without them.  Plimsolls are brilliant for filling in that 'hard wearing but still vintage appropriate' shoe gap, so I have several pairs of those. Finally, a collection of knitted cardigans and you are good to go.

Do you only wear vintage clothes?  No, and I'll tell you Why I *don’t* Wear Vintage Every Day,  but the bulk of the pieces in my wardrobe ~ from undergarments to coats and hats ~ are vintage, reproduction, or vintage appropriate.  I do own and will wear a few modern pieces, but most of the time it's so mixed up with my vintage, you can't even really tell which is which anymore!

Where do you source your vintage/vintage appropriate clothing from?  I mostly buy my clothing online these days ~ either from eBay or Etsy.  I will also buy vintage reproduction clothing from Freddies of Pinewood, Wearing History, Modern Pinup, Modcloth and other similar online retailers.

However, knowing what I'm looking for in regards to the style, cut and silhouette of vintage appropriate clothing has meant that I can sometimes find pieces in modern retail shops that fit into my vintage wardrobe.  And I love op shops {thrift stores to my non-Aussie readers!} because you can sometimes do the same sort of thing{ie, looking for period appropriate styles} for a lot less.

Do you think that anyone can wear vintage?  Absolutely! Vintage has such a wide range of looks and styles and there is no doubt in my mind that there is a vintage style out there for anyone who wishes to try wearing vintage for themselves.

I want to wear vintage, but I don’t know where to start. Any suggestions?   The world of vintage fashion can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but that's okay! We all start somewhere. I think that it’s best to start with really practical, versatile pieces {think classic pieces ~ neutral hued sweaters, skirts, shoes, hats, etc} and a few fun vintage accessories, perhaps mixing them in with your modern wardrobe, before progressing onto converting over to “all vintage, all the time” if that's your end goal.

It helps to get a feel for the styles, and decades you like, before splashing out hundreds of dollars on a wardrobe that might not actually be the best representation of your personal style. Once you're comfortable with {and in} the pieces you own, branch out and keep gradually expanding your vintage wardrobe.  You might end up wearing period authentic outfits all day, every day, or you might find that you prefer to stick with mixing and matching vintage with modern. Either way, that's perfectly great as long as you feel at home with your style.

It's all about you feeling fabulous, nothing else!  (´ゝ∀・｀)

What are some budget-friendly vintage items that a beginner can start out with?  Starting out with basic pieces and trying to find something similar in a thrift shop, or even at a retail shop can be a great way to begin. For instance, if you have your eye on a black vintage pencil skirt, see if you can find one that looks similar for cheaper.  It's all about checking out the vintage pieces you like, deciding why you like them; shape, cut, silhouette, fabric, color and seeing what you can find out there that is close enough, but cheaper.

The fact of the matter is though, there are going to be vintage dresses or suits, or accessories that you simply won't be able to find the equivalent of.  This is where it becomes really handy to be able to sew, knit, crochet or other wise hand-make pieces for your wardrobe that are close to what you are looking for. Think about picking up a new hobby to go with your new wardrobe choices if you are operating on a tight budget.

For more tips on wallet friendly vintage styling, see Jessica from Chronically Vintage's post on how to Build a Vintage Wardrobe on a Budget.

Do you wear vintage undergarments?  Yes and no.  A vintage reproduction brasserie can be quite pricey, and I don't think I've come across one that caters to nursing mothers yet.  I have studied the shape and style of vintage brasseries however, and you know what?  Those old lady brasseries that you hurry past when lingerie shopping? They are for the most part exactly what you need!  As a result, I buy my underpinnings from Target, and they work well for my body and for my budget!

I do have some vintage reproduction shaping garments as well ~ as I do find that they are necessary for that perfect vintage silhouette. I have a Mae underbust corset in peach from What Katie Did to aid with the wasp waist silhouette so popular in the 1950s, and I wear seamed stockings from What Katie Did.

What are some of your favorite vintage accessories?  Hair flowers and bows, purses ~ particularly wicker and lucite handbags *swoon* ~ hats, gloves and brooches! I adore brooches, and will happily wear one every day of the week. Particularly if it's cute or interesting. ♥

༺ Miscellaneous ༻

How old are you? I’m currently 31 years old, and my birthday is in October.

Are you married? Yes I am! I am married to a wonderful man, my sweetheart and best friend ~ The Mister.

Do you have children?  Yes, three beautiful little ones. A boy ~ Theodore, a girl ~ Isabelle, and another little girl, Charlotte.

Do you have any pets?  One horse ~ my ex-trotter Standardbred, Copper.

Where can I find out more about your art?  My artwork and projects all fall under the collective of BJV Studio.  I have several projects running at this current point in time:

• A & B Novels: you can find information about the Sci Fi/Fantasy novel my sister and I co-authored and published in 2014

• Giggles Comic: a web comic detailing fun and cute adventures in the life of four sisters, with a cupcake flavored twist

• Teacup Girl: our family business: Teacup Girl is an acrylic accessories brand that adds a touch of whimsy to your day! 🌼

• Time Traveler Clothing: a blog about the baby steps I'm taking towards creating my own clothing line

• A Riding Habit: a blog about the equestrian journey I'm on with my horsey pal Copper, and my quest to learn all I can about horses, riding, and horsemanship 

What’s your favorite color? Oooh, tricky question!  I actually have three favorite colors ~ fairy floss pink, mint green and white.  Following closely behind those is lilac, baby blue, and peach.  I do also love other jewel colors like teal, hickory nut brown, cherry red, forest green, royal navy and gold.

Do you also incorporate vintage into other elements of your life {aside from fashion}?  Without a doubt. I draw inspiration from Edwardian and Victorian styles, as well as French Provincial for the decor of our home, and try to create a cozy, old fashioned feeling to our environment.

I adore vintage books, and some of my favorite authors are from centuries ago!  I read the ever popular Jane Austin of course, but I also love reading Isabella Arden, Grace Livingstone Hill, Georgette Heyer, Louis L'Amour, L. M. Montgomery, and other classics such as Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and more.

My handicrafts and hobbies are mostly focused on vintage items, like sewing up 1940's dresses or knitting up 1950s cardigans. I collect vintage china and decor pieces, and I also love listening to classical music, watching old films and tv programs. Like most vintage aficionados, I am drawn to almost anything old or historical.

Most importantly of all, however, are the faith and family orientated values that we hold.  My worldview, and all my beliefs are shaped by the one important person, Jesus Christ. My family all hold to these 'vintage' beliefs closely, and we try our best to act upon them every day.

Aside from vintage, what are some of your other interests?  Ah, well.... Now that's a very hard question to answer.  How much time do you have? No joke, I could write a chapter of a book on each of my hobbies and why I love them so much ~ however!  I find it easier to say that as a creative and multipassionate, I have a lot of hobbies and am almost always interested in learning something new.

A short list of the most frequent activities I enjoy: traditional art & comic art, writing, photography, blogging, sewing, knitting, crochet, handicrafts, cross stitch, polymer clay art, snowboarding, ballet, and my favorite sport of all ~ horse riding.

For more about the vintage loving lady behind this blog, be sure to check out my About Bonita page, or look up my Collaborate page for more information on sponsorship and collaboration with Lavender & Twill.

I love hearing your questions and encourage you to ask them in the comment section of any post or to send them my way via email.

Thank you so much for stopping by. ♡

xox,
bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

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