Vintage Tag

So, as I was browsing my reader this morning, (attempting to catch up!), I stumbled across a cute game.  Stephanie of The Girl with the Star-Spangled Heart posted her answers to this 21 question game via video.  How fun!  Alas, I'm not one for appearing on camera but, that doesn't mean I don't want to play along!

1. Who are your style icons?  Audrey Hepburn comes first to mind.
2. What is your favourite way to get inspired?  Old movies, of course! (Or period dramas.)
3. What's your most-used hair tool?  My Farouk Chi ceramic iron - I use it to straighten my hair for casual looks and curl it for dressier outfits (or photos).
4. What's your favourite hair tool? Ditto
5. Updo, down, or half-and-half? For all-out vintage looks, I almost always style my hair up.  However, for everyday, I feel I look better with my hair loose.
6. Is vintage something you do every day, on weekends, or for special occasions?  Anytime the mood strikes me, really.  It's not consistent.
7. What's your favourite blush & lipstick?  Blush: Yves Rocher Natural Blush in Apricot (light complexion).  It's light, natural, and is the perfect color for my light skin.  Lipstick:  Only recently have I started wearing it again and I haven't found the perfect lipstick.  However, I wear  Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipcolor in Top Tomato or Lancome L'Absolu Rouge in Bordeaux for early vintage/evening looks and Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart or Peach Parfait for late 1950s through modern.
8. Dress, skirt, or pants? Heels or flats? Dress, definitely. They're the ultimate feminine look and the simplest, in that your outfit is complete with one piece (excluding jackets and accessories, of course.)  I also prefer heels though, I wear flats on a more frequent basis, particularly in summer.
9. Off the rack or homemade?  Homemade!
10. Do you swing dance?  No, but Brandon and I have plans to learn someday.
11. Extreme vintage or subtle touches?  Every now and then, I get the urge to go all out but, in general, I stick to subtle touches.  I'm a self-conscious person and, as much as I love the old vintage looks, they do tend to draw stares.
12. Favourite perfume?  Burberry London or Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel (I consider this a younger version of the classic Chanel No.5, which I have ever intention to wear once I'm older.) 
13. Favourite skincare product?  Yves Rocher Ultra Matt Shine Reducing Moisturizer I searched for ages to find a moisturizer with just the right balance for my combination, sensitive skin and this one is perfect!  It keeps me relatively shine-free, allows makeup to go on smoothly, and makes my skin soft.
14. What does your family think of your style?  As for my parents/sister, I think they find it silly but cute.  Brandon, on the other hand, likes a little variety and, since I can never decide on a decade, he certainly gets variety!
15. Favourite accessory?  My vintage pearl studs.  Boring, I know.  If I could find the perfect hat, that might quickly become a contender but, alas, it eludes me.
16. Do you find the vintage community welcoming or snobby?  I've encountered both.  I find the vintage/sewing community online very welcoming indeed.  But, I've also had the unfortunate opportunity to encounter a few very snobby vintage-enthusiasts in person.
17. What drew you to vintage style?  Movies.  Plain and simple.  Old black-and-white films make it all look so glamorous and I was completely enamored with how put-together the women always looked.  I think what really pushed me though, was viewing 'The Notebook' during college.  I loved the red lipstick, as well as some of the outfits, and I was drawn in.  Suddenly, I found myself revisiting classics for inspiration and scouring ebay for vintage goodies.
18. Favourite places to shop vintage?  Perhaps due to limited choices, I'm an online girl.  Most of my pieces are from ebay or Etsy.
19. What vintage eras are your favourite?  Must I choose!?  I go through phases... first, I fell for the full-skirts of the 1950s, then (spawned by the aforementioned 'The Notebook') I was all over the 40s, then the 60s... I've cycled through everything from 16thC to most of the 20thC.  My current favorites are 1910s and 1930s/40s. 
20. Most glamourous film stars? Grace Kelly. Period. But, since the question said starS, I'll add Rita Hayworth, Norma Shearer, Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo...
21. Favourite vintage object that you own?  My first vintage purchase (because it was my first) - a darling, peachy-pink 50s dress (with full-skirt, of course!), which I never wear out of fear of its fragility. 

My first vintage dress, purchased on ebay in 2004

She needs a bath but, how cute is that lace!? I think she's handmade as she still has gathering stitches on the skirt. I love the clever hook-and-eye at the bottom of the bodice and hidden button under the tie.

More handstitched details:  a taped hem and blind catch stitches. The sleeve hems are also blind stitched in the same manner, sans tape. Also, a peek at her tulle underskirt. Scandalous!

Now, TAG!  You're it!  Answer any or all of the questions via YouTube, blog post, or in the comments below.  x