I am so excited to share this interview with Jennifer from Sally Jane Vintage today on Rockstar Diaries! Jennifer's blog, Sally Jane Vintage, was one of the very first blogs I ever started reading. I love the simplicity of her look, the way she incorporates vintage clothing with new clothing and the overall aesthetic of her blog. To be honest, I don't care for many fashion or clothing blogs, but Jennifer's is different. Not only does she know how to put an outfit together, she knows how to style the photo just right, with the location and surroundings complimenting the clothing perfectly. It's not all about "expensive clothes expensive clothes expensive clothes!", It's like you go back in time and are getting a bit of a story as you look through her photos. I love that about her blog. And I am a sucker for everything she puts in her shop, too. Photos taken by Jennifer and Tom B.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Jennifer and I'm a born and bred Southern gal currently living in eastern Pennsylvania after taking a three year detour in Los Angeles. While living in LA I started Sally Jane Vintage to find new homes for all of the amazing vintage I was finding but couldn't keep.
Where did the name Sally Jane come from?
Sally Jane is a childhood nickname given to me by my Dad. My grandmother worked for the Board of Education and always had a shelf full of elementary school primary readers in her den. You know the ones... See Sally run, See Jane jump, Run Spot run. I spent many hours curled up on her couch with my nose stuck in one of those books. I would read anything! I can only assume that the name was somehow related to my constant reading of those books.
From reading your blog, I can tell music is a big inspiration for you... What are you currently listening to? Any recommendations?
Yes, music is a huge part of everyday life around here. We've always got something playing in the house. There are a few new albums on rotation right now: The National's High Violet, Band of Horses' Infinite Arms and The Dead Weather's Sea of Cowards. Of course, my boyfriend swears all a band has to do is be from Scotland and I'm automatically in love with them. For instance: Travis, Idlewild, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Frightened Rabbit. All of which I highly recommend. And then there are also perennial favorites that I'm always in the mood for: The Beatles, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan.
Where else do you turn for inspiration?
I really love looking through street style sites and other blogs for inspiration. I also like looking through indie designer's lookbooks since they tend to not be so overstyled. Lula Magazine is always good as well as Fudge Magazine from Japan.
Is there a specific decade or era of clothing you love most? Do you have any favorite designers?
My favorite fashion decades are the 30s and the 60s. The 30s offers everything from the simplicity and ingenuity of cotton feedsack dresses to the opulence and detailing of the art deco style dresses of early Hollywood. They couldn't be on more opposite ends of the spectrum but I love both! The 60s is a decade I'm fascinated with on every level: politically, socially, musically. So I guess it's only natural that I love the fashion from that era as well. I always state Faye Dunaway in Bonnie & Clyde as my favorite fashion icon and that's because it's the perfect clash of those two decades. As for favorite designers, I'm pretty fickle when it comes to that. There are certain collections I tend to like on a more consistent basis such as Marc Jacobs or Chloe but I tend to gravitate more towards smaller lines like Lyell, Orla Kiely and Dear Creatures. I hated to learn that Emma Fletcher is closing down Lyell!
What is your favorite children's book or story?
Like I said, I pretty much always had my nose stuck in a book. A few stories come to mind... on that shelf of primary readers there was also a copy of Alice in Wonderland andThrough the Looking Glass. It was the kind of book that had dual covers and if you opened it one way, Alice in Wonderland began and if you opened the other way, Through the Looking Glass began. I loved that book! I also wore out my copies of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle and The Changeling by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
Obviously, you have a stunning collection of vintage dresses. Is there anything else you like collecting?
Vintage dresses are my number one thing to collect but I've also got quite a collection of vintage hats started as well. They're sort of piling up in my work room so I'm not even sure how many are in there right now! Besides that, I'm always a sucker for vintage sewing paraphernalia, old cameras and vintage Coach purses.
Any tips or advice on what to look for or avoid when thrifting?
I think thrifting is a great way to try new things without breaking the bank. Keep an open mind when you're in the shop. I find lots of great pieces in the children's section or the men's aisle. When I go into a thrift shop I tend to grab everything that catches my eye and end up with an overflowing cart. Then I find a quiet section of the store (usually in the furniture department so I can hold things up in front of a mirror) to sort through everything I've picked up. About a third of it typically goes back on the rack. Be sure to check for stubborn stains, missing buttons, broken zippers and holes. Although, sometimes even if piece has all of those things I'll bring it home anyway because I just love it too much to put it back. I have a huge pile of "to-fix" things in my office right now!
Thank you so much, Jennifer!