One of my favourite types of posts to share with all of you here, and one that I know many of you enjoy a great deal as well (the results of last year's Chronically Vintage reader's survey told me as much :)) is interviews with fellow members of the vintage community.
Today I'm elated to do just that in the form of a wonderful interview conducted via email that I recently had with Emileigh Rogers from the engaging and always enjoyable vintage fashion, crafting and lifestyle blog, Flashback Summer.
Emileigh is a passion young blogger from the States who loves the past, traveling, speaking her mind, her family, 1930s and 40s fashions (in particular), and never shying away from posting topics that act as springboards for some of the more controversial subjects in our vintage loving midst.
I've had the great pleasure of knowing her since her blog's earliest days and feel honoured that I got the opportunity to learn, and share, more about her with all of you today.
When you think of your blog, what are five adjectives about it that instantly spring to mind?
Intercultural – honest – worldview – vintage – conversation (These aren’t exactly adjectives… but they describe my blog still!)
You've been blogging since 2012, what are some of the most unexpected things you've learned over the course of that time?
Quite honestly, I only started blogging to drive sales to my Etsy shop, and it's still a dream of mine to be able to make some decent money from blogging and writing. However, I’ve been surprised at how much I actually love blogging itself and the community around it. I don’t even have an Etsy shop now, but I still have a blog! Although some moolah to support my vintage habit is a motivator, the fact that I have enjoyed getting to know other vintage wearers, learn a lot, and get to express myself is the motivation that gets me through the difficult blogging times.
If you could go back in time and give yourself just one piece of advice that you (now) wish you'd known as a novice blogger, what would it be?
I would tell myself not to try to be Solanah (from Vixen Vintage and American Threads), or any other blogger. I love Solanah’s blogs, but I’m not her! I first attempted to recreate such a blog and realized I was miserably short on vintage clothes… kinda a staple for a vintage blog. So I stopped and regrouped for a while, thinking about what MY blog would really be about, one that filled a gap in the vintage blog world. I then relaunched my blog later into what is now Flashback Summer!
On Flashback Summer, you never shy away from discussing topics that might stir up some friendly debate (such as whether or not to alter/remake genuine vintage garments, as well as numerous posts pertaining to different potentially culture sensitive topics including racism in vintage prints and jewelry, what drives your desire to get people thinking and talking about subjects that might, so to speak, rock the boat?
I love deep conversations and hearing different viewpoints, if it’s done in a constructive and respectful way. I sometimes feel like the vintage world can be very 2D and superficial, and I wanted to bring the depth to the blog world that I know exists in vintage wearers’ real lives. We’re from all over the world, and working through tough subjects with each other can open our minds to new lines of thought and celebrate the diversity that is the vintage community. I love that!
What are some of the posts that you've most enjoyed sharing on your blog to date?
I have really enjoyed the controversial posts. Like I said before, I love hearing others’ viewpoints. I also really like the Intercultural Vintage posts. I adore studying the traditional clothing of other countries, and when it dawned on me that, technically, traditional equals vintage oftentimes, I knew I had to include it! Cultures have borrowed bits of fashion from each other since the beginning of time, and I like tracking down where certain style influences have come from and the effect of cultures on each other.
Do you feel like your online self and your offline self are quite similar or are there elements of your offline self that rarely appear on your blog? (I find this to be true for myself big time!)
I think my online self and offline self are pretty similar. I’m a fact-loving, culture-studying vintager in real life, too, so my blog expresses some of my biggest passions in life. I think the only things that are different are that I’m more sarcastic and dry-humored offline simply because that doesn’t translate as well to the written word.
I’m also more controversial offline, but I only become more blunt and bring up very difficult topics in the context of relationships where I feel I’ve earned the right to speak. It’s too easy to be completely misunderstood online for me to feel comfortable sharing some of my opinions on very difficult subjects on my blog. Relationship creates a lot of grace and benefit of the doubt in times of disagreement that the internet doesn’t always provide.
For those who may be new(ish) to vintage, what are some of your top tips for sporting old school styles?
I would definitely start with classic pieces like a button down and high waisted pencil skirt. I tried to add in a bunch of vintage clothing all at the beginning, and it was expensive and frustrating as I tried to figure out the trends of decades, bought wrong sizes, etc. Start with a button down and pencil skirt and change your hair, makeup, and accessories to suit different decades. This is a low-cost way to experiment with your style to find something you love. Then you can invest in those statement pieces you know you’ll like longer term. I wish I had done this!
What decades in time are you currently finding your wardrobe most pulled towards?
The 1930s and 40s are what it’s about right now! I have pretty much always been drawn to these, though I’m exploring the 1930s more than I used to. I also have a weakness for a nipped-waist 50s suit that gets thrown in every once in a while, too!
Is there one or more decade that you love the fashions (et al) from but don't often, if ever wear?
I adore the 10s and 20s, but I hardly ever wear them. They tend to be the rarer, more expensive pieces or completely impractical for modern life. I LOVE the Gibson girl look, but it’s a bit much for the modern-day office!
Where are some of your favourite sources (online or off) from which to source vintage fashions and accessories?
Around my area there are two vintage stores, one of which doesn’t sell anything earlier than 1960, and the other is a bit expensive and mostly newer things as well. Because of this, I find a LOT of my clothes at flea markets/antique malls. EVERY Missouri/Arkansas town has at least one flea market, so I go on the hunt and see what I can find!
Are you a vintage purist in terms of preferring to only wear genuine vintage pieces or do you like to mix things up and wear repro, vintage inspired and similar classic pieces as well?
I would love to wear only vintage pieces, but my budget doesn’t allow it. To wear vintage every day you really have to have a lot of vintage so as not to damage things with overuse, and I just can’t swing that! Almost my whole wardrobe is now made of authentic vintage and pieces I have made myself from vintage patterns. Making things myself has proven to be cost-effective and lets me wear custom designs I love!
You recently got married (happy congrats again!) with a vintage themed wedding and shared some of the wonderful highlights of your special day on your blog. Did you find the online world to be helpful to you in planning your big day? If so, what sites in particular did you turn to often for inspiration, help, etc?
Thank you, Jessica! I found the online world a bit helpful in planning my wedding, but mostly for tracking down musicians, venues, etc. that were available in my area. I kind of looked at Pinterest, but I hate the idea of simply copying things I find off of there, so I really tried to use my own brain and creativity to come up with original, unique things that would work. I also asked my creative friends to help with different pieces of it, so they each brought their own skills to the table!
Have you found that anything on your blog or your approach to blogging has changed since you tied the knot?
I do know that my husband helps me take a lot more pictures now! It’s much handier photo-wise to live in the same house with him! Other than that, I don’t think my blogging has changed very much. Jacob is very understanding about my blog ambitions and very supportive.
What do you wish people knew about you and/or your blog (that's you're comfortable sharing publicly, naturally) that they don't already?
I know that other bloggers probably understand this, but I don't think people realize how much work it is to keep a blog up! I'm working on learning to balance the different areas of my life a little better right now, and while I'm trying to be intentional about creating good content, sometimes it's a struggle in the midst of responsibilities. But I do really enjoy it, so I want to keep at it!
Thinking ahead to the future, what would be your ultimate dream/goal for your blog?
I have other life ambitions, but if those for some reason fell through, I'd love to blog as my "day job." For me it's really not about making lots of money, it's about being freed up to do the things I love all the time... because what I love to do generates income! However, I'm thinking that other life events are going to take precedence eventually, so I'd like to work my hardest to create a great blog that I can be proud of until that time.
What kinds of things (topics, types of outfit or how-to posts, etc) are you looking forward to posting about on Flashback Summer this year?
I am really excited that my sister is contributing to the blog this year with holistic health types of posts. She will be talking about physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. I thoroughly enjoy her writing and I know she has so much wisdom, especially at only 21 years old, to share with the world. I’d describe her as a hippie Yoda because of that.
(Jessica's note) You can also connect with Emileigh on the following sites:
{All images care of Flashback Summer}
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Thank you very much for this stellar interview, Emileigh. I really appreciate that you wanted to chat with me and must say again how lovely it was to get to know you and your blog even better through this fun Q&A session.
If you're not following Flashback Summer (how charming is that name, BTW!) already, I can't recommend doing so highly enough. Emileigh has a wonderful vision for her site, posts often and on a diverse range of subjects, and is a truly lovely person.
You'll adore her blog, her candor, her gorgeous vintage outfits, her whit and her instantly recognizable passion for the past, and quickly find yourself looking forward to each her new posts as much as I, and her ever growing throngs of readers, do.
