Getting to know Cedar Taylor, the talented, beautiful and highly engaging woman behind The Vintage Wife blog

Loves dirndl skirts, Bakelite, traveling, thrifting, and crafting? Check! Is a passionate foodie who strives to cook and devour healthy, organic dishes? Check! Has been blogging since 2009? Check! Wears mid-century fashions all the time? Check!

No, my sweet dears, I'm not talking about myself here, though I very easily could be. Instead I'm happy to say that these, and many other awesome points, are some of the things I've recently learned that I, like many of you as well, share in common with one of Chronically Vintage' brand new April sponsors, Cedar Taylor of the fantastic blog The Vintage Wife.

A captivating and wonderfully enjoyable blend of vintage fashion, sewing projects (as well as posting free vintage knitting patterns), scrumptious recipes, thrifted treasures, daily going ons, reflections of life, and numerous other fab subjects fill the pages of Cedar's blog and will hook fans of any of these topics in the quickest of heartbeats. Cedar's writing is upbeat, easy to relate to, and always packed full of loveliness, so her blog couldn't possibly be a more perfect fit for Chronically Vintage and its readers.




Recently the absolutely gorgeous Cedar (a fellow redhead - yet another point we share in common), pictured above with her lovely family, and I shared a terrific interview by email, which I'm pleased as punch to bring you on this fine first Sunday morning in April. Pull up a set, have a read, and I'm sure you quickly discover, just as I did the first time I visited The Vintage Wife, what a fun, friendly and completely likable lady Cedar is.


As a fellow vintage wife, your site's name really struck a chord with me, could you tell me more about what inspired you to name it as such?

I wanted a name that would cover my interests and the focus of my blog, which is mostly about my interest in vintage and my life inside the home, cooking, sewing, knitting, etc.


What were some of the things that led you to want to start your blog?

I had been reading vintage fashion blogs for years and wanted to be a part of that fun and inspiring community.


So far, what have some of the best elements (perks, if you will) of blogging been for you? 

Absolutely the best thing about blogging has been the relationships I have formed and the people I have met. Blogs provide an easy way to build a community and form friendships with others who share your interests, I love that.


I love that you're super passionate about food, cooking from scratch and eating organic. What are some of your favourite recipes (be they vintage or modern) to prepare for your family these days?

With our close proximity to Mexico (from San Diego it is only a 20 minute drive!), we are heavily influenced by Mexican food. We eat food in tortillas (tacos, burritos, enchiladas) probably 5 nights a week. I don't eat meat, so I am always coming up with new ways to put vegetables in a taco.

Usually I will saute some onions and garlic, then throw in whatever seasonal vegetables are available, along with spices (cumin, oregano, coriander, paprika, etc.), put in tortilla, top with cheese, lots of fresh avocado, cilantro, salsa, and done! It is super easy and the combinations are endless.


What seasonal eats are you really looking forward to this spring and summer?

Heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn, and peppers! Summer vegetables are my absolute favorite. I love to roughly chop summer veggies, throw them into a simple salad with cilantro and olive oil (the less cooking in our intense summers, the better!), and dine outdoors.




Do you have any advice you'd like to share for those who are looking to get into eating almost, or entirely, organically?

Start small. There are lists on various sites for "the dirty dozen", which is a great way to get started. The produce on these lists are the ones that are most contaminated by pesticides when conventionally grown. Read as much as you can about the benefits of eating organically and expect to pay a little bit more.


You're both a sewer and knitter, which is awesome! How much, percentage wise, of your own clothing would you say that you make?

Not as much as I would like. With a toddler in the house it can sometimes take me weeks, or even months to finish a single sewing project. I tend to knit more for others than for myself, I can only use so many hats and sweaters in a winter that rarely gets below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.


Is there one garment that you've sewn or knit for yourself that really stands out as a favourite in your mind?

A very simple dirndl skirt. I have made several, and love them not just for their simplicity, but for how comfortable and versatile they are. I followed the instructions given on Gertie's Blog for Better Sewing, and I plan on making a few more in different colors and prints in the coming months.




Do you sew for your children, husband and/or family members as well?

Yes! I actually end up sewing more for my daughter than for myself, mostly because the small scale projects are much faster and require a lot less fabric. I haven't sewn for my husband yet, one of these days I hope to make him a nice button down shirt as a gift.


What would be your dream vintage sewing project?

I want to get good at sewing and tailoring pants. I would love to whip up a pair (or more) of perfectly fitting 1950s cigarette style pants.


Do you live in an area with lots of vintage resources and/or fellow vintage lifestyle folks?

I do! There is a large rockabilly community here, there are vintage flea markets, several vintage stores, there are burlesque troupes, bands that play vintage sounding music, and more. I am very lucky for this and really need to take advantage of it all more.


Can you describe your personal (fashion) style for us in five words
Simple, comfortable, classic, nutty, always-changing


Some of your day-to-day vintage wardrobe "must haves" includes?

A dirndl style skirt, a comfortable cotton blouse, vintage cat eye sunglasses, lipstick, and Bakelite, lots of Bakelite!


Are there any types of vintage styles that you'd like to wear (or wear more of), but haven't (or haven't often) done so with?

I have always been in love with vintage Western wear. I would love to get a few 1950s squaw dresses in different colors to wear, but they are so costly. I keep hoping I will stumble upon one that fits me perfectly in the thrift store.




You recently announced on your blog that you're pregnant with your second child. That's so wonderful, happiest congratulations! Do you dress your first sweet child in vintage styles and if so, will you doing the same with your second bundle of joy?

Thank you! My daughter wore vintage all the time when she was a baby, but now that she is almost three and very particular about what she wants to wear, it doesn't happen often. I try to sew her vintage looking dresses in prints I know she will like, these go over a bit better than the real vintage dresses do. I really look forward to dressing the new little baby in vintage.


Aside from vintage, sewing, knitting, great (healthy!) food, and blogging, what are some of your other passions in life?


I love to travel. As a one income family we don't really have the means to travel often, but we try to take regular weekend trips to Palm Springs and other close destinations. We are lucky to have so much mid century history near by. I always seek out fun, kitschy and off beat places to visit. I am also a fine art painter, but haven't really had much time for it since my daughter was born.


What are some vintage related dreams that you hope to accomplish as the years go? And on the blogging front?

My biggest (and not entirely realistic!) vintage dream is to get an old station wagon (late 50s or early 60s) and a vintage trailer to tow behind it. I would love to travel the country seeing the sites in style. As for my blog, a year or so ago I quit making outfit posts on my blog, I am planning on bringing those back with some vintage maternity posts in the near future.


On top of visiting her vintage lifestyle blog, you can stay up-to-date on what's going on in Cedar's world by following her on/at:

-Her etsy shop: The Vintage Wife's Sewing Room

-Instagram

-Pinterest

-Twitter

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{All images used throughout this post via The Vintage Wife. Please click on an image to be taken to its respective corresponding TVH blog post.}

Every now and then you encounter a fellow vintage lover and their blog and both instantly feels like kindred spirits. That is precisely how things are for me with The Vintage Wife. This is a site I love visiting, reading new posts on and discovering more about the skilled, smart, ambitious, wonderful lady who runs it (such as the fact that she appeared in a French edition of Glamour magazine), just as I know you all will, too.

Thank you very much, dear Cedar, for sponsoring Chronically Vintage this spring and for the great interview. I look forward to each new post you'll share with us, as well as preparing lots more of your stellar recipes (I've already whipped up your Quinoa Bell Peppers - they were AMAZING!!!), and continuing to discover, I'm sure, scores more things that we share in common.

Vintage Fashionista Friday featuring awesome Heyday vintage reproduction fashions

{Capture the timeless appeal of mid-century menswear inspired fashion - and channel your inner Catherine Hepburn - with this strikingly elegant ladies 1930s brown velvet fedora hat with a bold pheasant feather adorning the grosgrain ribbon band. $106.00 from Poppycock Vintage.}




{Adorn your ears with these charming little handmade burnt orange button earrings created using vintage floral print fabric, hypoallergenic steel posts, and plastic stoppers, that will add an upbeat splash of colour to any ensemble. $5.50 from Manhattan Hippy Vintage.}




{There's something about spring's gloriously pretty return that always puts me in the mood for wearing peach. I'm sure it has something to with the fact that in couple more months, the Okanagan's world famous peaches, nectarines and apricots will be ripe and ready to savour once again. For now, and the whole season through, I'll be reaching for plenty of pretty peach in my wardrobe and should you wish to as well, this absolutely lovely, casual chic Peach Keen Martha Blouse is the way to go. Available in (UK) ladies sizes 8 to 18. £33.33 from Heyday.}




{Sweet, cheerful, and wonderfully vibrant in the way that spring's attire should aim to be as often as possible, this great vintage celluloid floral brooch features two peachy-coral flowers nestled on a brown leaf and would awesome pinned to everything from a suit jacket to your favourite vintage hat, scarf or even handbag. $20.00 from (very aptly named) Peach Parlor Vintage.}




{Even if you're not much of a pants wearing kind of lass, every vintage loving lady's wardrobe needs at least one pair of old school inspired jeans for those times when wearing a skirt or dress simply is not practical, or when you'd prefer a change of pace - and of course, they're perfect for those who prefer pants the bulk of the time to begin with, too. Enter Heyday's Denim Swing Trousers. Cut and tailored like 1940s classic swing trousers, but in an industrious medium weight denim, these are the kind of pants that you'll wonder how your wardrobe ever got by without. Available in ladies (UK) sizes 6 to 18. £45.83 from Heyday.}




{My vintage jewelry loving heart skipped at least a couple of beats when I came across this gorgeous c. 1940s carved lucite bangle bracelet in warm shades of brown that call to mind everything from a tortoise's shell to a tall glass of root beer. It is so very pretty and would work awesomely in a wide array of looks from multiple mid-century decades right on up to today. (On sale at the time of writing for) $68.81 from Vera Mode.}




{Perfect to pair with the peach hued Martha Blouse above or sport with a vast array of other mid-century tops in nearly every colour under the sun, this alluringly pretty Brown skirt with Leopard Print Bow is sure to turn heads and bring in compliments wherever you go. In addition to peach, I'd especially partner it with mustard yellow, mint green, warm reds, aqua, turquoise, cream, soft pink, and pumpkin the whole year round. Available in ladies (UK) sizes 8 to 18. £25.00 from Heyday. $28.00 from Voyeur Vintage.}




{A cinch to dress up with (say, with a cocktail or tea dress) or down with your favourite pair of trousers, this elegant navy blue 1940s corde bag is one of those perpetually lovely purses that will never, ever lose its timeless appeal. }




{With warmer weather gradually becoming the norm again (if not already, then very soon), one cannot help but reach for footwear that lets at least some of their skin breath and make the most of the sun's soothing heat like this wonderfully classic pair of vintage brown leather wedges would. Partner them suits, skirts and trousers now, playsuits, shorts, and sundresses come summer. Shoes fit approximately a ladies 9/10. $50.00 from Guermantes Vintage.}

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A little earlier this spring I had the great pleasure of welcoming one of my all-time favourite vintage reproduction clothing companies, Heyday Vintage Style, as a new blog sponsor. You may remember me discussing my love of Heyday's offering in 2012's post Ten of the UK's best vintage reproduction clothing sources, as well as other mentions and product spotlights here over the years.

An industry leader and producer of some of the best and most classic 1940s and 50s reproduction styles to be had anywhere, Heyday's quality, diverse range, and top-notch customer care have created scores of devoted followers, fans and customers the world over - myself very much included (in fact, I just ordered my second Fleur wrap dress this past February; their immensely darling limited edition Christmas patterned Baubles for Santa, which I can't wait to showcase in an outfit post here come December).

Reasonably priced in the vintage reproduction market, especially for those in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, but still accessible and within the means of many in other parts of the world, too, their garments (which are available for both ladies and chaps) are idea for helping to grow or further expand your mid-century wardrobe and really are enjoyable to wear.

I'd sing Heyday's praises to the moon and back regardless of if they were a blog sponsor or not, but the fact that they've recently become one seemed like the ideal time to put some of their offerings in the much deserved limelight again. Today is also the first time that I've skipped using a date (or name of a holiday) in a Vintage Fashionista Friday post title, which is something I think I'll continue to do from here on out. Instead, I’ll describe the outfit, theme, or some other element of the post, as I feel doing so will help make the titles sound a bit more catchy than just using the date. What do you think?

In honour of Heyday's vintage loving, hardworking and very knowledgeable founder, Shona Van Beers (who blogs at In the Heyday), today's vintage fashionista shares this same lovely name and is decked out in a springtime perfect 1940s ensemble featuring three Heyday pieces, plus a handful of other great products from various etsy shops.

The colour palette at work here is earthy and rich in neutrals, but is neither subdued nor lackluster in the slightest. Quite the opposite actually! It's vibrant, classic, fun and very easy to sport, much like Heyday's fashions themselves, come to think of it!

Two cute retro Born Pretty accessories, chilly sunshine, and thoughts on outfits that don't turn out quite as you'd hoped

Outfit details

Snow leopard print scarf: Born Pretty
Silver and clear rhinestone heart earrings: Claire's
Black 1980s does 1950s shirtwaist dress: etsy (seller no longer appears to have a shop)
Black and grey bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
Wide white laser cut belt: Born Pretty
Grey 1950s handbag: etsy seller Running Rabbit Studio
Nude stocking with black seam: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Nail Colour: Essie A List


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Recently I was reflecting at length (to myself) on how I find I sometimes style outfits differently when they involve one or more products from a sponsor, and how I put them together when I'm getting dressed sans these kinds of items. There's a process when I fall in love with a garment or accessory, be it online or person, that my brain usually goes through. Honestly, it’s hard to describe, but in a way I'd say it's a bit like my mind turns into the famous lines of streaming green code in the Matrix, but instead of numbers, it is every other item in my closet that I'm seeing.
 
If I can picture a piece working with existing garments and accessories, than I know there's a solid chance it's going to end up being a winner. When I receive a product to wear from a sponsor, I always get to choose it (at least to some degree) and ideally will go through the same (very positive) mental process. However, it can still be trickier to style that item once it arrives, especially if that piece wasn't one I was actively looking to enrich my wardrobe with.
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm very selective with the sponsors I work with and the products from them that I feature, and I feel incredibly grateful for each such gift that a company or individual wants to bestow on me, but, again, at times they can be tougher to style than if I just walked up to my closet and put together an outfit from pieces I've known and already sported for months or years (or featuring an item that I purposed bought because I loved it and/or it filled a void in my wardrobe).
 
I really felt like that was the case with this chic snow leopard print scarf and wide white laser cutout design belt that I recently selected and was sent to review from the well known online accessories brand Born Pretty.

Typically I don't work with modern accessories companies, but I'd heard primarily positive things about Born Pretty's offerings on my friend Ash's blog, Art Evolve, so when a rep from the Born Pretty contacted me a while back, I took a look around their massive inventory and having spotted some vintage-y looking pieces, decided to partner with them.
 
Born Pretty sent me two items to review, the scarf and belt in this outfit, which separately didn't pose much of a styling conundrum for me, but together...well, that was a whole 'nother matter. I pondered how to style them as part of the same ensemble in a vintage way for weeks before taking these snaps and settling on the other pieces that I did. I don't wear this black 1980s does 50s shirtwaist dress very often in public because the top has a lot of access volume and ends up making me look as though I'm far wider and more busty on my upper torso than I really am (two things I'm not keen to have happen and proof positive that black isn't always slimming; a well fitting, flattering cut is slimming), but after trying numerous other dresses and separates out, it remained the best suited piece regardless of that fact, so I went with it.
 
White shoes, to pick up the snow hue in the scarf and the belt, my beloved little grey vintage purse, and some bangles, also in matching hues, were all I added (save for stockings and earrings) to the look. These two pieces are bold, big and more than enough to risk overwhelming my short, curvy frame. In the case of the belt, I fear that it did just that in the end, at least somewhat. Styled with a more boho dress, a 60s or 70s look, or on a taller woman, it likely wouldn't have, but trying to get it to look 50s (as I was aiming for) on my frame, didn't quite happen here, IMO.
 
As well, after just a couple of hours of wear, the belt started to separate (the white part came away from its brown backing in spots) a little, so I'll have to apply some sturdy fabric glue to it to whip it back into shape. Aside from those two points, I do very much like it though. It's a departure from most of the belts in my closet at the moment and has a great country western meets Summer of Love vibe to it.

The scarf held up great and is my favourite of the two items. It's also available in classic leopard print, measures 48cm x 155cm, and is made of an airy cotton blend, so it will be perfect as a breezy summertime accessory, too. Though pleasing sunny on the recent day when we took these snaps, it was near freezing cold still and very windy, especially right down near Okanagan Lake in Kelowna where we shot these snaps in front of the marina, so I thought it would be fun to try and channel a fifties-gal-driving-in-a-convertible vibe by wrapping it around my head.

The end results, in part because of the wind, weren't quite what I was hoping for, but it still looks cute, I think, and on a less windy day, I'll have to give wearing it again this way a try. Interestingly, had a belt not already been part of this outfit, I would have worn the scarf as one (much as I did for last year's Canada Day outfit).

Overall, for their very minimal price tags (the belt sells, in USD, for $6.73, the scarf for $5.94), these items are perfectly fine (save for the belt coming apart, I mean). They're cute, budget-friendly ways to add some extra pizzazz to an outfit and when worn separately I think I'll have much better luck styling them in the future. Born Pretty's offerings aren't haute couture or anywhere near it, but they are fun, frequently updated, and easy on the wallet, and I could honestly see myself purchasing something with a vintage vibe to it from them every now and then.

If you're in the mood to do some shopping with this jewelry, accessories, beauty product, and stationery powerhouse yourself, please feel free to avail of the Born Pretty coupon code JCAT10 anytime (I wasn't given an expiration date for it).




Not too long ago, my lovely friend and fellow vintage blogger Joanna of Dividing Vintage Moments wrote at length at the process of assessing an outfit to determine what, if anything, you might be able to do to improve it the next time you wear it. This is an important element of style and something I do frequently, often not posting a given outfit publicly until I'm not just happy, but thrilled with it. I wasn't with this one and I know that I'll continue to access it and wear the various pieces separately in the future, but doubt I'll combine them all again. I just don't like how top heavy and wide the blousy shirtwaist dress, thick belt, and scarf around my neck look together.

You win some, you lose some, and most importantly of all, you try something new, at least once in a while, with your outfits and that's what I did here. It wasn't a massive winner, but not everything in life is and that's no reason not to still share the results here on my blog, especially since I'm sure many of you can relate to having an outfit that didn't quite pan out as you'd envisioned it would when all was said and done.