Little Boxes, Made of Ticky Tacky…

Since I started writing this blog back in 2008 I’ve changed a lot.

Writing the blog has been liberating in a way I never imagined it would be. My style has changed and I feel I finally have the confidence to wear what I want. I feel like me.

When I was 11 my favourite book was Growing Up at War. For my 18th birthday party I had an afternoon tea party. There were cucumber sandwiches, tea, and The Andrews Sisters on the radio, and all my friends thought I was crazy. I’ve always had a fascination with the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Always admired a more lady like, grown up style and by my late teens my favourite outfit was a pencil skirt, polo neck and double breasted pea coat worn with red lipstick.

Through blogging I have discovered a whole world of people out there who want to dress that way too. I discovered it’s ok to wear Victory Rolls in your hair (and I found out how to do them), ok to wear a girdle and stockings, even though it’s 2010. I felt liberated, and the way I dress and the things I post have reflected that.

But there has been a downside. Recently I’ve actually felt an increasing pressure to squash myself into a box. As the blog gets more readers I feel like I should categorise myself. Am I a fashion blogger? A style blogger? A vintage blogger? What era?

Why can’t I be all these things?

This blog has always just really been about things I like. I’ll pick up on a current fashion trend and interpret it in my own way. One day I’ll fancy looking like a 50s pin up, the next a 40s land girl, maybe next week I’ll fancy being a 70s rock chick.

Mary at Deluxeville Vintage recently posted photos of herself in “non vintage” attire. Urging others to do the same. I was fascinated by these posts, but also worried. I’ve posted outfit posts of myself in knee high boots, jeans and t shirts and a belt made from a motor cycle chain. All decidedly “non vintage” , but decidedly me.

Is it really so important to find a “niche” for my blog? Should I only write about one aspect of my life in the hope of making myself easier to categorise for advertisers and readers?

There’s more to me than a fascination with the early 20th century.

I love fashion. Not in a slavish, trend led kind of way, but I think of it as an art form. Seasonal trends fascinate me, and every now and again one will appeal to me and I want to wear it. I feel passionately about helping people dress in a way that makes THEM feel good and I feel strongly about waste and ethics in fashion.

I also love, amongst other things, slasher movies, trashy tv, 90s Indie Music, real ale, stand up comedy, circuses, burlesque, very high heels and photography. I’m sometimes fascinated by the surreal, the dark and the macabre, but I like flowers on the table and tea from china cups. I consider myself a feminist, whatever you think that means. An independent woman, but I can be shy and I’m terrible at putting myself forward for things as I never feel good enough and sometimes this holds me back. I’m a perfectionist and I can be scarily competitive.

I think it’s amazing that Women can be what ever they want to be. Wearing pearls and gloves doesn’t mean I can’t drink pints, any more than wearing jeans and a T shirt means you can’t have a glass of wine.

I don’t WANT to squish myself into a little box. I want to write about the things I love, and have my blog be a place for people who love those things too, even if they only love 2 out of 5 things I write about, I’d love them to come back to the other 3 and say “eugh, no”.

I want this to be a place for other women who don’t want to be boxed in.

But what do YOU think?

Do you prefer “niche” blogs?

Do you ever feel that people are trying to categorise you?

Do you categorise yourself?

Photos by My Mum, Łukasz  Strachanowski (the front page) and yewenyi