Hi I’m Em, I’m 26, I create art in my spare time and I’m a huge fan of vintage styles, movies and music. I’ve recently set up an Instagram profile to share art, and I’d really like this to be a space to also explore vintage styles and do fun challenges too. Hence, my lovely friend Kell, has challenged me to put (virtual) pen to paper and write a blog (this is my first blog ever - so if it’s a little ropey that’s why!)
I figured, what better subject to talk about than my love of vintage, so here goes…
Ever since I was a child, I have been obsessed with vintage movies, music, clothes, make up and hair. In many ways, growing up I felt that I was born in the wrong era. While my friends at school were busy back-combing their hair, donning the thick pencil liner and scrolling through Facebook, I was in my own world listening to music from years gone by, singing those songs over and over until the lyrics were embossed in my mind.
When I think back, I feel that I can pinpoint the origins of this obsession to three instances: one of which involves my Nan and another, a very specific episode of Doctor Who. I know what you’re thinking - but how better to discover your love of vintage music at the young age of ten, than by watching a programme about a time traveller. I swear I learned more from that programme than I did in history class.
Because I can’t remember which of these memories came first, I’m going to start with my Nan.
Memory #1...
Picture this, I’m sat in my Nan’s living room, adorned (as was true late-nineties / early noughties fashion) with terracotta carpets and black squidgy leather couches. She tells me that a Doris Day film is on the TV that she is going to ‘tape’ for me (I know, screams nineties).
It was called By The Light of the Silvery Moon and I loved it. One part that particularly sticks with me is the perfect harmonies of Doris Day and Gordon MacRae melodically singing: ‘those silvery beams will bring love’s dreams, we’ll be cuddling soon… by the silvery moon’.
Even now as I think back, I can feel chills at the perfect harmonies these two people were creating, as they were skating along an icy lake. As soon as I’d seen this, I knew I wanted to watch more, see more, learn more about these magical people on the screen.
This brings me to memory #2…
The first old movies I ever brought, were Calamity Jane, starring Doris Day and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which of course, famously starred Marilyn Monroe. Now I, like many others I’m sure, knew of the legend behind Marilyn Monroe, before I ever saw her in a film, which only made me more intrigued to watch it.
When I watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for the first time, I remember being so taken aback by not only the joyous sounding songs, but also just how bright the colours were. I’m quite sure no-one but Marilyn could achieve quite that shade of fuschia and that shade of platninum blonde - as she did in ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ - because it lives in its own world, quite different from the reality we all live in.
It was only as I grew up, that I came to realise that the glitz and glam you saw on the screens wasn’t real and that in fact, Marilyn had an incredibly arduous time in Hollywood. But, even now thinking back to those films, wearing the rose-tinted glasses of my ten year old-self and falling victim to the fuzzy hue of nostalgia - I am once again reminded of my love of these iconic films. Thank you Nan for the recommendations.
Now on to no. #3 - the highly hyped up Doctor Who memory...
So, in my humble opinion, the creepiest Doctor Who episode (bearing in mind that I have only watched Doctors nine and ten) is definitely ‘The Empty Child’. It was scary, but, this episode did bring with it a musical revelation.
Do you remember good old Captain Jack Harkness? Suave time-traveller from the 51st century, who meets Rose and tries to flirt his way into getting her to buy a piece of space junk? Well, the way in which he tries to do this, is by dancing with her, atop his invisible spaceship, which is handily parked next to Big Ben - in the middle of the London Blitz!
But it was how he tried to swoon her that would cement my love of vintage music. With the push of a button, this sweet, melodic tune started to play - the steady thrum of the double bass was interspersed with the sound of trumpets and trombones, and decorated with a tinkling piano. As soon as I heard it, I had to know what this song was and I had to listen to more like it.
It didn’t take me long to track the song down and find out that it was quite aptly named Moonlight Serenade, by Glenn Miller. After this, I made it my mission to listen to as many of Glenn Miller’s songs as possible, then the Ink Spots, then Frank Sinatra, then Elvis and that was it… my obsession was there and has been with me ever since. On occasion, much to her dismay, my Mom often had to listen to her child singing ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’ at the top of her lungs - sorry Mom!
The funny thing is, if my Nan and I listen to music together now, eight times out of ten, she’ll ask me who’s singing. Ah Nanny - you taught me well, and I wouldn’t have discovered this huge love and mild obsession with vintage movies and music, had it not been for you. So thank you <3
"Thank you so much Em for giving blogging a go and allowing me to share it on my page! For anyone who wants to see more from Em, check out her Instagram profile @sketchingem"