After many years we had the pleasure of meeting Rosemary not only in person but in her beautiful LA home. It really is an incredible space that encapsulates her Vintage style. We took some time out from shooting to ask her about her home and not forgetting her amazing wardrobe!
You have the most beautiful home, which room do you gravitate to spend the most time in?
Thank you! Funny enough out of all of the rooms, I spend a lot of time in my foyer making videos. I create my outfit videos there, as the scenery fits the mid-century vibe to a tee. The foyer features wood panelling & beautiful skylights, making the ideal set to create my vintage inspired content.
What do you do to wind down when you are at home?
I really enjoy caring for the space. I wind down most days by cleaning & watering my collection of plants. I never used to be much of an organised person, which I think is why it's now a big part of my routine. I see caring for the home as a form of self-care. If I can ever get myself to actually wind-down and rest - also enjoy reading vintage interior design books to get new ideas & perspectives.
Tell us what a typical day for you is like?
Since I work from home, my days end up being quite intuitive and never really the same. I really struggle with structure, so I enjoy letting the creative side of my mind take over and guide me through my days. A typical day includes administrative tasks such as emails & seeking brand partnerships, along with creating / filming fun videos for my social media pages, mixed in with random bursts of energy to take on new decorative projects around the house.
On the weekends, I love to venture out of the house to various estate sales to get inspiration for my work & decor for my home. I am planning to list my home on Peerspace as a creative photoshoot rental, so I have been passionate about getting that going.
What are your favourite vintage pieces of furniture in your home and do they have a story behind them?
I have two favourite pieces of furniture in my home -
this globe bar which belonged to my grandfather. He was a businessman, and perhaps one of my biggest inspirations for how I live my life. He was a dreamer, and a talented entrepreneur. He had one piece of advice that really stuck with me, "If you want to make money, go where the money is." Having this piece of him in my home... in California, I can't help but smile. Where else could I live that completely empowers my career path? Los Angeles has made me feel valid in my pursuit of creating content. It's made me feel empowered, creative, and not alone. I really feel that I can make money doing what I love, and I am so thankful for this place...
I guess I took your advice Papa.
It belonged to my great-grandmother in the 1940s. The mother of my aforementioned grandfather, she was a hardworking woman who ran a jewellery store with her husband. This very mirror used to hang in their jewellery store in my hometown of Rochester, NY, and then it hung in my childhood home until in 2016 when my mother sold her home. The mirror had been in storage until this summer, when I decided to drive it across the country to my home here in California. Now it hangs in my entry-way & brightens my day every time I see it.
Along with your home we need to ask about your wardrobe of course! If you had to choose, what is your most treasured piece?
I have a few pieces I treasure the most - a collection of dresses from the 60s through the 80s that belonged to my grandmother. My grandmother (on my mother's side) was a fashionista in every aspect of the word. She modelled for Kodak in Rochester, NY in the 1960s - when they'd test a new type of film, they'd test it on her. Her modelling career was short but her love for style is lifelong. Her motto was always "fashion over comfort" when it came to getting dressed up, & every time I put on something beautiful but mildly uncomfortable I can still hear her words in my head. She was the type of woman to clean the house in high heels & red lipstick, not to impress anyone but herself.
When I was in the fifth grade I discovered these dresses in the far back of her closet. My friends and I would play dress up like princesses, wondering where she ever wore such glamorous gowns. When I was in high school, I started doing photography. It became my dream to be a high fashion photographer and I would take photos of my friends in those very same dresses. Today, I incorporate these dresses into my content, where I am able to share about vintage fashion full-time. You can see her collection in videos such as
this. I've actually gotten to wear one of them for a New Years Eve party, which feels like it brought my life and passion for vintage full circle.
What are your three vintage staple items that are essential for a 70s wardrobe?
My top three would have to be bell bottoms, a hair scarf, & a top with flowy sleeves. You could pair these three items individually with anything else, and you would totally give off 70s vibes.
Where do you gain most of your inspiration from?
I find inspiration in a lot of fun ways. When it comes to interior design, I love to visit estate sales both to find vintage pieces for my home & to get accurate inspiration on how people used to decorate their houses. When it comes to fashion, when I first started exploring vintage fashion, it was because I grew up living with my grandmother. I would borrow her clothes, and came to love her pieces from the 60s the most. As I got older I explored more retro looks worn by my favourite musical artists, such as Stevie Nicks. It wasn't until social media that I became fully empowered & inspired to dress the way I do now. I feel so grateful to grow up in a generation with access to tools that allow us to inspire each other & empower each other to express ourselves to the fullest.
Do you have any tips for dressing confidently?
Always remember that anyone can pull anything off - It's about how you carry yourself. Confidence is a mindset, and if you are wearing something that makes YOU feel good, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If what you're wearing looks good to YOU, then you look good. It's as simple as that.
If you could give your former self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Do what you love, and the money will come. Remember in an earlier question how I had mentioned that I wanted to be a photographer when I was in High School? Well I never did that; Instead I went to college for something I'll never use and never have passion for. I second-guessed majoring in something I loved because I was worried that I wouldn't make any money with it. Well luckily, I was able to build a creative career out of my social media. I wouldn't change a thing about my life, but I do look back and remember a hopeless 19 year old feeling like she gave up on all of her dreams. I wish I could go back and tell her that it IS possible and it will happen. Just do what you love... it will all fall into place.
Any exciting things coming up for the rest of the year?
Just taking each day as it comes for the most part. I actually do have one really exciting thing coming up in April, my mother and grandmother are coming to visit me in California for the first time! This is so special to me, and I am just over the moon excited about it.
Thank you for taking the time to shoot with me & interview me! I love The Hippie Shake and it's truly a dream come true to have been able to work together.
Rosemary's Instagram - @Rosemaryretro
Photographer - Steph Holt
