Lifestyle Feature
"Hip hip hooray for Holyrood, Hochsauerlandkreis & the Hebrides.."
Anya Mackay
Q) What was it about yesteryear which attracted you to it - is it an emotional connection or love of something ?
“I have always been fascinated by “old things” as far back as I can remember. I used to love watching black and white “Old Hollywood” Movies as a child, admiring the clothing, the makeup, the music, the homes and furnishings. My Mum has a large collection of antique books, so I was surrounded by leather bound stories of times gone by or quizzed my Grans about “the olden days” and helped choose which piece of costume jewelry they would wear the next time they visited. I also always felt a really strong connection to historical buildings and archaeological sites, wondering about which stories the walls could tell. Scotland is so full of history and it’s mystical landscapes are breathtaking. I suppose it is an emotional connection”.
Q) How long have you been a Retro/Vintage enthusiast ?
“Fashion wise I think I have travelled back in time since my late teens, early twenties. Starting with 60s/70s fashion, then struggling to fit in for years with “high street fashion” and never feeling happy or confident with my body or the way I looked in them. We moved to Fife from the Outer Hebrides in 2012 and I was excited to discover an array of second hand and vintage shops in and around Edinburgh. I also discovered “repro” sites that sold garments made using vintage patterns and I quickly discovered that they suited my body shape much better and made me feel like “myself”. I have been wearing vintage or reproduction vintage clothing daily for the last three years and feel happiest in clothing from the 1940s (and late 30s). I love how a simple wrap or shirt waister dress is comfortable and flattering at the same time. Or the elegance and drape of evening wear, shoulder pads and nipped in waists, natural fabrics like rayon, silk or wool. I could talk about this all day”.
They say every person has a novel inside them, perhaps then too, by the same token, some people's lives could be a movie? Much like a love story in a classic Hollywood movie from the 1930s/1940s, Anya moved from her home in Hochsauerlandkreis, a region in Germany to The Hebrides through her work and fell in love with a Scotsman, then married him and ended up staying here. And the rest is history.
Anya fills us in on how she ended up moving to Scotland and elaborates more on her love of the vintage way of life in bonnie Schottland.
"I made Scotland my home 25 years ago. Until lockdown number one, I worked as a project manager for an international Youth Welfare Organisation, supporting German youths and young adults, who were living over here. I love organising things and talking to people. I also really love antique and vintage items and finding out about their history and the stories these treasures could tell. We have been restoring a Victorian house. I dress in original vintage or reproduction vintage clothing every day. I like to mix these up a little. In my spare time I love meeting up with my friends, do yoga, scour Vintage and charity shops for treasures, go hiking or challenge myself by learning to sew pretty clothing by using original sewing pattern from the 1940s."
photo by Dashiee
Q) Is your career/lifestyle related to Vintage/Retro ?
“For the last year I have been working for “Vintage Quine”, a Vintage shop in Falkland in marketing, look after the original vintage section and help out in the shop occasionally. I help plan social media posts, shoot and model true vintage clothing, research the labels and construction of them, to help date them and upload them to the website. I love handling these treasures, learning more about them, building up back stories, sometimes even finding out who the previous owner or Seamstress/ Tailor were and then helping to find a new home and owner for them. This has earned me the title “Miss Marple”. Each day is different and exciting. It is so nice to share this passion with my fellow “Quines” and customers. You’ll often hear us shouting “OMG!!!” when we discover a great label or beautiful piece. I also love to plan and project manage exciting photo shoots for Vintage Quine. Lisa, the owner has such a passion for Vintage and has created a magical setting in her wee shop in Falkland. I feel truly blessed to be part of the team.
We (with husband) bought a Victorian property a few years ago and have been restoring it since. Antique furniture is really affordable now and the look and quality of them are so much better than modern flat packs. In my spare time I love meeting up with my vintage loving friends from “The Auld Holyrood Club”. We meet regularly to visit vintage events, have afternoon tea, go for treasure hunts through charity shops, hikes, shows and dinner. So in a way I am surrounded by old things and “old souls” all the time.”
Q) You have modeled for Vintage/Retro clothing stores etc, what is it about the clothes you enjoy wearing - is it the quality in garments, the design aesthetics or something more personal ?
“Everything - I love the look, the feel, the quality, the way they were constructed, imagining who wore them before (if they are original vintage) and the stories these items could tell. Often true vintage items are pieces of art. I have been learning to sew clothing, using patterns and methods from the 1940s and now really appreciate the skill, love and hours of work, that have gone in to creating these garments. They were made to last, often mended, lovingly stored for all these years and still look as good as the day they were made. I love the feminine shape of a lot of these items. How they were tailored to flatter.
photo by Dashiee
They also suit my body shape a lot better and I feel more confident and like myself. I often mix reproduction clothing with original vintage and also mix eras. I model for Vintage Quine, who stock original vintage clothing and all my favourite repro brands like Emmy Design, The House of Foxy, Seamstress of Bloomsbury, Pretty Retro, Nancy Mac, Eribé and more. “Vintage” is also sustainable. We are saving these items from landfill”.
Q) What era is your comfort zone ?
“My favourite era for fashion is mid 1930s to late 1940s. I dabbled with 1950s for a while, when I first started dressing “vintage” on a regular basis but now prefer the simple elegance and femininity of the 40s to the bright patterns, swing skirts and petticoats of the 50s. At home I love Victorian/ Edwardian style for furniture and home furnishings”.
Q) If you could go back, what year and why ?
“I’m really happy in the here and no, but if I could time travel back for a day or two it would be to 1906 to walk through our house and see how it was furnished then and who lived here. I would also love to stop off in 1940 with my “Twin” Irene to stock up on lots clothes and shoes or maybe attend a roaring 20s party with the Auld Holyrood Club. Our motto is “vintage style not vintage values”.
Lisa (Vintage Quine) & Anya - photo by Dashiee
6) You're mentioned you were involved with the Auld Hollyrood Club - how did that come about and how often do you meet up ?
“A lot of us kept bumping in to each other at vintage events and fairs around Edinburgh and started following each other on social media and stayed in touch. We formed friendships and thought it would be nice meeting up more regularly. We started organising our own events and days out. After a while we thought it would be nice to give the group a name. Somebody suggested “Auld Holyrood Club” , which seems really fitting. It’s so nice to be able to meet up with like minded people, who share a passion for similar things. We all like different eras and are from different walks of life, which makes it so interesting. I love talking to people and everybody is really kind and supportive and interesting and we have become really close.
We have a website www.auldholyroodclub.com and Instagram @auldholyroodclub where you can get to know us and find out about any upcoming events.”
Q: Do you make/sew any garments etc as part of that lifestyle ?
“I took up sewing about 2-3 years ago, when Debi Fry @ms1940mccall hosted a sewalong for a 1940s dress pattern on her Blog. Debi is an amazing Seamstress and is aiming to sew all McCall patterns from the year 1940. I am blown away by her passion and talent and really admire her. I jumped at the chance of learning to make my own 1940s dress and felt so proud of being able to complete a wearable garment. I am currently working on a crushed velvet dress with billowing bishop sleeves (McCall pattern 3738 from 1940), which Debi kindly let me borrow. Learning to sew my own garments makes me appreciate how well clothing were made back then. I can choose my pattern, material and notions and try to tailor it to my exact size”.
Irene & Anya - photo by Dennis Conaghan