At Blue Banana we’re pretty huge on vintage clothing, shown by the amount of retro style brands we stock such as Voodoo Vixen, Hell Bunny and Banned! So we decided to have a chat with one of our favourite vintage fashion bloggers – RetroCat (a.k.a Sandra Brand).
RetroCat describes herself as a ‘vintage lover’ and ‘makeup addict’, and her blog is just bursting with awesome posts! Sandra talks about everything from beauty and shopping tips to her travels around the world. She shares new vintage looks on a regular basis and they’re all seriously incredible – covering every era from the 30s to the 60s! We couldn’t resist finding out more about her.
Photo taken by Martin Ratkovic for retrocat.de
Q. So, what inspired you to get into fashion blogging in the first place?
My boyfriend, who is also my photographer. I’ve always loved reading blogs so he suggested I should start my own one. We actually started with a blog where we only wrote product reviews, but I wanted a more personal and fashion related kind of blog so RetroCat.de was born.
Q. Did you find it difficult at first, being so open?
No, as I said before, I wanted a personal blog instead of a product based one. RetroCat.de is a kind of diary for me and I especially enjoy being able to look at my old travel posts.
Q. Has vintage fashion always been a passion for you?
Yes and no. I’ve always been a lover of old Hollywood movies and a huge Dita Von Teese fan. Despite the fact that the glamorous clothes fascinated me, I didn’t dress vintage at all in my youth. My passion for vintage clothes started in 2013 when I visited London. I stepped into the Collectif Store at Old Spitalfields Market by accident and bought my first retro piece, a cherry top. I guess this was a kind of key moment for me, and since then, my collection of vintage and retro clothes has been constantly growing.
Q. If you had to choose, what is your favourite retro fashion era?
This question is pretty hard to answer. I love mixing eras, but if I had to choose, I would say the 50s. Very big skirts, elegant pencil dresses, and petticoats are the key pieces of my wardrobe.
Q. Are there any specific old school models/actresses that have had an influence on your fashion?
Audrey Hepburn and Dovima. Both of them had amazing styles and still inspire me. I don’t know any woman who is more elegant than these two ladies.
Photo taken by Martin Ratkovic for retrocat.de
Q. What’s your favourite classic Hollywood movie?
This is easy to answer: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. I guess I’ve seen this movie at least 100 times.
Q. Do you find fashion blogging rewarding?
Yes! You maybe won’t get rich from blogging, but I’ve had the opportunity to work together with my favourite brands. However, the best thing about blogging is that I’ve met so many inspiring people and made lots of new friends.
Q. What made you decide to write your blog in two different languages? Do you find it time-consuming?
I love writing in German, which is my mother tongue, but I know that most people don’t master this language and therefore I decided to write my blog in German and English. This is a bit time consuming, but definitely worth the effort. I have a lot of international readers and it’s also a great way to improve my English skills.
Q. RetroCat; is there a specific story behind your name, or do you just love retro things and cats?
There is not a real story behind my name, I wanted a name containing “retro” but couldn’t find something suitable first. While I was laughing at my clumsy cat, “RetroCat” came into my mind.
Q. Any tips for aspiring fashion bloggers?
Never give up! The first few months of blogging can be really hard. It’s frustrating when you put so much time and effort into your blog and it seems like no one is reading your posts. Growing a blog takes time and I believe that hard work always pays off.
Photo taken by Martin Ratkovic for retrocat.de
Be sure to check out Sandra’s lifestyle blog here, and you can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! You can also read our recent collaboration post on her blog, featuring the gorgeous Hell Bunny Claremont Dress!
So what’s your favourite vintage look? Be sure to tweet us, Facebook us or tag us on Instagram! We’d love to see!