Retro lifestyles have
always been a source of curiosity and society still finds it difficult to understand the longing for the good old days. The people who live their life in the safe haven of the 30s, 40s and 50s are not always understood. They love the moral values, the music and the aesthetics. VANESSA BUENDIA goes in and talks to Joanne Massey, an inspiring woman in love with the romantic notion of a bygone era. Her name was Lola...
She had a beaming smile with her lips delicately covered with red lipstick. Her voice was soothing and her home welcoming. She had managed to recreate every little detail of a 1950s house. She dressed in tight green pants and a black sweater. She ornamented her beautiful ginger hair with a flower and she had the poise of a lady. In one sentence it was like being greeted by Rita Hayworth. However even Rita once said that men used to fall in love with Gilda and woke up with her. But in Joanne’s case the illusion is complete everyday of the year, 24 hours a day. During the weekends she’s a singer mostly at charity events. And she has a stage name apt for a 1940s starlet: Lola Lamour. Notwithstanding the act doesn’t end after she gets paid, in fact she is not even acting. She’s actually only showing to the world who she really is: a woman with a glamorous sense of style and a beautiful voice. However she has a peculiar style, which resembles the magic of the silver screen of Hollywood’s golden years. And which has become her life. Ever since she was a child, Joanne felt passionate about the retro lifestyle. When she was around 4-years-old she used to visit her granddad who took care of her while her parents worked. She would spend her afternoon sitting on his knee while he played the banjo and taught her old war time songs. She grew up with it. Watching movies with her parents and hearing all the stories about famous Hollywood starlets. She paid attention when her parents told her it used to be a better time, a simpler time; a time that had already gone but still managed to survive within her. She said: “They thought those times were nicer and always spoke with some sort of fondness about them.” However being a teenager of the eighties meant being far away from the ideal world of the 40’s or 50’s when men used double-breasted suits and fedora hats and women wore simple perfumes like Midnight in Paris and carefully lined makeup. She could have gone with the crowd and used designer jeans or collected Sex Pistols albums but her teenage rebellion took her in the opposite direction. She didn’t want to be a punk she wanted to be like her idol Doris Day. While studying in an all-girls grammar school she definitely did not pass unnoticed. She said: “I probably stood out for being a rebel because I had huge black hair and loads of makeup.” But her rebellion did not stop there. Soon she enlisted her mother’s help in carefully tailoring her clothes in order to resemble the fashion of the era. And though at first her parents found their daughter’s passion for the past odd, they still gave her all the help and support they could give. Shortly after the clothes and the makeup were not enough for her so she tagged along with her older brother and discovered a whole new world. She discovered car shows and venues for people, that just like her, lived in the past and little by little she adopted it not only as a trend but as her own lifestyle. Though her look seemed to be very difficult to accomplish (after all even Rita Hayworth needed two assistants and 3 hours to get ready), she’s managed to master the art of period beauty. Joanne added: “People think it takes me ages to get ready but I can be up in the morning have breakfast, dress, hair done, make up done and out the door within half an hour.” Although being different came with a price: “You always get an amount of teasing or sniggering and all. I’ve always had that and you know just walking in the street you get people pointing at you or laughing or look at her hair or look at her make up or what is she wearing. You always get that in life with anybody who is a bit different.” In fact everybody has fallen victim of criticism in their life. It’s part of growing up. However Joanne and her husband Kevin have learned to live with it. They get criticized just because their fashion sense does not agree with what’s conventionally found at High Street. She’s glamorous in her personal attire and he prefers a Rebel without a cause look. She mentioned: “If we had a pound for the amount of times people have shouted ‘Elvis’ at him in the street, we would be very rich.” Kevin is as passionate of the retro lifestyle as Joanne and was a big fan even before meeting her at a 50s rock and roll dance. He also grew up with it as and has embraced the look and the music since he was a young lad. He said: “When I was young I was just in to older things. I was the last of a generation of children who used to play in the woods and play games.” He loves playing at gigs, working on his car and being handy around the house and he has a strong sense of pride on whatever he does. As any other guy he does not appreciate being criticized but he also understands where it comes from. He said: “A lot of people just go to work and come home and slump down in front of the TV and they literally don’t do anything. They haven’t got lives or they haven’t got the ability to be able to make their own minds up and decide what they want to do. They sort of do what they think they should be doing because their friends tell them that is what we do. And they probably envy us for at least having the conviction to be able to say we are into something and be proud of what we do and enjoy it.” However if it’s envy or fear of the unknown some people will still judge them. Most recently Joanne took part in a documentary in which the portrayal of her lifestyle did not resemble her life at all. She was unjustly categorized as a 1950s housewife with no other objective in life but to please her husband. In reality she has three jobs, which occupy most of her time, including her singing career that has taken her on tours around the country and demands heavy travel on her behalf. She said: “I sign nearly every weekend all over the country and I sing mostly 1940s stuff and in 40s events so I’m always dressed in period clothes.” And still she manages to keep a happy marriage and lives in the type of lifestyle she’s enjoyed. Still her camera appearance brought on criticism from complete strangers as she never even imagined. She said: “It’s a form of discrimination isn’t it? It’s like someone being horrible to somebody for being gay or someone being horrible to somebody for being black.” Her biggest critics assume her to be someone she doesn’t even resemble. Still she’s managed to “just turn off to it if people are small minded and can’t accept it.” Though her thoughts on the issue tend to be very reasonable. She believes that people shouldn’t discriminate against anybody. She added: “You should be free to do what you want. It’s supposed to be a free country. You should be free to live your life how you want to without people criticizing you when they don’t actually know anything about it.” Oddly enough she’s found that some of her harshest critics are teenagers. However she excuses their behaviour because “Maybe they don’t understand or they don’t want to understand.” Her policy is to respe
ct others even if she is not respected. She believes in the beauty of being and looking different as an expression of oneself. She said: “I really just think it’s great! If you want to look different and express yourself like that just do it!” Yet not everybody is judgemental. Others are just curious about her. Nicola Vezpremi is one of her closest friends though she does not lead a retro lifestyle herself. In fact she didn’t even know the scene existed until they met: “Joanne opened my eyes to different scenes and people.” Since then she’s noticed that some people around her might be more open than those who have never known anything about the retro way. She says: “My family and friends are mostly very intrigued about all of it. They find it all very unusual.” And even some people are very enthusiastic about Joanne’s look because she reminds them of a beautiful time in which life was simpler. Joanne said: “A lot of elderly or middle-aged people think it’s great. Strangers in the street will walk up to me and say I think you look lovely.” And although criticism can be harsh nothing would stop Joanne and Kevin from living the way they love. Kevin said: “We only have one crack at life so you might as well live it like you want to live it.” Hence, they still keep their look; fashion and even the appliances they use at home all conform to their personal style. They’ve completely decorated their home retro-style. Many times they’ve had to fix some old appliances they’ve bought and have found clever ways to either adapt them to modern technology or simply just repair them. Though it may seem impossible to today’s handyman to repair a 1950’s refrigerator they have one in their kitchen running as if it were brand new. Joanne said: “In the past things were built with pride and things were built to last. People didn’t expect to buy a new fridge in five years time or ten years time. If they’d be saving up for that fridge it was going to last them for a long long time. They’d expect it to be there in 50 years time, which it is. Vintageing is good in that respect. Things were made very well.” Quality she believes is something that is lacking in today’s technology. She said: “If you buy new you tend to have to replace it quite quickly.” However kitchen appliances are only the beginning. Joanne has always had classic cars. She’s owned her 1965 Ford Anglia for 12 years and as a true fan of I love Lucy, she’s aptly named it Lucy. Joanne commented: “I’ve never had a new modern car and I wouldn’t want one. I love my car, I love it to bits and I think it’s great!” She will also generally try to buy vintage clothing to maintain authenticity in her appearance. However sometimes this is not as easy as it seems, so she’ll settle for garments that resemble the fashion of the era. She commented: “I really love sort of 1940s suits. I really like that look because you feel so feminine.” However she’s conscious of how difficult it is to obtain these garments which is reason enough to take extra care of them. As Joanne said: “I wouldn’t ever wear anything vintage to work because I wouldn’t want it to get ruined” Then again she’s an intelligent woman and perfectly knows that whatever she buys can become an investment opportunity because of their value as collectors items. She also has the advantage of old craftsmanship, which was known for its quality. However, as a couple they fully understand the rewards of modern technology. Kevin mentioned: “We don’t deny the 21st century because we obviously live in the 21st century.” And as such they use their computer to find clothes, appliances and even bits and parts to repair their cars. All the same modern designs tend to clash with their décor therefore they try to maintain modern equipment out of sight purely for aesthetic reasons. Though they still find DVDs, microwaves and such useful and appreciate their advantages. Consequently together they’ve managed to nail the look and feel of the 50’s. However it’s not all about the look. Living a retro lifestyle is also about the values of the era. Being a good neighbour, helping out the elderly, being gracious, supportive and friendly. People from the 40s and 50s were a generation that went through terrible wars so the sense of community was heightened. Family and friends were the most important things in life and a sense of innocence seemed to be characteristic. Rations were commonplace and people tended to enjoy simpler things in life without the economic resources of today. Joanne said: “It wasn’t the throw away economy we have nowadays. I think the community was a lot closer and people were generally sort of more looking out for each other and not so much looking out for themselves.” Still their values not only have to do with their choice in lifestyle but more to do with their upbringing. As Kevin explained: “I was brought up in a bit of a more old fashioned family. My mum and dad were quite strict. I’ve got those old fashioned values in me already anyway.” The values they refer to are as simple as helping older neighbours with the occasional odd job, looking out for others and even litter picking. Kevin said: “I just try to keep the neighbourhood clean and tidy, which a lot of people nowadays just seem blasé about it.” Another important value is being there for your loved ones. As Joanne’s friend Nicola said: “She’s very friendly, confident, very supportive of friends and helpful. She’s a great best friend to have.” As Kevin simply stated, it all boils down to doing whatever you can for society and live your life with consideration to others. According to him people do not do enough to better the situation they find themselves in. Kevin said: “You don’t have to accept your surroundings; you can do something about it.” According to them the world of today lacks most of these values. So much so that Joanne said she wouldn’t like to bring a child up in today’s society. For this reason, as a couple they’ve decided not to have any kids. They don’t agree with the consumerist values of the 21st century and plus they wouldn’t like to force their own lifestyle choice on a child who might not enjoy it as much as they do. However since before Kevin and Joanne met they lived within their own moral code and hence applied it to their relationship as soon as they got together. As Kevin explained: “Nowadays everybody is just sort at the pub all the time and just out for a drink with the lads and people there just expect them to pull a member of the opposite sex. There is no sort of commitment. It is just sex. They’re just a one-night stand. We had a proper courting relationship and then we got married.” And so their marriage has now lasted them more than 10 years and it looks like there is still much more to come. They still continue with all their hobbies and recently since the recession has hit the country, the retro scene has seemingly increased in followers. As Joanne explained: “I’ve seen an increase in people coming to vintage events. Especially the forties scene has gotten really big over the last few years. And I think because it’s a bit of escapism. It’s a nice day out” Consequently they have met people from all around the world who enjoy the same cars, music, aesthetics, clothing and style. Therefore in the process they’ve made lots of friends and travelled around the world to different events and gatherings. In time Joanne has achieved a fruitful singing career though she still remembers fondly her first gigs in gay clubs: “I think people thought I was actually going to be a drag queen and then I showed up.” However after lots of hard work she now finds herself constantly touring the country. She also has a beautiful marriage, and a home fit for the silver screen. She has gone a long way from that teenage girl with loads of makeup and tailored dresses who was teased everyday for her fashion sense. Her achievements are visible to anyone who gets to know her. She’s inspired respect and admiration from her loved ones. As her friend Nicola said: “I’m very proud of all that Jo has achieved.” On the other hand, Joanne is still very humble about her achievements and the only thing she has to say about her life is: “It’s a dream really.” If you wish to see Lola Lamour on stage please visit her website to find dates and localities near you: http://www.myspace.com/misslolalamour
ct others even if she is not respected. She believes in the beauty of being and looking different as an expression of oneself. She said: “I really just think it’s great! If you want to look different and express yourself like that just do it!” Yet not everybody is judgemental. Others are just curious about her. Nicola Vezpremi is one of her closest friends though she does not lead a retro lifestyle herself. In fact she didn’t even know the scene existed until they met: “Joanne opened my eyes to different scenes and people.” Since then she’s noticed that some people around her might be more open than those who have never known anything about the retro way. She says: “My family and friends are mostly very intrigued about all of it. They find it all very unusual.” And even some people are very enthusiastic about Joanne’s look because she reminds them of a beautiful time in which life was simpler. Joanne said: “A lot of elderly or middle-aged people think it’s great. Strangers in the street will walk up to me and say I think you look lovely.” And although criticism can be harsh nothing would stop Joanne and Kevin from living the way they love. Kevin said: “We only have one crack at life so you might as well live it like you want to live it.” Hence, they still keep their look; fashion and even the appliances they use at home all conform to their personal style. They’ve completely decorated their home retro-style. Many times they’ve had to fix some old appliances they’ve bought and have found clever ways to either adapt them to modern technology or simply just repair them. Though it may seem impossible to today’s handyman to repair a 1950’s refrigerator they have one in their kitchen running as if it were brand new. Joanne said: “In the past things were built with pride and things were built to last. People didn’t expect to buy a new fridge in five years time or ten years time. If they’d be saving up for that fridge it was going to last them for a long long time. They’d expect it to be there in 50 years time, which it is. Vintageing is good in that respect. Things were made very well.” Quality she believes is something that is lacking in today’s technology. She said: “If you buy new you tend to have to replace it quite quickly.” However kitchen appliances are only the beginning. Joanne has always had classic cars. She’s owned her 1965 Ford Anglia for 12 years and as a true fan of I love Lucy, she’s aptly named it Lucy. Joanne commented: “I’ve never had a new modern car and I wouldn’t want one. I love my car, I love it to bits and I think it’s great!” She will also generally try to buy vintage clothing to maintain authenticity in her appearance. However sometimes this is not as easy as it seems, so she’ll settle for garments that resemble the fashion of the era. She commented: “I really love sort of 1940s suits. I really like that look because you feel so feminine.” However she’s conscious of how difficult it is to obtain these garments which is reason enough to take extra care of them. As Joanne said: “I wouldn’t ever wear anything vintage to work because I wouldn’t want it to get ruined” Then again she’s an intelligent woman and perfectly knows that whatever she buys can become an investment opportunity because of their value as collectors items. She also has the advantage of old craftsmanship, which was known for its quality. However, as a couple they fully understand the rewards of modern technology. Kevin mentioned: “We don’t deny the 21st century because we obviously live in the 21st century.” And as such they use their computer to find clothes, appliances and even bits and parts to repair their cars. All the same modern designs tend to clash with their décor therefore they try to maintain modern equipment out of sight purely for aesthetic reasons. Though they still find DVDs, microwaves and such useful and appreciate their advantages. Consequently together they’ve managed to nail the look and feel of the 50’s. However it’s not all about the look. Living a retro lifestyle is also about the values of the era. Being a good neighbour, helping out the elderly, being gracious, supportive and friendly. People from the 40s and 50s were a generation that went through terrible wars so the sense of community was heightened. Family and friends were the most important things in life and a sense of innocence seemed to be characteristic. Rations were commonplace and people tended to enjoy simpler things in life without the economic resources of today. Joanne said: “It wasn’t the throw away economy we have nowadays. I think the community was a lot closer and people were generally sort of more looking out for each other and not so much looking out for themselves.” Still their values not only have to do with their choice in lifestyle but more to do with their upbringing. As Kevin explained: “I was brought up in a bit of a more old fashioned family. My mum and dad were quite strict. I’ve got those old fashioned values in me already anyway.” The values they refer to are as simple as helping older neighbours with the occasional odd job, looking out for others and even litter picking. Kevin said: “I just try to keep the neighbourhood clean and tidy, which a lot of people nowadays just seem blasé about it.” Another important value is being there for your loved ones. As Joanne’s friend Nicola said: “She’s very friendly, confident, very supportive of friends and helpful. She’s a great best friend to have.” As Kevin simply stated, it all boils down to doing whatever you can for society and live your life with consideration to others. According to him people do not do enough to better the situation they find themselves in. Kevin said: “You don’t have to accept your surroundings; you can do something about it.” According to them the world of today lacks most of these values. So much so that Joanne said she wouldn’t like to bring a child up in today’s society. For this reason, as a couple they’ve decided not to have any kids. They don’t agree with the consumerist values of the 21st century and plus they wouldn’t like to force their own lifestyle choice on a child who might not enjoy it as much as they do. However since before Kevin and Joanne met they lived within their own moral code and hence applied it to their relationship as soon as they got together. As Kevin explained: “Nowadays everybody is just sort at the pub all the time and just out for a drink with the lads and people there just expect them to pull a member of the opposite sex. There is no sort of commitment. It is just sex. They’re just a one-night stand. We had a proper courting relationship and then we got married.” And so their marriage has now lasted them more than 10 years and it looks like there is still much more to come. They still continue with all their hobbies and recently since the recession has hit the country, the retro scene has seemingly increased in followers. As Joanne explained: “I’ve seen an increase in people coming to vintage events. Especially the forties scene has gotten really big over the last few years. And I think because it’s a bit of escapism. It’s a nice day out” Consequently they have met people from all around the world who enjoy the same cars, music, aesthetics, clothing and style. Therefore in the process they’ve made lots of friends and travelled around the world to different events and gatherings. In time Joanne has achieved a fruitful singing career though she still remembers fondly her first gigs in gay clubs: “I think people thought I was actually going to be a drag queen and then I showed up.” However after lots of hard work she now finds herself constantly touring the country. She also has a beautiful marriage, and a home fit for the silver screen. She has gone a long way from that teenage girl with loads of makeup and tailored dresses who was teased everyday for her fashion sense. Her achievements are visible to anyone who gets to know her. She’s inspired respect and admiration from her loved ones. As her friend Nicola said: “I’m very proud of all that Jo has achieved.” On the other hand, Joanne is still very humble about her achievements and the only thing she has to say about her life is: “It’s a dream really.” If you wish to see Lola Lamour on stage please visit her website to find dates and localities near you: http://www.myspace.com/misslolalamour 
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