Living with a Retro Housewife~ My Family Speaks Up

....Oh hey there! So you want to know what it's
like to live with a retro housewife? ....

Hello again! Yes, that's right, you are not imagining things, this is a brand new blog post, and on the same day as my latest YouTube episode of At Home With Ruby's Musings, not to mention the unveiling of the GRAND OPENING of the HOUSEWIFE CHIC by Ruby shop on Etsy!! A busy, busy day here at Muse Cottage and in the Ruby's Musings world. I did however on Tuesday promise you in part one of this two part series, where you met some of my fellow retro housewives, that I would share with you what my family had to say on the matter.  I am being really brave here and letting them say what they want, without me editing them ( ok, maybe a little grammar correction, but that is it), and as I have a few Spring cleaning chores to get to, I am going to let them take over.....

Mr. Musings....

My wife and I have been together for a long, long time. In all our years together Ruby has changed her style many times' from the 20's and 30's, all the way to modern house wife (sweats and tee shirts). We have always been open to expressing one's own personal style, both for ourselves, and our children, who thru out their lives have also been free to expressed who they want to be and do. More often than not, my wife kept coming back to the retro style of the 50's as if she was drawn to it, she has now has finally realized this is who she truly is. For me, I have always supported my wife as a good husband should. Because as most people know, I do not really have a personal style, unless jeans and a tee shirt is a personal style. As a strong supporter of my wife wanting to be more of a retro house wife in the modern world, we have started to change some the things we eat (making meals from 50's cook books) , to the way we dress (working on me getting an actual personal style to match hers), and the way we decorate our house (going for classic retro not kitsch) as we live in a house built in 1940, it fits right in. Living with a retro house wife is a little more challenging then say your average housewife, as there are lots of little things we do that are slightly different than the average couple, like taking photos everywhere we go, having to wait sometimes for her to answer messages from one or more of her friend/fans from all over the world, and the fact it takes a little longer for her to get ready to go anywhere, since her hair, clothes, and make-up have to be just right (even for the grocery store). Thru it all, with everything that is changing and evolving in our lives I would not have her change anything as it makes my wife happy to be who she feels she truly is, which makes me very happy.

Mr. Musings ( Robert) 

Daughter No. 1 

My oldest Chanda, and myself last year during a visit home. I miss her daily! 

My mom has always been into fashion. The 50's style started when I was in high school, but then it was more pin-up/rockabilly than 50's housewife as she is now.  She would not go grocery shopping unless she was in full attire, including six inch heels most times and cat eye glasses ! I actually loved it , we could shop together and I loved the same style, as I still do love the pin- up/rockabilly style.  I think it's great that my mom now dresses back in the 50's style, it suits her and makes her happy, they have so much stuff out there where she is ( I am in Texas) for her to take pictures with and that are "retro" , and I like making a jello molds together ( a 1950's housewife thing for sure) , even if it ended up a partial fail but was so much fun, and yummy too! 

Daughter No. 2 

Rebecca and her boyfriend John 

Enigmatic, playful, fickle and sometimes downright frustratingly ever-changing but evolutionary style of my mother. She asked if I would write a few words about what it is like to have a vintage mother, or was it retro… I can hardly keep the terminology right - and I can only image how the sarcastically questioning look on my face scared her to read what I would actually say on the matter. My mother is an incredibly special breed of woman. She has spent the past 27 years of my life ever growing and becoming more comfortable in her skin, and during that time has changed her style as many times as the seasons come and go. It seemed like only last  year ( or was that now three years ago; time flies),  we were celebrating her fabulous gams and the bee’s knees of the 20’s and today it’s house gowns and circle skirts of the 40’s and 50’s. At times it is difficult to handle, as most of us stick to one style only ever buying a new sweater for winter, our jeans have worn out spots from years of wear - how do you buy for a woman who’s closet is an ever revolving door of styles? Once she got a handle on the style she has settled into, there is the never ending gawks of passerby’s on the street. I know when I leave the house, I don't care to be noticed, I don't care to have people look at me and wonder about why I do the things I do. My mother struts her stuff with endless confidence and stops for photo shoots just about everywhere, all while drawing a small crowd of on-lookers. Knowing my mother and the years it has taken to get to this place, this certain je ne sais quoi , has not been an easy journey - it can only be regarded with the utmost respect , something I hope to achieve as I get older. My mother has tattoos (shock and awe) , she dyes her hair crazy colors (the crowds gasps) and wears whatever the heck she wants. To me, having a “vintage” or “retro” mom has nothing to do with who she is, she chooses to dress how she wants , in what makes her feel good, makes her feel comfortable. To be honest, I don’t ever see my mom as a point in time, just because of how she dresses; I don't think what my mom wears defines who she is. I see my mom as a strong, independent woman - no matter the decade she chooses to embrace and something for all ages to inspire to become. 

Daughter No. 3

My youngest, Angel and her boyfriend Greg 

What's it like to have a retro mom?

Well, your mom is better dressed than most and completely breaks the stereotype of typical mom clothes. As you get older more people ask if you're sisters.

Not only on holidays but on a weekly basis there are yummy treats being made from a vintage cookbook that are to die for.

Once while out wine tasting, we had a shop owner tell us we won best dressed of the day and gave us a free wine bottle stopper as a prize.

Having a retro mom is inspiring to me because she shows me that when you find a way you love dressing and a culture you love that it makes you happy. A lot of people are afraid to be who they are because of the judgement of others, but she is out of the norm and rocks it everyday.

My heart was truly moved by reading what my family had to say...OH and before you ask about Chanda and where is the photo of her and her boyfriend ( I am still waiting on a really decent one) , and thought it would be nice to post one of the two of us. The leads to the question you all are now asking "Why don't you have photos of yourself with your other two daughters?" My middle daughter is rarely ready for a photo when I am, and vise versa, and it has been a couple of years even since we posed for a selfie! My youngest, though she tries to visit once a week, it is usually after she gets off work, and trust me she does not want her photo taken then! I am hoping this Summer when all my girls are in one place we can have a photo taken together and a nice one, where everyone is "ready" and can keep a strait face during the process. Easier said than done. I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful loving, supportive and UNDERSTANDING family...though trust me eyes do roll, and exasperated sighs can be heard from time to time, now I know that they will put up with me and with living with/ or dealing with a retro housewife for a spouse and mother. It is my hope that no matter how you, the reader dresses that you feel happy in your skin and that you have a supportive family such as my own!

Remember !! There is a new YouTube episode of At Home with Ruby's Musings each and every week, you can find me on FB, Twitter, Instagram, and even Pinterest just by searching for Ruby's Musings and now you can own a little bit of Housewife Chic by visiting my shop on Etsy by the same name! All the links are on the web version of this blog all the time and if you have any trouble, give me a shout and I will provide you with a link.