Hi, I'm Nora - the person behind NoraFinds. I am a vintage blogger and scientist in London. I am a Chinese-Indonesian Australian and am proud of my multicultural and diverse background. I am also a vintage fashion contributor on BBC Bargain Hunt and a research scientist in King's College London. Since 2011 I have been documenting my fashion journey, from the mistakes in my 20s to my maturing style in my 30s. My love of vintage fashion stems from my passion in history. I recognise that vintage fashion is a part of history that tells the story of different characters, from the normal working-class people to the more upper class. I have been featured on The Guardian, BBC Bargain Hunt, and other publications. Also, check out my other blog Vintage Pillbox that combines history, science, and bad-ass women.
We visited the National Motor Museum at Beaulie a few weeks ago. I had a wedding in the area and it was a lovely short break after 18 months of working from home and not going anywhere! I didn't expect the museum to be so big - we spent about an hour there! There were many motor vehicles but that was more - historical accessories that became popular as different motor vehicles were roaming the roads; history of GPS; and history of motor racing!
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
John Montagu Building, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst SO42 7ZN
Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance
I heard that example in a training years ago and it's stuck with me and I thought you might like it too. It's important to assess the different groups and communities we are in - are they diverse, inclusive, both or neither?
A group might look diverse but doesn't actually allow the members to speak up or self-criticise. A group might not be diverse at all but everyone feels a sense of belonging and feel empowered to say what they think. This is all very interesting as I'm getting more involved in various diversity and inclusion initiatives at work.
Sometimes I think these things might not be worth sharing because you might have heard about it at work or school, then I remembered that a lot of you might be self-employed or might be homemakers or carers and you don't get opportunities for such trainings. So I will try to share some of what I've learned here (and on Instagram), but hey let's learn together.
Fifteen Ways to Make Your Vintage Online Network More Diverse/Inclusive
Like a post
Follow a new account
Comment/engage
Share their posts
Collaborate and amplify their voices
Report discriminatory/abusive posts
Unfollow discriminatory accounts
Question organisations/brands about their EDI policies
Recommend specific accounts to brands
Pass on an opportunity to increase diversity
Reflect on your privileges
Read up on educational materials
Start a discussion on your account
Reflect on performative allyship
Start a discussion OFFLINE
This is going to hopefully be a pretty comprehensive review as I will be reviewing the brand (Girlfriend Collective) and the two products (leggings and sports bra). It took me ages to research and decide to buy them and I’d like to share with you what I think!
Disclaimer: I receive NO compensation from the brand nor the shops I got these from. I just want to share my research and my findings!
Brand: Girlfriend Collective (Official Site)
Sustainability: 5/5 - the products are made from recycled PET bottles and the company is proud and open about how their products are sourced, made, and they even have a page dedicated to their efforts here.
Ethics: 5/5 - they trace their supply chain and are certified for Social Accountability and social principles.
Inclusivity: 5/5 - Size-wise it stocks XS to 6XL and it features models from different ethnicity and different looks. I can’t find them featuring models with disabilities though and I’d really love that!
Other: I love that it’s owned by Seattle-based BIPOC Ellie and Quang Dinh
Product 1: Girlfriend Collective Compressive High-Rise Leggings (Colour Wildflower) bought through Yogamatters UK
The product: Each pair of these leggings are made of 25 bottles, and the final product contains 79% RPET and 21% spandex with UPF 45+ rating for protection against harmful ultraviolet rays. They come in three different inseam lengths (19.5, 23.75 and 28.5 inches). They come in sizes XS to 6XL and various colours that might differ depending on which countries you buy them from (you might not see Wildflower since it’s an older colour).
Priced at US$68 (or £62 in most UK stockists)
- Fit: Stick to their official size guide because they are accurate. Weirdly some stockists decide to have their own size guide but I’d say stick to the official one from their website. They are compressive which means I freaked out a bit trying to put them on but they fit beautifully. I went for the 28.5″ lengths as I prefer full length leggings and have to only cuff them once over. I am a 27″ waist and 37.5″ hips and went for size Small.
- Breathability: I was genuinely surprised that I wasn’t super hot in them considering and they actually do not show sweat stains at all even in the light colour that I picked. I sweat a lot (not exaggerating) and I found a small sweat patch on my lower back/butt region after one hour.
- Suitability: Surprisingly perfect for high-intensity, high impact exercises. The leggings were compressive but not restrictive and I felt supported throughout. The high-waist band stayed in place the whole time though because of my short torso it did sometimes fold down and I have to adjust during HIIT.
- Look: No camel toe, not see-through. What more can you want?
Product 2: Girlfriend Paloma Sports Bra (Colour Wildflower) bought via Boomcycle UK
The Product: Each top was made from 11 bottles, and the final product contains 79% RPET and 21% spandex with UPF 45+ rating for protection against harmful ultraviolet rays.
Priced at US$38 (or £35 in most UK stockists)
- Fit: Stick to their size guide. I am a 32C (across bust 34″) and I went for the Small.
- Breathability: Again, really surprised how it didn’t show any stain after 1 hour.
- Suitability: I’d say more appropriate for medium level exercise. It has a wide band that keeps it secure on the ribs without being constrictive, but there is not enough support for vertical movements. It was great generally but I wouldn’t wear them for a run. It was okay for HIIT/Tabata exercises (eg 30 seconds jog or 30 seconds jumping jacks).
- Look: cute enough to wear as a normal top! Doesn’t have padding so might be too thin for some occasions, secures the chest without flattening it!
Overall note:
I put them through a 30 minutes HIIT exercise (here), 30 minutes Zumba (here) and 10 minutes dance workout (here). For the price point I think they’re definitely an investment and they’re super duper cute.
Right now they are not shipping to the UK and even though they are more expensive via UK stockists, do remember we will get hit with import tax from outside UK. I had a lot of problems ordering from their official website back in November as they hold their stocks in multiple locations in the US in attempt to reduce carbon emission and the products I wanted ended up being unavailable through the specific location. The customer service did make up for it (explained via email and gave me a discount code), but shipping to UK is still halted due to the Brexit mess.
If you made it to this point, thank you. Whether you are a new reader or a returning one, I appreciate you taking your time. Please let me know if you want to read more reviews like this!
I know it’s been absolutely ages but I am alive and COVID-free. However, with UK being put in another lockdown and London in a state of emergency I struggle to find the motivation to dress up and take photos. I hope you all understand. I will be back one day I hope. In the mean time, please take care. I am back on Instagram a little bit though you might notice I don’t post a lot about vintage at the moment.
Some of you might have noticed that I haven’t posted on Instagram since July 15th. Somehow that day I just felt like I had had enough of the social media toxicity and needed to stay away for my own mental health.
My personal anxiety over the pandemic and my anger towards the vintage community were reaching a new level and I knew I had to step back and reevaluate. Does it spark joy? - No it didn’t, and it still doesn’t.
Every few days I have a quick scroll and what I see is more racism and discrimination and more misinformation regarding COVID-19. As a vintage community member who’s POC and as a scientist, I feel attacked from many different angles.
So I put my shield up.
I stopped posting and stopped interacting with people. And I felt better. I have had many of you reach out here, or via email or through messaging apps, and I am pleasantly surprised that many have noticed my absence. I have had one or two rude messages/comments, but I try to remember to not take criticism from people I don’t go for advice to.
I don’t know when I will return. If I will return at all. But rest assured I am not done with the blog. I haven’t posted much I know, but I am focusing on my other blog Vintagepillbox where I write about science history. Right now it’s just easier to blog about other things than myself as I’m still shielding and not going out!
Anyway, I hope you are also taking care of yourself mentally and physically.
Current mood: floating. I feel quite empty and directionless lately. I find it challenging to stay positive and think of a future post-pandemic and honestly the only thing that’s been helping me is focusing on work. Both doing my tasks and getting involved in the race equality network discussions and talks at work have been acting like some kind of anchor. I am still npt on social media much but do know that I am trying to focus on my mental health.
Vintage 1950s Jonathan Logan dress - Etsy
Custom made hat by @tanithrowan
Vintage 1950s gloves - thrifted
Vintage 1950s lucite earrings - Etsy
Note: Equality vs equity. Equality achieves fairness by treating everyone the same regardless of need, while equity achieves this by treating people differently dependent on need.
When I hear about people pushing back on BLM or anti-racism, I often think these people are both scared and misguided. These movements are not intended to erase the white people or their cultures, nor to take away anyone’s basic human rights. We want equal rights, equal opportunities, and extra help for people who need them in spite of colours and races. We want to be seen and heard. So when I saw this cute magazine cover I thought it would be good to move the man back a little bit and make us partners. Equal and equitable partners.
OK... but how have *you* been using your privileges to support BLM, equality, diversity and social justice?
I’m not single (far from it), but I imagine if I was I would be asking this question to anyone I match with. I surround myself with like-minded people, and some might even say I live in a bubble. But why would I waste my time with people who argue that BIPOC are not really facing discrimination, that gender pay gap isn’t real, or that I’m always making everything about race? Many disguises hate as political views or difference in opinions, and I am just really over it. I am so grateful for my husband and I agreeing on many things, and I am grateful I never had to compromise my views to be with him. Choose good people, cut out the toxic people in your life, and SSDGM.
Vintage 1950s coat - thrifted in New York
Top - @uniqlo
Trousers - @vixen_by_micheline_pitt
Vintage 1950s earrings - @swagmansdaughter
Brooch - @erstwilder
When I picked this image to recreate I thought, “Wow finally an image that isn’t culturally appropriating!”. This image didn’t use people as props, didn’t use cultural pieces as costumes, and I think it’s quite beautiful. It just felt like a beautiful holiday photo. Throughout history, exoticism is in paintings, music, and writings. But isn’t exoticism just cultural appropriation? The main difference is back then they had no way to learn about the significance of the cultures they borrowed. But obviously now we have the power of knowledge in our hands and we can no longer feign ignorance. You cannot love Asian vintage pieces without really asking yourself if you have treated Asians differently since the pandemic. You cannot consume swing music and rock and roll without admitting that it originated in the Black community. You cannot pick and choose what you want from our cultures but treat us like second-class citizens who have to ask for your permissions to exist. Even within the vintage community, we all have a lot to think about. We cannot rewrite history, but we definitely should examine it.
The recreation project has reminded me that Western beauty standards are absolutely ridiculous.
As I photoshop myself into these images, I can’t help but notice how different my body is to the subjects in the photo. My waist is always bigger than theirs and my legs chunkier and gosh the comparison continues. Obviously, many of you must agree with me that it is ridiculous to compare myself to fashion models, but for many BIPOC the comparison goes beyond our sizes. Growing up, I see white women being the standard of beauty - my eyes are too small, my nose too flat, and I wish I had different coloured hair/eyes/skin tone (I am so happy that I don’t feel this way any more). In Indonesia, many of the celebrities we see on TV are half Indo and half white. Just like in India, fair skins are coveted in Indonesia. We have skin whitening products and our mothers always tell us to cover ourselves from the sun. People often asked me for tips (because my skin is quite fair) and I was always speechless because honestly, it’s just upsetting that people can’t see the uniqueness of their own beauty. As we diversify our feed, let’s commit to diversifying beyond physical attributes and actually appreciate the persons within.
Vintage 1950s Lilli Ann jacket - eBay
Vintage 1940s hat - Etsy
Vintage 1940s earrings
Old pearl necklace
Gifted modern bag
I hesitated to post this because I don’t 100% love my outfit. It seemed cute in my head but I don’t really love it on me. This dress is super cute but doesn’t fit me well around the bust, the hat is not quite right, and I somehow make it looks like a mish-mash of decades. It just doesn’t come out right. But it makes me think about how everything we are doing lately is about learning and making mistakes. Sometimes things seem okay in our heads but they come out wrong. Sometimes we aren’t exactly happy with the things we’ve done or said but maybe rather than pretending these things didn’t happen, we should just learn from them. I have been feeling really really down in the past two days and I’m taking the day off work tomorrow so hopefully tomorrow will be a better and more productive day. I hope you are taking care of your hearts and letting yourselves make mistakes too. And learning from them.
Vintage 1940s dress - shop no longer exists
Vintage 1940s hat - Etsy
Vintage 1950s corde bag - thrifted
1930s-style shoes - ℅ @memeryshoes
Girl… Of course I love your clothes and your dog, but we’re not done talking about BLM though.
I’ve seen many people talk about allyship fatigue. I see people looking at my stories less and I know people are itching to go back to “normal lives”. I get it. The lockdown is really taking a toll on my mental health but I keep reminding myself that this COVID-19 is affecting BIPOC in a greater way - it is a fact that the death rate of BIPOC in the UK in higher than their white counterparts. On top of that, BIPOC are less likely to seek medical attention (due to past experiences) or be given timely or appropriate treatments. Worse, the majority of health workers who have died from COVID in the UK are BIPOC. [Check my stories for some stats]. Racism is deep-rooted and it is the chronic disease of our society. Sometimes it feels a little too late to treat to try to change, but it doesn’t mean that we should give up. We might not be able to fix it *now*, but it doesn’t mean we should stop trying to fix it for the future generations. So yeah, we can go back to talking about clothes and hair and all, but we are definitely not done talking about BLM.
Vintage 1940s dress - shop no longer exists
Vintage 1940s hat - Etsy
Miz Mooz heels - ℅ @eliseboutique
I can’t believe that this is actually the 10th recreASIAN I’ve done! When I first started the main reason was the lockdown. I also realised that putting an image to my sometimes heavy caption is a way to provide balance. I know many of you are here because of my vintage outfits, but increasingly many of you appreciate the reflections/thoughts I put into my captions. These images take more time to do compared to usual outfit pics, and honestly, the algorithm has made me wonder if it is worth the effort. Many people don’t seem to see my postings any more (same as my stories) and I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve posted too much political stuff and people are just sick of them. But do let me know what you think - shall I continue? Note: I’m taking a hiatus on Instagram but will continue to post on the blog.
Vintage 1950s knit set - @paperunicornvintage
Accessories - thrifted/vintage market
Hat - gift from a colleague years ago
When the pandemic started, we had no idea how it would change the world. My husband kept saying that the pandemic brought out the best and the worst of humanity. We learn that our sacrifice can save people, so we stay home. We learn to care for others virtually. We learn that wearing masks do not only protect us but protect others. Living in East London I had always thought the area was a good one - people seem to care about vegan eating, waste-free living, and social justice. However, looking out my window on a second day after the lockdown has been eased I see no one wearing masks nor social distancing, people singing and dancing on the streets without any care in the world, and I dread what’s coming.
But for all of you who are staying at home, I salute you. I’m not saying people cannot leave the house - some have to work, some have caring responsibilities, and some have dogs to walk. In fact, I read an interesting article about how staying at home and doing your activism online has really helped the BLM movement. Many of us are using this time to learn about social injustice and sharing them virtually. So I guess there is hope in the world?
Vintage 1950s dress - @raleighvintage
Vintage 1950s fur cape - eBay
Vintage 1950s fascinator, gloves and earrings - Etsy
Rethinking “independence”. [Originally posted on July 4 on Instagram)
With the lockdown being relaxed this weekend (I mean, pubs are open) in the UK and today being the 4th of July in the US, I really am struggling with the concept of independence. While things are open and I can see people outside, I choose to stay at home still. For my friends who are at high-risk, for my friends and family in the healthcare system, and really because I don’t feel comfortable (as a scientist) with the government’s decision. I live in a very crowded area, and gosh I do want to go out, but I won’t unless I really have to. I remember at the beginning of the lockdown listening to one of my favourite podcasts @earhustlesq and hearing Earlonne the presenter said something about quarantine and lockdown giving people a taste of how it feels like to be incarcerated. To have your freedom taken away from you is tough, but what if you were actually innocent? Or if you were given a sentence you didn’t actually deserve? Kalief Browder, The Central Park Five, Groveland Four. If these names aren’t familiar to you, please read about them. Please take some time today on the 4th of July to rethink the concept of independence.
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Recreating a Schiaparelli fashion shoot from 1937.
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Vintage 1930s dress - Etsy
Vintage 1930s halo hat - @overthetopvintage
Vintage 1950s Schiaparelli earrings
Modern gloves
Vintage 1960s bow brooch - vintage fair
