This young historian couple gave up modern life to live like it’s the 1930s — every day

Many of us adore vintage styles and classic times and are keen to incorporate some of them into our everyday lives. However, Ruth Shelley (@ladyadepha) and Robert Oestmann have made it the heart and soul of their lives, reported Bored Panda. The couple who were long engaged, married in 2022 but their vintage lives began long before. Going from the 1700s up to the 1900s, right from the classic hats and boots to the vintage curtains and couches, the duo is giving the internet a trip to nostalgia by literally living like they’re in the 1930s. And what we love more than their lifestyle and outfits is their perspective and enthusiasm behind it all. 

If you've ever seen a glimpse of the couple, you can’t miss Oestmann’s classic moustache, well-set hair, and old-fashioned outfits. He was inspired by his mother’s collection of antiques, followed by his love for old films. He feels right in place with his “historical clothes” and so decided to make the era timeless by living it every day with his lady love. As for Shelley, she was a “tomboy” in her teens, and the vintage life didn’t strike her until she tried a makeup look from the 1940s, and it felt seamlessly perfect. “Everything went from there, the makeup, then the clothes and hair, a few years later, and I'd say by the time I was 20 or 21, I was very much on the fashion track I've stayed on since,” she remarked. 

One of the defining things for the couple is making vintage finds and experimenting with cuisine from as early as the 1700s, according to The Mirror. If you browse through their Instagram, you’ll see vintage fashion at its best. Feathers in hats, well-stitched boots, skirts, scarves, and whatnot. Not just their clothing and style, even their home reflects the iconic times in an inspiring way. Right from the colors and wall structure to the ambiance, the food, and more, it’s like they were made for this life. Speaking of how they created it all from scratch, though at very young ages, the duo noted their antique collections, charity stores, and vintage shops are their go-to. Many have even been generous with inherited classic items that they knew the couple would cherish more than anyone else.

Their Christmases, Thanksgivings, and other holidays are all celebrated with the old prime traditions. One of the posts captured Shelley’s beautiful handmade decor and other vintage pieces for Christmas. They included pine cones, dried oranges, and designs that take you straight back to grandma’s home in the 90s. And it’s a feeling that can’t be explained. Speaking of why they are so tight-knit with their lifestyle on BBC Radio, the couple revealed that they do blend modernism with the old but are fans of the 90s. They have their business, smartphones and computers but there’s something about a vintage bicycle and traditional cooking methods.

Oestmann said, “I'm just being myself, or at least, trying to represent a generation-long past." Shelley added, “For us, this lifestyle works best and is beneficial for our relationships.” According to data shared by SAP Emersys, around three in five, i.e., 60% of American shoppers, purchase vintage items. The study on 2,041 American shoppers revealed that 23% purchase vintage just to decorate their homes, while 19% find sentimental value in antique pieces, going back to an unforgettable era. 17% noted that collecting such classic items is a retro hobby.

And the percentage is higher among the younger people. Around 72% of those aged between 25 and 34 enjoy vintage shopping. The next age group between 35 and 44 years has a close percentage of 71%. Older people reportedly shopped less for vintage items compared to younger generations. Sara Richter, CMO at SAP Emarsys, mentioned that the retro style is making its way back to the modern world for many reasons. “Today’s shoppers are hungry for the products of their past. And it’s not just what they buy — how they buy is also undergoing a retro revival,” she remarked. And when it looks as captivating and tempting as Oestmann and Shelley’s lifestyle, we don’t see why not!

You can follow Ruth Shelley (@ladyadepha) on Instagram for more content on vintage lifestyle. 

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