This career woman let go of her busy life to become a 1950's-style housewife. And, she is rebutting critics who call her "anti-feminist."
Jayne Hall is part of a growing movement of so-called "tradwives," short for traditional wives. She chooses to be a homemaker, adhering to old-fashioned gender stereotypes which cast men as "breadwinners" and charged women with creating domestic bliss for their partners.
Hall was a swimming teacher before her ambitions did a U-turn as she went from working full-time to part-time to focus on cooking and cleaning for her partner, Allan, and their sons.
Hall had hoped to one day opening her own swimming school, but lockdown meant she became a full-time housewife. Even dressing in 1950's gear and using vintage appliances. Now, she has decided to embrace this life completely.
And, she is responding to critics who say "tradwives" attitudes are “outdated."
“I am very grateful to women who have fought for equal rights and know that sexism still exists in the world, but that's not what is happening here," she said.
“Being a tradwife, making my family home lovely and having my partner's dinner on the table when he gets home from work is my choice – not his. Living this way makes me happy."
“I'm not being held back, and I'm certainly not disrespecting feminism by being a tradwife," she added.
“As women, we should understand that it's about choice. There is no one set way to be a woman and, just as I don't belittle women who go to work, they shouldn't belittle me."
Hall dedicated long hours to her work. But, after having her son with her ex-husband, she decided to return to college, studying Japanese language and culture.
Always taking on new challenges, next she pursued her love of swimming and retrained so she could teach the sport.
“I've done lots of different things in my life," she said. “Previously, I lived a very feminist, independent life. But, looking back, I can see I wasn't happy then. I was going through life in a haze and was always painfully shy."
“As a bigger girl, I never wanted to draw attention to myself. I'd see women sometimes in beautiful, glamorous dresses and think, 'I wish I was brave enough to wear that,'" she added.
A single mother for some time, her independence gave her more confidence and she met Allan online seven years ago.
“I wanted somebody who would cherish me and give as much as they took from the relationship. That's exactly what I found in Allan. We're very similar, and grow together," she said.
But, she often came home from work mentally exhausted and there was scant opportunity for quality family time.
“I'd be completely drained after each day, then coming home to more work like lesson plans, as well as seeing to the house and kids," she said.
“Eventually, I went down to working part-time hours and I loved being at home more."
“Allan is not a man who thinks the woman should do the housework. Of course, he would help out, too, but as he worked full time, practically, I was at home more and so it made sense for me to take on the bulk of it."
Then, at the beginning of 2020, Hall handed in her notice at work. She was hoping to focus instead on opening her own swim school. But her mind changed again, after she enjoyed being a full-time housewife during lockdown so much that she decided not to resume her career.
“I feel mentally much better and on top of things more. The house is tidy, the garden looks lovely, the kids are happy and I'm more able to support Allan, who has a stressful job," she said.
Now, not only is Jayne living as a 1950s housewife, she is looking like one too.
For years, getting nasty reactions from strangers to her wearing vintage clothes stopped her from donning flamboyant 1950s dresses.
But, after buying a red lipstick in a vintage shop last year, everything changed.
“When I decided to go for it and put it on, I got so many compliments," Hall said.
“I'd been so shy for so long that I almost had to learn to say thank you and accept them, rather than feeling anxious that I had drawn attention to myself."
Jayne (PA Real Life/Collect)
Since then, she has ditched all her modern clothing in favor of 1950s styles.
“Size-wise, truly vintage outfits are difficult, as women in the 1950s were smaller than I am," she laughed.
“Rationing was still in place until 1954. I remember my grandma telling me that, on her wedding day in 1949, only one layer of her cake was real and the rest was cardboard just for show. There wasn't enough food to make a proper one."
“So, some of my outfits are from modern labels, but look retro. All of my jewelry is real vintage, though."
Jayne setting her hair (PA Real Life/Collect)
Hall also wears vintage-inspired makeup and sets her hair in rollers to complete the look.
“I often sleep in rollers and setting lotion. It's not very glamorous – I even have to wear a silk bonnet to keep it all in place. It's also very uncomfortable, so sometimes I'll just use heated rollers in the morning instead," she said.
“I know some women of the 1950s would get up before their husbands to do their hair and makeup, but I haven't gone quite that far. Besides, Allan gets up at 6am – I'm not that committed to the cause."
Jayne's hair setting lotion (PA Real Life/Collect)
Hall has actually found reactions to her look to be overwhelmingly positive.
“People will tell me they love the way I dress, and ask if I do it every day," she explained.
“Men are more gentlemanly – they'll hold doors open and so on."
“Older people in particular really like it. They tell me it's nice to see somebody dressed so beautifully, and that it reminds them of when they were growing up."
Jayne's vintage makeup brush (PA Real Life/Collect)
Hall's routine varies, but there are vintage aspects in every part. She uses vintage bedding around her house, and even cooks using vintage cookbooks.
Jayne cooking a vintage recipe (PA Real Life/Collect)
“It's never set in stone, and that's not to say the rest of the family don't sometimes cook and clean, too," she added.
Hall's house is decorated in a 1940's and 50's style, and all her furniture is vintage.
She even has some retro appliances, including a vacuum cleaner from 1952, vintage kitchen wear like a Sunbeam electric pan, mixer and coffee pot, and a Teasmade from 1955.
Jayne's Teasmade (PA Real Life/Collect)
“I absolutely love vintage appliances, but I always get them checked out by an electrician – I don't want to burn the house down," she said.
“People say coming to my house is like stepping back in time. I always joke to Allan that the only two things in our house that aren't vintage are our sons!"
She also joined a Facebook group full of like-minded women. Hall was thrilled to find a whole community of fellow tradwives who share homemaking tips and tricks online, also supporting each other when their lifestyle attracts negative judgements.
Jayne's vintage vacuum cleaner (PA Real Life/Collect)
She hopes that speaking out will show that she can be a tradwife and a feminist, as she believe feminism means respecting women's choices as individuals, no matter what they may be.
“I wish I had started living this way years ago. I've never been happier," she said.
“Being a kept woman is seen as lazy, or old-fashioned, but I have had the opportunity to be whatever I want, and I choose this."
“I feel lucky to be able to be at home to care for my family, and know women today have much more choice and freedom than they did in the 1950s."
A pineapple upside down cake that Jayne made using a vintage recipe (PA Real Life/Collect)
“People may not agree with me, but having a different opinion doesn't mean either of us are wrong. There's more than one way of doing things," she said.
“I'm not hurting anybody, and I'm not saying I'm better than women who do things differently and do go out to work."
“It's about weighing up what makes you happy, and what will make you look back at the end of your life and say, 'What a wild ride.'"
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