I was really hoping to meet Cherry Dollface while she was in Australia and figured GreazeFest would be my chance. She was very busy with her workshops all day and unfortunately I never actually got the chance to go and say hi to her. Every time I walked passed her building she was either in the middle of a workshop or photoshoot, and I never saw her around at the night time stuff. Still, The Man managed to snap a pic with her while I was getting my hair done on the Saturday evening - how convenient eh? Haha Still, because she's such a sweetheart she agreed to do an interview for this blog!

 

 

Sheri Bomb: You began modelling after a picture of you at VLV ended up in Ol’ Skool Rods – how did you break into the modelling world? What made you decide to get into modelling?

 

Cherry Dollface: I never really thought about it, honestly. After that first magazine, I had a few companies ask me to model their things for websites and I used to just do it in trade for their clothes. It was just a fun hobby. When people would ask, I would do it!

 

SB: What was your first shoot like? Were you nervous? Have you had any awkward or embarrassing experiences at shoots?

 

CD: I think my first real shoot was at my old house. It was 10 years ago so it’s hard to remember. But I do remember feeling really awkward. I haven't ever really been nervous to shoot. But I have definitely done some super awkward ones. At that first one, we shot on my back porch and I was like "I have a great idea! I'll pretend to build the stairs!"... thinking it would be super cute. I grabbed a hammer and a screwdriver and just kind of sat that awkwardly. Not my finest work!

 

SB: You started your YouTube channel in 2011 – what made you decide to make the jump from modelling?

 

CD: I had girls asking me all of the time how I was doing my hair and makeup for shoots. So I thought youtube would be a fun little side thing. I thought if I could get a few hundred followers, it would be awesome.

 SB: How do you come up with your content?

 

CD: I ask the girls that follow me what they want to see!

 

SB: How long does it take you to film and edit? Are there heaps of funny outtakes?

 

CD: Totally depends on the video. Could be an hour, could be 6. And I usually keep the funny bits in. I only edit out the boring stuff!

 

SB: Your success on YouTube saw you release your own line of lipsticks and glosses with Bomber Betty Cosmetics and a dress with Steady Clothing – how did this come about?

 

CD: They both approached me and I was super excited for both. I had done reviews for both companies on my channel, so I think that probably sparked the whole thing.

 

SB: Your work has taken you all over America, Europe and even Australia – which has been your favourite place you’ve visited?

 

CD: Oh man... I love them all for different reasons. Really what I love most is the girls. Every single one of them! But as far as the touristy stuff... definitely England as a whole. And Edinburgh as a city. Also loved New Zealand for how beautiful it was. And Sydney is super fun. I think a lot of it is just how cool the girls are that I get to stay with and hang out with. For that, I would choose almost every city!

 

SB: With the workshops that you host, you’re offering tutorials in real time.  What’s it like being out from behind the screen?

 

CD: So much fun! I actually prefer to do real-life events. Youtube is fun and cool to be creative, but what I really love is the human interaction-- the hugs, the smiles, the instant feedback, the one on one contact. Nothing beats that!

 

SB: Did the face to face aspect of it all come easily to you?

 

CD: Absolutely. I am more of an "in person" person so it comes more naturally than anything. All I have to do is be myself and it's so nice!

 

SB: You’re very passionate about positive body image and helping people to find their self-confidence – where does this passion come from?

 

CD: From being a young insecure girl and wishing there was someone out there back then that had of said the things I was thinking. It took me so many years to figure myself out and be confident. It is still something I struggle with. I feel that if I voice my feelings and try to offer any help that I can to girls that are also struggling, I am doing some sort of good. I like the feeling of putting good stuff out there. There is already too much negative. Too many bitchy girls tearing each other down. I don't want any part of that.

Image: Jenna Kraczek Photography

SB: You also seem quite passionate about sharing eco-friendly solutions to all aspects of life – is this something you’re interested in bringing over into your cosmetics?

 

CD: Bomber Betty is already paraben free, hypo allergenic, cruelty free, sulfate free, gluten free and mostly vegan. That is why I attached my name to that company. I like what they are doing and what they are about!

 

SB: What’s next for Cherry Dollface?

 

CD: WORLD DOMINATION!!!! or maybe another tour or two. Haha. Who knows! I am just continuing to move forward, trying to be positive, trying to put good stuff out there, and trying to have fun at the same time.

 

SB: What did you enjoy most about your time in Australia and at GreazeFest?

 

CD: I always enjoy all of the girls I get to hug, the food I get to eat, and the sights I get to see that are unique to each country and city I visit.

 

As the final day of GreazeFest, Sunday always has an unusual yet enjoyable sense of exhaustion combined with the feeling of never wanting it to end. So with that in mind, I opted for comfort to see me through until the end of the festival and give my aching feet a break. We rocked up just in time to catch the end of The Sugarshakers on the indoor Rockhouse stage and by the time we’d grabbed a table, said our hellos and started on the first beer of the day, The Hi-Boys were already up. For an earlier morning time slot, these guys rocked it! I always love The Hi-Boys, they always put on such an energetic show and their music has that fast pace I like, with plenty of sinful sex appeal that would have 50s women clutching their pearls.

 

 

After we sweated up a storm getting down to The Hi-Boys, we kicked back with a cold one to the sweet yet slightly twisted hillbilly sounds of Hank’s Jalopy Demons. We were bopping in our seats to tracks like Shake-a-bop and Way Out and tapping away to some of their classics like King Kong and I’m Going Straight. I was especially pleased when they played one of my favourites of theirs, She’s Well Stacked. We considered popping out onto the oval to get another hit of The Detonators, but Labretta Suede was up next and I certainly didn’t want to miss that!

 

GreazeFest – there really is nothing like it, and it’s the most fun we have all year!

 

Top: Leopard Sweater from Peta Pledger (second hand from a friend, not helpful sorry!)

Pants: Collectif Black Hilda Capris from Stars and Swallows (no longer available)

Hair: Red Flowers from Atomic Cherry, Beehive by me!

I didn't want to miss a minute of all the GreazeFest action, so after being there all day I didn't want to have to leave in order to get ready for all the evening fun. Cue Fabulous Everything Hair & Make Up coming to the rescue! While doing my own make up wouldn't be a problem, I didn't want to have to worry about trying to do something decent with my hair, holding up the line in the ladies room so Juanita and Fanny saw to it that I looked my best. Besides, lets not kid ourselves, their hair skills far surpass mine and with a special outfit planned, I wanted my hair to look just as good.

 

My hair was ready, but the rest of me wasn't so I skipped off to a friend's hotel room nearby and got my face on, shimmied into my dress and downed a glass of champagne to calm my nerves. You see, for the last few months I had been working towards wearing this dress. It was my 'goal dress' when I started getting serious at the gym with my health and fitness. I wanted to be trim and tight enough to feel confident in wearing this amazing, figure-hugging dress. I purchased the dress about a month out from GreazeFest, feeling confident that I was on track to wearing it. It wasn't cheap, but it was certainly beautiful and I wanted to use it as my reward for all my hard work. I'd been lusting after this dress for quite some time. The week of GreazeFest, I tried it on and was a little shaken. It didn't quite look as good as I had imagined, as I had hoped. I wasn't sure if it was all in my head, just the nerves of wearing something I'm not used to wearing, or if it was the truth. Still, I had nothing else to wear and I figured I just had to go for it.

 

When I emerged from the bathroom with it on, my friends whooped and whistled. Sure, that's the kind of reaction a gal wants when she makes an appearance dressed to the nines, but inside I was still quite nervous and unsure. My breathing was laboured, my heart was hammering and I was shaking a little. Could I actually pull this off? Or was I just going to look like one very shimmery, over-stuffed sausage? I decided it was time for those voices in my head to just shut the heck up and for me to just get out there! I must say, everybody was very lovely and soon I had forgotten all about my doubts and was enjoying this new-found confidence. Besides, Doubleblack were up on stage and absolutely ROCKING the house with a wall of sound! There was nothing left to do but let myself go and boogie!

 

 

After Doubleblack finished, the packed dancefloor cleared while everybody caught their breath and cooled off a little. Rusty Pinto provided the perfect sound track for sipping a drink for a minute of reprieve. A little less wound up than Doubleblack but still kept you bopping along, ready for more. Rusty is a bit of a favourite up here in Queensland and the crowd certainly let him know that he was welcomed back. They screamed and yelled for more, but unfortunately his time was over and it was time for headlining Swedish act The Go Getters to take to the stage.

 

These guys whipped up a storm the last time they visited Australia a few year ago, and this time was no exception. Joined by Tyron of The ReChords on the stand up bass, Peter and Totte brought an explosive energy to the stage. Their hard and fast music is backed by a driving rhythm that makes you wanna shake that thang - and shake we did! The Go Getters played a SUPER extended set, working the crowd into a frenzy, and there was no doubt that the crowd had absolutely got their money's worth. One of the things I really enjoyed was seeing Pete and Totte visibly, so obviously enjoying their time up on the stage. Tonight all the action wound down at 10pm and although earlier in the day we had been lamenting this and planning places to go out afterwards, after a big day out in the sun on our feet and dancing up a storm, we quietly sent a thank you out to Lori Lee wherever she was for saving us from ourselves, remember we had to front up and do it all over again tomorrow! 

Fur: Black Faux Fur Wrap from eBay

Jewellery: Earrings, Necklace & Brooch (holding by fur closed) Lovisa

Shoes: Raquel Black by InStep from Williams Shoes

 

So it turns out the Monica dress is amazing! I've seen smaller girls wear it and I've seen plus size girls wear it and it seems to have the magical powers of looking great on everyone. Although I do think it's a dress that is enhanced by curves, so if you tend to be straight up and down in your shape it might not be for you. It has a built in shaper, which gives you a really nice, firm hug and keeps everything where it should be. The lovely rouching and drape of the fabric is also great because although it's skin tight, it's just enough to disguise any imperfections. The dress is also nice and warm to wear, so it was perfect for this kind of night time event in winter. I've seen lots of reviews on this dress and they all seem to agree on these details.

 

Something all of them failed to mention however, is how difficult this dress can be to get into (and out of)! Forget looking like a saucy minx, you'll be contorting yourself and jumping all over the room trying to get it to budge. I dunno, maybe I'm just a spaz, but the built in shaper makes getting in and out of the dress a bit of a physical challenge. I think it's a bit of an art, and once you get it down pat it gets easier. Still, I think it's something worth mentioning as the first time I put it on was a bit of a sight. My tip is to step into it from the top and get your arms in the sleeves and then pull and wiggle it up over the rest of you and into place. Don't say I didn't warn you.

 

Also, I had to list my shoes on this one because these shoes are super affordable, and look great with EVERYTHING, but are also super comfortable! I am onto my second pair already (I also have them in red) and am about to buy my third pair in the black. I have worn them so much that they have stretched and no longer support my foot properly, meaning that have lost their super comfy magical powers. But they last quite well if you try not to wear them to death like I do, and when they do eventually need replacing, replace them I do because they are the best and most comfortable heel I have ever worn. Aside from the black and the red, I've also seen them come in a lovely cobalt blue and a peacock green. They have a slightly pointy tip, but only ever so slightly. I just love them and thought everyone else needed to know about them! haha

Having been on my best behaviour the night before, I awoke Saturday morning feeling refreshed and ready to get back into the action. We were blessed with some incredible ‘winter’ weather here in Queensland and the sun was shining, warming up the day to a very comfortable temperature. We rocked up at about 10.30 and said a few quick hello’s over a beer before heading out onto the oval for a quick scout around the cars and stalls.
 

Although we’d checked out the Art Show briefly the night before, the calibre of art on offer definitely required another going over so we spent some time in the Tiki Bar taking in all the detail and talent on show. By the time we emerged at the side of stage, The Bone Rattlers had taken to the stage and were amping things up as the day visitors straggled out the gates and the stayers geared up for the night time festivities. I just managed to enjoy the whole set from The Bone Rattlers before flouncing off to my appointment with Fabulous Everything Hair & Make Up to get my ‘do did before changing into my special night time outfit. But more on that later…

 Dress: Canyon Dig It? Dress from ModCloth

Hat: SunBody Kenny from Western Boot Barn

Earrings: Erstwilder Cactus Road Earrings from Vintage Pip

Boots: Brown Suede Cowboy Boots from 50 East Shoes

The Kenny hat was a fortuitous find, as I had only just started looking for a proper cowboy hat when I was contacted by Western BootBarn wanting to team up as an affiliate. Before I agreed to bring them on board, I figured I had better test out their quality and service so I secretly ordered the hat off the website and waited to see what happened. The hat was extremely well-priced and when it arrived (very quickly I might add) I was super impressed with the quality of it. It’s a real pinto hat made in Mexico. For that price, and for its speedy arrival, I was delighted to have WesternBoot Barn on board! They sell all kinds of mens, womens and childrens western wear, cowboy boots, belt buckles hats and so forth.

 

My boots that I’d been dying to take for a spin around GreazeFest are unfortunately not available online. I picked them at up at Opry Mills, the mall opposite the Grand Ole Opry, when we were in Nashville last year. You’d think cowboy boots would be easy to find in Nashville, and there was certainly no shortage of them, but despite going up and down Broadway for hours trying on all kids of pairs of boots, it wasn’t until I’d actually given up on getting a pair and we were killing some time at the mall before the show at the Grand Ole Opry that I came across these boots and instantly fell in love with their fringing and antique gold star detailing. They’re super comfy to wear and I love them! If you’re after a great pair of boots, check out what’s on offer at Western Boot Barn – they have some great options which are tempting me at the moment!

The anticipation was building all day and for those of us who didn't have the day off work, I don't imagine we got much work done anyway! Social media was buzzing with all the final preparations for the beginning of the GreazeFest Kustom Kulture festivities. For any readers who live on the south side of Brisbane, you may even have spotted me in the local paper.

 

I spent most of the day counting down the hours until home time and popped into the hairdressers during my lunch break to get my hair did for the evening. It's been fun experimenting with different styles even though I've got the side of my head shaved and I'm surprised by what I (and the professionals) can achieve! Finally all the primping and preening was done and it was time to head to the first night of the festival!

Little Billy kicked off the night but I must admit I didn't get to see much of the band as everybody was rolling through the gates and every which way I turned I ran into a familiar face that required squeals of delight, hugs and catch ups, not to mention oohing and ahhing over outfits and the odd selfie or two. Next up were Stripped Black and it was only towards the end of their set that I managed to make my way down to the stage but the few songs I caught had certainly picked up the pace and man was I ready to rock out!

The Detonators were up next and I was practically jumping out of my skin with excitement! I haven't seen these guys play live for quite some time, but they're one of my favourite Aussie rockabilly bands and they were just as good as I remember. They played a bunch of songs off their new album Monster in a Box, as well as all our old favourites. I nearly lost my voice from all the singing, screaming and shouting! With a little encouragement from the crowd (read: us starting a roaring chant) they played an encore of Jason You're A Lout, one of my all time favourite Detonators songs!

 

Just when we thought we'd caught our breath, headlining act Will & The Hi-Rollers took to the stage and rocked us some more. With a name like that, it makes sense that these guys hail from Las Vegas, but booking them as the final act of the night was no gamble. They whipped the crowd into a frenzy with their sassy showmanship and their obvious talent. These guys had so much energy, they looked like they could have kept playing well into the night and the crowd wouldn't have minded a bit! But alas, all good things must come to an end and so it was that we headed home to fall into bed and prepare to do it all over again tomorrow! 

Dress: Voodoo Vixen Penny Dress in Red from Blame Betty

Hair Flowers: Red Flower from Atomic Cherry

 

I wore the Penny dress in a size large but ultimately I think I probably could have sized down to the medium. Between my work at the gym paying off and plenty of stretch in the fabric, I think the medium would have fit my waist better, but instead I opted to wear a little belt that I dug out of the back of my cupboard at the last minute. I think it worked out great though, as the belt kind of helped to break up the print a little. This dress feels divine, the red base fabric is nice and thick but soft and stretchy making it super comfortable to wear. The mesh overlay is soft and light and the flocked floral design is so velvety and luxurious. I love the sheer top, giving you a bit of sexy peekaboo while still feeling 'covered'. The sweetheart bust line is really flattering while the keyhole cutout and tie up detail add a bit of interest. You could wear a petticoat under this dress for added fullness, but I wore it as is and the fabric hung beautifully, clinging to my curves before falling away in a beautifully draped A line.