Rockabilly is a modern-day recreation of the pin-up look that is a music style and often associated with the burlesque. In addition to having things in common with pin-up style, rockabilly also favors cherries, animal print, roses, and sugar skull patterns for clothes and purses. Sparrows, bows, roses, stars, sugar skulls, casino- and nautical-themed accessories are also popular.
You might think of the classic wiggle dress a la Mad Men when it comes to the pin-up look. But these styles can serve you well beyond the confines of your office. Pair that dress with pumps and wear it to a wedding or date night. Or, why not dress it down with adorable flats or Mary Janes and a jean jacket? Wear a button-up blouse with high-waisted jeans for a cute, casual look, or slip on a form-fitting wiggle skirt instead for a drop-dead sexy outfit. You’ll have a blast discovering a wide variety of ways to style these retro-chic designs from Unique Vintage.
The most important piece of advice for anyone wanting to rock the victory roll is to embrace the backcombing! There needs to be a lot of great backcombing, held with strong hold hairspray. Do this in small sections for the best results, smooth the outside with pomade ,and hide those bobby pins. This means that even girls with thin hair can get involved!
Lastly, I smoothed the front with Suavecita Pomade and finished with R+Co’s Outerspace Flexible Hairspray. In short, curl the hair with a small curling iron ans set it using a heat protectant. Tease the front into two sections and mold one side into a victory roll facing forward, and the other side into a barrel role going back. Use a lightweight pomade or wax to smooth and a flexible hairspray to set.
Fashions were quickly changing in the 1950s. Hemlines were coming up, and necklines were dropping. More women than ever before were turning in their dresses for pants. Many young men adorned their bedroom walls with 1950 pinup fashion posters of Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Natalie Wood and Marilyn Monroe. Women sought to look like them by copying the 1950s pinup fashion. Many clothing items created in the 1950s are great to wear to work, school and parties today.
Victory rolls may be a hallmark pin-up style, but they still give updos and longer lengths a quirky rockabilly vibe. To create this look, start by brushing your hair with a paddle brush. If you have detangling spray on hand, you’ll want to apply your product before styling to make sure your hair is free of any knots. Once your product has been applied, start by parting your hair off to the side. Next, grab the piece of hair you plan to roll, and gently backcomb the section to get some extra volume.
Victory rolls may be a hallmark pin-up style, but they still give updos and longer lengths a quirky rockabilly vibe. To create this look, start by brushing your hair with a paddle brush. If you have detangling spray on hand, you’ll want to apply your product before styling to make sure your hair is free of any knots. Once your product has been applied, start by parting your hair off to the side. Next, grab the piece of hair you plan to roll, and gently backcomb the section to get some extra volume.
1950s pin-up queens also made micro bangs a popular girl-next-door style. But this look can still be worn today for a mod and trendy edge. While these bangs are nothing short of chic, it’s important to keep in mind that baby bangs require constant care (via trims) and styling. However, accessories can definitely dress up your bangs easily, so be sure to add in a bright colored bandana to show off your eccentric style.
Beginning in the early nineteenth century, pin-up modeling had "theatrical origins",[3] burlesque performers and actresses sometimes used photographic advertisement as business cards to advertise shows.[4] These adverts and business cards could often be found backstage in almost every theater's green room, pinned-up or stuck into "frames of the looking-glasses, in the joints of the gas-burners, and sometimes lying on-top of the sacred cast-case itself." Understanding the power of photographic advertisements to promote their shows, burlesque women self-constructed their identity to make themselves visible. Being recognized not only within the theater itself but also outside challenged the conventions of women's place and women's potential in the public sphere.[5] "To understand both the complicated identity and the subversive nature of the 19th-century actress, one must also understand that the era's views on women's potential were inextricably tied to their sexuality, which in turn was tied to their level of visibility in the public sphere: regardless of race, class or background, it was generally assumed that the more public the woman, the more 'public,' or available, her sexuality, according to historian Maria Elena Buszek. Being sexually fantasized, famous actresses in early-20th-century film were both drawn and photographed and put on posters to be sold for personal entertainment.[6] Among the celebrities who were considered sex symbols, one of the most popular early pin-up girls was Betty Grable, whose poster was ubiquitous in the lockers of G.I.s during World War II.
These types of retro swimsuit bottoms leave much more to the imagination than those itsy bitsy thong bikinis that seem to be “the thing” in this modern-day world, making them mysterious and sexy. And as the saying goes, less is not always more and our high waist retro bottoms are the perfect example of just that. Cinched at the waist before extending slightly above, these retro bikini bottoms will give you a perfect silhouette and all the comfort and coverage you desire.
To get pin curls: dab gel onto the root of a small section of damp hair, then twirl that section of hair around your finger until you get to your scalp. (You can twirl in whatever direction you’d like the curls to flow.) Slide your finger out of the curl and pin the curl to your head. Repeat for your entire head of hair, allow hair to dry, then remove pins, and voila![1]
The Pretty Dress Company: As the name suggests, this is the place to find the dress of your dreams. The cuts are extremely ’40s-, ’50s-, and ’60s-leaning, with tucked-in waists and longer hems and pencil skirts. They aren’t cheap, but the quality is amazing. If you’ve been eyeing a gorgeous vintage blogger on Insta, this is where they got that dress.
Swing coats were popular when a lady went out because their fullness helped cover the bulkiness of many dresses. These coats featured fitted shoulders and flared out at the bust line. Most had large buttons all the way down the front. Many had a large belt helping to keep the coat securely closed. Jacques Fath first introduced this coat in the late 1940s, but it grew in popularity during the 1950s as it was easy to hide the baby bump which no self-respecting woman would show. Dior added one to his collection in 1951. You may hope that it rains everyday with this beautiful retro swing coat from Miss Poppy Wear(@misspoppywear).
The most important piece of advice for anyone wanting to rock the victory roll is to embrace the backcombing! There needs to be a lot of great backcombing, held with strong hold hairspray. Do this in small sections for the best results, smooth the outside with pomade ,and hide those bobby pins. This means that even girls with thin hair can get involved!
I followed the size chart, and ordered based on my measurements, and I'm a curvy girl. It fit perfectly. I'm 5'1", so it hits me right below the knees. I didn't have any of the fit issues that I've seen in other reviews. You don't really need the petticoat, but it hangs sort of sad if you don't wear one. I put a red ribbon belt on it instead of the black one that came with it. I thought it was cuter.
There is truly no right or wrong look for anyone, let’s just get that out there first. If you like it, wear it. Plain and simple. That being said, clothing styles are tailored to certain body shapes so there are some that are naturally a better fit than others. We have taken a look at the various cuts and styles of the vintage eras and come up with a fool-proof way to reach your perfect pin-up persona.
WOW! This dress is just stunning...we've been looking at this style for a while now and it's exceeded our expectations. The flowing chiffon fabric is gathered between the underbust seam and waist and turns into a full circle shirt over a soft and smooth lining which has a built in bra with removable soft cups. Genius! The shirring in the back panel provides a nice firm fit and I'd recommend a long Hell Bunny petticoat underneath to complete the look.
Shop our Pin-up Style Clothing! Hello, dollface! Are you a lover of iconic looks? A collector of forgotten treasures? An enthusiast for all things vintage? Well, you've come to just the right spot. Our collection of pin-up style clothing is perfect for a reto-loving gal like you. These pin-up clothes are ideal for splitting a sundae at your local ice cream counter or twirling your heart out during a night of swing dancing. Go all-out classic with your styling, too! Simply top with red lipstick, victory curls, and a pair of your favorite pumps. Just make sure they're ones that can withstand an hour or two of dancing the Lindy Hop!
Other pin-ups were artwork depicting idealized versions of what some thought a particularly beautiful or attractive woman should look like. An early example of the latter type was the Gibson Girl, a representation of the New Woman drawn by Charles Dana Gibson. "Because the New Woman was symbolic of her new ideas about her sex, it was inevitable that she would also come to symbolize new ideas about sexuality."[9] Unlike the photographed actresses and dancers generations earlier, fantasy gave artists the freedom to draw women in many different ways.[10] The 1932 Esquire "men's" magazine featured many drawings and "girlie" cartoons but was most famous for its Vargas girls. Prior to World War II they were praised for their beauty and less focus was on their sexuality. However, during the war, the drawings transformed into women playing dress-up in military drag and drawn in seductive manners, like that of a child playing with a doll.[11] The Vargas girls became so popular that from 1942–46, owing to a high volume of military demand, "9 million copies of the magazine-without adverts and free of charge was sent to American troops stationed overseas and in domestic bases."[12] The Vargas Girls were adapted as nose art on many World War II bomber and fighter aircraft; Generally, they were considered inspiring, and not seen negatively, or as prostitutes, but mostly as inspiring female patriots that were helpful for good luck.[13]
Love these. My butt looks freaking fantastic in these and I'm sure yours will too. Wore these with my black bordello pumps and they looked incredibly cute. Very comfortable too. The buttons were fun to figure out when i needed to pee in a hurry, but the cloth started to break in and get easier. I've got voluptuous legs naturally (cuban) and this gave me a natural thigh gap I've not used to seeing. Thank you magic pants!
Due to the stretch in the fabric, the measurements below are as per the Sourpuss body measurements chart. We recommend using the waist measurement as your main guide. Dress has plenty of stretch so we recommend sizing down if you are in between sizes. We are happy to assist with size selection. Exchange, refund or store credit is available on all items.
I think this is my favourite Chic Star pencil dress so far! It's made from poly/elastane stretch fabric in a gorgeous midnight blue. The fabric is lovely and soft and smooth against the skin. My favourite feature apart from the lace is the ruched bust. Definitely a great dress to wear to work or for an evening out. My measurements are bust 90cms (12DD bra), waist 69cms and hips 93cms and the size 8 is a perfect fit. If you have any questions, please get in touch!
