First and foremost, you’re going to want to start from the top, literally, your hair is up first. There are several different hairstyles that you can choose from but, some of the most popular can be a little bit daunting at first when putting together the perfect look to go with your pinup dress. If you want to go the easy route, be bold and cut in some Betty Page style bangs and flat-iron your beautiful locks for an edgy but simple look. But, if you’re more daring, maybe you want to try your hand at some victory rolls. First, you’ll curl your hair, dab some gel onto the roots of your hair and loop your hair using your fingers into rolled curls. You can twirl whichever direction you want to, but it’s most common to curl the rolls inward for a symmetrical look. Pin them in place from front and back, spray with some hair spray or liquid gel. You can now take out the pins or leave them in for some added strength.
A polka dot dress is always a must have for vintage inspired outfits, regardless of the season. After all, it’s a classic! However, the modern-day fashion trends for spring and summer have also fallen in love with the polka dot look which is great news for ladies with a retro wardrobe. After all, you’ve been perfecting the polka dot look all this time. So, now is the perfect time to show the world how to wear polka dot dresses like a fashion icon from the 50’s in this vintage red hot pencil dress.
Unique Vintage: The go-to for entry-level retro fast fashion. Coming out of a boutique in Burbank, California, Unique Vintage carries a huge variety of dresses, skirts, shoes, and accessories from many of the brands on this list, and it frequently sends sale alerts and email discount codes to newsletter subscribers and members of its Facebook group. If you’re just starting out, this is a great place to begin.
Pin up hairstyles can work for those with very short hair too. It’s just a matter of how you style it. She has used the length of her hair to the maximum advantage by sweeping the bangs to the side and backcombing the crown section. You can copy this cute hairstyle if you wear a pixie. Add in a polka dot bow and you’ll get proper short pin up hair.
Gently flatten the back of the roll and curls under to close off the back of the victory roll (since this is the more traditional look that we’re going for), making sure to bobby pin well! Shape the front of the roll as needed, make sure to bobby pin the roll from the inside out, and spray well with hairspray. Repeat step #3 and #4 with the other side, and your rolls are done!
• Dresses: This is the thing that ladies following the pin up style just can’t do without! The most diverse silhouettes are all in for this range from A-lines to body-flattering tight options. The accent on the waist is the most important detail here. You may also create some contrasts with colors using monochrome dresses and matching them with accessories like when matching a tight fitting black dress with a red floral accessory.
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.
After that, I swept the rest of my hair into a bun at the crown of my head. The ponytail comes curled and has little combs in it that can attach to the bun. You pin the combs in and tighten the drawstring on the ponytail. I then wrapped it around to give the illusion of an elastic holding the ponytail together. I pinned the ponytail in place all around the bun, then wrapped a vintage scarf around it and made a bow. I sprayed all over the hairstyle and around my hairline to sweep up any baby hairs, and voila!
Do you or did you used to work in an office environment? Then you're bound to own a pencil skirt. The classic pencil skirt is a key piece to bring to a pinup shoot as it's very usable and can be worn with shirts and cardigans or even just with your favorite bra. It is reminiscent of 1950s wiggle dresses that made the wearer walk with a little wiggle in their step.
You’ll want to start with one day post-washed hair. If you have cleaned and conditioned hair, it’ll be too ‘fluffy’ and light unless you use loads of hairspray and back-combing (which isn’t great for your hair by the way). Grab your sections from the front half of your head and pin the rest out the way or hold it back with a ponytail. Split in half and you have the two chunks you’ll be transforming.
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.
The pin-up modeling subculture has produced magazines and forums dedicated to its community. Delicious Dolls,[35] a magazine that began in 2011 and has both a print and digital version, was described in 2015 as "the most-liked" pin-up magazine in the world. One of the magazine's mission statements is "to promote and showcase retro and modern pin-up girls". The magazine supports pin-up-related events throughout the United States and allows anyone to be featured in the magazine as long as they have worked with an approved photographer. Within this subculture there are opportunities to perform in pin-up contests, including one which takes place during the Viva Las Vegas rockabilly festival.[36] The goal of the contest is "not one that is based solely on popularity or cosmetic appeal, but one that includes inner beauty as well". Women of "all shapes and sizes" are encouraged to participate, and winners are judged on their biographies, pastimes, and work they do outside of the pin-up hobby. They do not perform, but rather are judged on their authenticity, originality, overall styling presentation, crowd appeal, and stage presence.
Pinup Girl Clothing: Leaning a little more mainstream and rockabilly, Pinup Girl has an enormous fanbase that spans a variety of subcultures and demographics, from hardcore pinup enthusiasts to true vintage hounds to Disney fanatics. The shop always features some kind of sale and carries collections inspired by everyone from Audrey Hepburn to Dita Von Teese that go up to a size 4X.
The dress is absolutely gorgeous. I recieved the dress a day earlier than scheduled , it came in a neatly wrapped package. I am 5ft (60 inches) and I weigh about 146 ibs. I ordered the dress in a small. The small is a bit snug but it's tight in all the right places. I do believe a medium would have worked too. The zipper was a bit difficult to zip not sure if that was because the dress was too tight or because of the design . The dress is not see through as it has a polka dot lining on the inside . There is a very classy slit at the back of the dress and it hits me about two finger breaths above my knees. Over all I would buy from this seller again.
Do you ever find yourself craving an ensemble that transports you to a different time and place entirely? Should that be the case, you've found yourself in the perfect place! Around here, retro dresses are our specialty, because they're not just a fun fashion choice - they're essentially a time machine, too! Once you explore the bold floral prints and playful fringe of our 1970s dresses, be sure to swing by our offerings of post-war-inspired shirt dresses and elegant cocktail frocks. With so many styles to discover and try, it's almost impossible to pick a favorite - but hey, at least now you know where to go when the mood for nostalgic style strikes!
Read my article Sammy Davis, for complete details, but no fashion designer had more influence on the 1950s fashion than Christian Dior. His influence can be seen in the A-line dress that he introduced in the spring of 1955. Until that point, women had worn fashions with tightly nipped-in waist and broad shoulders. The A-line was seen as radical because of its narrow shoulders, elongated waistline and trumpet-like flared hemline. Take a look at this vintage A-line dress from Rose Wholesale (@rosewholesale_official) to create this look for yourself.
