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.
Modern art – art for the masses, that is – is supposed to be fun and flirty, which is why this collection of American pin-up art is so incredible to scan through. Regardless of how you feel about the whole idea of Russia and its current state of affairs, you have to admit that this is a new blend of talent that shows off all sorts of things at once. If you know anything about Russia and their rules, you understand that their Soviet social posters are important in terms of their rigid rules and propriety. All of that is ridiculed in a tasteful way by spicing them up with pin-up art that really makes you take a second glance at these posters.
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.
Atomic Cherry is the online fashion home of vintage inspired clothing and all things retro. If you’re a fan of timeless elegance and sophistication with an unconventional twist, then you won’t be disappointed with our range. You can browse through a large collection of dresses from the bygone era of the 1940’s and 1950’s featuring, swing dresses, classic wiggle dresses, vintage inspired dresses and cotton sundresses. Our pin up clothing comes in a range of fabrics and prints from satins, retro patterns, gingham, and polka dot prints. So if you’re inspired by pin up girls such as Betty Page and Jean Harlow– then you’ve come to the right place.
There’s never been a better time to bring back those vintage styles from the ‘40s and ‘50s. The pin-up style in particular was all about femininity while also giving luscious ladies an empowered look. Once you slip into one of our stylish dresses or a sassy little ‘50s wiggle skirt, you’ll know exactly what we mean. Showing off your curves is easy when you have the right pin-up girl style, and the impeccable structure of these pieces make them a flattering fit for any body type. You’ll feel fierce, fashionable and feminine all at once when you rock our ‘50s rockabilly dresses and skirts or pin-up style shorts and tops.
Started in 1999 by Laura Byrnes, Pinup Girl Clothing is best known for its high quality, vintage inspired, made in the USA fashions. Composed of its house brands Pinup Couture, Deadly Dames, Dixiefried Clothing, and Laura Byrnes California it covers styles from the sweet demure to the vampy vixen and beyond. Embracing body positivity, Pinup Girl Clothing designs dresses in sizes ranging from XS to 4XL. Once you try one of their pieces, you'll know why so many other have fallen in love!
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.
The Poodle Do is a very versatile hairstyle to achieve as it can be created with most hair types and lengths, from just above the shoulders to hair that is midway down the back. It all depends on your ability to handle minimal hair (perhaps using a few hair extensions to pad the top out) or long hair (hiding excess hair by overlaying the hair as you wind it up into curls).
Rago: Before you even buy a vintage dress with a tucked-in waist, you’ll want to check out Rago Shapewear for waist cinchers, high-waisted panties, girdles, and suspenders. The brand’s best product, though, is its longline bra, which creates the kind of cinched waist that helps retro dresses fall more naturally. They come in a huge variety of sizes (up to 7X in some styles) and many different styles.
Bettie Page was a stunning woman. She looked fabulous wearing an easy pinned up hairstyle – well, then there wasn’t such a definition, women only did their best to move with the times. Bettie did her best to become an example of how sexy a girl can look. She was pretty bold, wearing a perfect hairstyle and nothing more – we mean, she was often spotted almost naked. However, the modern ladies can inherit only the hairstyle from her, adding it to their regular outfits. Here we have some examples of hairstyles that remind us miss Page and her ability to combine a feminine hairstyle with an aggressive hotness.
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.
Another great pencil dress by Chic Star! It's made from poly/elastane stretch but the fabric is lovely and soft and smooth against the skin. The design is simple but smart and the black collar and sleeve trim reminds me of a 50's diner uniform. I love the print which is something a little bit different and the colour is great! 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!
If there’s one thing the ladies from previous decades knew how to do perfectly, it was creating a flawless silhouette. But we aren’t here to tell you to squeeze into a suffocating corset. After all, we’re talking about retro swimwear, not swimwear antiques! So, when you’re shopping for some retro swimsuits this summer season, keep an eye peeled for high waist swimsuit bottoms that are designed with a vintage appeal.
Many brides chose wedding dresses made with a sweetheart neckline after watching Elizabeth Taylor in Father of the Bride. Ballerina-length dresses were a popular choice for both the bride and her party. Brides who chose to go with a longer dress usually loved lacy tiers and flouncy frills. Grace Kelly’s marriage in 1956 set the tone for many brides throughout the last half of the decade. Kate Middleton went retro when she wore an almost exact copy of Grace Kelly’s wedding gown. Look spectacular on your wedding day by wearing this dress from David’s Bridal (@davidsbridal).
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.
Begin with the fringe area. Create a horizontal parting and brush hair forward. Backcomb the underside interior of the hair. Gather ends and roll under to create your fringe roll. Use a hair donut, padding or gentle backcombing for extra support. Pin under as needed with bobby pins. Smooth the exterior of the fringe with a fine tooth comb and light hairspray.
When we say that pin up clothing is made for this season we mean it. When else could you wear this kind of blouse if not during warm sunny days? Match a cute gingham button up blouse with a pair of high waisted shorts: this is the perfect summer pin up outfit and you can wear it pretty much anywhere, from a cinema date to a hot rod festival. You can wear high heels or flats, sneakers or wedges: everything works with the shorts+blouse combo. It is what you make of it. Polka Dots Crop Top
"Here at Unique Vintage, we firmly believe that a lady can never wear too much lace, and there’s nothing more charming than a good flared skirt. We support this philosophy by giving you an ever-expanding selection of feminine frocks featuring our favorite girly details. Unique Vintage also carries a large variety of cute and casual dresses for daily wear, including flared options with polka dots., halter tops and classic collars. Whether you’re spending a romantic day in the park with your main squeeze or acting as a modern working gal in a casual office setting, Unique Vintage’s pinup dresses are a demure, feminine way to look perfectly put together.
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.
Imagine having a wardrobe that is entirely and directly from the 30’s and 40’s? Well, that’s exactly what you get to see when you follow Idacath on Instagram. This modern day retro fashion icon doesn’t recreate vintage inspired outfits with modern day items; she finds real vintage clothing and turns them into modern day masterpieces. Her vintage apparel is about as authentic as it gets.
The modern pin up style does not demonstrate your sensuality but slightly hints on it. This style is one of the most aesthetic and gorgeous keys to use to accentuate your femininity and charm at the same time not risking creating provocative looks. Speaking about the origin of the name of pin up we need to go back to the ’30s when the first seductive posters of sassy girls were also showing ladies with the pin up style and it’s from the name of those pinned up posters that the name came out as such.
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!
When it comes to getting a vintage inspired dress and channeling your inner Grease Lightning character, the bigger the poof the better. There’s something so fun and flirty about a high waist thrills skirt, and the spring and summer season are the perfect time for both of those things. The best part? Our High Waist Thrills Skirt even comes with pockets just like the real retro deal. So, our thrills skirt is definitely a must have you’ll want to be twirling in this year.
