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.
For the ladies eager to find vintage inspired fashion from all walks of life (and moments in history), you’ll want to follow Victoria at Vintagemaedchen_by_victoria. This modern day retro fashion icon focuses on all types of retro fashion from between the 20’s and 60’s, giving you a glimpse into fashion that your grandma, great-grandma, great, great-grandma would have worn. She also has a blog that focuses on books, arts, history and vegan life.
For the makeup, I put a warm eyeshadow color like a brown in my crease with cream colored shadow on the lid to make my eyes pop without stealing the show. I used a brown liquid liner for my cat eye. Black looks harsh on me, so I prefer the softness of a dark brown. A structured brow is important for pin up looks, so I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pomade. Blush is important for pin up looks to make you look lively. I also softened the look by going with a nude/pink lip rather than the typical bright red.
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.
From Veronica Lake and Marilyn Monroe in the 1940’s and 1950’s to Dita von Teese today, pin-up girls have been displayed on walls and billboards for generations and admired by men and women alike. No matter their dress size, pin-up girls wear clothes that accentuate their assets, bring out their sexual appeal, and make them look gorgeous, fun, and elegant at the same time. To start channeling your inner pin-up girl, you must balance style with natural beauty, grace, and confidence.
The Niagara Dress in white Stretch Bengaline - This is the ultimate sex kitten dress. The Niagara Dress is made from a high quality, soft stretch, snowy white bengaline that feels wonderful and hugs your curves perfectly. Featuring an almost off-the-shoulder neckline with cap sleeves that sit just on the top of your arms for a sexy flash of flesh and a tie front detail with a sassy, eye catching cut out. Niagara has a fitted silhouette and a gathered detail down the center front of the dress that gives way to a very sexy front slit.
Women usually chose a pair of cigarette pants with side or back zippers. These pants were cut full through the hips tapering to slim- fitting legs. Most cigarette pants ended just above the ankle allowing women to show off their stylish footwear. They had a high waist usually accentuated with a 3 inch waistband. Some women broke up the wide waistband with a thin leather belt. Early on, these pants were mostly black, but by the end of the decade women were expressing their own unique style by wearing stripes, leopard prints, checks and polka dots. Consider adding a pair to your wardrobe by getting these from Unique Vintage (@uniquevintage)
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The Niagara Dress in white Stretch Bengaline - This is the ultimate sex kitten dress. The Niagara Dress is made from a high quality, soft stretch, snowy white bengaline that feels wonderful and hugs your curves perfectly. Featuring an almost off-the-shoulder neckline with cap sleeves that sit just on the top of your arms for a sexy flash of flesh and a tie front detail with a sassy, eye catching cut out. Niagara has a fitted silhouette and a gathered detail down the center front of the dress that gives way to a very sexy front slit.
So you booked a pinup photo shoot and now you're panicking about what to wear? Don't worry your pretty head; you may find a collection of pinup shoot clothing already within the walls of your wardrobe or beauty items hiding in your makeup bag. Perhaps you have a favorite iconic pinup girl or Hollywood starlet who you'd just love to channel, or maybe you want a reminder for when you're older of how chic you were as a young woman. Whatever the reason, pinup shoots are totally fun, instill body confidence, and remind you how awesome you are! What's not to love about that?
While nylon was first invented in 1935, the use of this fabric finally made its way to swimsuits in the 1950s. Most were made with sweetheart necklines. Many featured bold patterns with florals being especially popular. Women who did not feel like they were full enough, had many choices in swimwear with padded cups. Those who did not have quite the perfect beach body found choices with ruching either down the sides or in the front. Most swimsuits had a little skirt in the front or all the way around. The hottest stars were often seen in strapless suits before the decade was over. Dress the part at the next 50s pool party with this little black number from Top Vintage.
Retro high ponytails also look amazing on longer lengths, especially since they deliver a polished and sophisticated finish. To achieve your high pony, start by applying the Nexxus Exxtra Hold Sculpting Gel to your hair to tame stray hairs. Next, flip your hair upside down. Proceed to brush your hair into a high ponytail that sits on top of the head. Secure your style with an elastic, and spritz on some strong hold hairspray.
These ten items are the pinup basics that will build a fabulous foundation for your new wardrobe. I’ve tried to find affordable options for each item. Money can be tight when you’re buying yourself a whole new wardrobe! And when you’re a fledgling pinup, you may not want to blow £100 on a dress. Well, you’ll probably want to but may not be able to justify it! Now, enough of this chatting, it’s smudging my lipstick. Let’s go shopping! Here’s what you’ll need…
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.
Retro high ponytails also look amazing on longer lengths, especially since they deliver a polished and sophisticated finish. To achieve your high pony, start by applying the Nexxus Exxtra Hold Sculpting Gel to your hair to tame stray hairs. Next, flip your hair upside down. Proceed to brush your hair into a high ponytail that sits on top of the head. Secure your style with an elastic, and spritz on some strong hold hairspray.
Longer lengths should also be encouraged to wear soft romantic waves, especially since this was one hairstyle ‘40s pin-up girls made super famous. To get this super sexy look, start by applying the Dove Style +Care Volume Amplifier Mousse onto your clean, parted hair to give your hair some added volume. Next, take a 1-inch curling wand, and start to create loose romantic curls all around the head. Gently brush out your curls with a paddle brush. Secure your look with a strong-hold hairspray to avoid any frizzies or flyaways.
While women still wore their big Victorian pieces in the first part of the 1950s, soon jewelry trends became smaller and more refined. Every girl wore a brooch on her shoulder with many wearing more than one at the same time. In the first part of the 1950s, gold- colored jewelry was found many places especially in big bold bracelets. In the later half of the decade, however, copper and plastic started to reign. Modernization allowed pieces to be made in mass quantities bringing down prices considerably. Many women brought jewelry in sets. Add these fashion pieces from Sweet and Spark to your jewelry box.
• A fluffy skirt: This is one of the primary details for visually widening the hips, which is quite important for this style (Learn: How to Wear a Fluffy Skirt). Still, if you already have wide hips then you’d better opt for pencil skirts with high-waisted accents and different tight-fitting shapes, which will accentuate the pluses of your body nicely.
My friend and I are in a vintage girl band called Diamond Darlings. When we first started out, we wanted to conduct a photo shoot in order to use the pictures for our publicity materials, such as our business cards and our website. Luckily my uncle is a professional photographer so we enlisted his help to take vintage style photos of us on our local beach and harbor. Although I wouldn't technically call it a pinup photo shoot, we definitely had elements of pinup girl glamour within our snaps. We even managed to use items that were already in our wardrobes so we didn't have to spend a ton of money on costumes and props.
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.
One of the icons of this style is Marylin Monroe, who really mastered the art of combining the beautiful details of the pin up style with the gorgeous posture and overall manners and just all the nuances that are necessary to complete such looks. Rita Hayworth is another bright embodiment of total charm having become an icon of the pin up style. Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, and Betty Grable are also included in the list of the top gorgeous icons of this style. As for the modern images we can point out Scarlett Johannsson and Dita Von Teese as the contemporary followers of the pin up style perfectly using it for modernized retro and chic looks.
Fashion and style trends are a recurring process. The retro pin-up girl look is making its comeback from the 40's to today! Having been popularized by Burlesque models in the early 40’ to 80’s. Those pin-up models pictures were mass produced and attracted a wider audience with the need to spread its appeal as pop culture. These informal posters were found anywhere from walls, poles, posts, and even those cigarette packs from Lucky Strike.
To get the best results from a set, great tools and products are a must. To create a strong curl, you need a small barrel tong. My favorite is from the Babyliss Pro Dial-a-Heat range. I just don’t think you can beat it. Everyone has their own favorite brushes, but I favor a Denman bristle brush or Spornette Wonder Brush and a comb to create this look.
Next up is your makeup. Start with your standard foundation. One of the most notable things about pin up models is their smooth complexions. Use a full coverage foundation that matches your skin tone well. You can use a concealer to disguise any blemishes or dark spots on your skin in this step. On to the eyebrows, make sure they’re well shaped and filled in. Your eyes will follow, a smoky eye or bare eye paired with cat-eye or pin up style liner is a great way to bring some added pop to your pin up style outfit. Your lips should also make a big statement, pin ups often times wear oxblood colors, reds, or berry shades.
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.
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.
