No longer were women stuck wearing men’s jeans around the house. They could now wear them out in public. Levi, GWG and Wrangler were all household names. Women’s jeans were often lined with plaid fabric and had wide bottoms that teens usually rolled up to show off their bobby socks. Often times, these jeans had large pockets that were outlined with a coordinating color stitching. Look fashionable at your next rockabilly party in a pair of 1950s jeans from Urban Outfitters (@urbanoutfitters).
There’s something sassy about this look. The women I’ve done it on have all had such great reactions to seeing it on themselves. It’s like it gives them permission to be a bit cheeky. When you think flapper or pin-up, there’s definitely an attitude associated with it. One thing I would definitely tell my client is that this isn’t your everyday look. The outfit has to match! I’m not saying you need to wear a flapper dress or a pin-up corset, but this is a classic look and you wouldn’t want to pair it with something too modern.
The clients you would most likely come across for this style are vintage enthusiasts, pin up pageant girls and burlesque artists, as well as people going to costume parties. There are also always drag queens and the secret “I Love Lucy”-obsessed people from that era who are holding onto nostalgia. Either way, this style is great fun to create and will come in handy when you least expect it, or when you want to embrace your inner silver screen goddess.
Modern pin up girls provide plenty of inspiration for how to wear 1940s and 1950s pin up dresses in a fresh way: Mix and match swing dresses with colorful fluffy petticoats and a hair flower. A wiggle pin up dress ads a sexier variety that can also be office appropriate with a matching jacket. Don’t forget seamed stockings and a comfortable but oh-so-sexy pair of wedge heels or casual ballet flats. Think beyond the pin up dress with high waisted pants and shorts or swing skirts and tops. Use the 40s and 50s menus at the top for more pin up clothing.
Pin up hairstyles are very close to the classics – they transform their owner into a reserved and cold person. However, pin up is famous for its brightness that refreshes the look and makes it playful, but just a bit. This is perfect for the ladies who cannot refuse from the spark in the eyes and flirty smiles, which, by the way, were a dangerous weapon of seducing men in the hands of ladies in the 40s. Victory curls were ones of the most famous and coolest hairstyles back than – they are easy to style and look just great at any event. Try the tricks of that time’s women and get a classy pin up hairstyle!
Honestly, this look can work for anyone! Since I used a “fauxnytail”, the look will work for anyone who has long enough hair in the front for a roll (about chin-length at least) because it needs to be able to be pulled up into some sort of bun. It really should work with any face shape and be flattering because the placement of the ponytail adds volume which is complimentary to most faces.
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.
It was only sliiiightly large at the top. In some photos I think you can tell, but my date said not really. I’m normally a size 12 and a 38D or DD depending on the cut. I got an XL when a L would have been good, but it wasn’t noticeable. I thought it would be one of those impossibly small Asian made dresses. This dress was great! Inexpensive, but it doesn’t look cheap. I wore it for a cocktail/dinner party, and no one would have thought my look cost less than 100 bucks. I received soooo many compliments. I would definitely recommend this, and buy a petticoat to give it that something extra.
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).
While victory rolls, vintage waves and micro bang hairstyles were ultra-popular styles back when pin-up girls and screen sirens reigned supreme, these same fun, flirty looks can be worn today. It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing it as a style for Halloween or for a special occasion; all of these styles are wearable and fairly easy to create. To look like a bombshell calendar girl in modern times, here are some pin-up styles for long hair that you’ve got to try out:
Rockabilly and pin-up are two separate styles. They are often mistaken for each other, as these two are distinguished with bright makeup, colorful clothes, and mysterious smiles. However, rockabilly was formed later, under the influence of rock-n-roll, as this music genre demanded a new way to self-expression. Thus, rockabilly can be called a son of pin up, which inherited the bright colors and free behavior from its mother, but added a bit of sass, tattoos, and insane dancing into its style. If you recognize yourself in this description – rockabilly was definitely created for you!
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.
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!
Orchard Corset: If you’re looking to try out corsets, this is the best place to start. The website has such a wealth of information on how to find the best one for you, how to wear it when you’re just starting out, and where to go from there. Choose from a ton of options, from waist cinchers to full overbust corsets, and designs and shapes for just about everyone.
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.
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.
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.
