Though Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page are often cited as the classic pin-up, there were many women of color who were also considered to be impactful. In the 1920s two of the most notable Black burlesque dancers were Josephine Baker and Lottie Graves. Despite the little history on Black burlesque dancers, Baker and Graves are a good starting point for evaluating women of color in pin-up. Dorothy Dandridge and Eartha Kitt also added to the pin-up style of their time, using their looks, fame, and personal success. African-American pin-up finally had a platform when the magazine, Jet, was created in 1951. Jet supported pin-up as they had a full page feature called, "Beauty of the Week", where African-American women posed in a swimsuits and such. This was intended to showcase the beauty these women possessed as they lived in a world where their skin color was under constant scrutiny. It was not until 1965 that Jennifer Jackson became the first African American to be published in Playboy as Playmate of the Month. And it was not until 1990 that Playboy's Playmate of the Year was an African-American woman, Renee Tenison. Historically, women of color in pin-up are still not as common as their white counterparts. However, the recent revival of pin-up style has propelled many women of color today to create and dabble with the classic pin-up look to create their own standards of beauty. In Jim Linderman's self-published book, Secret History of the Black Pin Up,[37] he describes the lives and experiences of African-American pin-up models.
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…
For something more form-fitting and with a bit more retro sex appeal to give you a bold boost of confidence, our 1950s dresses are just the thing. These slim-fitting frocks create a svelte hourglass shape, with tucked waists, long, slim skirts and plunging necklines that show just the right amount of skin. These pinup dresses flaunt your assets while still keeping you classily covered up. Browse Unique Vintage’s 1950s pin up dresses from top vintage-inspired brands and you’re sure to find something with the perfect blend of modern style and retro charm.
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).
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You can’t be anything but eye candy in vintage inspired pin up dresses with A-line, pencil or circle skirts that dance with your every step.  A wide cinch belt helps define your waist and add a contrasting color to your pinup fashion. The strapless, spaghetti or halter neck pin up dresses are the most popular 50s pinup clothing for summer.  Pin up dresses with sleeves are harder to find however with a little crop or cardigan sweater sleeveless dresses are wearable all year long.

I just tried this dress on to check the size and see how it fits. It's so lovely! The fabric is lightweight, super soft and very sophisticated. The collar has just the right amount of stiffness so it stands up on it's own and the gathering coming down from the collar is a lovely detail. The bodice is quite fitted but comfortable as the fabric has a bit of stretch. I'm 91/71/94 and the size 8 fit me perfectly.  Overall it's a lovely dress and great value for the price.

Although ballet flats had been around for centuries, they had gone out of vogue until Rose Repetto reintroduced them in her 1947 collection. After Audrey Hepburn declared ballet flats her favorite shoe, many teenagers wore them as often as they did their saddle shoes. While some had a very small ½ inch heel, most had no heel at all making them easy to wear to the sock hop. Black ballet flats became all the rage, but other colors were popular as well. Some had small ornamentation on top, however, most were just plain. The trend was firmly established when icon Brigitte Bardot began wearing them. Follow this trend with these classical ballet flats by Remix Vintage Shoes(@remixvintageshoes).
The Poodle Do is the style in this photo. It was recreated by stylist Magic Michael Davids and made famous in the 1940s and 1950s on celebrities such as Lucille Ball and Betty Grable. Those were the decades of ultimate feminine style where ladies would go to the hair salon and get their hair set in curls and dressed out using skilled techniques that have nearly been lost today. The invention of the straightening iron may have contributed to this.
To hit the jackpot of vintage style, locate that crumpled up underskirt that you were forced to wear once underneath a hideous bridesmaid dress when you were a teenager, but couldn't bear to part with for sentimental reasons. Maybe you were a dancer or have some dancer/actor friends who are bound to have an underskirt in every color of the rainbow from their various performances. If you manage to get ahold of one, it really does make a swing dress sing.
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.
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:

If there’s one modern thing to love, it’s all the vintage style inspirations you can find on social media. Whenever you’re in doubt about what to wear or whether your ensemble is 50’s fashion icon worthy, just click online and view our vintage style outfit ideas. Looking for more inspiration? Scroll your way over to these modern day retro fashion icons and see what type of vintage fashion they’re rocking.


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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.

Pin up bangs is the special bangs type. The contemporary stylists try to cut messy bangs that can look good without any styling. However, back in the day bangs were very difficult to style the way we can see them when we look at pin up style pics. The perfect pin up bangs demand longer hair, so if your hair’s grown – do not cut it immediately, try another style and feel its mood!
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.

Collectif Clothing: Collectif focuses on 1950s glamour with four distinct brands. Playful tropical prints, gingham dresses, and kitschy circle skirts make up Collectif Mainline. If you want a more subdued look but still prefer colors and patterns, like this fan-favorite pencil dress, you’d enjoy the Vintage line. Lulu Hun is the shoe collection, comprised of very rockabilly flats, sandals, and heels. And Bright and Beautiful is the latest line, with ’70s-inspired caftans, mini dresses, and accessories. All styles are designed in-house.
Many of the most popular prom dresses today are based on styles of the 1950s. Again, Christian Dior created one of the fashions that every girl had to have when he included the bubble dress in his 1954 and 1956 collections. French designer Pierre Cardin also included it in his collection. These dresses are made with hems that fold back on themselves to form a bubble. Women could find various style tops, but bustier ones are most common. Making them even more radical for their time, most had hemlines ending mid-thigh to just above the knee. Look spectacular at your next party by checking out this offering from Lyst (@lyst).

Trashy Diva: The bright patterns and colors on Trashy Diva’s in-house line of dresses are really special, and the brand also carries a small collection of accessories and jewelry, as well as children’s versions of the adult-sized dresses. The clothing cuts are some of the most accurate when it comes to replicating the styles of the ’40s through ’60s, and despite the shop name, the stuff is totally appropriate for work, too.
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.
The hair is elegantly swept back up away from the face and nape of the lady’s neck, and the curls are elegantly dressed out on top of her head with meticulous precision. This style elevates the hair, elongating the profile and creating slender lines finished off with a dramatic burst of curls. Any diva sporting this style in the era of yesteryear would be destined to be swept off her feet by an admiring tall dark and handsome man. And of course they would live happily ever after.
For some sugary sweet 1950s diner vibes, pick out a vintage inspired dress. If you don't have one in your own collection, ask around; this '50s style of swing dress has made a massive comeback in recent years, so someone you know is bound to have one. Maybe your mom, aunt, or granny might have one in their attic and you'll get extra style points for wearing an original.

We are sure that you know how the pin up girls and they hairstyles actually look. All of us, probably, have seen those fabulous and attractive women on colorful retro posters. The modern fashion world is struggling to get that retro atmosphere back and trying to implement the ideas of the past on runways. If you are a fashion addict, you could see the tight and shiny locks on the models hair on several recent showcases – they are the main attributes to the pin up style. The other needed features that can transform a modern girl into a provoking pin up symbol, which can catch everyone’s imagination, include such things:
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.
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).

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.
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!

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.
Dressing in vintage style clothing for a themed event or personal fashion is our passion. We turned a hobby into this website to make it easy to find vintage inspired clothing for women and men online spanning 1900-1960s. Our fashion history blog helps you create the look from decades past using vintage, vintage inspired and thrifty clothing, Need help? Ask us anytime.
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