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!
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.
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.
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:

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.


Capris also came into popularity during the 1950s as everyone wanted to look like Audrey Hepburn in her latest hits. This style of pant was actually introduced by Sonja de Lennart in 1948. Many women wanted to pretend they had Italian roots by wearing black capris with a red and white knit shirt. Others chose to wear blue capris with the same shirt to pretend that they were European. Alternatively, many paired capris with a white ruffled shirt creating a Spanish look, especially when wearing a bolero jacket. Recreate your own Audrey Hepburn look by getting these capris from ModCloth (@modcloth).


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.
Pin ups have been making men go crazy and women caring about their look for almost a century now, and the pin up visual appeal is having a great revival moment nowadays.  Pin up art and photography was all the rage in the 1940s and the 1950s, so what we look for today when reenacting this style is unavoidably inspired to 40s and 50s fashion. There’s a lot more than fashion to pin up though, and that’s exactly why we still love and get inspired by those gorgeous women. They have left us a legacy that will live on for many years to come. Long live the cheesecake girl! Confidence and attitude. Pin up style is a style that grabs a lot of attention when you go out fully dressed. Self confidence and bags of attitude are often required to rock the look. But getting the look also helps to get the right attitude, so it’s a process you can go through step by step. Start by adding pin up accessories to your everyday look, so you can get yourself comfortable with the style first. People around you will get more and more comfortable with it too and no one will be surprised when you come into the room in a polka dot red dress with a huge victory roll on your head. Petticoat. This is a trick a few women know nowadays. No one uses petticoats anymore, because they’re not needed with modern clothes. But a petticoat is something that can’t be missing from your 50s wardrobe. You need one under every dress and skirt you’ll get, aside from pencil dresses and skirts of course. Swing dresses, circle skirts, vintage dresses in general need a petticoat underneath. Get one in white and one in black to start with, you can experiment new colours when you will be more at ease in pin up clothes. Hair. Put a little extra attention to your hair and it will make a huge difference to your outfit. Learn a trick or two on how to quickly style your hair in victory rolls, or how to wear a bandana in your hair. Buy a ton of fake colourful flowers and adorn your hair with them, matching each flower to your outfit. You will go from plain to classy with just a little touch. Bow Pencil Skirt – Big Dot Long Dress – Antique Dream Bandana Makeup. What it’s true for hair is also true for makeup. You don’t have to spend three hours in front of a mirror to get a perfect pin up look. Applying a pin up makeup requires the same time as a normal makeup, with a couple of tips and tricks. You only need a bit of foundation, blush, black eyeliner and a red lipstick and you’re ready to go, it’s no hard at all. Follow our tips on how to get the perfect winged eye look, you can thank us later! Focus on the Waist.  Your aim is to create an alluring hourglass silhouette. If you have a look at 40s and 50s photographs you’ll see that the focus is always on the (rather tiny if compared to the rest) waist. Whether it’s a pencil skirt with a shirt tucked in or a swing dress with a waist belt, the shape it’s always a hourglass shape. The style of dresses and accessories will help you get the hourglass silhouette, but try and pay a little extra attention to achieve it. The 50s effect will get across immediately. What do you think it takes to be a pin up? Did you like our tips? Leave a comment below and let us know. Photo credits: Pinterest.com
Contrast. This is one of the main demands of the pin up style, as only making one of those hairdos cannot change your appearance significantly – if you want to get this effect, of course. Bright red or black, white or brown – it doesn’t matter which color you will pick, the only thing you should remember is the intensity of the color. Preserve it carefully after dying or just take a good care of your natural hair.
Fashions were quickly changing in the 1950s. Hemlines were coming up, and necklines were dropping. More women than ever before were turning in their dresses for pants. Many young men adorned their bedroom walls with 1950 pinup fashion posters of Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Natalie Wood and Marilyn Monroe. Women sought to look like them by copying the 1950s pinup fashion. Many clothing items created in the 1950s are great to wear to work, school and parties today.

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.

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A great every day dress with an adorable space themed print. This new silhouette from Hell Bunny features a full circle skirt with pockets and well designed bodice featuring cute cut-outs at the neckline and on the sleeves. My measurements are: bust 90cms (12DD bra) and waist 69cms and the XS size fit me very well. I did originally try the small but it was a bit roomy.  Love the side seam pockets! 
Who doesn’t love a cute colorful flower in vintage styled hair? Match a tropical flower with your victory rolls, match your flower pins with your dresses or better with your shoes and create some really cool outfits. The list of accessories you can rock is endless: sunglasses, hair bows, cute hand bags, bandanas, old school jewelry. Rose Hair Clip There are many more types of clothes you can wear to channel your inner pin up girl: you should totally give playsuits a try. They are fun, suitable for summer and not only for going to the beach. You can get really creative with rompers: nautical, leopard, floral, striped. Pair your romper with a matching bandana, chunky pearls and big earrings. Wear peep toe shoes and a cute bowler bag with it and you’re ready to go! Another pin up summer staple is capri pant: wear your capri pants on a windy summer night and they will make the perfect ally for your summer pin up look! Do you rock the pin up look in the summer? Did you like our suggestions? Let us know in the comments below! Photo credits: Pinterest.com
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)
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.
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.
Rockabilly is a modern-day recreation of the pin-up look that is a music style and often associated with the burlesque. In addition to having things in common with pin-up style, rockabilly also favors cherries, animal print, roses, and sugar skull patterns for clothes and purses. Sparrows, bows, roses, stars, sugar skulls, casino- and nautical-themed accessories are also popular.
Other pin-ups were artwork depicting idealized versions of what some thought a particularly beautiful or attractive woman should look like. An early example of the latter type was the Gibson Girl, a representation of the New Woman drawn by Charles Dana Gibson. "Because the New Woman was symbolic of her new ideas about her sex, it was inevitable that she would also come to symbolize new ideas about sexuality."[9] Unlike the photographed actresses and dancers generations earlier, fantasy gave artists the freedom to draw women in many different ways.[10] The 1932 Esquire "men's" magazine featured many drawings and "girlie" cartoons but was most famous for its Vargas girls. Prior to World War II they were praised for their beauty and less focus was on their sexuality. However, during the war, the drawings transformed into women playing dress-up in military drag and drawn in seductive manners, like that of a child playing with a doll.[11] The Vargas girls became so popular that from 1942–46, owing to a high volume of military demand, "9 million copies of the magazine-without adverts and free of charge was sent to American troops stationed overseas and in domestic bases."[12] The Vargas Girls were adapted as nose art on many World War II bomber and fighter aircraft; Generally, they were considered inspiring, and not seen negatively, or as prostitutes, but mostly as inspiring female patriots that were helpful for good luck.[13]

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.


Fashions were quickly changing in the 1950s. Hemlines were coming up, and necklines were dropping. More women than ever before were turning in their dresses for pants. Many young men adorned their bedroom walls with 1950 pinup fashion posters of Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Natalie Wood and Marilyn Monroe. Women sought to look like them by copying the 1950s pinup fashion. Many clothing items created in the 1950s are great to wear to work, school and parties today.

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.
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.

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!
Another very popular style was the shirtwaist dress. Originally, introduced by Christian Dior in 1947, this style of dress was particularly popular with teenagers. It is set apart by its sloped shoulders which were a drastic change from the boxy shoulders just a few years before. This dress also has a raised bust line. The real change, however, came with a very narrow waist starting with a padded hipline and flowing away to a skirt with lots of fabric that was often pleated ending just below mid-calf. Wear this casual dress on your next shopping trip by getting this one from EricDress (@ericdress.com).
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.
A simple pin-up hairstyle has always been neat and sexy, from pin curls, victory rolls, bangs and more.  All you need is a large barrel curling iron, a good ol’ hairspray, some bobby pins… and more and more hairspray to hold your curls together. You can also use Pin-up hair accessories like headbands, bandanas, flower pins and hats as accents and to show emphasis on your neat and intact hairstyle.
• 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.
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.
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.
A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as popular culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display, i.e. meant to be "pinned-up" on a wall. Pin-up models may be glamour models, fashion models, or actors. These pictures are also sometimes known as cheesecake photos.[a] Cheesecake was an American slang word, that was considered a publicly acceptable term for seminude women because pin-up was considered taboo in the early twentieth century.[1]
Other pin-ups were artwork depicting idealized versions of what some thought a particularly beautiful or attractive woman should look like. An early example of the latter type was the Gibson Girl, a representation of the New Woman drawn by Charles Dana Gibson. "Because the New Woman was symbolic of her new ideas about her sex, it was inevitable that she would also come to symbolize new ideas about sexuality."[9] Unlike the photographed actresses and dancers generations earlier, fantasy gave artists the freedom to draw women in many different ways.[10] The 1932 Esquire "men's" magazine featured many drawings and "girlie" cartoons but was most famous for its Vargas girls. Prior to World War II they were praised for their beauty and less focus was on their sexuality. However, during the war, the drawings transformed into women playing dress-up in military drag and drawn in seductive manners, like that of a child playing with a doll.[11] The Vargas girls became so popular that from 1942–46, owing to a high volume of military demand, "9 million copies of the magazine-without adverts and free of charge was sent to American troops stationed overseas and in domestic bases."[12] The Vargas Girls were adapted as nose art on many World War II bomber and fighter aircraft; Generally, they were considered inspiring, and not seen negatively, or as prostitutes, but mostly as inspiring female patriots that were helpful for good luck.[13]
Swing coats were popular when a lady went out because their fullness helped cover the bulkiness of many dresses. These coats featured fitted shoulders and flared out at the bust line. Most had large buttons all the way down the front. Many had a large belt helping to keep the coat securely closed. Jacques Fath first introduced this coat in the late 1940s, but it grew in popularity during the 1950s as it was easy to hide the baby bump which no self-respecting woman would show. Dior added one to his collection in 1951. You may hope that it rains everyday with this beautiful retro swing coat from Miss Poppy Wear(@misspoppywear).

Retrolicious is a vintage inspired brand of fun and funky dresses for the modern enthusiast. You can find our love for color and fit on all of our retro designs including: vintage inspired swing dresses, sexy little black dresses, 60's inspired mod tops, twirl-worthy skirts, fun jumpsuits, kids' dresses, 1950's style boleros, and even accessories like reusable tote bags.  We like to compliment our bright and colorful pieces with vintage inspired staples like our Boat Neck tops, Isabel tops, and Charlotte skirts.  Whether you're looking for retro style workwear, geeky inspired clothing like our Science and Space collections, or a classic pinup outfit; Retrolicious has it all!
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. 
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