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.
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!
That’s where reproduction boutiques come in. Many shops have popped up within the last decade to reproduce items from the post-war time period, some even using original patterns and fabrics. If you’re looking to try out a pillbox hat like Midge Maisel, interested in a classic red lipstick, or thinking of going full pinup, there are lots of options at myriad price points, not to mention styles and sizes for many bodies.
Polished curls, sleek, smooth waves, delicate pin curls and mind-blowing Victory rolls look extremely sexy and often glamorous. Want to upgrade the chosen retro hairstyle? Think of an intriguing hair color solution to add to your look. Throw in some pink and black highlights into blonde hair or try the pastel hair trend. Here are some cutest hairstyles to check.
Pin-up fashion is synonymous to and a combination of Burlesque, Rockabilly and Old Hollywood Glamour in terms of clothes, hair, makeup, shoes and accessories. It's all about being classy yet elegant, flirty without going overboard. It's more on minimalism and simplicity with just a little skin exposure. With a little cleavage men are teased. This style celebrates women, from their curves to their flawless faces. Don't worry if you think you aren't skinny enough to pull off the perfect pin up girl look. The pin-up culture embraces your natural hips and curves.
Beginning in the early nineteenth century, pin-up modeling had "theatrical origins",[3] burlesque performers and actresses sometimes used photographic advertisement as business cards to advertise shows.[4] These adverts and business cards could often be found backstage in almost every theater's green room, pinned-up or stuck into "frames of the looking-glasses, in the joints of the gas-burners, and sometimes lying on-top of the sacred cast-case itself." Understanding the power of photographic advertisements to promote their shows, burlesque women self-constructed their identity to make themselves visible. Being recognized not only within the theater itself but also outside challenged the conventions of women's place and women's potential in the public sphere.[5] "To understand both the complicated identity and the subversive nature of the 19th-century actress, one must also understand that the era's views on women's potential were inextricably tied to their sexuality, which in turn was tied to their level of visibility in the public sphere: regardless of race, class or background, it was generally assumed that the more public the woman, the more 'public,' or available, her sexuality, according to historian Maria Elena Buszek. Being sexually fantasized, famous actresses in early-20th-century film were both drawn and photographed and put on posters to be sold for personal entertainment.[6] Among the celebrities who were considered sex symbols, one of the most popular early pin-up girls was Betty Grable, whose poster was ubiquitous in the lockers of G.I.s during World War II.
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.
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).
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!
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.
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).
The majority of pin up hairstyles were quite difficult to make. The girls of that time repeated their hair routines hundreds of times to memorize each step and their sequences. Today you do not need to reinvent the wheel and can just follow the tutorials! There are plenty of them on the Internet, and girls from all over the world use them successfully, and look wonderful on any event that they decided to visit, wearing a pinning up hairstyle. Pin up is one of the most interesting and unique styles to be used for events like weddings, parties with friends, dates, etc. Even an ordinary day will get a fresh coat of paint, if you will take on a bright red scarf with polka dot, so be brave and paint your life with pin up!
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
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:
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.
Dresses are the main staple of pin up clothing. Wether they are tube dresses, swing dresses, polka dotted, florals, stripes, halter dresses, the possibilities are endless. You could literally spend all summer in pin up dresses and never grow tired of them. If you don’t like wearing cute dresses, fear not! There are plenty of choices on the dark side, too, and they fit perfectly suited for pinup style. Think about the sailor inspired style: navy blue with white and red details? Yes, please! Seafoam Dream Green Dress
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.
Rock a retro look with a side of sexy when you wear pin-up clothing from Unique Vintage. We’re all about that sassy style that shows off your curves while turning heads. If you fancy yourself a fabulous fashionista, then it’s time to stock your closet with pin-up appeal. Whether it’s a rockabilly swing dress or a pair of fun sailor shorts, you’ll look oh-so-sexy when you step out in an outfit from our curated collection.
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.
Cherry Tree Lane Dress Shop: Disney finally realized, after seeing Disney Bounders and Dapper Day participants spending huge wads of money on clothes, that it should respond in turn with a boutique geared toward vintage reproductions. Cherry Tree Lane has a mix of both very whimsical dresses that most would only wear to the park or a cosplay, and some more subdued options with graphics based on Disney rides. Though the shops at Disneyland and Disney World have the full selection, you can buy a select few from Disney’s own online store.
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]
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!
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!
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.
Pin up hairstyles have never really gone out of style. Though the pin up era most recognizably took place in the ’40s and ’50s, the style dates all the way back to the 1890s, a time known for its gaiety, and includes the signature styles of the 1920s and the 1950s as well. The point is, there’s a look for every length, style, cut, and color of hair. If you want to update your look by giving it a retro twist, tempt yourself with some hair envy.
Begin with the fringe area. Create a horizontal parting from the crown and brush hair forward. Backcomb the surface of the hair. Gather ends straight up, smooth the underside so you have a smooth surface as you roll hair from the ends down toward the head to create your fringe roll. Use a hair donut, padding or gentle backcombing for extra support. Pin as needed with bobby pins. Smooth the exterior of the fringe with a fine tooth comb and light hairspray.
Using spray and a bristle brush, comb the underneath of the hair upwards in sections and pin it tightly up into the base of the top section. Grab small sections on top of the head, teasing the base and creating barrel curls by wrapping the hair around your fingers. Secure each curl with bobby pins. Refine the style by dressing each curl out so they work in harmony with each other. It is important to make sure the style is symmetrical unless you purposely want a feature piece framing one side of the face. Once you are happy, fix the style with strong hold hairspray.
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.
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.
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.
What Katie Did: This is where all your favorite retro Instagrammers are getting their stockings, and most of their lingerie, too. The site has a variety of colors of seamed nylons and more modern seamed pantyhose, plus seam-free nylons and fully fashioned stockings (a knit nylon fit to the specifications of the leg shape of the wearer with little to no stretch).
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.
