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.
I think this is a great look for a beginner or someone with an advanced skill set. The best advice I can give when it comes to creating rolls is, when you think you’ve teased it enough, tease it a little more. I find that most people are afraid to tease their hair. With vintage styling, I find teasing key. I recommend using a texturizing power like Puff.Me at the roots then teasing with a “C”-shaped motion. Lightly brush out the surface and use a pomade or wax to smooth flyaways.
If there’s one thing the ladies from previous decades knew how to do perfectly, it was creating a flawless silhouette. But we aren’t here to tell you to squeeze into a suffocating corset. After all, we’re talking about retro swimwear, not swimwear antiques! So, when you’re shopping for some retro swimsuits this summer season, keep an eye peeled for high waist swimsuit bottoms that are designed with a vintage appeal.
The Pretty Dress Company: As the name suggests, this is the place to find the dress of your dreams. The cuts are extremely ’40s-, ’50s-, and ’60s-leaning, with tucked-in waists and longer hems and pencil skirts. They aren’t cheap, but the quality is amazing. If you’ve been eyeing a gorgeous vintage blogger on Insta, this is where they got that dress.
If there’s one thing the ladies from previous decades knew how to do perfectly, it was creating a flawless silhouette. But we aren’t here to tell you to squeeze into a suffocating corset. After all, we’re talking about retro swimwear, not swimwear antiques! So, when you’re shopping for some retro swimsuits this summer season, keep an eye peeled for high waist swimsuit bottoms that are designed with a vintage appeal.
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.
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.
Next, brush hair smooth in the back area. Backcomb the interior for extra volume and keep the surface smooth. Create soft curls with a medium barrel iron. Curl hair from the mid-length through to ends in a horizontal fashion. Set curls using pin curl clips until all hair is curled. Allow hair to cool, then release curls and allow to fall softly. Backcomb gently for a soft, voluminous finish.
Throughout most of the decade, no woman would be caught outside without a hat on their head giving rise to many popular styles. While it would still be a couple of years before Jacqueline Kennedy would encourage every woman in America to wear a pillbox hat, they were starting to gain in popularity. One of the reasons that women loved them so much was that it was easy to change adornments on the hat to update last year’s outfit. You can do the same today when you get this hat from Polyvore(@polyvore).
Begin with the fringe area. Create a horizontal parting and brush hair forward. Backcomb the base of the section. Sweep hair back and away from face to create a soft fringe roll. Use a hair donut, padding or gentle backcombing for extra support. Pin under as needed with bobby pins. Smooth the exterior of the fringe with a fine tooth comb and light 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.
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.
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]
After that, I swept the rest of my hair into a bun at the crown of my head. The ponytail comes curled and has little combs in it that can attach to the bun. You pin the combs in and tighten the drawstring on the ponytail. I then wrapped it around to give the illusion of an elastic holding the ponytail together. I pinned the ponytail in place all around the bun, then wrapped a vintage scarf around it and made a bow. I sprayed all over the hairstyle and around my hairline to sweep up any baby hairs, and voila!
