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.
New to pin-up clothing altogether? Your wardrobe is in for a treat! Pin-up style dresses are super flattering and fun to wear. Start with the classic fit and flare style, which effortlessly defines your waistline and twirls beautifully at the hem. Looking for something with a little more va-va-voom? We'd suggest a wiggle dress without a second thought! This style hugs your curves and accentuates your silhouette. Similarly, the sheath dress is a fitted style that creates a gorgeous, streamlined look. Pair with a statement accessory and ruby lip for maximum impact. Our selection of pin-up clothing includes elegant underpinnings, too! These contouring shorts and high-waist panties will help create the perfect foundation for you look. Vintage-inspired vivacity doesn't get any better than this!
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.
So you booked a pinup photo shoot and now you're panicking about what to wear? Don't worry your pretty head; you may find a collection of pinup shoot clothing already within the walls of your wardrobe or beauty items hiding in your makeup bag. Perhaps you have a favorite iconic pinup girl or Hollywood starlet who you'd just love to channel, or maybe you want a reminder for when you're older of how chic you were as a young woman. Whatever the reason, pinup shoots are totally fun, instill body confidence, and remind you how awesome you are! What's not to love about that?
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.
