Morticia Addam’s Inspired. That’s all.
Little Sunday adventure with a group of long boarders. An easy two hour drive to a secluded area with the most beautiful scenery. The skate and sunset made a perfect Sunday.
Having a pin-up style in a very active environment can be hard. No circle skirts, petticoats, or tea-length dresses. Instead I opted for a kitsch top with graphic watermelons, along with a pair of high-waisted shorts. Oh, and a hoodie borrowed from a best friend.
Top: H&M (Php 455)
Shorts: Forever 21 (Php 800)
Flats: Payless Shoe Source (Php 750)
Hoodie: Uniqlo (borrowed)
Most photos (c) Trish Shishikura
Today’s adventure took me to the sail boats! Manila Yacht Club with my friend Peter! The smell of the salty sea makes me realize I really am a mermaid.
My outfit inspiration is loosely inspired by Natalie Wood’s character Judy in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’. A simple polo and circle skirt. Adding a cardigan and a pair of shades gives a casual pinup look.
I picked a really pretty yellow polo that made me look like a crew member ready to set sail!
Polo: Colezone (borrowed from my mom)
Skirt: Forever 21 (Php 1275)
After dinner at the club we headed to a great restobar called Bar1951 located on Adriatico St. It’s the perfect hole-in-the-wall place. Ambiance was cozy and relaxing the decor and setup was perfect for art and music. An really unique band played an acoustic set fusing traditional Indian drumming and new age rhythms created by an instrument called a chapman and a keyboard. I loved it all!
Classic polos can turn pinup with circle skirts, pencil skirts, and even a pair of high-waisted shorts! Accessories with bows and shoes and you have a great day look!
I’m beginning this series of inspirations with the classic Marilyn. She is the most familiar and known pinup. I’m sure many of you already see her in pop culture from tshirts, posters, bags, even celebrities and tv shows being inspired by her. (Madonna circa “Material Girl”, Anna Nicole Smith, Smash)
She had a turbulant childhood, in and out of foster care homes, and her mother was instilutionalized. She was married at 16 due to the war, but of course later divorced. She was discovered modeling for a weapons factory that she worked at which eventually lead to her career. She was persued as the “dumb blonde”, but what people didn’t actually know was that Marilyn was highly intelligent. She was a consistent reader, a fan of Freud, and a writer.
My favorite films are Some Like It Hot, How to Marry a Millionare, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,Bus Stop and the iconic Seven Year Itch. (White dress with the gentle breeze sound familiar?)
Aside from her obvious reasons of inspiration, she inspires me the most from her modeling in her early days. Circa 1948-49 was her utmost pinup days. Her poses, sweet smile and flawless body really defines pinup. You can see how young she is, and how different her face is! Pre-platinum blonde days and still untouched by the industry. (Apparently she had a chin implant, rhino plasty and breast agmuntation, and of course a change to hair color all in suggestion of her studio.) Regardless, she is naturally beautiful and I love looking at her early photos just because she has no idea what is to come.
A few years later, with a few movies to her resume and popular demand, she would be the first cover girl of Playboy magzine in 1953. Featured was one of her first nude pinups taken in 1949. (Tom Kelley’s ‘The Red Velvet’ session)
Iconic, beautiful and downright the original Marilyn is the inpiration not just to me, but definietly all pinups.
It’s polo season! My best friend is an equestrian, and decided to bring along me and her sister to a polo match. I personally have no idea how or what polo was all about, but when I got there it was very exciting. We were lucky to be in great company and met many interesting people.
Champagne, cool and windy weather, amazing people, horses, music, champagne, polo players and did I mention champagne?
Yes, so much champagne I lost count as to how many glasses I had. But, hey I love to enjoy myself at a polo match!
Cardigan: Forever 21 (php625)
Dress: SM Department Store (Php 800)
Shoes: Sperry Topsiders (A gift)
Having the urge to get on a plane and head over to Vegas. Inspired by Viva Las Vegas.
I love the black pencil skirt! It’s one of the essentials that is so versatile. There are so many combinations with tops, shoes and accessories! The key to the pencil skirt is to find the perfect fit. Find one that is snug to the hips to show those curves, high enough at the waist to enhance the waist line, and the material should be comfortable. Cotton is my favorite, however there is polyester and pleather. Which personally I am not a fan of. It’s hard to sit with and the movement is odd for me. If you can’t find one that perfectly fits you off-the-rack, you can always get it altered.
I put some options you can pick to add with the essential. Peplum tops will really show that waist, and hides the hips. It balances out with the pencil skirt creating a slimming figure. Off the shoulder tops will give the perfect vixen look. Pair with some black Mary Jane pumps and you’re a rockabilly bombshell in no time.
Many of you might look at a black pencil skirt and think it’s only for formal occasions or the office. However, it can be just as casual as you want it to be. Adding a graphic top (tucked into the skirt) and a pair of cute sneakers will make you look like a casual modern-day pinup.
And as always, don’t forget the accessories. Add maybe a hair flower with your favorite curls or updo. Maybe a pair of cat eye shades for both casual and formal looks. Don’t forget that red lip and cat eye liner!
The black pencil skirt is a wardrobe essential. So get you butt out there and snuggle into one!
Today’s adventure took me to Tagaytay! Perfect chilly weather for my favorite pink varsity jacket, which I bought from Forever 21 (Php 2,380). The dress is also from Forever 21 (Php 1,450). Yes, expect lots of my items to be from the holy land that is Forever 21!
Keeping up with the classic stripe pattern (from yesterday’s post), I decided for today i edge it up a bit adding a rockabilly flavor. For those who aren’t sure what rockabilly is, it’s a culture that is part of the vintage trend that consists of styles, music, and lifestyle grabbing from the 1950’s rock n’ roll scene, a little bit of punk, and the classic pin-up mold. Think greasers and tough chicks! (Look out for a feature post on rockabilly)
So, to toughen the look up just a little I wore one of my favorite matte lip colors Transylvania by NYX (Php 300). I matched it with a good pair of cat eye shades, and black flats. I also like how this dress has thicker stripes which flatter the waist!
After a good lunch and some exploring, my friend and I headed to the zoo! We awed at the beautiful animals like the different snakes, birds, and monkeys. Before heading home we stopped over for tea and hot chocolate at one of our favorite cafes, Java Jazz. This place holds amazing local paintings, yummy affordable food and the coziest ambiance. They’re located just a long the highway going towards People’s park. You can check them out at Javajazz.blogspot.com
So keep it classy, but add a little rough to your look! Experiment with dark shades, “punk” prints and as always ACCESSORIES! But REMEMBER keep it balanced for a perfect pin-up look.
I wasn’t sure of my plans for the day so I went with a comfortable look. Eventually, my best friend and I went on a little late night adventure, and went to The Collective in Makati for kebabs and shisha. So luckily my outfit was a good choice for comfy yet styling. Sailor tops are an essential for that pin-up or rockabilly look. They’re completely versatile and an all time classic. The way to style a sailor top for the pin-up look is all about matching, fit and accessorizing. I decided to go with a full black circle skirt keeping a 50’s look. But like I said, the sailor top is versatile. So experiment with not just circle skirts, but high-waisted shorts, tight pencil skirts or cut off jeans! Accessorizing with fun and colorful pieces can tie the whole look together. Try hair pieces, like bows, flowers or a red bandana! All of these pieces are from Forever 21, including the cute red bow! The sailor top was at Php 715 and the black midi skirt was at Php 1,015. The bow was just Php 185! So get that pin-up essential and let’s set sail for cuteness!
The 1940s wasn’t as elaborate as the 50’s were, due to the war. The ration on materials changed women’s fashion forcing them to go for simple and practical shapes. I found this dress at Cotton On for Php 1,200. The structure is very similar to that of the 40’s pattern, with a button down and short sleeved shoulders. I love the print of polka dots and the cut out back giving it a modern look. Prints in the era would mostly be flowers, or plain neutral colors.
Look for button down dresses with fun vintage prints. You can pair this with lots of options; ankle strap heels, accessories in colors like red or green, even a pearl necklace for a elegant touch. And if your opting for a comfy day outfit you can pair it with your favorite pair of sneakers and a cardigan
A red lip and pinned back hair will give the right amount of pin-up for a casual day out.
The Pin-up Girl Manila 