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.
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!
The 1950’s was all about glamour. After World War 2, it was important for ladies to look their best because of the the men returning home from the war. (Less men= more competition for marriage) Women wanted to always look their best, therefore their makeup was simple, yet eye-catching . You’ll see that during the 1950’s women’s make-up was subtle with pops of excitment. For example a simple eye, but red lip;or a heavy brow with a bare eye. Hair and makeup were priorities to women making the powder room a sanctuary.
The red lip is important to get that pin-up look. It is and forever shall be a classic. With choosing the right shade, a red lip is perfect for day-time activites, or splendid nights out. The way of picking the right shade is by looking at your hair color and skin tone. For lighter hair and pinkish skin, also known as warm toned (blondes and a rosy complexion; you can check by looking at your vein color. If your color is purple you have a pinkish tone) Opt for peachy, orange toned reds. For the brunettes and yellow-toned girls, also known as cool toned (veins will be colored blueish-green) opt for dark reds, or “blue tones”. These shades according to your color will bring out and highliht your best attributes from your skin to your eye color.
A red lip is my absolute favorite thing to get the pin-up look. It’s my go-to essential when I’m lazy and in a hurry. With just a red lip alone and a few plumps with a good lip liner I am good to go! Great brands from that era were Revlon and Max Factor. Until now, I feel Revlon produces one of the best shades of red matte or gloss at an affordable price. Here are some of my favorite red lipsticks that are essential for any pin-up:
1. NYX Matte Creame Gloss in Monte Carlo (Php 325) This is my daily color. I love how it is applied like a lipgloss making it easy in application and for perfectionist, like myself, great for getting into the corners of the mouth and creating the perfect plump to the lips. The matte finish is amazing and absolutely long lasting. And what more the price is extremely affordable!
2. Rimmel Kate Moss Collection in shade 01 (Php 375) This color is more on a bright red. The texture of this lipstick is creamy and moisturizing! When I apply it, it takes only two swipes! Kate Moss also has various colors to her collection including nudes and pinks, but out of all of them the reds are my favorites. This is worth buying if you’re still new to wearing red lipsticks. The shade is great with any skintone and is easy for application; making sure you won’t over-apply.
3. NYX Matte Creame Gloss in Translyvannia (Php 325) Okay, so this isn’t exactly a red, but it is so good that I must share it with you. I wear this usually for a modern pin-up look. It is a matte formula with a rich plum-tone. This shade has been very popular since 2013 bringing a bit of goth back into fashion. I love it just as I love Monte Carlo for its great application and matte finish. I love this color for nights-out! It’s sexy and classy all at the same time. Make sure to balance it out by not using dark colors on your eyes (such as a smokey eye or heavy black liner). You want to keep it balanced to give you that glamorous look.
4. Revlon Classics in Super Lustrous (Php 510) Now this is the ultimate classic! Like I said before, Revlon was one of the top choices in cosmetics during the 1950’s. Revlon came out with the original packaging back in 2012 for a limited time. Sadly I wasn’t able to get my hands on them. However, even in their modern day packaging, the formula has never changed. Much like the Rimmel Kate Moss Collection, this shade is perfect for any skin tone. A creamy texture and easy application, begginers can experiment with this shade before taking the next step to darker or lighter colors. I highly recommend every girl to have this color in her make-up essentials!
5. Revlon Matte Collection in Wine Not (Php 355) You’re probably thinking why I have so many matted suggestions in this post. The reason why I love matte so much is because of its long-lasting finish, but also a bit of a modern-day look. I let the shade speak classic, but the texture speak modern. This color by Revlon is described to be an inbetween of a classic red, and a deep dark plum. (Much like NYX’s Translyvannia) I use this mostly for evenings. This color is perfect for cool tone girls, or generally girls looking for a sexy subtle look.
Get out there and buy that red lipstick. It’s a beauty-must for achieving the perfect vintage look! You can find any of these brands at PCX, SM Department Stores, or Watson’s.
This movie has become one of my favorite films. It stars Jayne Mansfield and Tom Ewell. Basic movie plot: An old-time gagnster hires a press agent (Ewell) to turn his blonde-bimbo girlfriend (Mansfield) into a star.For some of you who don’t know who Mansfield is, she is one of the iconic blondes during the age of Hollywood glamor. She was dubbed “the poor man’s Monroe” who she was compared too, and styled as by her studio 20th Century Fox. Jayne was also known for her publicity stunts, some of which you might know.
I am obsessed with the wardrobe of Jayne in this movie! She has a number of outfit changes and each of them are beautiful. Her day looks are perfect! From her amazing yellow beach playsuit with a detachable circle skirt, to her navy blue wiggle dress. The gowns she wears for nightclub scenes are so fitted to her body showing all her curves. (Jaynes infamous measturments were 40-22-36!) The entire movie really showcases the wardrobe of the mid 1950’s. You can see the structure of the outfits, to the materials, color, and accessories that they would incorperate. Not to mention the glamor of all the hair and makeup. It’s great that this movie is in color so you can really see the details on her wardrobe. This movie is a definite must-see for you to get inspired…and maybe start that waist-training.
**The Girl Can’t Help it is great for you to also get to know some of the music as it features lots of acts such as Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, and Fats Dominos. The opening scene features a great dance sequence as well as the main theme song “The Girl Can’t Help It” by Little Richard. You might familirize it from Fergie’s “Clumsy”. Watch the trailer below!
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 