#pinuptips

The outfit inspiration👗👠

✨The outfit✨

What inspires an outfit?

I thought it would be fun to break down an impromptu shoot outfit I styled. Could I have fished something out of the closet? Of course. but I had money and appetite for a challenge.

💛My options for pin up repro are slim and online was out of the question, so to the mall I went with only a color scheme in mind. Baby yellow or lavender. There are these darling wild flowers that have popped up on the hill in yellow and purple. The combination felt perfect for spring and reminded me of a picture of Liz Taylor modeling a yellow and purple outfit that I’ve always loved. Ideally, I’d have replicated that but lavender pants are hard to find in my size apparently.

🛍️ At the mall there’s a few stores I normally hit first as there’s a good likelihood of finding something. Macy’s, Dillard’s or any long time department store will have very classic silhouettes in stock almost always. Smaller stores I would try would be Loft, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Rainbow, Old Navy, Torrid, Express. Etc. I try a lot of places when I’m shopping on foot as styles tend to fall in and out of fashion so quickly you never know what you may find. I was able to find this dress on my third store attempt.

🎀 It reminded me of a 40s or 50s pastel knit set, just in one piece and with a belt. With a little styling I was hoping I could pull a vision forward. So, with a silhouette of the 40s that’s where I also pulled inspiration for accessories and hair. If you follow me you know I love Lucille Ball and I’ve referenced her looks in Dubarry Was A Lady. Lucy was famous for her bright red poodle puff most of her career, but she wore it slightly different in this film and I have always thought it was so elegant. After some pinning and praying I was able to combine two wig pieces to achieve a poodle puff and a shoulder length Hollywood wave. Add your shadows, falsies and a red lip and you’ll start to see the look pull together, almost like you planned it.

💎 So many pinups are inspired by Marilyn Monroe, I am no exception. When looking to zhush up the outfit with some accessories I looked to her character Lorelai in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Marilyn dons a cute and cozy lavender set with two gold cuffs and matching gold hoops. That option not only felt accessible but perfect for the look that was coming together. So I added some gold bangles to both wrists and a pair of circular but floral like earrings to compliment and finish off my 40s fit.

💜A look for spring inspired by old Hollywood and wild flowers. Apparently this yellow is in this year which I find amusing. As a pinup fashion girly, I’m almost never in synch with the “experts” on this decade. The purple to my yellow this season was found in the floods of cascading wisteria.

They say it’s spring 🪻