Your Greatest Pinup Inspiration

[Miss Audrey Brooks]

So who was/is your greatest pinup inspiration ? Who and what got you into the pinup style, look, and life? I get asked this question in many different ways almost daily. People wonder if I am on my way to a movie set, historical reenactment or if I am just plain kooky and Histrionic. As all of us who are here and those of you who are reading this know, something, someone, somewhere inspired us to pursue this and obsess over it.

My greatest inspiration was old, classic cinema. I was glued to the screen as a little girl watching Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable and even Louise Brooks of Pandora's Box fame. I worshipped these ladies and wondered why when I went outside the people werent dressed so well, why everyone looked cheesy and why our generation got gyped in the music and style department. Say what you will but Madonna cannot compete with Billie Holiday, the Backstreet Boys could not compare to the Ink Spots and whatever cheesy 4 piece garage band gone platinum that is popular today cannot compare with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

So here are some of my pinup inspirations. Louise Brooks the girl with the most marvelous haircut ever. Betty Grable the girl with the million dollar legs ( Personally I think she is MUCH prettier and more talented than Monroe) and of course the pinup girls of Gil Elvgren and Billy Devorss. All ladies and images that inspired my life of retro and pinup obsession

[Ellie Monster{★}]

The lovely lady that really got me interested in pinup was none other than Maila Nurmi, also known as Vampira. I loved her beauty and quirkiness. She had a calculated sensual side that played off how "everybody loves evil". That is how she said it anyway.

[Dolly De Maul]

I have ideas for a Vampira Pin-up tattoo! Love her!

[Miss Audrey Brooks]

I also always had a soft spot for Carolyn Jones AKA Morticia Addams, she was absolutely BEAUTIFUL !!!

Dolly De Maul said:

I have ideas for a Vampira Pin-up tattoo! Love her!

[Didi De La Rosa]

I was raised by my granparents who were married in 1951 in Mexico. As their life evolved in the United stated (I am the 1st generation born in the U.S.), my grandmother kept her classic style. She would show me old family photos and I wanted to be like her. I loved the classic movie channels and would study how the women dressed and most of all, carried themselves. I will never forget the look on my grandfather's face when he saw me dressed up for the first time. He was the first one on my whole life to tell me I should take pictures. I do it for fun, but the way I carry myself and the values of life that I adhere to, are inspired for the love of my family, culture and the preservation of them.

[Cherry Cyanide]

I know everyone says this, but Dita vonTeese has been a huge inspiration for me. To me, she embodies the modern spirit of old Hollywood glamour.

I also love Jayne Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe. And of course, the pinup works of Gil Evegren.

[Miss Audrey Brooks]

You know Dita is AMAZING ! My Dita obsession came later. I will say that my initial inspiration were the actual pinup girls of the Golden Era but Dita is really the girl that gave me the courage and drive to pursue this as a lifestyle. She is incredibly talented and her attention to detail and her knowledge of the classic pinups is infinite. I remember Dita showing up in the mid 90s as a small time player and I was thinking"Who is this gorgeous, 1940s looking hottie?" I had always loved the look but was relieved that if it even got some media coverage it suddenly validated all of us who loved to dress vintage and have a classic look.

Thanks for mentioning Dita as I now wish I had given her her credit too. She is AMAZING and so absolutely beautiful !! Love her Wonderbra and Perrier ads HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTT!!!!

Cherry Cyanide said:

I know everyone says this, but Dita vonTeese has been a huge inspiration for me. To me, she embodies the modern spirit of old Hollywood glamour.

I also love Jayne Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe. And of course, the pinup works of Gil Evegren.

[Delyssia LaBelle {Madam}]

The first time i fell in love with pinup i was about 8ish at an airshow in NC. there was a booth devoted to pinup art and nose art. I died and was born again right there in the booth. i felt so naughty looking at those sexy ladies i would run over and sneek peeks when my mom was distracted. so pinup art was my first inspiration. then in high school i went through a goth phase and found bettie, her images were so sexy and powerful. then along came dita, ahh dita, the love of my life. she is so perfect as dita, always dressed well , nary a hair out of place, and played both sides of the perfect pinup, a little devil and a little angel . so there you have it! my life long obsession with pinup.

[Miss Audrey Brooks]

I love that story on airshows, nose art girls and DITA. The Elvgren pinup you posted is one of my favorites of all time. We have a WWII era original printing of this in our hallway framed and beautiful ! I had the same experience with pinup girls, they helped me understand quite a bit about who I was and what I was in this world. Pinup girls are the sexiest thing ever! Girlie erotica for girls, the best kind there is.

You are so right about Dita, she is PERFECT and has her craft down to the absolute precise deliciousness of it all !



Delyssia LaBelle {Madam} said:

The first time i fell in love with pinup i was about 8ish at an airshow in NC. there was a booth devoted to pinup art and nose art. I died and was born again right there in the booth. i felt so naughty looking at those sexy ladies i would run over and sneek peeks when my mom was distracted. so pinup art was my first inspiration. then in high school i went through a goth phase and found bettie, her images were so sexy and powerful. then along came dita, ahh dita, the love of my life. she is so perfect as dita, always dressed well , nary a hair out of place, and played both sides of the perfect pinup, a little devil and a little angel . so there you have it! my life long obsession with pinup.

[Roxy Tart {PL Team / Comm. Mgr}]

4 ladies from my childhood planted the pin up seed in my life.

I was a movie child, and these ladies, especially Marilyn in Gentlemen Prefer Blonds and Annette in the beach party movies had a huge effect on how I viewed the world. Every time I take a new picture or get a new gig, someone in my family inevitably says, "we knew you would do this when you grew up" lol.

[Birdie La Rouge]

All of the ladies who have responded mentioned all of my favoites. Dita.. ahh Dita, Bettie and Betty, Marilyn, and Morticia! But there is one other woman who i think needs to be mentioned and thats Audry Hepburn. She's not a pinup in the traditional sense, but every move she made on screen was just so delicate, beautiful, and graceful that I can't help but to think of her as one of my inspirations. There have been many nights where I have fallen asleep to Roman Holliday, or Breakfast at Tiffanys playing in my DVD player. As beautiful as she was, she was stricken with crippling insecurity and self doubt. Yet, she mannaged to shine in everything she did.

[Miss Audrey Brooks]

Audrey was an inspiration to me for EVERYTHING I did in life in the earlier years. The first films I saw her in were "How to Steal a Million" and then "Roman Holiday" ( Oh they dont make them like Gregory Peck anymore either) I didn't mention her here ( Although I mention her and adore and worship her DAILY in real life) as she was not really a pinup girl as you had mentioned. Audrey was ANGELIC and her own genre of perfection. She was magical, feminine, graceful and with a heart of true gold ! What a magnificent, lovable and gorgeous person. Celebrities of today should really take an example from her. If someone as absolutely perfect as Audrey Hepburn could be humble, gracious and kind then maybe they should sthink twice about their place in this world.

Birdie La Rouge said:

All of the ladies who have responded mentioned all of my favoites. Dita.. ahh Dita, Bettie and Betty, Marilyn, and Morticia! But there is one other woman who i think needs to be mentioned and thats Audry Hepburn. She's not a pinup in the traditional sense, but every move she made on screen was just so delicate, beautiful, and graceful that I can't help but to think of her as one of my inspirations. There have been many nights where I have fallen asleep to Roman Holliday, or Breakfast at Tiffanys playing in my DVD player. As beautiful as she was, she was stricken with crippling insecurity and self doubt. Yet, she mannaged to shine in everything she did.

[Cherry Suu]

My greatest pin up are not really pin up girls... but there something about them that hypnotize me, they have in common elegance, beauty and a life sorrounded by magic or mystery.
I specially love Vivien Leigh, Veronica Lake, Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Liz Taylor and Audrey Hepburn, of course!