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

[Kitty Killjoy]

Where it all started for me was definatly having an obsession as a child with The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy. The grace and elegance along with the hilarious sarcasm of Audrey Meadows part as Alice, and Lucy...what could you not love about Lucy? These women always had me glued to the TV. The black and whites, the fashion, the beauty started the impact on me. As i grew a little older i had an apreciation for my fathers extreme collections of Elvis, Cash, Monroe etc...
I was always a fan of Betty. I LOVED Dion & the Belmonts, Cochran, Bil Haley and Ricky Nelson. Then I spent my 20's living in Las Vegas which opened my eyes to alot more, like when Viva was first held at the Gold Coast. And It grew from there and i became engulfed in it. Watching Swing dancing brings me a joy inside i can not explain. I wish my kids grew up doing these dances for fun instead of wanting to play video games and text.
The smell and feel of driving in my 51. Theres nothing like it. I feel i was born in the wrong era. LOL!

[Kim Coquette]

I discovered pinup through Bettie Page. Besides being my favorite pinup and one of my biggest inspirations she introduced me to the genre, for which I am forever grateful! After that I delved into modern and classic pinup alike as well as discovered an intense love affair with classic movies!!

[Red Hot Kitten's Boutique]

So totally agree with you. She's not the traditional pin up gal but she always exuded beauty, style and grace. Audrey Hepburn has always been a huge inspiration to me as well and not just because of her physical attributes but because of the way she chose to live her life. She never felt the need to live the celebrity lifestyle. She loved the simple things in life and even went as far as to say that (to sum it all up)--if she lost it all she would look positively on everything that she had & not mourn her losses. She believed in kindness and was a true humanitarian throughout her whole life.

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.

[Louise LeMans]

When I was younger I was obsessed with Louise Brooks myself. That obsession evolved over the years, as I started college in the late 90's swing dance was experiencing a resurgence, and I looked to the stylish young ladies of the 40's for inspiration. I think my BIGGEST pinup specific influence though, is the original art of Vargas, Elvgen and the rest. My college owns most of the original work Vargas did for Esquire magazine, and it was exhibited for the first time as a collection while I was getting my graphic design degree. Getting to see those works in person, full size, was such an amazing experience for me.

Aside from that, I'd also site other actresses, including Barbara Stanwyck, Liz Taylor, Joan Collins, Natalie Wood, Ava Gardner...to name a few.

[Miss Sevlille]

i absolutely love carmen miranda! her bright big smile long eyelashes wide eyes and her playful attitude

[Serendipity Sol]

Some of the people I guess you could say inspire me...That I consider pin ups in my own world are.

Obviously Marilyn Monroe, and some other oldies but goodies to me were Elvira, The King and I lady, As well as Lucille Ball. My mom was always watching marathons of Marilyn's movies when I was a young girl. I was always drawn to the darker side of things with people like
Elvira and the Adamms family mom. And then there Lucille Ball of whom my mom watched because her husband was cuban. (My mom happens to be cuban) Then there was the King and I and the Robin Hood Errol Flynn movie as well as pretty woman that my mom felt were neccesary for us to watch as young children. Later in life at around 16 it was all about Bettie page cause I felt more like I had those bangs when I was younger so I could relate as well as having the same dark color hair as her when I was a younger child.

And last but not least the pin up of patriotism rosie the riveter when I saw the poster in the history book as a sophomore it all came back again.