Friends who don't "get it", how do you respond?

[NolaChick™ {Madam}]

Ok, so I have a question for my fellow models. When you first got into pinup, where there family members or friends who just didn't "get" the whole pinup thing? Let me give you an example. Most of my friends are ultra supportive. But, there are some people who don't see the pictures I do as art. They see them as pictures of me in my underwear and skimpy clothes and nothing more. Guys have even refused to date me after seeing my myspace page! Now, I don't live in a an ultra-conservative area. I live in New Orleans, a place that, I thought was more tolerant of different types of art. I don't let it get to me and I just keep telling myself that I am doing what makes me happy, but I get tired of having to explain myself.

I guess what brought all of this on was tonight I was talking to a guy that I went on a couple of dates with, and he told me that he stopped dating me because one of his coworkers saw the pictures on my myspace page and commented that I looked "slutty". Now, keep in mind in most of my pictures I am wearing more than most girls wear when they are at the beach. He claims he defended me, but who knows?

I was just wondering if anyone else had to deal with this or if it's just me! LOL.

[Alley DeRosas]

Awwwww. I know a couple of people like that...who dont understand the culture and what goes with it...Honestly, if I were you I wouldnt even worry about it...Besides, would you really wanna date a guy who lets his friends decide who he dates.....I think those people either lack education in art forms or are just insecure with themselves.....


Hope you have a great one!

[Seanna {Madam}]

That's it! 100% Agree with this Daddy. If a guy is insecure about your pictures then that should be a huge RED FLAG on your part. That is his flaw...not yours! Plus, that's just a heads up that he has control issues. He can go find himself a nice close-minded, boring housewife and live the life that frankly, I have panic attacks if I try picturing myself in.

"Nobody puts baby in a corner."
:)

Daddy Cool said:

Ladies....

Opens up sacred typical man handbook.


flips pages...

Scrolls down a few paragraphs...Ahh yes... Insecurity. Most guys want to be the center of attention and cannot mentally handle their girl getting attention. Their minds wander, they run rampant, and they cant deal with that fact that a guy is admiring the same thing he admires, and the fact that his girl could probably take care of herself just fine.

I'm a rare one and don't fit this mold. Keep looking nola, one who appreciates the complete package will show up out of nowhere. =)

[NolaChick™ {Madam}]

Y'all are sweet1 :)

[Miss Bea Rock]

Ohhhh I get the amy winehouse all the time....burns me up!!! I love her voice too but seriously, "You look like amy winehouse only not cracked out on drugs..." is not a compliment!!! and i kid you not, one of my customers told me "you look like amy winehouse only without a big jew nose". I think any combination of 3-5 tattoos plus dramatic eyemakeup equals amy winehouse? luckily there are occasionally better-suited representatives in the media, i saw dita von teese on a marilyn monroe special the other day. much kinder imagery that amy!


Reverence DeLovely said:

Darling, it's so sad! moreso for those people who don't grasp the concept of pin-up or rockabilly or any subcultures for that matter. It's a shame that more people anywhere don't have more exposure or knowledge on recreating an era, or even the era being paid homage to. I've gotten several "you reminde me of amy winehouse" comments (which, btw, i look nothing like amy winehouse, i like her music but not a fan of her appearance). And this classic comment my old b/f and i got in highschool: "It's not halloween yet!"

As for people thinking your pictures are" slutty", thats just rude! Maybe they don't understand but why be so harsh? Everyone here in this community gets it, and loves it, and appreciates it! You're beautiful and are a fabulous pin-up!! don't let anyone sway you from what you know! <3

[Edson Carlos]

Just don't tell anyone I revealed anything out of the sacred "Man Book".




Seanna Miriah said:

That's it! 100% Agree with this Daddy. If a guy is insecure about your pictures then that should be a huge RED FLAG on your part. That is his flaw...not yours! Plus, that's just a heads up that he has control issues. He can go find himself a nice close-minded, boring housewife and live the life that frankly, I have panic attacks if I try picturing myself in.

"Nobody puts baby in a corner."
:)

Daddy Cool said:

Ladies....

Opens up sacred typical man handbook.


flips pages...

Scrolls down a few paragraphs...Ahh yes... Insecurity. Most guys want to be the center of attention and cannot mentally handle their girl getting attention. Their minds wander, they run rampant, and they cant deal with that fact that a guy is admiring the same thing he admires, and the fact that his girl could probably take care of herself just fine.

I'm a rare one and don't fit this mold. Keep looking nola, one who appreciates the complete package will show up out of nowhere. =)

[RetroModelSari]

Not all of my friends get what I´m doing - but they aren´t surprised either. In fact most of them guessed "I´d do something special someday" as they put it as I allways was the weirdo around :-D Eventhough it´s not their personal style they mostly like what I do.

Funnily more guys showed interest since I became a pin up - however I learned quick to be carefull wether someone actually cares about you or just wants to be the "dude with the pin up girlfriend". My man, that is together with me since 3 years, probably never would have talked to me if he hadn´t known how.

It´s a funny story. We were writing in the same rockabilly-forum, but we never met. Than some day i started in a new job and he messaged me over the forum if it´s possible that I actually work in the same company he works in. it turned out to be correct - he recognized me from my pics when I walked by. The rest of it is history.

[Ava des Mortes]

Yes, a lot of people I know thing my stuff isn't really artsy either. ESPECIALLY my conservative mother

[Soda Shop Sue]

i dint even 'start a topic' with people i knew untill i had a few years under my belt... it is unfortunite that people dont 'get it' but thats what got me down....
PEOPLE didnt GET iT... so i dint tell em, and i DiDNT show people i knew my photos... i taked about it, and sometimes they still didnt get it.... but whatever, you cant change everyones thoughts...
its funny that you could tell somebody that your into pinup modeling, and there idea of that may be NAKED/PORNO/XXX rated... THATS SHiTTY of people, but you cant stop em, you have to just not talk about it... i guess for a while....

now that i have 4 years under my belt, my family GET'S it and my friends GET iT, and my work mates 'get it' and my school teachers 'get it'
i'm the local Pinup girl!!!!

xoxo Soda Shop Sue

[Cassie Wanda]

I haven't personally had any problems. When I got into modeling all of my friends were so supportive and excited. Every time I'd see them they'd ask if I had new work. And I'm lucky my boyfriend is so supportive. I'm sorry you go through that, but think of it this way. If the guys aren't secure enough dating such a hottie... do you want to date them?

[Marissa Lily]

Insecurity. That is it. Those guys are threatened by you.

[Betty Red {PL Team / Madam}]

I have had some problems with this too - not really not understanding it, but not accecpting it...and being really catty about it. I entered the KKZ Calendar contest, and a lot of my friends were supportive...but most didn't even vote for me, and then after the contest was over and I had won (which i didn't run around telling everyone I had won, if people asked me how it went I would tell them) I had so many of my "friends" and other girls who were in the contest talk s*** about me, call me names and just be plain out mean. One night we went out to watch a friends band play and a girl who was so nice to me before I had entered the contest was standing right in front of me and said...loud enough to make sure I heard...."That's the girl who thinks she's a model...haha!" I was totally shocked, I never did anything to her...ever, and here she is talking about me?! From that point on I don't ever talk about my modeling unless it's brought up. This is a hard industry to be in, and you just have to rise above all the negatives and keep doing you. Girls will talk, people you thought were your friends will talk, other people in the industry will talk - just ignore it and remember that you are beautiful...stay true to yourself, that's all that matters. And the people who really do love and support you will be right there by your side through it all.

P.S. - You are BEAUTIFUL. :)

[Miss Bea Rock]

Betty's 100% right, stay true to yourself and make yourself happy.

It doesn't matter whether it's modeling or anything else...SOMEONE IS ALWAYS GOING TO TRY TO BRING YOU DOWN. They resent you for your confidence, your beauty, your bravery, and they're going to resent you for your resilience when you don't give a s*** and keep going!!!! Don't let them win by letting their cattiness get to you!


Betty Red said:

I have had some problems with this too - not really not understanding it, but not accecpting it...and being really catty about it. I entered the KKZ Calendar contest, and a lot of my friends were supportive...but most didn't even vote for me, and then after the contest was over and I had won (which i didn't run around telling everyone I had won, if people asked me how it went I would tell them) I had so many of my "friends" and other girls who were in the contest talk s*** about me, call me names and just be plain out mean. One night we went out to watch a friends band play and a girl who was so nice to me before I had entered the contest was standing right in front of me and said...loud enough to make sure I heard...."That's the girl who thinks she's a model...haha!" I was totally shocked, I never did anything to her...ever, and here she is talking about me?! From that point on I don't ever talk about my modeling unless it's brought up. This is a hard industry to be in, and you just have to rise above all the negatives and keep doing you. Girls will talk, people you thought were your friends will talk, other people in the industry will talk - just ignore it and remember that you are beautiful...stay true to yourself, that's all that matters. And the people who really do love and support you will be right there by your side through it all.

P.S. - You are BEAUTIFUL. :)