Pinup Girls or Pinup Posers? Pinup in the Mainstream

[Aubrey London {Madam}]

After a recent forum post on this topic I got to thinking. I wanted to express my opinion about what I think of mainstream pop Icons sporting the Pinup look. It also goes much deeper into whether or not pinup is a fad and as some have called it a "thing". Everyone is entitled to their own opinions which is what makes the world so wonderful. If you'd like to know where I stand on this issue, take a peek at my most recent post by clicking on my banner. As always I'd love to hear your opinion on this topic! Take Care,
xoxo
Aubrey

[Aubrey London {Madam}]

Hey Kristy,
I just wanted to say that I can see where you are coming from about your feelings of being uninspired. Totally understandable. I think within our careers, at somepoint, we all hit that wall. The feeling you get from your modeling genre, being so oversaturated and making you feel like your blending into the background must be frustrating. But I for one can tell you that I don't think you should take a hiatus from modeling.

I think you are very beautiful. I don't think you like like Katy Perry. No offense to you. Katy is beautiful as Katy is and you are beautiful as you are, which is Kristy C. Now, of course, I think it's great that people can compare you to her, which I can see too, but that is their way of complimenting you the best way they can at the time. I think you are very sexy and whoever compliments you thinks the same, which Katy Perry is known for. So all in all, I'd have to say that these compliments are quite lovely. I can't change however how you feel about them.

I will say this, if I saw you on the street, I would definitley comment to my husband about how pretty you are and that I love your style. As far as your modeling goes, I hope you continue to do it. Cause, even in an overstaturated modeling market, with your looks, I 'm sure you can find ways to stand apart from the crowd. Anyways, I hope to see more work from you soon, but if not, then I wish you the best in the your future endeavors. Take care - Aubrey

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

It's true that people will use whatever they are familiar with, but don't take it as an insult, most of the time they are just trying to give a complement about something they know nothing about. A few years ago I was in Disney World, and I got told all week by different people that I "looked just like that Abby girl from NCIS". I'm not goth, and I was a blond at the time, but it turns out that one of the local tv stations had been running a NCIS marathon the weekend before. They didn't mean to be rude, or sound ignorant, they just formed a connection between the way I looked and something they were familiar with.

I always smile and say thank you, no matter how silly the complement, because they went out of their way to say something at all.

Kristy C said:

On a lighter note, I find it funny that I get "You look like Katy Perry" comments ALL time, anywhere I go....the laundry mat (just today) grocery store, Circle K, you name it. Funny how people will grab whatever reference that they are framiliar with from popular culture to try to relate to you and pay you a compliment. I appreciate it, but at the same time have never been one to approach strangers so I can't really relate to being that way.

[lily true]

here, here!! i'll take katy perry over lady gaga for inspiring mainstream fashion any day!!

Lilly F Elliott said:

Ah yes, well spoke.

Miss Audrey Brooks said:

I will say that as purist as I am I think Katy Perry is a doll and I am glad someone is bringing the style to the mainstream. the world would look prettier if more girlies dressed that way. It is a timeless, elegant, and beautiful style and deserves to be popularized. I dont see a point in keeping the whole pinup look elitist or exclusionary I am 100% for a retrograde in style and a Pinup Planet !

[Miss Audrey Brooks]

I will get some flack for this but I think Gaga is abhorrent. I find her repellent and I don't get the hype. I think at times that she is a mean practical joke played on the sheeple consumers of pop music. Nothing special about the music and the look is overrated and not aesthetically pleasing. Katy Perry is ADORABLE, Cute and sexy !! I LOVE her and I will say that I hate 99% of pop culture

lily true said:

here, here!! i'll take katy perry over lady gaga for inspiring mainstream fashion any day!!

Lilly F Elliott said:

Ah yes, well spoke.

Miss Audrey Brooks said:

I will say that as purist as I am I think Katy Perry is a doll and I am glad someone is bringing the style to the mainstream. the world would look prettier if more girlies dressed that way. It is a timeless, elegant, and beautiful style and deserves to be popularized. I dont see a point in keeping the whole pinup look elitist or exclusionary I am 100% for a retrograde in style and a Pinup Planet !

[lily true]

la!!! oh i need to remember this for later: "I think at times that she is a mean practical joke played on the sheeple consumers of pop music." bravo!

Miss Audrey Brooks said:

I will get some flack for this but I think Gaga is abhorrent. I find her repellent and I don't get the hype. I think at times that she is a mean practical joke played on the sheeple consumers of pop music. Nothing special about the music and the look is overrated and not aesthetically pleasing. Katy Perry is ADORABLE, Cute and sexy !! I LOVE her and I will say that I hate 99% of pop culture

lily true said:

here, here!! i'll take katy perry over lady gaga for inspiring mainstream fashion any day!!

Lilly F Elliott said:

Ah yes, well spoke.

Miss Audrey Brooks said:

I will say that as purist as I am I think Katy Perry is a doll and I am glad someone is bringing the style to the mainstream. the world would look prettier if more girlies dressed that way. It is a timeless, elegant, and beautiful style and deserves to be popularized. I dont see a point in keeping the whole pinup look elitist or exclusionary I am 100% for a retrograde in style and a Pinup Planet !

[Louise LeMans]

I really liked what Lilly had to say. I agree that as a teen this would have bothered me, but now, as a pinup model who is almost 31, I am just excited to be having fun dressing up, because it's what I've always done!

Calling it a lifestyle always weirds me out a little because, there are things about my life as a woman in 2010 that I wouldn't give up to live in the 40's or 50's. People I know have shunned other people for not living the lifestyle — but I just ignore it. When I started a blog as a home for my pinup/fashion/makeup endeavors, I made it clear on my "about" page that I don't claim to know the most or be the most vintage, or rockabilly or anything. I'm just me, and I don't worry about what everyone else is or isn't doing!

Lilly F Elliott said:

This kind of thing bothered me when I was like 18 but I'm in my 30s now and I could not give a damn what anyone does or thinks. Everyone has their own life to live and reasons for their choices. Its A= none of my business and B= cannot affect me. I used to think that because I believed in something that made it mine and all mine and any element of the whole used by an 'unbeliever' for superficial reasons was somehow an insult to my lifestyle. Its not, its irrelevant. Fashion was into goth for a while then punk now pinups next year it will be something else, rollerdisco perhaps? if its not you its someone else.
When the way you look is part of how you live your life then it takes on a meaning that is more than the sum of its parts so its easy to think you own it and easy to get vexed at those who think the 'look' is all it is. But they are right...clothes are just clothes the don't mean anything on their own and the fact that they have come to mean something to a group of people doesnt have to concern anyone else. The positive flip side of that is that the meaning can never be taken away by those who never had it in the first place.

[Robert Hatch Photography]

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

-Dr. Seuss

[Kristy C]

I said nothing at all about taking it as an insult. I simply said I just don't understand people who approach strangers because I've never been that way and can't relate.

Roxy Tart {Madam} said:

It's true that people will use whatever they are familiar with, but don't take it as an insult, most of the time they are just trying to give a complement about something they know nothing about. A few years ago I was in Disney World, and I got told all week by different people that I "looked just like that Abby girl from NCIS". I'm not goth, and I was a blond at the time, but it turns out that one of the local tv stations had been running a NCIS marathon the weekend before. They didn't mean to be rude, or sound ignorant, they just formed a connection between the way I looked and something they were familiar with.

I always smile and say thank you, no matter how silly the complement, because they went out of their way to say something at all.

Kristy C said:

On a lighter note, I find it funny that I get "You look like Katy Perry" comments ALL time, anywhere I go....the laundry mat (just today) grocery store, Circle K, you name it. Funny how people will grab whatever reference that they are framiliar with from popular culture to try to relate to you and pay you a compliment. I appreciate it, but at the same time have never been one to approach strangers so I can't really relate to being that way.

[Kristy C]

Thanks, this meant alot to me!

Aubrey London {Madam} said:

Hey Kristy,
I just wanted to say that I can see where you are coming from about your feelings of being uninspired. Totally understandable. I think within our careers, at somepoint, we all hit that wall. The feeling you get from your modeling genre, being so oversaturated and making you feel like your blending into the background must be frustrating. But I for one can tell you that I don't think you should take a hiatus from modeling.

I think you are very beautiful. I don't think you like like Katy Perry. No offense to you. Katy is beautiful as Katy is and you are beautiful as you are, which is Kristy C. Now, of course, I think it's great that people can compare you to her, which I can see too, but that is their way of complimenting you the best way they can at the time. I think you are very sexy and whoever compliments you thinks the same, which Katy Perry is known for. So all in all, I'd have to say that these compliments are quite lovely. I can't change however how you feel about them.

I will say this, if I saw you on the street, I would definitley comment to my husband about how pretty you are and that I love your style. As far as your modeling goes, I hope you continue to do it. Cause, even in an overstaturated modeling market, with your looks, I 'm sure you can find ways to stand apart from the crowd. Anyways, I hope to see more work from you soon, but if not, then I wish you the best in the your future endeavors. Take care - Aubrey

[Roxie Roulette {★}]

In Paris this week I got asked if I was Lady Gaga. I smiled and shook my head and said nothing more, but inside I was kinda angry. Surely we have proven that Gaga is not the only lady in popular culture that dresses 'differently'? Oh well, they meant it as a compliment and thus I will take it as one

Miss Audrey Brooks said:

I will get some flack for this but I think Gaga is abhorrent. I find her repellent and I don't get the hype. I think at times that she is a mean practical joke played on the sheeple consumers of pop music. Nothing special about the music and the look is overrated and not aesthetically pleasing. Katy Perry is ADORABLE, Cute and sexy !! I LOVE her and I will say that I hate 99% of pop culture

lily true said:

here, here!! i'll take katy perry over lady gaga for inspiring mainstream fashion any day!!

Lilly F Elliott said:

Ah yes, well spoke.

Miss Audrey Brooks said:

I will say that as purist as I am I think Katy Perry is a doll and I am glad someone is bringing the style to the mainstream. the world would look prettier if more girlies dressed that way. It is a timeless, elegant, and beautiful style and deserves to be popularized. I dont see a point in keeping the whole pinup look elitist or exclusionary I am 100% for a retrograde in style and a Pinup Planet !

[rebeljennie]

I ran across this thread today when I was doing some research on a problem I have been having. I guess I am what you might call, Rockabilly, Hipster, vintage, retro or pin up. That's what some call it, I have been asked if I was in costume before while out and about. None of which bothers me. For me it is more of a lifestyle then anything else. I saw that some of you feel like saying it's a lifestyle is not the right term either. Well, for me it is a lifestyle, it's something I have felt in my soul since I was born. Between the ages of 3 and 13 I never wore anything that was instyle, my mom made my outfits. I wore saddle oxfords, bobby socks and pedal pushers to school in the 80's. I live in a period correct home and live almost as they did 60 years ago. I do have a few Modern things in my home such as my computer and digital camera, although I do still play with film and develop my own work in my dark room.

I am an artist, I'm weird, I'm not like anyone else.

 

The problem I have is there are too many people who see how people like me are and try to copy it try to make it a trend. I look at it like if you have no clue why women put their hair into victory rolls then you have no right wearing them. If you do not have the old world class and personality then you misrepresent us. ie...there is a girl I know who is not dressing like me, trying to act like me but in a creepy obsessive way, she is not kind or friendly to others, and has said that she is only dressing like this because it looks good on her. She is a poser! She does not have her own style, and does not even know who she is, she is trying to be someone else or like someone else because she is not comfortable in her own skin. She has told me for years that I look stupid dressed the way I dress but say the attention I got when out and about. She started this to try to get attention which it a shame.

 

I feel no matter how you dress you should FEEL it and own it, not hide who you are in it. It p***** me off that in six months she will be over this and will have moved on to something else. People like her make people like us look like fools.

 

just my 2 cents