Pinup Modeling - Age of the Model

[Lula La Rose]

I was curious what others thought about someone in their late 30s trying to become a Pinup model? Be brutally honest please! LOL! I have been doing a bit of modeling lately, and in addition to having my profile up here, I also have it on MM and OMP. I have gotten some positive responses and a few offers from photographers for shoots (unfortunately some of them want me to do nude or semi-nude, which I am NOT interested in doing), but nothing I really wanted to pursue yet. My husband is a photographer with his own studio now (he is Reynolds Kosloskey, you may have seen him around on here), so I already have easy access to a great photographer. :) I want very little touch-up on my photos, mostly just any skin blemishes I may have that have not healed by the time of the shoot, and a small scar I have over my right eye. I don't want to get into doing too much post processing touch up on my face because that is not me. I want to show myself as I am so that I am not misrepresenting myself.

I would love to be able to model for some of my favorite companies...but I wonder if when I send them shots of myself, they look at me and think "She looks nice, but she is a bit older or a bit too plus sized than what we would want for someone modeling our clothing...".

I also like to model just for fun, and have artistic and interesting photos. So I am not just getting into pinup modeling with the hopes of modeling for companies, because I know that I have a "unique" look for a model being in my late thirties and plus-sized. :)

I would love to hear feedback, especially from any models out there who are in the late thirties or older, photographers, and vendors, as to what you look for in your models, and is age of the model a definite factor? Or is it about attitude and confidence and how you pull a look off? Also, what other modeling options do you think is available to someone who is in the late thirties or older, and plus-sized?

[Soda Shop Sue]

i think everyone brings something different to the pinup table!...
its a good thing we all dont look alike, right? when i look at an image, i dont look for age, or body size..
i look at a good image!

people who accually take pinup images, and post them... those are the seen pinups.... so if you want to get sexy pinups of you taken, do it!
you only live once...
who CARES what other people TRUELY think, cause you are who you are, and you are what you make of this pinup thing...

nobody will approch you(at first) in pinup modeling... you personally will need to get your own images out there... and get your portfolio going, then start contacting rockabilly/pinup style clothing company's ...

i'm on the same boat as you, my husband has a photography studio, and i take advange of that ANY chance i get... so i do trade work for company's and get more images out there, to rockabilly style company's .... it is what it is... and like i said, it is what you make of it! not many pinups are making money at it....
treat it like a hobby, and good things happen to those pinups!

and your post was regarding late thirties/plus size models.... get that "market" of pinup out of your head... be as young as you feel, and as sexy as you feel, and your weight and your age, DO NOT SHOW UP IN YOUR images!

hope this helps
xoxo Soda Shop Sue

[Lula La Rose]

Thank you so much ladies for your feedback and encouragement! :)

[Wink Holliday]

Cindy Joseph is a successful mainstream model who didn't even START modeling until she was 48! Keep going until you stop smiling.

[Lil_Bit {★}]

Don't be discouraged by your age.....I believe that a women is beautiful at every age and size. We all have something special about us...but it's up to us to believe in it and embrace it......keep you head up and move forward !

[C/S]

I started at 40 and am now 44 , it has been wonderful ....c

[Seanna {Madam}]

I hate that people are judged by their age! If you look good you look good period. I say I am 100 years old in most of my profiles because if anyone feels it necessary to try to figure out my age then let them try, haha. I want the pictures to speak without any distractions. If you are modeling in the more high-fashion industry I see why it would be necessary to know age but, in Pin Up I feel like there is more of a market for girls of all ages, shapes and sizes which is why you DO see more variety. Now, isn't that more exciting?!
Plus, I have a very traditional outlook which is, you NEVER ask a lady her age. It's simply bad manners.
Now, go get em tiger. Grrrrrrr!!

[Lula La Rose]

Thank you all! :) I have to keep in mind it is how I feel and my outlook vs. my actual age that should make a difference. I still think and feel like I am in my 20s anyways. lol! So I will try to bring that out in my pics.

[Helen Highwater]

I was contacted by a pin-up contest who wanted to swap website links with me. I said yes, as long as they ditched their rule stating that only girls under 30 could apply! Because it would've discounted about a quarter of the women on Pin-Up Parade if I'd done that. So... they dropped the age limit. ;)

Let's face it, Bettie Page did some amazing pics in her 30s.

[Bree Anne]

Hats off to you Lady S! It is so very encouraging to see someone like yourself putting it all out there. I agree with many of the ladies, that you only get better as you age. With age comes wisdom, confidence and life experience. Remember that this is all exuded in the finished image. I myself am a 30 something just breaking into the amateur modeling biz, as before I was always a behind the scenes gal. Doing the designing and coordinating. Then I started getting mountains of comments from people and offers to photograph me, and I thought, "why not". Its all for fun, so when it stops being fun, that may be when its time to quit. Best of luck to you and I will always look forward to new pics of you!

[Lula La Rose]

I am glad to hear that you stood up to them Helen! That is what we need to do!

And thank you Bree Anne! That is partially why I started modeling, especially after I started wearing corsets, because I was getting some positive feedback on my photos, so I decided to try it. I am having a lot of fun!