The Prize


Home and settled the evening of my victory, I am floored at my prize! Treasures from a Luscious Ladies seamstress (KW Creations), and a photo shoot with Bad Bones Photograhpy, hair and makeup by Brittany Jane included. My husband noted earlier in the day with Jackie, president of the Angels, that this prize has a $500 value. I get online and begin learning more about the folks we met. Brittany Jane is the President of Luscious Ladies, married to Bad Bones Photography guy/DJ of the party, whom together produce Delicious Darlings Magazine. I am giddy at the opportunity to work with this couple and to learn more of the Pinup scene, and these are just the folks to have that conversation. I still ponder if I deserve to win, as Shane informs me he felt the girl next to me may have had a louder crowd roar. I wonder what the criteria the judges held. I also tell myself that perhaps it was nothing to win, but to everyone who competed that simply isn’t true. Days later, I put together that two of the girls in the finals with me were each hopefuls to each of the different host groups which causes me to wonder if they declare me the winner simply out of nonpartisan spirit. Three judges, one from each group, and a man who is a vendor at the event, I still don’t know their criteria or if the win was in jest. But within days with an announcement on Facbook, the Luscious ladies induct five potentials as new members all at once. I wonder why so many at a time, and what the criteria are to be a member. Each group hovers in numbers around a dozen. Looking at Facebook pages I remain curious, what turns a hopeful into a bone fide member?

First Pinup Contest


Apparently, not many women want to put themselves out in a pinup contest. I had imagined at least five girls disappointed by missing the chance to sign up on account of the “limit ten”. One girl was signed up when short chats with each host group convinced Shane and I, reluctantly, to put my name on the list and to learn by submersion. An hour and a half later, I am contestant number five out of six awaiting to answer the host’s questions: tell us about yourself, and what is the perfect Valentines Day? Looking out at the crowded bar from the small stage flew butterflies about my gut, especially when upon stating my bit, a gruff looking man scowled from the crowd. “Speak into the microphone!” I froze a bit and smiled bigger, a trick learnt from five years of customer service at In-N-Out, and I decided not to hog the stage by repeating anything. I resolved to do better next time and let this show stand as a learning experience. Contestant number six states her bit, and the three judges dismiss us. I entered the crowd and envelope my baby out of the arms of a kind stranger with whom we share a table. Snugling baby close I think the contest over for me, a disappointing yet sobering notion that I did not have my game on. Baby tears off my pinned number five card and I cheer myself that it was a good experience, to be better prepare next time. I am the third and last contestant called to go back on stage for finals. Excitement and delight, I hurriedly replace the heart shaped number five pin in time for a photo snap. Last to answer the question, which animal would I adopt from the SPCA, I give an authentic response and await the rounds of crowd roar as each of our numbers are tested. I’m so nervous through all this that much of the time on stage, with the exception of my turn at crowd roar when I look around and wave, I am staring at the girl next to me. My number declared the winner, but I am so engulfed with the girl to my left that I somehow experience her disappointment and my own surprised delight simultaneously. Jim Carrey’s The Grinch comes to mind, when he realizes he has won the Jubilation, which indicates there are losers. Sinking heart, not pleasure is my reaction to this very real fact. She was well deserved to win and wanting to validate this darling beauty in the wake of let-down, I follow her off stage and learn more about who she is. A triple threat, she does hair and makeup and works in costumes. I get her number and the reality of both possible outcomes to a contest remains.

Day of Debut


Rain cancels the highlight of the day for me, which was meant to be the California Auto Museum’s rummage sale where we meant to look for photo props. Postponed to the following week, but we are now able to arrive twenty minutes early to the party instead of what would have been hours late. Enough time to enter the contest, but on our drive Shane has declared we will not. Rain drops the windows of my parents’ Tahoe we’ve borrowed for the day in anticipation of finding props that would not fit in our Honda Civic, because at this point our 1948 Chevy Stylemaster is not road-ready. More on that piece of the story later. For now, we watch folks arrive and enter the HideAway Bar where the event is hosted. We think this crowd doesn’t seem for us, but are pleasantly surprised when we walk in and the feeling changes that it may be. Vintage attire and style everywhere, we dig the crowd but also feel held back by out kids en tow. A few other children are present, but this environment has nowhere for a kid to be so. Instead of mingling, we hunker down at a table and order some food. We eventually take turns with a chat here and conversation there. Next time we will certainly at least leave the three year old at home.

Impressions at this point of the Atomic Angels are that they genuinely mean the motto about sisterhood. Sweet gals with genuine smiles and do-good in the fiber of their being. I like that they offer a real experience and party people want to attend for immediate and real benefit to the community. Many of the girls are too busy to chat, but I like them and can pursue further contact at a later date.

The Luscious Ladies at this impression to me are a bit edgier and possibly alternative could be used here, more rockabilly in culture whereas the Angels seemed more classically styled than rockabilly. The Ladies appear to be a bit younger, possibly less experienced, and smaller in stature. They too claim to support charity while also bombing car shows and actively pursuing photo shoots.

End of Day, I still am not convinced which group if any is for me. I have more exploring and homework to do on both groups. Oh, and I won my first Pinup Contest, but more on that later.

Our Pinup Debut Tomorrow


Family friendly SPCA benefit party hosted by the Atomic Angels and Luscious Ladies, my family and I prepare to attend. My husband pin curls my hair in the sound booth at our church’s Saturday night service, yes while running the board. He takes in stride piffy comments thrown by other members of the media/production team. His answer? This is what a good husband does. My answer? Mama made him promise if he marries me, then he has to learn to do my hair. My mind wonders about the Atomic Angels and Luscious Ladies: Who are these ladies? What is the scene like? Is this for us? Will it be oversexualized? Will they be a bunch of seeking singles? Creepers? WIll we jive? Our first real pinup contest, should we join in or just spectate? Our resolve is that we are simply checking it out.

We Have Photos!


Days go by and I ponder what to do with our images. Is having them under our belt enough? They’re so lovely, sharing them would be marvelous. But how and where? I’m no FaceBook ham. If I share the images I want them to mean something. Our process to get even this far is a story worth offering. Even if you’re not interested in Pinup, perhaps vintage styling feasts your curiosity or desires to hug your beautiful womanly shape/shape of someone you love. Mother of two, I never regret having flattering images of myself to look back and remember. Early in our photographing days I hesitate at my husband’s obsession with photographing my body. I think memory fades for good reason, and he ought not to have such vivid memory one day of how much my body has changed through age and weight gain/loss. Many changes later, never do I regret our photos. Back to an answer, here I am, sharing my photos and accompanying story. But I am doing more than that, I am also seeking friendship with a community of people who enjoy classic styling. This piece of the journey I also share.

Now What?


We have hundreds of usable images. Excitement swells as I review job well-done. Narrowed shots to 150 and more to narrow down, a filter needs to stand. Shane asks the question, What do you want to do with your photos?

Poses, Please


Our Pinup debut on the calendar, we still have not nailed some great Pinup shots. My third hair appointment looming, I decide to get serious the day before and finally read Shoot Sexy, or at least the chapters on wardrobe/props and studio poses. What a difference, this information is the crowning jewel to vintage styled shots! A few pose adjustments and props later and we are in business! Third visit to the solon is not the prettiest hairdo, but we better manage our time. Nine wardrobe changes and three hours later, we have taken 1000s of photos, and about 150 actually turn out to be usable! This is the most satisfying day in pictures yet, and images from this day make my portfolio. Bingo!

Hair Hair Everywhere

Pinup Wardrobe acquired, check! Now to document in photos. What looks good with what, and practice poses. Three photo shoots later, the wardrobe is well documented but our pictures still don’t look like Pinups. My husband at this point has read Shoot Sexy, but I resist. The difference hair and makeup create is inarguable. For months now we’ve had two hair and makeup books. I have the makeup down all right, but hair has never been my forte. Call in the professionals! Or at least a professional student. Fortunate for us, there is a beauty academy down the street, Blake Austin. The first time I get my hair done up is for my cousin’s wedding and it takes three hours. Did I mention we have an infant and three year old? They need mommy and we need to hit the road North for the Placerville event of the year. We got a few decent shots, but plan to try again in three weeks when we take our annual family Christmas card photos. Same story of too long at the salon and not enough time to take pics beyond family and still make it out dancing. Third time is a charm though so by January, we finally manage the complete look over and over again.
The complete Pinup shot follows.

The Wardrobe


I stare into the abyss of my closet to find one ill fitting dress and pair of cigarette pants I believe to fit, but my husband labels “muffin toppy”. A huge sale the day after Thanksgiving affords me the opportunity to acquire a Pinup wardrobe beyond the bathing suits hoarded the previous summer to cover stretch marks from my second pregnancy. Shane allows a generous purchase, which arrives with mixed satisfaction. Brands in the vintage reproduction Pinup clothing abound as much as size variation and how a 28″ waist wears. I find one or two brands and exchange the rest, waiting on pins and needles for the following two weeks whether or not the next size down will be a solid fit. The feeling I get the day the first box of dresses arrives that actually FIT is like the best Christmas morning you could possibly recall! Seven months postpartum, the satisfaction of zipping up these lovelies and I feel like a beautiful new woman! Addicted to that feeling, the sales keep posting so we keep spending. Dresses, shorts, tops, shoes, earrings, belts, slips and a minimum of six months to pay it all off. But, we finally have the Pinup Wardrobe.

Cyber Connect


Months after Mustang Days, the Sonoma County Calendar Girls request applicants to their group. I pen an email and receive positive feedback. Ultimately, the ball is dropped. This is fine, as I have learned of two Pinup groups in Sacramento: The Atomic Angels, and Luscious Ladies who happen to be co-hosting an event in the near future. I look forward to the date for an entire month.