Sometimes I feel like I was groomed to be a pin up from the beginning. My dad thought that the modern movies I wanted to watch weren't appropriate, so he started me on the classics early. My love affair with them started the first time I watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes staring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. After that, I watched every classic Hollywood movie I could get my hands on. This was pretty easy to do. My grandma was in the theater so Broadway musicals were a part of life. Once she found out I was interested, she made sure I had every classic movie, staring every beautiful Hollywood starlet. I became her "theater baby", and would spend hours backstage watching everyone get into make up and costume, sneaking a little rouge or a strand of pearls when no one was looking. I'd run around the theater like it was my playground, putting on my own plays for anyone who would stop for a minute and watch me, pretending to be a fabulous leading lady. From the clothes they wore to the way they moved, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up; A bombshell, pin up socialite!
When I got older my mom wasn't very happy with the direction my style and habits were heading (I was a gutter-punk as a teen in Berkley, I loved it, she didn't), so she signed me up for Barbizon Modeling School. I was reluctant at first, but it was fun and I learned to love it. Barbizon taught me quite a bit about modeling, but couldn't beat the rebellious teenager out of me, so mom's next idea was finishing school. She went to Wendy Ward in the 60's and since it didn't exist anymore I was signed up for Norma Paton-Henning's School for Fine Young Ladies. I loved finishing school. It reminded me of those old movies (GiGi in particular), and how much I loved that era. When I graduated the rebel was still there, she was just a little more refined.
In my teenage years and early 20s I experimented with different looks and subcultures; goth, candy kid raver, japanese inspired kawaii decora and lolita, even the dreaded grunge look in the 90's, but no matter what I was wearing there were always two things every look had in common. My ever changing hair color (natural colors are so boring) and the fact that every look had a touch of pin up in it. I always tried to make it more fabulous, more colorful, and more glamorous.
After high school I went to Valley Beauty College to learn everything I could about hair and make up, and wouldn't you know it, one of my instructors was a former Pin Up in the 50's. She taught me all the classic hairstyles and I became her favorite pupil. Not so much my with my other teachers since after that I wasn't interested in anything modern. My parting gift was a copy of the schools first two text books, mint condition, from the early 60's. I still have them, and they have been invaluable in my education. After that my love of the 50's and pin ups was cemented and it was on to West Valley College where I majored in History of Fashion. My specialty… mid century of course!
I love everything about this lifestyle, the look, the music, and of course the people. Since I started in this scene, it’s been a never ending whirlwind of photo shoots, car shows, interviews, hairspray, high heels and red lips; and I love every minute of it!
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