Get The Look: Pinup Girl

1. Hair Pin curls and victory rolls were a popular look for most pin-up girls. Curls were often achieved by a “permanent” which made hair easier to mold into a curl, but you can achieve this look without chemicals. To get pin curls: dab gel onto the root of a small section of damp hair, then twirl that section of hair around your finger until you get to your scalp. (You can twirl in whatever direction you’d like the curls to flow.) Slide your finger out of the curl and pin the curl to your head. Repeat for your entire head of hair, allow hair to dry, then remove pins, and viola!

2. Add an embellishment. Pin-up girls’ hair should generally be kept soft and simple, with minimal product use, but feel free to have some fun and add a little bit of personality to your look with hair accessories. Good options include a hair flower, bandana, or large bow. You can also use a snood or a pin. Try and include bright colours preferably red to get the perfect pinup look.

3. Skin Lay the foundation. Pin-up girls need flawless skin, so use a full coverage foundation that matches your skin tone perfectly. Follow with a creamy concealer to disguise any blemishes or dark circles, and set your base with a dusting of translucent powder.

4. Eyebrows Groom your eyebrows and make them pop. First, brush them until they are neat, then fill them in with a matte powder that’s one or two shades darker than your natural brow color.This will create sufficient drama without being garish. If it’s been a while since your shaped your eyebrows with tweezers, you may need to do that before brushing and applying color. (Sorry)

5. Make up your eyes. Along with the lips, the eyes are a major focal point of pin-up girl makeup. Apply a vanilla or champagne colored eye-shadow to the entire upper eyelid, then contour with a darker neutral color, and blend. Next, use black liquid eyeliner, making sure the eyeliner wings out at the corners of your eye. Allow eyeliner to dry and then apply at least 2 coats of a good lengthening and thickening mascara. It's a good idea to practice this look a lot before actually using it formally. For extra points add false lashes before the eyeliner!

6. Lips Pin-up lips should be red, though the exact shade will depend on your skin tone. Go with as dark and deep a red as you can, based on your skin. Outline the shape of your lips first with a red pencil but at the peak of your lips create a sharp cupid bow “V.” Fill in with lipstick that perfectly matches your lip pencil. Don’t forget to blot! No matter your skin tone, there’s a red out there for you. There are countless shades to choose from, from blood red to cherry red to fire engine red and so on. Have fun experimenting until you find the one that works for you.

7. Clothes Draw inspiration from the 1940’s and 1950’s. Your aim is to create an alluring hourglass silhouette. Shirtdresses and belts that cinch tight at your waist are a great way to achieve this look. Think about pin-ups from the past whose style your admire. Ava Gardner, Jayne Mansfield, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, and Marilyn Monroe all provide stunning examples. Even as you use famous pin-ups as a guide, try to create your own unique look. This is what will make the experience of dressing like a pin-up most fun and fulfilling.

8. Underwear Buy a bullet bra. This is the pointy-cupped brassiere that will give you the Marilyn Monroe sweater look which was all the rage during the pin-up era. Invest in a girdle or corset. 1940’s and 1950’s clothing is designed to be worn with base garments, so consider investing in a vintage girdle to give you a lovely silhouette. Though you may not have a natural hourglass shape, these undergarments will do a great job helping you “fake” it!

For bonus points add details like killer red nails and a bold beauty mark. Don't be afraid to let out your inner pinup girl and strut your stuff. Shop vintage to get the genuine pinup clothes.