Starting A Pin Up Wardrobe On A Budget

Having your own retro wardrobe can be a great asset when you're out there looking for pin up modeling gigs. Some photographers might not supply wardrobe for shoots and others, who may not do pin up on a regular basis, may need a model who can fend for themselves in that department.

So how to start building a retro/pin up wardrobe without breaking the bank?

One place to start is the Salvation Army and other thrift stores. In the New York area they've been picked clean of real vintage for years, however, depending on where you live, you may still get lucky. But you don't just have to troll for vintage at the Sal. It can be a great place to pick up basics like a black pencil skirt, black shoes, sweaters, shorts, cute capris...The list is endless, you just have to keep a sharp eye out for the gems among the dross. Look for simple, clean lines. For example, you want skirts, capris and shorts to be very simple, without say, cargo pockets or ornamental zippers. The more classic looking (meaning even though it is modern it could be from any era) the better. Also, stay alert for anything that could be used as a prop since people donate some of the strangest things to their local thrift stores!

With Halloween coming up, don't underestimate the potential of costume and party shops! Of course they have the seasonal witch, devil and black cat, but don't pass up the opportunity to pick up a sexy nurse uniform, sailor girl, soldier, hula girl, harem girl or even a Daisy Duke costume! Most costumes are less than $50 each and the opportunity is there to pick up items half price after the holiday. These shops can also be great sources for props; cigarette holders, hand cuffs, brooms, bunny ears (think Easter), etc.

How about lingerie? While there are some fabulous repro lingerie lines out there like What Katie Did and Secrets In Lace you can also find great buys from old stand bys like Frederick's of Hollywood. 'Ornamental' corsets (meaning the kind you don't want to use to tight lace your waist in by four inches) are a fraction the cost of the real thing and they have great sales in which to pick up odds and ends like garter belts and cute sets (like this one for example).

Do a Google search for "Shirley of Hollywood" (maybe she was Fred's cousin ;-)), and see what comes up. They make very reasonably priced pieces and have great ruffly boy shorts! (Unfortunately they also make some incredibly tawdry stuff as well, but to each his own I suppose).

With just a little creativity and resourcefulness it can be easy to get your wardrobe collection started or put together a look for a shoot without having to go into debt!

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Rockin' The Pin Up Look Outside of the Photgraphers Studio - Part 1

It's no secret that the pin up girl look is big on the runways and on the street right now. Such diverse influences as singer Katy Perry, burlesque diva Dita Von Teese and those fabulous females in the cast of AMC's Mad Men have all have gone a long way towards resurrecting glamour and showing the world that curves on real women are infinitely more attractive than the anorexic clothes hangers that usually trot down the runway.

Dita Von Teese, Katie Perry, Mad Men's Christina Hendricks

So how DO you rock a pin up look while walking down the sidewalk? Here in Tip #1 we're going to start with the "foundation" so-to-speak (a little play on words there).

First and foremost is "shapewear," aka foundation garments.

Ladies, I don't care if you are Skinny Malink personified, proper undergarments are the basis upon which your gorgeous look is built. Let's face it, no one wants to see your thong line, the outline of your belly button or anything else you have no business showing to the strangers of the world through your dress. That's just trashy and trashy is the furthest thing from glamour you can get (think Beyonce on the red carpet in Elie Saab as opposed to Lil Kim on the red carpet in whatever this is).

OK, so maybe nature didn't give you natural curves, or your waist leaves something to be desired. This is where shapewear comes in! It can give you a waist where there was none before, or flatten a belly that isn't exactly a six pack. Most importantly it gives you a smooth line under your clothes so folks can see how gorgeous you are and not what undergarments you are or aren't wearing. Remember glamour is all about the tantalizing HINT of nudity.

One of my favorite things for under day dresses or any dress that doesn't require a strapless bra is the corselette. A corselette is a one-piece body shaper with an open bottom and attached garters for your stockings. What Katie Did makes a fabulous corselette as part of the Glamour line of shapewear. The nice thing about the Glamour range from What Katie did is it comes and black and peach and all the pieces in the range coordinate with other items that they offer. The Glamour line also features a bustier, Merry Widow Basque, and a waist cincher among other pieces. For my money, What Katie Did are the best source for reproduction vintage lingerie and shapwear out there. If you're leery of order from the UK for whatever reason, Rago Shapewear is a great American alternative and is sold through many different outlets. Another American source for reproduction 50's lingerie is a site called Secrets In Lace .

Glamour Corselette

Don't forget the old stand-bys like Spanx and the new line at Target by Spanx creator Assets by Sara Blakely.

Another one of my favorite pieces of shapewear is the Merry Widow. Slightly longer than a long line bra, they come in shapes that can even tame a bit of belly or hip. Sadly Lady Marlene stopped production on their beautiful products last year, but you can still find some of their fabulous pieces online or in select intimate apparel shops. My ultimate favorite is the Lady Marlene 986 which comes in white or black with a lace inlay. It both hooks AND zips. And here's a trick I learned from the lingerie Wizard of Orchard Street - buy this one size smaller than your usual bra band and it will suck everything in a push it all up! Other good choices in the Merry Widow/bustier department are Carnival and Goddess.

Another great piece of shapewear which is both functional and sexy is the waist cincher. These do exactly what they say; cinch the waist in! Once again What Katie Did comes to the rescue. I'm a big fan of Katie's gold label Lily cincher (seen here on the lovely Bernie Dexter). As you can see it starts just below the bra and ends just under the belly so not only will it cinch the waist, but it will take care of love handles, pot bellies and saddle bags! You can also try the Glamour model from WKD or check into the Rago waist cincher.

I could go on and on; panty girdles, open-bottom girdles, garter belts, strapless bras, and yes, even control thongs - the world of shapewear is a smorgasbord with different levels of support, decoration and uses.

But if you only take one lesson away from this blog it is this:

A good foundation is the basis of a glamorous, pin up look!

Now get shopping :-)!

(All photos in the blog are copyright of their respective owners and all rights are reserved)