This month I turned another year older. To kick off this new year of mine in the most fabulous age-positive way ( I am over 35), I decided to do something I had not done before, enter a vintage pin up pageant! This pageant was held as part of a retro culture festival called Rockabillaque. The festival included classic cars, vintage motorcycles, food trucks, vendors, top rockabilly revival bands from all over the county, a tattoo contest, a beard and mustache competition, and of course, the pageant for all of us vintage enthusiast gals, to show off our best 40’s / 50’s themed outfits. It was so fun to see so many woman of many ages and body types show up wearing leopard, polka dots, rose floral prints, red lipstick, coiffed curls, pretty heels, and just to see the general overall effort put forth into looking the pin up part. To me effort is the very reason I am drawn to, and LOVE vintage pin up culture. Putting in the effort! Now that is something I wish our current culture could bring back. I think it is just as easy to put on a cute dress or skirt as it is to put on leggings and a sweatshirt. Every girl there looked incredibly smashing and put together!
My outfit of choice consisted of a home-sewn, light pink tropical crop top (I used a vintage sewing pattern), and a pair of matching turquoise high waist shorts, with pink pom pom trim.
For the top I used sewing pattern Simplicity 1426 (originally 4333) a republished 1950’s crop top, made using “Gertie” brand Pink Hawaiian fabric – vintage inspired fabric from Jo Anne’s. I love how this turned out! I did view C, and finished it off with green mini pompom trim, and fabulous buttons off an Anthropologie jacket I don’t wear any longer. This was my first go at bound buttonholes, and it turned out ok!
These shorts were originally a very “fuddy-duddy” pair of long matronly pants from goodwill, but I cut them up, replaced the elastic waist band, and revamped them into what I envisioned. For my hair I was inspired by Betty Grable’s poodle hair dos. I used a pink scarf to create a turban and tucked in some fake tropical flowers. As far as shoes, I had two pairs of clear shoes. One for walking around the car show, and a pair of rhinestone high heels for the stage.
I am very thankful and excited to receive the crown and title of 2020 Miss Rockabillaque Florida! It is an honor to represent vintage style, and to have just moved to Florida in January, it is indeed, a very warm welcome to the sunshine state.
