The rise of the modern pinup in Australia
Pinup girls aren't a new thing, they have been around for decades. Let’s be
honest, it all stems from the women who were “pinned up” on walls of our men at
war in the 1940s and 1950s. But locally,
If you look back a decade ago, the words pinup and Australia were only just coming together again, there was no avenue for ladies who loved pinup culture to express themselves.
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| Credit: Pinterest/LIFE magazine |
Here in Australia the rise of modern pinup started with ladies
who loved collecting vintage and wanted the chance to dress up in their finest
wares for car shows and events.
Pinup went hand-in-hand with these events as the fashion complimented the
classic cars and music of those eras.
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| My first shoot at Greazefest by Pete Walker "Pix by Pete" |
My first introduction to the culture was at Greazefest 2006 at Davies Park, West End,
which brought together different subcultures in a fun and welcoming
environment. I started by watching
ladies in the fashion parade wearing gorgeous vintage dresses, and others in
tight black capris with gingham tied up shirts and leather jackets and I
thought, damn, I want confidence like that to take the stage one day,
since then I was hooked.
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| My first studio photo shoot by Paula Delley |
In 2007 the first revival of specialised pinup photography
ensued, with Melbourne based, Paula Delley, the original business to offer
photo shoots. But it wasn't just shoots, there were the first vintage hair and makeup classes where women could have
vintage makeovers and photos, while being assisted by burlesque and pinup icon Sara-Lea Cheesecake to learn the art of winged eyeliner, and the
perfect pout of red lips.
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| Miss Garterbelts and Gasoline 2008 |
The revival of pinup was growing, the first local pinup
pageant at the 2008 Garterbelts and Gasoline Nostalgia festival held at Mt
Tamborine in the state of Queensland.
The entrants were the pioneers of the rise of
pinup and burlesque in Queensland and Australia. We
were friends who would hang out at shows, help each other with hair and makeup,
and I’m happy to say that most of us are still friends still supporting each other like we did a decade ago.
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| Miss Pinup judged by Sabina Kelley - Sydney Tattoo Expo 2010 |
Finally, pinup surged across Australia with the first
national pageant in 2010 presented by Deadbeat Magazine at the Sydney Tattoo Expo, bringing together ladies from all over Australia to take the stage
and strut their stuff in a professional atmosphere, with multiple rounds and
routines, at a large scale event. This
pageant was more than just a title, it was the opportunity to be judged by the
biggest name in the industry, Sabina Kelley (USA), and the most reputable
magazine in the industry, Deadbeat Magazine.
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| Miss Rods and Rockabilly 2016 - Photo Mitzi and Co |
“Miss Pinup” at the Sydney Tattoo Expo gave pageant entrants
the chance to have hair and makeup styled professionally over two days and to
model for iconic Australian fashion labels in front of an audience of
thousands. Personally, winning this
pageant and Miss Ink Australia 2010 launched my name into the spotlight to take the next step. I then started my own
business, teaching vintage styling classes and being the first dedicated producer of pageants across Australia. Now I produce rockabilly events in my home state of Queensland so I’ve definitely earned my title of “Australia’s Hostess with the mostest”. So from little things, big things can grow,
it takes dedication and ambition and a true love of the culture.
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| Miss Dirty Love |
You may be thinking, why pinup has become so
widespread? I believe it’s the nostalgia
of a bygone era paired with the all-inclusive atmosphere it creates, welcoming
pinups of any race, shape, age, or gender in an environment safe of bullying
and judgement.
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| Miss Motorshow 2017 - Moreton Bay Regional Council |
As pinup became popular, it became more accessible to ladies
across Australia, in the early days we would have to import clothing from the UK
and USA, which always came with a postage cost as much as what we brought! The revival meant that new businesses were
born including clothing market stalls with vintage and reproduction items, workshops
and classes to help guide the next generation, and more pinup pageants.
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| Miss West Coast Lowdown 2017 (Perth, WA) |
Now Australia has pinup pageants at almost every car, tattoo
or rockabilly event, showing that we have embraced the culture and encourage women
who attend and support these events. Queensland is leading the way with pageants, with anywhere from
10-15 annual events where ladies take the stage and vie for varying titles and
opportunities that come with those titles - such as magazine covers, being the face of
future festivals, and sitting on judging panels to help decide the
next title holder.
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| Miss Red Thunder 2018 - Photo Phills Kustom Photgraphy |
Pinup is not just about loving the aesthetic of a bygone era
(because no pinup lives and practice the stereotypes of women in this era - Vintage vibes, not vintage values),
it’s about empowering women, building confidence, meeting like minded people and
forming lifelong friendships.
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| Miss Downunder Beachfest 2018 - Photo Pandom Images |
It doesn’t matter if you’re into authentic vintage or
reproduction, if you love rock and roll or rockabilly, there’s always a place
for you in the pinup culture so why not give it a try, because pinup culture is
here to stay.
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| Hosting Miss Downunder Beachfest - Photo Pandom images |
If you want to add a pageant at your event to support the new and experienced pinups of Australia, let me us care of everything for you (all we need is a microphone and stage, couldn't be simpler). With over nine years of experience both on and off stage, we can help create memorable entertainment guaranteed to bring a crowd.
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