Pinup girl is a term that refers to a girl who’s image was so popular in print (this was before the digital age) that their image would be “pinned up” everywhere. Among the celebrities who were considered sex symbols, one of the most popular early pin-up girls was Betty Grable, whose poster was ubiquitous in the lockers of G.I.s during World War II. From the early 19th century, when pin-up modeling had “theatrical origins”, burlesque performers and actresses sometimes used photographic business cards to advertise shows. The counterpart of the pin-up girl is the male pin-up, also known as beefcake, including celebrated actors and athletes such as the actor James Dean, the singer Jim Morrison, and the model Fabio.
- For example, male pin-up artist Gil Elvgreen once painted a pin-up with two left feet.
- A poster with a joyful smile was released, and it quickly became the most requested photo among foreign G.I.s.
- Another “blonde bombshell” type, she had a short career where she was very popular throughout the 1950s.
- The most popular pin up girl in World War 2 was Betty Grable.
Chic Vintage Maternity Clothes, From Retro Dresses to 50s Fashion
Ava Gardner was a beautiful actress who became one of the sex symbols in the 1950s era. She appeared in the romantic comedy film We Were Dancing. Jayne became a Playboy Playmate and gained popularity. Gina Lollobrigida is considered one of the highest-profile European actresses of the era. Gina hogged the limelight appearing in the film Bread, Love and Dreams. Next up is the international sex symbol and actress Gina Lollobrigida.
of the Best 1950s Film Noir Movies You’ll Love
The most popular part of the magazine was the pinup girl that was printed in the magazine. The golden age of pinups is considered to be the 1940s, notably during WWII when it was common for men to have images of their favorite girls pinned up. Pinup girl history and style during the golden age of the pin-up girl, plus some famous 1940s pinup girls Pin-up modeling has been described as a subculture that is invested in promoting positive body images and a love for one’s sexuality, “pin-up would also find ways to… encourage the erotic self-awareness and self expression of real women”. According to Joanne Meyerowitz in “Women, Cheesecake, and Borderline Material,” an article in Journal of Women’s History, “As sexual images of women multiplied in the popular culture, women participated actively in constructing arguments to endorse as well as protest against them.”
Pin up girl style: Sexy button-up blouse
Moreover, Suzy Parker was the first model to earn more than $100 per hour and $100,000 annually. Some of the renowned magazines and makeup brands include Vogue, Look, Revlon, Paris Match, and Redbook. She appeared on the Life magazine at just 15. However, Bettie had a short career, she left an indelible mark on pop culture. She was among the first Playmates of the Month featured in Playboy magazine. The actress appeared in television shows She is considered the Queen of Pinups.
She used her daughter, 3-year-old Cheri Brand, as a model. In 1959, Ballantyne designed the Coppertone sunscreen ad, which portrays a little girl whose bathing suit is being pulled down by a dog. Her “Aqua Tour” series depicts women in aquatic settings.
Pin up girl style: vintage swimwear with pin-curled hair and high heels
While she had a short acting career, she became popular through her shoots and magazine cover appearances. The actress became famous as a blonde bombshell for her roles in multiple films. Cleo Moore was one of the most popular pin-up models of the 50s. After appearing in a few films with uncredited roles, she appeared as a pin-up for famous magazines like Playboy. Cecilia Ann Renee Parker aka Suzy Parker was a famous model and actress. Hazel Brooks is another famous model and actress.
Kitt portrayed Catwoman in the live-action TV series Batman and BBC series The Good Old Days. Dorothy Dandridge is one of the black actresses who became successful in Hollywood. The novelist Ernest Hemingway cited her as “the most sensational woman anyone ever saw.”
Vintage Pin-Up Girl Posters – Framed Prints, Canvases, & Wall Art
We have considered the best pin-up models of the 1950s. Also, you must know the best famous Latina and Hispanic actresses. Eartha Kitt was one of the black actresses and pin-ups who earned fame. Eartha Kitt was a talented singer and actress. Carmen Jones is one of her most successful films that earned her an Academy Award nomination. Dorothy became the first black woman to appear on the cover of the magazine Life.
I would say that the women portray very beautiful, idealized women, but the images are less erotic.” Their images, compared to male-produced pin-up art, have fewer exaggerated features and less eroticism. Rather than relying on the male gaze, they transposed the female gaze into their work by using themselves and their friends as models, showing women as they truly are. The image of the pin-up reminded soldiers what they were fighting for; she served as a symbol of the American girls waiting patiently for the young men to come home.
Summer portrait of pin-up style blonde young woman wearing striped top, shorts and red high heels, laughing at the camera. Old photograph of a smiling girl on motorbike Portrait of pretty girl in the retro style
Marilyn Monroe
The iconic image of her looking over her shoulder, standing in a white swimsuit and heels was plastered all over by American soldiers. This model wears a naval officer’s peaked cap and kneels before a ship’s wheel. Middle age woman in black bikini with umbrella . Old-school US Navy tattoo of a sensual woman sailor with the US flag in her hands. This model is wearing a black bikini, sitting on a towel, sunbathing with the sun behind her.
Here are some of the most popular pinup girls during the 1940s. However, there were other famous pinup girls that didn’t sport the hourglass figure like Rita Hayworth or Lauren Bacall. The stereotypical pinup girl body type is an hourglass figure, which was what most vintage pinup girls had. Pinup fashion now often refers to the pinup models of the 1940s and 1950s, or even refers to the classic style of 1940s fashion and 1950s fashion. The military encouraged the whole pinup craze by printed images of pinups to sell war bonds.
Known for, guess what, her curvy figure, and her most famous film La Dolce Vita. She helped popularize the bikini swimsuit in the 1950s and is known for having that effortless french style. She acted in 47 films over her career before retiring in the 70s. Brigitte Bardot is a French dancer, actress, and model. She starred in 42 films and was one of the highest paid women at the time. Betty Grable was an American model, singer, dancer, and actress.
Besides the clothing, one of the most recognizable aspects of the pinup look is the hair. Although considered risque for the day, compared to modern day style, they actually don’t show a lot of skin. YANK magazine was a weekly military magazine that was distributed to members of the military. Historically, Black women in pin-up are still not as common as White women pin-ups. 1990 marked the first year that Playboy’s Playmate of the Year was an African-American woman, Renee Tenison.
It shows a bathing beauty / pin-up from the pack known as Romikartya 4, which features 1950s pin-up girls, bathing beauties with seaside backgrounds. Black-white illustration with pin-up girl with dice and playing cards in vintage style. Emulation of vintage style photography in pin-up style.
- The most popular part of the magazine was the pinup girl that was printed in the magazine.
- Emulation of vintage style photography in pin-up style.
- The most enduring pin up girl to this day has been Marilyn Monroe, but during the 1950s, Betty Grable and Betty Page were extremely popular.
- Some of her most notable films include La Dolce Vita, Artists and Models, The Cobra, Bambola, and Screaming Mimi.
- Interestingly, her brother was her favorite model for drawing lips on her pin-ups.
This post is all about the 1940s pin up girl, history and style
She was one of the most popular stars of Hollywood’s golden age, and one of the few still alive today. The height of her movie career was in the 1950s-70s. Not to be confused with Sophia Loren, Gina was popular in her own right.
This was intended to showcase the beauty that African-American women possessed in a world where their skin color was under constant scrutiny. Jet supported pin-up with their full-page feature called “Beauty of the Week”, where African-American women posed in swimsuits. African-American pin-up gained a platform when the magazine Jet (created in 1951) published material related to the African-American community. Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page are often cited as the classic pin-up, however there were many Black women who were considered to be impactful.
