how to dress pinup on a budget

Back when I was just a simple schlubby college student wearing ill-fitting jeans and hoodies and daydreaming about pretty pinup clothes, cost was definitely a major hurdle between me and the aesthetic I wanted to achieve. At that time, I didn’t think it was one that I would ever overcome, but hey – look at me now! I do wear vintage/pinup attire every day, and I didn’t win the lottery or anything. I’m totally against the predatory lending practices of our modern age, and I don’t carry any debt (apart from my student loans, boo) and pay off my credit cards every month. So here are my quick and dirty tips for achieving vintage style on a budget.

A caveat: The idea of “budget” means something different to all of us. Things that are easily achievable to me may not be to everyone, and things that are prohibitively expensive to me is nothing to someone else. These are only tips from my own experience.

• Don’t rush. Sure, we all want to have exactly what we want right now, but you don’t get a trophy for acquiring the most stuff fastest. Be patient, save up, wait for sales. I owned ONE Pinup Girl Clothing dress for many years, and you better believe I loved that dress to death and wore it to every single special occasion. This is definitely one that’s gotten the better of me with all the limited releases lately, so it’s worth reminding myself: slow down.
• Mix in non repro. Reproduction 40s/50s/60s clothes are a specialty style mostly made by small manufacturers. They’re always going to be expensive. Personally, I tend to buy more skirts and dresses from repro brands and mix in vintage-inspired blouses from places like Target or New York and Company (when they’re having a super good sale) to complete the outfit. We’re lucky that a lot of retro styles (especially pussy bow blouses) are pretty trendy right now. You don’t need head-to-toe repro to be legit – it actually can be more fun to mix in an unexpected piece so you don’t feel like you see yourself coming and going (as my mom would say) all over Instagram.
• Don’t buy it if it doesn’t fit your aesthetic. If you really want to commit to a ~vintage aesthetic~, stop buying clothes that don’t go with your wardrobe. This is the one tip that I would say really made my full-time pinup/vintage look possible. Obviously you can wear whatever you want, but this keeping this in mind does so much good when I’m tempted by whatever random pretty is on the rack at Target.
• Consider cost per wear. Yeah, stuff at Forever 21 is cheap. But that’s because stuff from Forever 21 is cheap. If you find a brand you like with quality fabric and solid construction, those pieces are going to last a lot longer. It also makes me happy to know that I’m supporting mostly women-run businesses and ethically produced clothing.
• Work the accessories/layers. You can really transform a piece with different cardigans, scarves, brooches, etc. One dress (like the Havana Nights, perhaps?) can quickly become several outfits thanks to the power of accessories. I always make sure to add to my rainbow of cardigans when there’s a good sale!
• Think about your monetary vices. We all have them! Personally, fashion definitely is my major vice. I don’t eat out much, I don’t smoke, I don’t even buy coffee regularly. My “fun” money goes to helping me achieve my aesthetic, because that’s what makes me happy. You certainly don’t have to make fashion your priority – but keep in mind what the other things you choose to spend money on are when you’re feeling like you don’t have the budget for new clothes!

My personal favorite “budget” brands are probably Hell Bunny and Lindy Bop. These both offer nice quality, fun pieces at a cost that’s more in line with “mainstream” fashion than the more high-end repro brands.

And finally, no clothes are ever worth going into debt over. Make good choices!

What are your favorite tips for being fiscally responsible while also looking fabulous?

roses & ribbons | PUG review

I don’t know if I’ve stalked and anticipated any Pinup Girl Clothing print as much as this floral ribbon print. Ever since it was first spotted by an eagle eyed PUG fan in the model pic for the mint Sabrina, I’ve been daydreaming about it. In fact, it was this print that inspired me to order this pink floral dress from Hearts & Found…only to have the floral ribbons Ella announced before it had even arrived. Curses! I love the Ella, but it seemed a bit like overkill to have two pink floral full skirted dresses with gathered busts…but I could totally justify picking up a Jenny skirt! You can never have too many of those…

I was tempted to snatch up the Petite Jenny when it launched, just to make sure I could get a skirt in this print, but I’m glad I waited for the full length version. The print is seriously even more beautiful in person…it’s so soft and feminine, and the colors are so lovely. You can definitely see how many different colors could pair well with it; I would love to wear it with olive.

It has the same weight and heft of other Jenny skirts. Though I’ve become fond of other skits (like the Doris), there’s a reason that the Jenny has a cult following. These gathered skirts give you an instant “oomph”! I found the fit of this Jenny to be true to size. And the pockets are SO deep! I love it.

I paired this skirt with a bow-print blouse because ribbons! and bows! I was feeling classically feminine, so I wore my vintage circle pin and a necklace made form vintage enamel pieces. I added a pair of pink rose earrings to my order to get to free shipping…they’re cute, very standard.

I mentioned in my Hearts & Found post that I’m really having a pink renaissance these days…I’m having a lot of fun playing with the color more! There is definitely more pink in my future.

darling doris (PUG review)

Much like the Havana nights dress I reviewed back in June, Pinup Girl Clothing’s Doris skirt is a soft-spoken lady. She’s often overshadowed by her louder and more giggly sister, the Jenny, but don’t pass her by.

I’m planning to do a mega masterpost about dressing pinup/vintage in the workplace (is that someone you’d be interested in? Let me know in the comments!), but I will give you a spoiler right now: the Doris skirt is the PERFECT skirt for the office. I picked one up somewhat on a whim; I needed a nice basic black skirt, and I already own several Jennys. I knew that the Doris had been redesigned with a fuller sweep and pockets, so I took the leap – I’m so glad I did!

The Doris has a good amount of fullness even without a crinoline; I really like the “swing” of the skirt. It has a lot of body without the full-on POOF of a Jenny. The pockets are nice and deep, and it has real belt loops which is always a plus. I do have to say that I’m once again distressed by the length of the belts PUG includes with their dresses – I ordered the Doris in my usual 2X, and it fits very comfortably, but the belt is wayyy too short. I can only close it on the very last hole if I want to be able to sit down – please make longer belts!

I still love my Jenny skirts, but I’m definitely head over heels for Doris! I’d love to collect a whole rainbow of them to mix and match however I choose…but I guess basic black is a good start.

Are you a Doris fan?

the babe and the bugs

This past weekend was not just my birthday, but also one of my favorite events of the whole year: Germanfest! This celebration of German culture and heritage is a family tradition, and I look forward to the polka music, the yodeling, and the delicious food all year long.

I pulled out my red, yellow, and black best and my German flower  crown and prepared to celebrate!

Of course, like other ladies I know, I have a bit of an…affliction when it comes to cute old cars…

I have to pose with them! The Milwaukee Area Volkswagen Club was set up on the festival grounds, and I was of course immediately drawn in by this adorable Herbie! I used to love watching the original Herbie movies with my dad when I was little; this Love Bug actually had one of them playing on a portable DVD player in the backseat! How cool is that?

This blue 1967 Beetle was such a darling color. I think blue goes really well with purple, don’t you?

There were a lot of other cute Volkswagens in the tent (including some amazing VW buses and a Bug with a Rolls Royce kit!) but this yellow convertible really captured my heart. Too cute!

I know they aren’t the usual hotrods and kustoms that pinups like to pose with, but I was pretty darn charmed by this cuties and I had to get a pic or two! It’s funny – when I was a kid, my mom was the one telling my sister and I to go stand next to a sign or with a mascot to get a picture, and we used to mooooooan about it. Now I’m the one constantly handing my phone to my family and asking them to take a few pics!

Do you have the Pinup Compulsion to pose next to any and all vintage cars that capture your heart?

Outfit Details:

Cardigan: MAK (via Modcloth)
Top: Target
Skirt: Eshakti
Necklace: Shop Ruche
Flower Crown: Germanfest vendors

let them eat cake (hearts and found review)

Not gonna lie, I might have teared up a little bit from joy when I put this dress on.

I’d been nervous in the past about ordering custom dresses; what if I messed up the measurements? What if I didn’t like it after all? Would it be hard???

Luckily, ordering from Hearts and Found allayed all of my fears and then some!

I’m a huge fan of supporting small businesses (especially women-run businesses!), so it was great to see that Hearts and Found works with local tailors and shops at local markets. It’s easy to use “Made in the USA” as shorthand for an ethical purchase, but that definitely isn’t always true, and I’m happy for my shopping habit to support local talent all over the world. Really, the thing that concerned me most about ordering from Vietnam was the shipping time since, in the immortal words of Veruca Salt:

I was really impressed with the communication from Marjorie while ordering from Hearts and Found. I’ve always kind of thought of custom clothing as something very fancy and special, and Marjorie definitely made me feel like I was special! She even immediately checked in after receiving my measurements to double-check they were correct, since they seemed a little off…fear number one taken care of! She was really communicative, and the dresses (yes…dresses) came along much quicker than I expected. For my own personal timeline, I placed my order on July 5, received confirmation that the package had shipped on July 12, and the package was delivered to me on July 20 (and required a signature, so I had to go pick it up at the post office the next day, but that doesn’t count). I don’t know how standard this is for Hearts and Found, but I know I was quoted a longer wait time and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the garments were created and made it to me.

But enough blah blah. How about that dress?

As soon as I saw the “Ring a Ring o’ Roses” fabric, I knew I had to have it. I’ve never really been a big fan of pink, but I’ve seriously been vibing on it lately. I’ve been admiring pink things and working pink accessories into my wardrobe, but I still didn’t own any pink clothes. So why not go full in with an ultra femme pink floral dress?

Hearts and Found allows you to pair any of their fabric choices with any dress pattern; after much deliberation, I selected the Grace dress. I loved the flattering ruched bust and of course the big gathered skirt, and I figured the adjustable straps would be a bit forgiving if I’d messed up my measurements somehow. (Can you tell I was really concerned about the measurements?)

In person, the dress is absolutely beautiful. It’s fully lined, which is amazing, and the fit is absolutely spot on. The pockets are real deep, and it’s seriously just so well made. I always worry a bit about handmade items looking a little “Holly Hobby” up against the “pro” stuff, but it looks perfectly at home on my rack of store-bought garments.

I was wishing I had some cake-themed jewelry to wear, since I was definitely feeling the Marie Antoinette vibes in this, but then I realized that, as always, Disney knows the way. “Make it pink! Make it blue!”

The blue and pink bracelet my grandma gave me last time I visited was the perfect pairing! Add in my adorable pink typewriter pin from Ann Shen, a vintage-inspired necklace from a local maker, my trusty pearl earrings, and I was in business!

As for the second dress I bought…well. You’re just going to have to wait until I have the perfect opportunity to wear it! I can tell you that I’m already drooling over the Hearts and Found Etsy shop, trying to figure out what I should order next! I whole-heartedly recommend ordering here, especially if you’re a little nervous about going custom. Marjorie will take good care of you.

of pins & themes

One of my dearest friends recently said to me, “You know, if you were a kindergarten teacher, you could dress in theme every day.”

“You say that like I don’t already,” I replied.

Whether subtle or obvious, I’ve always loved to dress to a theme. I’ve often thought it’s not really worth throwing a party if there’s no potential for themed costumes, and I bring that enthusiasm for dress up into my “everyday” clothes as well.

I wanted to write this post to highlight the gorgeous enamel pins I purchased from Ann Shen, and funnily enough, the outfits I paired them with both fell clearly into the realm of themed!

This beautiful typewriter pin was the first one that caught my eye, so of course I had to craft my outfit around the theme of “intrepid girl reporter.” I always love an excuse to include props in my outfit of the day photographs…I feel a lot more comfortable with something to “act” around.

I purchased the lipstick and powder puff pins at the same time as the typewriter, but didn’t get to wear them until several weeks later because I was patiently awaiting the delivery of this Lindy Bop skirt (it appears to be out of stock now, but you can find other pieces in this print on their site). I saw it not long after I placed the order for the pins, and I knew I had to wear them together.

The pins are beyond adorable, and very shiny and high quality. They’re larger than a lot of enamel pins I’ve seen, which gets a big thumbs up from me since I prefer to wear mine as brooches. She also has a series of lovely mermaid pins, which of course I have my eye on. You can purchase pins, art prints, cards and more from her shop, all featuring her adorable illustrations.

Do you like to dress on theme?

don’t let your babies grow up to be (skeleton) cowboys: atomic starlet review

I had a blast at the Blue Ribbon Beer Run this past weekend, and one of the highlights was definitely having the chance to meet the lovely Jennifer of A Vintage Vanity in person. Jennifer is my very favorite source for hair tutorials on Youtube, and I loved watching her vlogs too. I eagerly awaited the launch of her clothing line, Atomic Starlet, but once it was here, I couldn’t decide what I wanted! When I saw that Atomic Starlet would be vending at the Beer Run, I knew that this was my chance to check out her skirts in person and hopefully bring the perfect one home. And, well…

I’d say I did!

Honestly, no one is more surprised than me that I ended up going with one of her limited edition Nashville Boogie skirts. I’m not usually especially into Western fashion; a fondness for cowboy romance novels is about as Wild West as I get. But the amazing print of skeleton cowboys (SKELETON COWBOYS!!!), the sassy fringe…it just spoke to me and I knew I had to take it home.

Jennifer designs and sews all of her skirts herself, and I was super impressed with the quality of this piece. It’s very substantial and has nice big pockets, which every girl loves. I am wearing a full crinoline under the skirt in these photos, because go big or go home, but I would happily wear it without. It has plenty of fullness all on its own.

I was feeling a bit like a saloon girl at this point in the photoshoot, if you couldn’t tell. And I have to give a shoutout to that FRINGE. If you’re not a person who normally wears fringe, I highly recommend picking up a piece or two. The way it moves is so much fun.

Sizing wise, Jennifer did warn me that this skirt specifically fits a little bit on the larger side due to the fabric. I got the 2X and it is a little bit looser than I would prefer, but I tried on the 1X and it would have been a touch small. I’m happy with my choice, and that’s what belts were invented for!

Because I was going to the office (boo), I paired the skirt with a thrifted “work safe” peasant-style top, but I know it’ll look absolutely amazing with the Pinup Girl Clothing peasant blouses. I also wore a hair flower and spider earrings from my July Belle’s Beauty Box (read my review here!).

I’m so happy with this skirt (and Jennifer was super sweet!), I will definitely purchase another piece from Atomic Starlet going forward. A lot of the pieces there have some deliciously nerdy flair, and Jennifer also offers custom work – all pieces come in sizes XS-4X which is super important to me. Go check her out!

blue ribbon beer run

It’s car show day, kittens!

The Blue Ribbon Beer Run was one of the first vintage-y events I attended in real life after I started getting into pinup style, so it will always have a special place in my heart. This great local car show showcases pre-1964 hot rod and kustom cars, and proceeds benefit the MS Society of Wisconsin so it’s a lot of fun AND for a great cause.

I will admit that I don’t know much about cars, but I do like to look at them! I’ve often wished that I could drive a 1957 Thunderbird that magically has the inner workings and gas mileage of a modern car…until then, I guess I’ll just have to pose with the pretty cars that I see.

I also was so excited to see that Atomic Starlet would be vending at the show – I’m a huge fan of A Vintage Vanity and have been meaning to pick up one of her skirts. This way I got to get one in person AND chat with the lady herself!

Aren’t we a cute candy-colored pair? I’ll post a full review of the skirt I bought once I have a chance to wear it.

I had actually planned on wearing a different Pinup Girl Clothing dress today, but I’m glad I went with the peasant blouse (review here!) and my cherries Jenny. It felt like just the right mix of pretty and playful for the show, and the green goes great with my new, darker hair.

Speaking of hair…I definitely went out of my comfort zone in my styling attempts today! I actually planned on two victory rolls, but well…I somehow ended up with three. Oops!

The shorter layers made it sooo much easier to style, which was great, and my new Suavecita hairspray did a wonderful job of keeping it almost entirely in place, even through high winds.

I also received my Belle Blossoms July beauty box this morning…I’ll do a full review of it later, but I was thrilled to receive a hair flower that turned out to be absolutely perfect for my outfit today! Hooray!

Any day where you get to cheer on your fellow pinups, rock out to some rockabilly music, and get your photo taken is a good one in my book. Cheers to another great year at the Beer Run – can’t wait for next year!

minnie mouse style

Minnie Mouse is having quite the style moment right now, but I’ve been a big fan of Ms. Mouse pretty much since birth. One of my very first stuffed animals was a Baby Minnie that my dad picked up on a business trip to Orlando just after I was born, and I’ve loved Minnie ever since! I just had to pick up a pair of Femme de Bloom’s Minnie Mouse cardigan clips, but I hadn’t had the perfect opportunity to wear them…yet…

Is there anything more Minnie Mouse than polka dots? I wish I had a full polka dot dress (add to the list!), but this top did an admirable job of adding some dots to my life.

I usually always wear my tops tucked into my skirts, but I wanted to get as much polka dot action as possible! I had initially planned to wear these clips on a black cardigan, but the red one let them stand out so much more.

And, best of all, after I’d decided to wear the Minnie Mouse clips, I glanced over at my dresser and saw…

The adorable yellow Barbie shoe earrings that I won from fabiicakes in Miss Lark Bahar’s Instagram giveaway! What could be a more perfect addition to a Minnie themed outfit than a pair of vibrant yellow shoes?? I got so many compliments on these shoe earrings throughout the day and from ladies online – they’re so quirky and fun!

And, because I am nothing if not resourceful, I snagged a ribbon that had been wrapped around a box and used it in my hair! I really do need to get a proper variety of hair scarves but until then, I’ll make it work with what I got.

I absolutely love wearing a theme outfit like this…I’ve been thinking about doing a post more about closet cosplay/Disneybound sort of ideas and how to make those, so let me know if that’s something that you would be interested in seeing!

you can stand under my umbrella

I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time, kittens…

Top: Kohl’s | Skirt: Pinup Girl Clothing | Brooch: Femme de Bloom | Necklace: Shop Ruche

I was very taken with the pink umbrellas Jenny skirt from the original Magic of Mary Blair collection, but I was disappointed to see that the color was much more of a salmon in real life. It just wasn’t right for me, no matter how much I loved those sweet little parasols. Luckily, this summer’s Mary Blair collection includes this beautiful recolored version: yellow umbrellas Jenny!

It’s a beautiful, buttery pastel yellow in person, exactly the color I was hoping for! The touches of red and green in the skirt give you a lot of options for styling it, but I had to go with my personal favorite of black and white stripes for this maiden voyage!

The skirt fits true to size; I was a bit nervous, since there’s been a lot of discussion on the PUG Customer Lounge lately about size runs being off or pieces being mislabeled, but this is perfect. I’m usually able to squeeze myself into the Jenny skirts that run small, but it’s nice to have one that fits perfectly like this. It’s fitted without being tight.

I’m wearing the skirt today without any underskirt or crinoline underneath, which is how I usually wear my Jennys for work. I think it has a bit less “poof” factor than some of my other Jenny skirts, but still definitely has a pretty fullness without enhancement!

Because umbrellas always make me think of Mary Poppins, I paired the skirt with my “Practically Perfect in Every Way” brooch. Add in my pearl earrings and lucky swallow necklace, a nice swipe of MAC So Chaud lipstick, and I was ready to go!

I can’t wait to get a few more pieces from this year’s Mary Blair collection…I have my eye on some planes and boats!