My Secret Life as a Pin Up! (For a Day)
Can I tell you a secret?
So for a while now, I've had a secret wish.And I'm ready to share with you. It's not salacious exactly but I did wonder what people would think. Is this too bold, is it too risque, is it on brand?
I asked myself all of these questions and then decided to just go for it. As you know I'm a plus size model. I just did a fun holiday shoot in New York. I've done a lot of runway, some e-commerce and mostly very traditional, comercial-esque looks.
However, I've always wanted to do something a bit more glam and sexy. So here goes, confession time, I've always wanted to ... DRUMROLL PLEASE
Shoot a retro pin- up theme!
This in my mind is revolutionary because it includes lingerie. While I personally think I look good, strike that, DAMN good in lingerie, I'm not accustomed to the Internets being privy to my skivvies. LOL. I mean, once it's on the net, the world can see.
Also, although I live in Body Positive, U.S.A. in my head, the rest of the world doesn't necessarily live on my street, what would people think about my curvy, plus size body in this sexy, retro glam look. And seriously, most importantly, what would my MOM say!!! (Mom just stop reading now, seriously, stop)
I love the retro pin up looks, the clothing, the vibe and I decided YOLO is more than a song, you really do only live once so I'm going to do what makes me happy and celebrate my body and my life.
This is the hardest post I've ever written and I procastinated so much on it; I think it was hard to write because of how much of me I had to put into the post, yeah I tell the Curvy Girl story but usually it's some other Curvy Girl. Now that the focus is on me I'm forced to walk the walk and embrace my own positive body image and ignore what I think society or my peers say about what is acceptable. But I'm ready now, not only did I take the shots, they were published in a magazine!! I'm a published model y'all!
Sneak Peek!! Click the pin up magazine cover image to see the complete photo spread!
*Photo, make up and wardrobe credit at the end of the post.
SAY WHAT!! Published Pin Up Photos? Where, How?
I'm getting to that, stay tuned. I have always admired the pins ups of the 50's and 60's, think Bettie Page or even Dorothy Dandridge as Carmen. Fun, sexy but extremely classic. As a woman of color, I always wondered, where are the retro pin ups of of color? Where can I find black pin ups? I not buying the line that there are no images out there mmmhmm.
My Google search didn't provide much BUT I did find BlackPinups.net via their Instagram page.
Finding blackpinups was like finding $5,000 in my Christmas stocking. Yeah, I was excited! Fast forward a couple of months and I now am featured on a 2 page spread in Black Pin UP magazine issue 10- The Boudoir Issue. You can purchase here online or get it in print.
More importantly than me being featured, I found an amazing resource for pin ups of color, founder and editor of blackpinsup.net Candace Michelle. I know you have questions, so did I. So, I interviewed Candace about her pin up magazine empire. She's an expert on the topic and we talked everything from her influences to the expansion of her brand and where you can find other pins ups of color.
Sneak Peek of my interview with Candace below... I'll post the entire interview Saturday.
Where do you get your love for pin up?
I've always liked old things , loved history. I remember when I first got into Marilyn Monroe, love her, I loved Dorthy Dandridge. When I look at history, I didn't see the black models. That's when I started the page. There is a book about to launch on black pin ups called...
Oh! you'll have to come back for the rest of the interview on Saturday! If you can't wait, and need more pin ups, NOW, follow Candace on Facebook and Instagram @blackpinupmodels.
Photo. Make Up & Wardrobe Credits
Model: Kristina Denise Photographer: Lisa Fleet of Lisa Fleet Photography, Baltimore, MD MUA: Chandrika Mackall Lingerie: Sophie Theallet for Lane Bryant's Cacique Lingerie
