I've always been a huge fan of the 50's rockabilly retro look, but for some reason, apart from a few pencil skirts, one pair of seamed stockings and some retro-looking heels, I don't really have any clothes or jewellery that fit into that aesthetic. I was reminded about how much I love the look when I saw a couple on the train to Boy's house. He was wearing a bowling shirt, Buddy Holly glasses, black skinny jeans and a quiff, and she had a heavy fringe, black cropped cardigan, pencil skirt, leopard print stockings and black peep toe heels. I was surreptitiously trying to peek at them through the whole journey and wished that a) my boyfriend and I dressed in the same aesthetic, and b) that I could find leopard print stockings. My love of rockabilly and pinup was also fuelled by the fact that recently, one of my best friends got a tattoo on her inner arm, of one of those old-fashioned swallows that I like to imagine adorn the arms of 50's sailors and the like. Since then, I've had a full-blown obsession with all things retro-pinup-tattoo-inspired, which was fuelled by the discovery of the Etsy shop artallnight:
I love these! 50's tattoo styles without having to go through the pain of getting tattooed! I think that jewellery is an excellent way to acknowledge an aesthetic that you love without necessarily wearing head-to-toe of the look. For me, an extremely messy girl who has a Cory Kennedy approach to hair most days, I don't think I would be able to pull of the polished pinup look; I think the most I could achieve would be the poor man's Dita von Teese. But I could definitely see myself rocking a pair of the devil earrings or the rose necklace with a cute pencil skirt and some perfectly applied red lipstick (the secret of every pinup girl).
If you want more:
- 50's movies at Rockabilly Central.
- Which 50's pin up are you? (I was the scholar!)
- How to get rockabilly-style hair.
- Angelique Houtkamp paints gorgeous tattooed pinup girls (such as the one at the start of the story).
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Oh-no, you've fuelled my rockabilly obsession! Must-have-swallow-necklace.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen leopard stockings either, but could you wear leopard leggings instead? Or nah?
By the way, I've added you to my link love list, you've got heaps of cool stuff in here!
I actually haven't seen many leopard stockings around, I would probably buy them as a substitute though. And oh the swallow necklace... it's so lovely! I must own it!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the link love! :D
I so need a few dozen pairs of seamed stockings (I go through pantyhose like nobody's business. Must carry nail polish at all times) but I can never find any. Where did you get yours??
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