Miss Midnight Mass 2014 has my head immersed in the dichotomy of good girl vs. bad girl and what sets each apart. I definitely find a real difference in posing and attitude in facial expression far more convincing than outfit. However, there’s no denying what an outfit can do for a gal. They say a person forms their opinion of you within the first ninety seconds of meeting. I had thought to wear one outfit during the day and change into another for evening. Shane thinks I should ditch the car show element and show up in the late afternoon, fresh for the pageant. I am determined to make the whole day. When I meet this crowd, I need to be full blown in my look all day. That’s twelve or thirteen hours! So I’ve been wondering with thoughts such as, can you make a circle skirt look bad girl? Do I need to rip a slit up between these color blocks to pull it off? Pants look “bad girl” but car shows tend to be populated by men, who in my experience prefer a lady in a dress. My closet newly evaluated, I am certainly a circle skirt fan with zero wiggle dresses and only two sarong style, which Shane has informed me is fun island-beach, not bad girl. I definitely have a dichotomy of good vs. bad girl within. Managing that is a dance. I am still learning how to dance with myself within that dichotomy. Preparing for this pageant is masaging out true colors. I wonder the inward battle the other nineteen experience as they approach a similar challenge to own one or the other, good or bad. I’m certainly a mix, preferring to lend heavier to the good.

Feminine, comfortable, what more can a gal ask for in a dress? I simply love Bernie Dexter, but these are sample dresses that I believe did not make it to production. I’m sure you can find similar on her site should you take an interest. I dig the vintage hat and gloves paired with the dress in the first image. Mid-century sophistication is so attractive. Accessorize, ladies! The first photo I got the hat at an Antique Fair in Folsom and gloves on OLL, the shoes authentic vintage as well from Racks Boutique in Midtown Sac, 1940s to be exact. The sandals in these pictures I found at Burlington Coat Factory.

Speakeasy Photos
MUA: Alyssa Plough
Hair: Self

I finally have a dress made to wear with my bullet bra! Well, I actually have two dresses now of the same design but different fabric, both by Bernie Dexter. Most of my dress wardrobe is by Bernie Dexter. I very much enjoy her designs, but more importantly the fit. Which is why I am developing this theory to shop by designer or seamstress who has similar body type as yours to achieve the best understanding of fit, same reasons I love Cassandra Cadillac so much. She gets my body, and it shows in her work. I was a bit disappointed that the skirt on this dress is A-line and not a circle, which would be prettier for dancing. That being said, these are lovely and most comfortable for daily wear to feel feminine and at ease! I received many compliments when I wore it downtown for fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Speakeasy Photos
MUA: Alyssa Plough
Hair: Self
I am on Instagram now as well! Still trying to figure it out…

Favorite Fourth of July memories seem to harvest out of the teen years. Have I mentioned I worked at In-N-Out? Celebrations are better savored when it is known you may not get to have them. A few months back I was pretty thrilled to find this forty-eight star flag at the Folsom Antique Fair. I bought this Tara Starlet skirt, careful they run small, off another gal on OLL Facebook group. The beads were Gigi’s. The sailor shirt below I purchased used off a pro dancer friend, she wore it in a performance, but I totally dig it to wear any time! Burlington Coat Factory for the shoes.

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MUAH: Self
Perhaps more lovely Independence Day celebrations are in my future.

Upcoming Miss Midnight Mass pageant is casting ten “good girl” and ten “bad girl” contestents, who falls where is up to the organizers. I’m not so sure I make such a great “bad girl”.

What do you think?

Good Girl

Miss Midnight Mass 2014 may choose me to be in their top twenty to compete in person. If selected, they also will cast me as one of ten “good girls” or “bad girls”. I think I make a pretty good “good girl”.

What say you?

Drum Roll, Please

Miss Midnight Mass 2014 pageant has been cast, and I am

B…b…bad girl! I am so thrilled to be among the twenty lovelies in this pageant! Now to settle on an outfit….

I’ve been sorting our pinup photos for some time now, but time I learn to develop our images. I’ve been playing with available functions featured in SmugMug lightroom. Here are my first attempts. Amazes me how different images can become with post-production.


Speakeasy Photos
Styled by Laurie Tavan out of her personal collection Daze of Laur
MUA: Self
Hair: Five days old by Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson

I made mention of some vintage prom dresses acquired in anticipation of a pinup contest requiring contestants to wear authentic vintage gowns. Since the contest never occurred, and we were required to submit photos previously not published, I thought to share my photo entries here. Put them to use.
Above is my dad’s truck, Roger Driver, which I thought to be appropriate given the name of the event. I am wearing a Stop Staring play suit, put on my own makeup, and my mom french braided my hair. Below I am wearing authentic 1950s vintage frames acquired at the Sacramento Antique Faire, authentic 1950s vintage Simplicity dress acquired on OLL, and Irregular Choice Shoes. I sit upon a family heirloom chair with Nonnie’s authentic vintage table at my side which is topped with pieces from her collections as well as some mid-century magazines procured at the Sacramento Antique Faire. MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson. I chose these images for this collection based on the variety of hair and wardrobe styles, as well as presence of vehicles, as the weekend was meant to be focused on classic rides.

I figure a car pageant entry would not be complete without an image of my own ride. Unique Vintage dress and authentic vintage head topper which belonged to GiGi. MUAH: Self

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Oh, and I just received news that I have been selected to participate in Miss Midnight Mass 2014 alongside nineteen other lovely ladies. Will I be cast as a good girl, or a bad girl?

I purchased this dress with hopes to participate in a pinup contest requiring the contestants to don a vintage prom gown. Shopping online, I decided to play it safe and order three. This is by far my favorite, though some of the lace needs to be re sewn and I ought to press the satin sash. I spent time creating photos to submit photos to the contest, perhaps I should now post them here. Tremendous efforts are made to put on events, and having one canceled brings renewed appreciation for the events that are a success. You must have planned a birthday party at some point in your life, imagine guests by the hundreds or even thousands, that party requires a team. Though I must admit, my family appreciates the downtime a canceled event provides. I think my kids are a bit young to appreciate most car shows or dances, and while I look forward to the day they enjoy such activities, I am grounded enough to discover family fun that speaks to my littles and meets them as they are, and as we parents as we are. Preschoolers are exhausting.

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MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Shoes:Racks Boutique of Sacramento
Necklace: costume jewelry given to me by my Nana before she moved back to TN.

Efforts Laurie Tavan and I have made toward my waist cincher are providing for me an education on a woman’s curves. We are not only measuring inches around, but inches between the bottom of my rib cage, top of my pelvis, and squish-ability of all in between. In two weeks, my waist easily goes up and down a whole inch and a half! Food bloat or time of the month are possible explanations. However, it pays to keep garments in the closet suitable to those fluctuations. This is where the waist cincher also comes in handy perchance a bloated day lands the same as when I need to wear a certain dress for a shoot or event. Laurie is makes considerations for body measurements I never before thought to consider when dressing myself or shopping.

Some dense weeks I have recently spent purchasing vintage clothes on eBay and a Facebook group. Measurements are given for the garments flat across. Unbelievable the variations in how measurements wear on the body, particularly my body. Some garments have incredible give which is why I am able to order what should be an inch or two too small, those garments actually best flatter my curves. I want to draw a conclusion that for dressing mid-century a gal ought to purchase a size down for true curve-hugging fit, a conclusion never in my life would have been previously made. Ma always bought our clothes on the large side, is “fit” subjective? I now realize that buying clothes online, after six months of giving it incredible zest and fervor, is as many already knew without blowing the dough, a bad idea. Measurements given cannot account for give in fabric and stitching, oftentimes the bust is grossly under measured, not giving allowance for built in cup thrust and now I have even more ill-fitting clothes. This girl is tossing in the towel, because even brand allegiance has failed time and again to deliver accurate fit results. I am moving on to in-person store shopping where I can touch the fabric and try on styles. I got messed over online boasting fantastic photos only to receive a garment falling apart or more severely downtrodden than let on. Biggest complaint by far is inability to measure or communicate fit. The world is now online and some great possibilities exist for vintage clothes enthusiasts, I simply do not have the time and energy to resale every ill-fitting garment, nor is owning so many cast-offs budget friendly. I may take chances with super adorable finds, but give me ol’ fashion brick and mortar to try on from now on.

I am not thrilled with these images of the cincher, so we will re-shoot and post later talking more specifics about my little cincher.

MUA: Self
Hair: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Waist Cincher crafted by Laurie Tavan

Have you heard of metal prints? Have you seen them in person? Shane and I first encountered metal prints at SmugMug‘s company office. Gradually, many prints on display were replaced with metal prints. They are brilliant on the wall. What we love about metal prints 1) Vivid clear imagery display 2) No frames! 3) They arrive ready to hang with mounting on the back 4) Lightweight construction means you don’t need heavy duty huge hole-making accessories to get your pieces on display. We moved enough times the first three years of marriage that our home decor style turned minimalist out of necessity. We tired of patching holes and redesigning so often that our last place before buying a home, we only moved in furniture and zero non-functional accessories. Accustomed to such sparse surroundings, our home now continues in functionality and less in beauty. With one exception, metal prints. We decided to only purchase and display original pieces by us or through work in order to make our home truly personalized. I’ve mentioned before, this quest is what sent us after Pinup photography in the first place.

Now I have a small metal print to display with my car at shows. We hang two-sided metal print ornaments on our Christmas tree and give them as gifts. I love the versatility of size and shape available. Design options to display imagery on walls is nearly endless. Check out Bay Photo located in Santa Cruz, where to my knowledge all metal prints ordered in the states through SmugMug accounts are printed. A Pro account is required for this service. Appreciation for metal prints cannot be cultivated without an in-person experience. You gotta see them some time!

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MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Swimwear authentic vintage curated OLL Facebook group
Metal print shown measures 8″x10″ perfect to fit in the window should I ever get ’round to purchasing window suctions

I thought myself interested to join a group of women similarly interested in vintage styling. Shane and I set out seeking community in the Sacramento greater area. To join a group, I thought, would equal automatic friendship with folk who enjoy as I do. Friendships cannot be organized, arranged, nor can they be forced. Association does not a friendship make. Friendship is organic and grows from mutual respect and admiration. It takes time to cultivate, seasons to mature and bare fruit, and years to do it over and again. Common interest in Pinup styling makes no faster a friend than having anything else in common, such as simply having a child does not make all parents fast friends nor being a married man cause fast friendship with other married men. As Shane and I continue down this Pinup road, we will do so for the time being without the hassle nor the promotion of group association. I don’t want the unavoidable drama. More importantly, I do not have the capacity to be responsible to much else beyond family right now. We want to attend car shows and other events at our leisure and not by dictation nor time restraint Adulthood is this marvelous institution where control of what one will or will not do is at hand. I’m choosing to wield that. Not a team player? I have a different team in mind, and I am so loyal that I know true allegiance is by nature limited. Several dear friends suggest that we continue doing as we do without an organized group. So you’re not a model? So you’re not a philanthropist? You can still get dolled up, drive a classic, and/or document or otherwise enjoy festivities. Classically styled ladies and gents, by thread or by metal, we look forward to making your acquaintance.

Speakeasy Photos
MUA: Self
Hair: Five days old by Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Authentic 1950s vintage Skates and box acquired at the Sacramento Antique Faire
Authentic 1950s clothes acquired from Racks Boutique of Midtown Sacramento