Authentic WWII military issue coat I picked up at the Sacramento Antique Faire, and what a find that it actually fits! A hat would be swell, yet even alone what a piece of history! This gal served as a Technician Corporal in the Ninth District (Western States). That’s all I know about her, and that she wore a size 12R. I have zero military experience so I hope those credentials were stated correctly. Looked up the patches in a search engine. Presently to complete the look with an authentic uniform and footwear is costing about $400 on eBay, on another day it may be closer to $200. Out of today’s budget even if finding the right size is a gem.

I have so so much to learn, or rather so much to practice. I’m not sure if I’m into myself enough to do much beyond our home studio stuff. Models aim to have a collection of flattering facial expressions but also to learn how to angle the face and body toward the camera in ways equally pleasing. When a Pinup girl is at an event and receives photo requests, she has one shot to work it. An entire generation is well versed, thanks to FaceBook selfies, and if I may add all they know how to do, yet I never joined that parade and seems so self-obsessed. A photo shoot here and there is fun, but a lifestyle or public persona out of it? Not for me.

Makeup and Hair courtesy Brittany Jane
Photo courtesy Bad Bones Photography

Music has been said to be the sound of emotion. If that is true, then my black brother’s bellow captures sorrow in the most beautiful way possible. I’m a Christian and believe in eternal glory. Death is no victor, and yet we heave in pain as a generation fades.

My photo shoot tomorrow and prepping for it suddenly seems so silly in light of the day’s events. So much family and love, they or rather we are what and who matter most in this life.

My photo shoot is three days away, but today and tomorrow I have services to attend in honor of my Nonnie’s passing. She lived and danced the era we love, as did my husband’s Gramma who passed a little over one year ago. Both women’s lives serve as inspiration to live full throttle – dance at every chance, take care of thyself, and dress to impress! “LUV”

Photo props can readily be found about your current living space, once you get an eye for what to spot. The Sacramento Antique Faire for me is a gold mine! We have a car load of lovely new pieces to use in our next two photo shoots and I’m delighted to share! A bit of elbow grease, and we will be ready for the camera! I want to go back to the Faire next month, not only to hunt for more photo prop treasures, but to interact with the people! Our online wardrobe shopping experience with stores and individual eBay sellers was fine, but there’s just something in walking about, holding things, and more importantly interacting with folks in an experience that isn’t found at big box stores. The sellers’ shops can offer that personal experience every day they’re open, but it’s also pretty special to have them all in one convenient location. Nearly everyone we see leaving the event has broad smiles and an armful of new-to-them treasures.

Winning that contest, however real or trivial, a photo shoot is in my near future. This is real and public. Do I use my real name and personal Facebook page? Or a fake name I hatched months ago on a drive to Monterey? Bourbon Ann Waters. I’d like to keep it separate, but what’s the point? Privacy cannot be achieved, but it can be attempted. I like the pseudo name for published photos. My hair has a bourbon-esque color which is why I initially chose it, but once I read about the beverage on Wikipedia, it has to be my psudoname. Bourbon is a uniquely American beverage first made in the Southeastern United States by Scottish immigrants, my ancestors, and we still have family in East Tennessee. It requires six years or more to distill, and my husband and I celebrated our six years of marriage weeks before winning the contest. I love drinking water, and it so happens the two liquids go together!

What is a nearly twenty-nine year old housewife and mother of two littles doing on this pursuit? Quarter life crisis? Perhaps the same reason the early-twenties version of myself went social swing dancing every week for months – because it is FUN. I enjoy every bit of it: the costumes, the nod to days gone by, meeting folks….

Home and settled the evening of my victory, I am floored at my prize! Treasures from a Luscious Ladies seamstress (KW Creations), and a photo shoot with Bad Bones Photograhpy, hair and makeup by Brittany Jane included. My husband noted earlier in the day with Jackie, president of the Angels, that this prize has a $500 value. I get online and begin learning more about the folks we met. Brittany Jane is the President of Luscious Ladies, married to Bad Bones Photography guy/DJ of the party, whom together produce Delicious Darlings Magazine. I am giddy at the opportunity to work with this couple and to learn more of the Pinup scene, and these are just the folks to have that conversation. I still ponder if I deserve to win, as Shane informs me he felt the girl next to me may have had a louder crowd roar. I wonder what the criteria the judges held. I also tell myself that perhaps it was nothing to win, but to everyone who competed that simply isn’t true. Days later, I put together that two of the girls in the finals with me were each hopefuls to each of the different host groups which causes me to wonder if they declare me the winner simply out of nonpartisan spirit. Three judges, one from each group, and a man who is a vendor at the event, I still don’t know their criteria or if the win was in jest. But within days with an announcement on Facbook, the Luscious ladies induct five potentials as new members all at once. I wonder why so many at a time, and what the criteria are to be a member. Each group hovers in numbers around a dozen. Looking at Facebook pages I remain curious, what turns a hopeful into a bone fide member?

Apparently, not many women want to put themselves out in a pinup contest. I had imagined at least five girls disappointed by missing the chance to sign up on account of the “limit ten”. One girl was signed up when short chats with each host group convinced Shane and I, reluctantly, to put my name on the list and to learn by submersion. An hour and a half later, I am contestant number five out of six awaiting to answer the host’s questions: tell us about yourself, and what is the perfect Valentines Day? Looking out at the crowded bar from the small stage flew butterflies about my gut, especially when upon stating my bit, a gruff looking man scowled from the crowd. “Speak into the microphone!” I froze a bit and smiled bigger, a trick learnt from five years of customer service at In-N-Out, and I decided not to hog the stage by repeating anything. I resolved to do better next time and let this show stand as a learning experience. Contestant number six states her bit, and the three judges dismiss us. I entered the crowd and envelope my baby out of the arms of a kind stranger with whom we share a table. Snugling baby close I think the contest over for me, a disappointing yet sobering notion that I did not have my game on. Baby tears off my pinned number five card and I cheer myself that it was a good experience, to be better prepare next time. I am the third and last contestant called to go back on stage for finals. Excitement and delight, I hurriedly replace the heart shaped number five pin in time for a photo snap. Last to answer the question, which animal would I adopt from the SPCA, I give an authentic response and await the rounds of crowd roar as each of our numbers are tested. I’m so nervous through all this that much of the time on stage, with the exception of my turn at crowd roar when I look around and wave, I am staring at the girl next to me. My number declared the winner, but I am so engulfed with the girl to my left that I somehow experience her disappointment and my own surprised delight simultaneously. Jim Carrey’s The Grinch comes to mind, when he realizes he has won the Jubilation, which indicates there are losers. Sinking heart, not pleasure is my reaction to this very real fact. She was well deserved to win and wanting to validate this darling beauty in the wake of let-down, I follow her off stage and learn more about who she is. A triple threat, she does hair and makeup and works in costumes. I get her number and the reality of both possible outcomes to a contest remains.

Rain cancels the highlight of the day for me, which was meant to be the California Auto Museum’s rummage sale where we meant to look for photo props. Postponed to the following week, but we are now able to arrive twenty minutes early to the party instead of what would have been hours late. Enough time to enter the contest, but on our drive Shane has declared we will not. Rain drops the windows of my parents’ Tahoe we’ve borrowed for the day in anticipation of finding props that would not fit in our Honda Civic, because at this point our 1948 Chevy Stylemaster is not road-ready. More on that piece of the story later. For now, we watch folks arrive and enter the HideAway Bar where the event is hosted. We think this crowd doesn’t seem for us, but are pleasantly surprised when we walk in and the feeling changes that it may be. Vintage attire and style everywhere, we dig the crowd but also feel held back by out kids en tow. A few other children are present, but this environment has nowhere for a kid to be so. Instead of mingling, we hunker down at a table and order some food. We eventually take turns with a chat here and conversation there. Next time we will certainly at least leave the three year old at home.

Impressions at this point of the Atomic Angels are that they genuinely mean the motto about sisterhood. Sweet gals with genuine smiles and do-good in the fiber of their being. I like that they offer a real experience and party people want to attend for immediate and real benefit to the community. Many of the girls are too busy to chat, but I like them and can pursue further contact at a later date.

The Luscious Ladies at this impression to me are a bit edgier and possibly alternative could be used here, more rockabilly in culture whereas the Angels seemed more classically styled than rockabilly. The Ladies appear to be a bit younger, possibly less experienced, and smaller in stature. They too claim to support charity while also bombing car shows and actively pursuing photo shoots.

End of Day, I still am not convinced which group if any is for me. I have more exploring and homework to do on both groups. Oh, and I won my first Pinup Contest, but more on that later.