Hello

And So We Begin

Not Giving In

Never…Ever

I Like You Above Me

As You Wish

Speakeasy Photos
Location: Firehouse 5
Model and Co-Creator: David “Gravy” Castillo
MUAH: Self

I purchased this dress along with this one plus another to come with a “Queen of the Bop” contest in mind. She’s pretty, but not my favorite fit. Too bad since I love green. I suspect this will at some point come up for sale by me. I took a bit of a ballet style with this to change it up. Nice angle on that beehive by The Hair Maverick, wouldn’t you say?


Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson

I hear it is taboo to shoot pinup in bare feet. I think this turned out fine. This suit is worn in SO MANY pinup shoots. So here’s mine as well,

Barefoot is fun, but I do adore these shoes by Irregular Choice. I’ve made mention in previous posts I crushed on these shoes three years before making the purchase. Cheers to online shopping!

Speaking of online shopping, I have acquired a small Spartan army of authentic vintage swimwear, including a man’s suit. I look forward to spending the last of summer’s weeks at the beach shooting for your viewing pleasure. May be a few weeks coming, but keep your eyes peeled!

More immediately, I am pleased to announce that one of my swimsuit reproduction purchases from Bernie Dexter turns out to have more of a cabaret feel to it. We styled a shoot with our friend David, you saw him in our black and white image courtesy of Out-Law Photography two posts ago. I am excited to process those images this week to share with you next week! We had a blast and I think we got some good ones!

Speakeasy Photos
MUA: Alyssa Plough
Hair: Self

Much more pleased am I with this shoot than the last cincher images. The darker backdrop allows the light colors of the corset to pop. So, you ask, what is the difference between this waist cincher and that which the chain stores crank out? This is made for MY BODY, measured and remeasured and painstakingly redone time and again by a brilliant corset maker, Laurie Tavan. Not only was she made with love and great care and highest of skills, but she functions anew as well. I have purchased and returned from several different famous companies, ahem Spanx and Victoria’s Secret, because all those “cinchers” did was squish. The squish provided was neither attractive nor helpful. It was incredibly uncomfortable and MADDENING to have it on the few seconds I did. Stuffed sausage, anyone? What a relief upon removal of those saran wrap contraptions. This video is helpful to explain some differences between “modern technology” and real waist-reducing historical corsetry. My waist cincher has real metal boning, providing real shape and definitive waist reduction. This baby provides up to three inches of reduction. I previously stated that throughout the month my waist easily fluctuates two inches. This cincher ensures that certain dresses will fit without busting a seam, even on a higher waist measurement day. If I ever want to wear this for an event though, I need to practice waist training, where the waist cincher is worn for increasing periods of time to increase tolerance for the garment. Can you believe some women in history wore these most days of their lives? Anything to achieve the tiny waist. Gals desiring boudoir shots but not comfortable with their tummies can really benefit from a waist cincher or corset. Sexy hourglass figure quickly achieved, so prized by mid-century fashion enthusiasts.


What’s she wearing under there? You cannot even tell.

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson

EDIT:
I would like to clarify about the makeup. I stumbled across some images from the pageant today, not super high res, but nonetheless my makeup looks AMAZING. MakeupMonarch Alyssa Plough is a fantastic makeup artist and she dolled me up well. She is a true professional with genuine talent. The bleeding lipstick is my failure to have forethought about perspiration. I rarely perspire and do not account for how that may impact makeup since I also rarely wear makeup. My re-application and lack of attention is the fail here, no one and nothing else.

Original post:

Midnight Mass photos courtesy of Jason with Out-Law Photography. He generously chose to shoot with me upon discovery that my doting husband would not be en tow for this event. We happened upon the Cadillac Kings car club, whose secretary adored my red dress and how it pops the prized Cadillac emblem, which also coincidentally as I write this notice has similar top outlining as the bust on my dress. Classy meets classy, and I had my first ride atop a trunk as we repositioned the car for lighting and background purposes. I want to promise that you will get to see some of the fun shots, but I have some serious doubts you or I will ever see those images.

Allow me to share with you what can only be dubbed as “The Lipstick Fiasco”. As for many big deal events, I paid for makeup application. Somebody else worrying over the makeup allows me to assuage my nerves and provides a captive audience to mull over my morning-of stresses for whichever big event occasions the service. Daily, I do not wear makeup. Regular life when I do go out I lightly apply BareMinerals. I never wear lipstick, always 12-hour lip stain. The rare occasions I have attempted to wear lipstick, it gets all over my teeth, face, clothes, kids, and anything else nearby. I’m not sure why I thought I could pull off real lipstick for an all day affair in 109 degree weather, but I do recall nearly stopping the makeup artist and declaring I would do my own. A ball of nerves, I stopped the notion and soothed myself into trusting whatever she had planned. I barely glanced in the mirror all day. So here’s the short of it: the lipstick was not lined and applied to my lips, but rather surround my lips. Sweat plus lip color on the skin around the lips equals color bleed and as a member of the day’s entourage admitted at the end of the night, “I thought you were going for the clown look.” So yes, all day apparently I walked around with lip color in places it ought not to have been. Pictures, ruined. Pride, injured. Embarrassment, complete. Mortified, in short. Furiously regretful, lesson learned. What ought to have been glorious photos are ruined. My cheeks look great. So yes, I dub this “The Lipstick Fiasco”.

I am not a fan of this pose, and never before attempted it. Still not a fan. Apparently, it was one of the few images Jason could salvage from the mouth color bleed. We offered to re-shoot with the Cadillac Kings, but I am beginning to doubt it will happen. Even happy snappy images from the day I have not seen, and perhaps those who took them are embarrassed for me to make public.
We hope to again work with Jason, but given all the extra detail work and photo re-touch he is having to do to doctor these photos enough to be presentable on account of my lips, I entirely understand if he does not want to again work with us. I am entirely grateful for what has been salvaged and for the amount of time required to get this much. Dear readers, given the hype I talked up on social media surrounding Midnight Mass as it approached, and to deliver just three quality images, marvelous as they may be, I cannot help but feel as a failed lover who did not deliver as expected.

I absolutely love this image, our first black and white published to the blog. I met David “Gravy” Castillo at a Blues danc Sunday night before Midnight Mass. While dancing, I learned he is a muse to a dear friend with a camera and is basically the first male pinup model I have encountered. Thrilled to muse with him at Mass, Jason indulged us. I already explained the likely reason why this is the only image we have from that session. Notice my lips are covered? I have to give special props to David for being the hard truth teller at the end of the night, who graciously pulled a stack of napkins from his pocket and gently suggested that I remove the color. Thank you, David, I like the truth always. People, if my style is ever cramping by all means speak up! Are you seriously going to allow somebody to walk around with two feet of toilet paper streaming behind? I may as well have been given the embarrassment I feel looking back. I seriously had no clue. I need more friends such as David. Plus, I very much enjoyed shooting with him and admit that I have been obsessing with ideas for more shoots. Here’s to hoping they happen!

Should any more images be released from Midnight Mass and these two photo sessions I blissfully enjoyed oblivious to my clown lips appearance, I will be sure and share. I too am dying for more. The experience has cultivated renewed appreciation for having control over all images in a photo shoot, even blunders. I suppose that is a rare luxury for most pinup models.

Out-Law Photography
MUA:Alyssa Plough
Hair:Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson

I am entirely embarrassed to publish these photos to my blog, but these are the only images we have in our possession of my outfit for this event. Shane was out of town for the car show and pageant, so I enlisted the help of some dear friends to accompany me for the day. Unfortunately, without the adoring husband en towe, I have no pictures of Midnight Mass 2014. Jason with Outlaw Photography and I enjoyed two fabulous photo sessions at Midnight Mass, and I look forward to publishing those images once we get our hands on them. Meanwhile, I will talk about the experience using these practice shots we took just before, yes BEFORE detailing my car in preparation for the show. Yes, I am wearing no makeup and my hair is thrown into a clip.

I purchased three separate outfits, but this is the one I chose to wear. Authentic 1950s vintage lipstick red acetate taffeta dress volumized by my favorite slip company, Malco Modes. My hat is also authentic 1950s vintage procured on Etsy. I am wearing nylons! I never do that. These weren’t so bad for comfort, and they totally finished my look to make me pageant-worthy. I suppose those back seams are rather sexy. Too bad I cannot find where to procure more…

I shopped for shoes in my favorite shoe store, Zappos, where I get to read all the reviews. Three hundred gave these puppies five stars out of five, including points for comfort. Those are my shoes! I had a second pair shipped directly to Florida, where Darrell Roberts pin striped them to match a purse. A photo shoot dedicated to this matching set is in the works. For now, here is a bit of detail that went into my look.

I had my buddy, Bobby Hunt, escort me for much of the day. We met on the dance scene at Spotlight Ballroom and I enjoy the dips he places his follows into which display a feminine beauty I thought would be marvelous for working the crowd. We ran behind schedule arriving to the show, and between photo shoots and check in times for the pageant, Bobby and I did not get a chance to dance until after the pageant was over. His presence with me at the show was a true blessing and kept my fragile nerves in check, reassuring me with every knowing glance as I posed in photos and stood lined up for the pageant. Support systems are critical when a gal takes on an exciting or high pressure role as a pageant participant. I cannot express the value of attentive friendship.

My family also offered invaluable support. Mom parked herself at my car. My sister and her kids came out and later reported a temperature at their car of 109! I was delighted that Shane thought to order me a black parasol to stave off the sun rays.

Regret for the day is that I did not have more time to roam and enjoy all the handiwork of those car owners in attendance. Such excitement filled the air as the engines fired up to leave. I thought I may actually swoon for all the exhaust and revving and rumbling filling the night air. Anyone else find cars sexy?

My favorite things during the day were of course the company I was blessed to enjoy, and the photo shoots with Jason of Outlaw Photography. My husband usually takes all my photos, but we enjoyed working with Jason at the Rumble in Gold Country Show. He’s a good guy. Our first session was with the Cadillac Kings and the second with a rat rod. I met Davy “Gravy” Castillo Blues dancing Sunday night, and as it turns out he is a male pinup model! Similar to my situation, he serves as more of a muse to a dear friend with a camera, but he is very photogenic. I was thrilled to participate in my first shoot with him and hope for more. I will look forward to sharing those images once we have them!

As far as the pageant is concerned, my role for the day as a bad girl was certainly stretching. I enjoyed my character, but suppose I could have toned it down enough to be friendlier with the crowd. I just wasn’t sure how to interact at that distance and still be inviting. I was relieved to chat with other contestants and discover I am not the only one who lost sleep all week and experienced nerves taking over every cell in my body. My mantra all afternoon was, “A flower does not compete with the flower next to it, it just blooms.” My goal was to deliver my introduction to the best of my ability and to stay in character with focus and attentive execution. I feel I did that well and am pleased with my performance. Called back on stage for the top ten was rewarding as we fielded surprise quirky questions. Backstage while waiting for the top three to be announced, a member of the Cash Prophets snapped a photo with my squatting self in the grass self and I wish I had a copy. So relieved was I when he allowed me a drink of cold water, because between nerves and heat I thought I may pass out. Curiously enough, the photo featured a man’s shadow though none was there standing. The final three called forth, I was relieved to have the pressure subside and to get on with enjoying the fabulous cars and attenders of the show. I left thinking, why don’t I go to more car shows?

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: None, this is raw baby!

Fashion Show! Everything I am wearing is authentic vintage! The hat is real ostrich feather acquired at Racks Boutique in Midtown Sacramento. The homemade 1940s dress, 1940s patent leather platform shoes, and gloves were each separately acquired on OLL. I adore this look, but have nowhere to enjoy donning it. The dress fits as if made for my body. There’s a CAPE extending from the black velvet trim attached at the back, swoon. I LOVE IT!


Speakeasy Photos
MUA: Alyssa Plough
Hair: Self

Anime, anyone? The yellow Asian dress, one of three I purchased from the lovely Bunny Rocket in Southern California. These gorgeous handmade dresses, however top quality the stitching and craftsmanship of the 1950s home sewer who stitched them together, were stored folded up. Shane stands by his original sentiment that it ought to be a crime to fold vintage clothes except for the brief time they are in transit. This dress fits as if painted on, and in some opinions may be too snug on my bod. I certainly could not dance in this, nor pick up my children. Loaded with snaps, I need help in and out of it. Lovely show piece, but for me this silk beauty is just that, a beauty without much use. My shoulders are a bit broad, and this was made for a tinier lady than I. Eventually this dress may one day be for sale. I simply adore the bird over the chest. Do you see his eye looking back at you? Yellow is also simply a lovely color that would not show correctly on a white back drop, hence our choice of the black back drop. I am wearing Nonnie’s ring my mom inherited, the last ring my Papa Ken gave her before he passed from lung cancer six years ago. I loved that man, a Viet Nam Veteran and doting grandfather even though we were not his by blood. That’s a man.

My makeup is thin, because we went dancing after taking these pictures and I do not like heavy makeup when I dance, I need no makeup or light makeup to be most comfortable. Lindy hop and Charleston are very athletic dances. Hence my hair is best pulled out of my face as well as the face of whomever I may happen to be twirling about the dance floor. The heavy makeup and heat combination has me concerned for Saturday’s Midnight Mass pageant. I will be wearing caked on makeup in hundred degree weather, because that is what shows best in pictures as well as on stage. Lord help us.

Speakeasy Photos
Hair: Mama
MUA: Self

Introducing my birthday suit. Keep scrolling, but not the one I was born with, the one my husband allowed me to order this year as my birthday gift. Flip through mid-century mail order catalogs, and women were often marketed “weekender” ensembles with coordinating pieces which flow together, but also present variation. Beautiful handiwork work by Alexis of HesitantSmily on Etsy. I found this seamstress on OLL and fell for this fun atomic fabric. I receive so many compliments every time I wear any combination of this in public! Men particularly compliment this one. Women tend to compliment my jumpsuits. Interesting how that works. I stand by my original sentiment that men prefer skirts and dresses. Sure eases the process of using the toilet.


I am happy with about half of these photos, but want to show all combinations. The kids were running a muck the day of this shoot so I recall rushing and Shane needing to do real work between shots. No fun. But, here she is. Ensemble includes circle skirt, sarong skirt, two sun tops, a bolero, and two head scarfs which I ought to have folded in half. I’ve worn them folded in half, and they are much more flattering.


Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson

Baby weight down, time to look for new swimwear. Late enough in the season, perhaps the best move is to wait for sales at the end of it. Now, do I want authentic vintage, or a newbie?! Anyone know of a custom swimwear maker?
Let’s talk about sweat, baby, let’s talk…I have a friend from Burlingame, since she’s from there and has her Master’s degree she is a totally legit source, right? Anyway, she told me once while carpooling to our women’s discipleship group, that when people sweat it releases pheromones. Simply summarized, the smell of certain people’s sweat is actually attractive to certain other people. In theory, smelling your spouse’s body odor would act as an aphrodisiac or mating call, or at least not be a turn off. What do you all say? You dig the sweat smell on some folks, but not on others? Apparently there are types of smells aka Pheromones which attract certain mates and repel others. What is your experience? I do not mind the smell of my own sweat. Heehee. The theory makes sense though, right, being that a certain mating act increases sweat secretion. You better be diggin’ that smell. Were mates better matched before soaps and deodorants could hide our true colors? Keep in mind also that smell is one of the most powerful memory triggers, and therefor an element of bonding. Think about it.

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Swimsuit: Authentic vintage purchased on OLL Facebook group