Remembering all who died on battle fields or otherwise in service of our nation. Thanks for protecting our freedoms and those of the world.
More details about my jacket or reenactments can be found in previous posts. Curious about women in uniform during World War II? This gem of site offers a detailed and easily navigable history. I never knew women served in so many branches!

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Self
Authentic WWII jacket, helmet, and suitcase acquired at the Sacramento Antique Faire
Authentic 48 star flag acquired at the Folsom Antique Faire

I loathe ironing. Our marriage agreement is that as a housewife, I do the bulk of housework, except pressing clothes. My husband presses our clothes when needed. Most of my life, I just assume throw something in the give away pile than iron it. To wear vintage styles well, you have to learn how to press them. The difference is made between looking like you’ve just stepped out of the donation bag, and looking like a million bucks. Before and after pictures would illustrate improvements. Admittedly, the only time I’ve made use of an iron until recently is for sewing garments. Now, if I want to wear my vintage threads, the iron and board come out. Shane says to perfect the art, ironing must be a daily habit. Weekly works for me. Upon my grandmother’s passing, we were asked if there was anything from her estate we desired. I requested the ironing board as a vintage photo prop, but now find myself using it on a weekly basis. I must in order to best strive for the classic tailored look.

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Self
Outfit and iron authentic vintage acquired Sacramento Antique Faire
KW Creations hair bow
Ironing Board inherited from Nonnie

Pinup Girl Secret number five: hands. Mindfulness of where and how you position your phalanges can make or break your photo. First I tried enhancing my willingness to pose my hands for close-ups by having my nails done in red shellack. Ten years of wearing zero polish, a five year job at In-N-Out breaking early the adolescent habit, I decide to opt for a shellack manicure. For those unaware, shellack is a thick gel and must be set under a dryer. It’s thick and lasts two weeks! Bargain as opposed to the regular stuff, right? Not so much. I remove mine shy of two weeks in order to participate in that fashion show a few weeks back. My nails for weeks after are brittle, bending backwards, ugly, and not the same healthy pretty natural thing I previously had going. Not sure how long until they’re back to raw beauty, but in the meantime I have a marvelous solution! Said fashion show also revealed how ugly and elephant-like the skin on my hands can be. Ready? Gloves! Yes, I own several for winter, but I’m talking dainty mid century ladylike driving gloves, evening gloves, day gloves like mom bought us for Easter gloves. Reproductions are available, but true vintage pieces are also readily available thrift shopping or online from another’s thrift acquisitions. They can get pricey, but much of the time they’re less expensive than a manicure, even one that lasts two weeks! Wash and wear for decades. Secret confession: I LOVE driving my ’48 whilst wearing my gloves. I feel fabulous and like a vintage starlet when I do it. Old soul here, checking in.

Special thanks to Rockin Rigatoni of Bad Bones Photography who during my shoot, won at the Miss Sweetheart Jamboree contest co-hosted by The Atomic Angels and The Luscious Ladies, encouraged me to be aware of hands.

Images: Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Self
Authentic Vintage hat inherited from GiGi

My mechanic is cuter than yours, more affordable, and likely much less useful. But isn’t he the cutest Lego mini-figure you’ve ever laid eyes on? I have new windshield glass sitting in our home office going on seven weeks, and cannot seem to nail down anyone to install it! Five weeks I called and waited for calls never returned from one installer in the Sacramento area I will not publicly shame. Apparently they are doing well enough that they do not need my business. My windshield is in two pieces, can you blame them? As the dating game, “We will call you.” No you won’t! Such a hassle compared to getting new tires! The guys at America’s Tire said for classics like mine it takes one to three guys one to three hours, a far cry from modern day easy twenty minute tire changes, a matter of different tools. But America’s Tire did it anyway and for the same cost. Finding such a jovial windshield installer has proved a greater challenge. Four phone calls and weeks later, I relent. American Pastimes recommends another installer, and a week plus two phone calls later we have an appointment on the books. Next car goal: Sexier steering wheel, and after that new exhaust pipes.

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Self
Authentic vintage head scarf acquired at Racks Boutique

Pinup Culture calender for Sacramento boasts many events in the coming weeks. I’m excited for my second car show with the ’48 at Rumble in the Gold Country. Three pageants are also around the corner: Dad’s Queen of the Bop Contest June 21, Miss Rockabilly Riot the following weekend, and Miss Midnight Mass in July, the premiere pageant to take in Northern California featuring cash prizes in addition to a photo shoot! From what I can tell, Midnight Mass is the event local Rockabilly and Pinup folk plan for throughout the year. Winning any of these pageants means representing and advertising for that event all year long. I made entries to all three, though Miss Rockabilly Riot wanted entries by May 1 and I found out about the event after that date. My entry was, of course, rejected so I may try again next year to plan ahead. For now, attending Grass Valley’s Rumble in the Gold Country without pressure of contest will be a treat, and we hope to take lots of photos. Dad is unable to bring his truck, but I look forward to seeing his buddy’s vintage motorcycle!

Speakeasy Photos
No makeup, put the curlers in myself last night
Vintage robe, magazine, and radio acquired Sacramento area Antique Faires.
Vintage table inherited from Nonnie
Vintage blow dryer acquired OLL vintage swap and sell on Facebook

The Atomic Angels make an announcement on their Facebook page I as their newest member. Shocking words strewn together for my eyes to read, I watch the post the rest of the weekend expecting more news that the account is hacked or some mistake made. My ninety day trial period begins. I still don’t truly know anyone in the group. They seem in transition, as every group needs to change and adjust where need arises. I am under the impression some sort of drama recently tromped. My first event: the annual Fairy Tale Town fundraiser. This year’s theme: Mad Hatter meets Sherlock Holmes. Our contribution: to sell raffle tickets, but my experience was to also serve as a host milling about the room. Location: the beautiful Masonic Temple with loads of vendors and prize donations, certainly a first class affair raising many funds for the beloved Sacramento park. Icing on the cake: to enjoy the sound of two accomplished musicians on the violin and cello equaling perfection.

MUA: Self
Hair: Leftover day 5 by Danyelle “The Hair Maverick”Johnson
Costume designer: Laurie Tavan

Pinup Girl secret number four, as revealed by the Pinup Pursuit: false eyelashes! I know it seems so “old lady” but that’s because it’s vintage! It works! Gotta have the eyes! Who knew eyelashes could come in so many shapes, colors, and now with accessories such as tiny bows and rhinestones?! The sky is the limit, choose your style and make sure you glue them on right. Helpful hint: allow the glue to dry for a bit and get tacky on the lash before applying, and use a nail tool with a tip to assist with position. Mine were crooked the last couple times, so it takes practice. Many lashes claim to be usable up to six months and last longer if you don’t put mascara over them. However, I tend to get about two applications out of my lashes before feeling the need to toss in the trash. Where to buy? Drug store, beauty supply, dollar store, and of course Amazon is the best value and my personal favorite!

Photo Credits:
Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Swimsuit: OFABZ swimwear

The contestants
Beautiful ladies participated in this contest, and I had the pleasure of chatting with a few. I stand by my sentiment that we ought to have arrived earlier so to have more time to visit with all the interesting and lovely people who come out for these events.

The gal third from the right is an embroiderer by trade and happened to be delivering some goods at the Sweetheart Jamboree back in February and saw me win that pinup contest! She told me that she thought, “I can do that!” And she did compete!

Andre, the gal fourth from the right in the teal with white polka dot and white collar dress, is girlfriend to the guy who owns the green truck featured in my previous post. She is mother to three! This was her first contest, photo submitted by her Placerville photographer. Their entry was done via email. I sincerely hope to again see these folks.

The final three! Elizabeth, the pink dress, took third place. I enjoyed her answers in the first round: something fun about herself? “I like to work on cars!” As a pinup, the must-have item in your purse? “I don’t carry a purse.” I and the crowd loved that!

Second place is the Marilyn Monroe enthusiast.

First prize to Isela, Elvis enthusiast. We chatted for a bit while waiting for the contest to begin. This was her first contest! She sews, and she went to Viva Las Vegas this year! Shane and I had hoped to go but were not sure about the kids. Isela pointed out the kids present looked miserable so next year we may attend without them, or bring dedicated childcare AKA grandparents. The fifteen minutes or so we spent chatting tell me we could be friends. Here is her proud husband and child.

Credits:
All images courtesy Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Dress: Bernie Dexter
Shoes: Authentic 1940s vintage platforms acquired on Ohh La La Swap and Sell

My favorite pinup related event we have attended yet! Relaxed atmosphere car show, we met so many wonderfully interesting people, and I wish we arrived earlier! Time spent was not enough to enjoy the pleasure of acquaintances. I could do this kind of event every week! Dad and I got to park next to one another, but between juggling the kids and chatting with many wonderful folks, we failed to take pictures! We have a few, so bare with us as this event was more about the experience than documentation.

These guys standing in front of my car with their backs to the camera are from Placerville, bearded man runs a restoration shop whose current project is a Jaguar while the other fellow has an truck in progress.

This beatuiful truck belongs to a gentleman also from Placerville whose lovely girlfriend competed in the pinup contest, but more on that later. He showed me photos of the truck’s history: she belonged to his father, turned to junk, then he restored bit by bit. The junk pictures were very similar to my dad’s junkyard find, turned project, now Beauty. We genuinely hope to see these folks again.

The fellow who owns this machine does all the work himself and has a second car project in-progress. This one is his daily driver and he wouldn’t normally enter a show, so in that respect I felt him very similar to our situation. We are likely to see him again.

I first spotted this logo on a gentleman’s T-shirt at the Sweetheart Jamboree back in February, our first pinup event where I won the contest! We did not get photos of A.J.’s beautiful Lincoln, but are sure to see him again at Rumble in the Gold Country.

Riff Raff car club hosted the event so Rat rods abounded at this show, and we did not take enough pictures! If we want more images, then next time we may need to bring along a child minder.
Bad Bones Photography captured aerial images of the event with a drone! The man himself with talented wife, Brittany Jane:

Here are the lovely co-hosts, The Luscious Ladies:

All photos courtesy Speakeasy Photos

I have not figured a formula to pinup contests, except that they serve as entertainment and vested interest for the crowd. Marketing material is purposed for some, and others are likely genuine stuff of pageants. A friend of mine in high school attempted to coax my participation in the town, to go to state, Miss Whoever contest. Fascinated by the process, I picked her knowledgeable brain but ultimately opted out of participating. As it turns out, many such contests are “rigged” in a sense that there’s an unspoken rule that a gal needs to participate at least once previously before she can win the current year. That known, my friend was competing coached my another knowledgeable family, and she took third place her first year. A bombshell, she would have been first had said mores not been established. A theater gal, I am certain she wowed the judges in costume and verbal response. Pinup contests are not quite as serious at the level I have competed, and hosted by different groups I cannot imagine a formula being possible. Each contest is a new adventure and experience.

I expect Rockin Rides 4 at the Sacramento Drive-In this Sunday 1-5pm will be fun. Stella Mae’s first time participating in a group event under our charge, so either way the day will be a hoot. Oh, and this time I will be sure to clean her up from my kids’ fingerprints before taking photos.

Speakeasy Photography
MUAH: Brittany Jane
MUAH photo 2: Self
Car: Mine
Hat: Inherited from Gigi