This time, it was ME who wore the pinup pumps! My best friend joined me!

 

Who else would shoot this style the best? Little Skull Photography

When we decided that I would get to be in front of the camera, I was cleaning up my makeup and hair kit after a pinup maternity photo shoot. It was probably me who suggested we plan some fun together with the hairstylist/makeup artist in front of the camera in my own pinup hair! And that way, the photographers would get to play a little bit more. We work together well and often, so we knew we would have a blast and everything would be relaxed!

I got on Pinterest, and did what you do when you have an idea! I started pinning ideas for pinup hair and makeup, but then got a little off track wanting too many complicated things that didn’t really show that I was a makeup artist/hairstylist, which was the original plan. So I started focusing more on how I was going to style my pinup hair and makeup.

 

Let’s talk Pinup Hair and Makeup

Because I had been doing a lot of pinup hair and vintage styles working with Little Skull Photography, I had a particular rhythm with that style hair. Makeup wouldn’t be too crazy. It’s the hair that people have difficulty with. Again, with vintage styles, it’s setting the hair in a design and layout of the style that you want. And it takes time! It’s difficult enough to do on other people, but on yourself, with short hair, IT’S nuts! Especially getting the back. I’m glad I do plenty of yoga to reach with that hot tool!

I got to switch it up into 3 looks with the hair. Sounds crazy, right? But once you have the hair set, and the looks are planned, you can move quickly from one look to the other! My first pinup hair look was part Marilyn, but with one side pulled back with a comb. I had set one side of my heads hair going towards my face, and the other away. I did the brush out and I was read to work it!

My second look, I let down the hair held with a comb, and softened it all over for a full Marilyn hairstyle.

The third look was what most people would imagine as pinup hair. It had the victory roll. Because I had set my hair, again, I could easily mold it. I just took my bang area, sprayed a little Bumble and Bumble Does It All spray, backcombed, and rolled and pinned. I then combed the other side back. Tada! So fun!

My makeup look stayed the same until the last rockabilly look in which I changed my lips to red. But for most of the shoot, I had soft eye shadow, polished with a fierce winged black eyeliner, and a double set of lashes. I did a soft contour, since that wasn’t really a thing in the 1950’s and chose a rose blush to finish. Joslyn has done many pinup shoots, and had a vision for this makeup. And she was using a pinkish/rose backdrop, so soft pink shades would be the theme for makeup.

My bestie wanted to have fun too!

Initially, it was just going to be me that was getting into the pinup photos. But when Joslyn and I started joking around, I threw in the idea of bringing my beautiful cat. I was KINDA joking. I’ve always had a vision of Jammie the pinup cat. (not really) Well Joslyn told me, WHY NOT? Every pinup girl loves cats! True! Woohoo! I’d be in pumps holding Jammie, the pinup cat. Keep in mind, he’s HUGE! Half Mainecoon.

We knew that we wanted a cute picture of me holding him, but other than that we’d play it by ear. Well Mike, her husband and other owner of the photography company, was allergic to cats. But we decided as Jammie doesn’t get rubbing on his legs, he’d be able to get some behind the scenes photos and help us out! What an awesome hubby!

Good thing this was really Joslyn and I going nuts! Well the process wasn’t easy, but he did really well! Cats don’t like traveling. I really don’t ever want to take my bestie in the car again. I do not like seeing his unhappy kitty face. Once we got to the studio, it was all good! He was able to explore a very big space!

Jammie and I walked in and I started smiling because some music that I love was playing. The photographers and I are the same age, so we appreciate our generation of rap and rock! Not Britney! Not sorry!

I came with my hair still pinned up ready for the brush out, and makeup already pretty much done. I just needed to apply lashes, mold my hair, and touch up for the first look.

 

The first look

This was when Jammie and I would get to have our fun. I had brought along some vintage outfits that I picked up in St. Petersburg at Art Pool Gallery, a really large but cute vintage store.

The first look I wore a black bustier, a long black sheer cover up, black cigarette pants, and black pumps. Joslyn and Mike brought down the rose backdrop and we started rolling!

One of their friends stopped by with vegan brownie flavored macaroons! I hadn’t met her before but she was the owner of a local company, Petals and Sugar, a sweets shop selling all things gourmet! We did a headshot of me enjoying the sweet! It was really yummy too! I would definitely recommend checking them out.

This is where it got challenging!

I had to find Jammie! I ran around in black pumps and picked up my big bestie. We carefully climbed on a black stool. It wasn’t easy for them to get a good shot with light on my face, and also have Jammie stay still, not looking annoyed. I actually think Jammie did well, but you can only hold a big cat for so long before he’s had enough and needs a minor break.

We repeated going for that perfect shot, and ever did we get it! Takes a little patience! I can’t believe how patient they were! But Jammie the Pinup Cat isn’t mean! So here’s the money shot of Jammie and I! See below. Jammie looking at mommy. (I’m cheesing it a little)

BUT THAT’S LOVE

After we got that money shot, it was time to switch it up!

On to Look 2

I was so looking forward to this outfit! A white lace bustier, and a white crinoline, with my hair soft and full Marilyn. We setup the vanity area where I do the hair and makeup for clients. We usually do fun behind the scenes photos of makeup and hair in action, but this time it was going to be a designed set by expert Joslyn! She had the perfect props. Vintage hand mirror with matching soft brush that the ladies used to do the fabulous “brush out” after they set their hair.

She also had a vintage perfume bottle, lipsticks, and compact mirrors. I think the most original and perfectly placed piece was a 1950’s dryer! YES! One of the ones the women would sit under to dry their wet set! I didn’t want to get underneath because then my hair wouldn’t show, but it was the perfect setup! And don’t forget that pastel pink phone and glamorous lighted lips above the glamorous lights from the vanity that she and her husband BUILT. Perfect.

I hopped on the vintage blue spinning salon chair, Joslyn placed the lights just right, and we started shooting again. It’s funny doing all that posing myself, but I’ve seen it done many times, so you could say I’ve had some coaching! There was one photo that we got that was the ultimate jaw dropper.

Every angle and light was right. I could see my mother when she was young in this picture.

We also got a fabulous picture of me in the mirror doing my lipstick! More makeup please! LOL That was a MUST!

 

Pop Up Portrait

Mike is brave! He offered to do a picture of just Jammie sitting on that black stool that I was in with him earlier. I couldn’t say no! This was gonna be dramatic. Jammie is a pile of glorious fur! That needs to be appreciated! Jammie had been hiding under a huge set with a small tunnel underneath. Sigh. This was gonna be fun!

I tried to call him, but he was set on staying underneath. Mike had a plan he’d used before with his pups! He had a little tool thing that sprayed air out and Jammie the pinup cat came running out! Time for his portrait! Scooped him up and plopped him on the stool. I worked on calming him but he managed to fly off and knock over that big black stool. Sorry friends!!

The stool was still good though so this time we got the shot. I sat him on the stool for round 2 and made sure you could see his coon kitty tail, Joslyn dangled the vintage perfume tassels to keep his attention so he was looking towards the camera, and Mike got the shot! TEAMWORK!

 

 

Third Look Had a Soft Rainbow Touch

This was when I was gonna throw the front part of my hair into a victory roll, change my lipstick to red, change into cigarette denim pants, and a tie up crop top of black and white to accent the red lipstick. And somewhere I wanted to have myself rock my cat eye glasses I got from SEE. Just right. I got the black pumps back on and we went around the corner and caught the last of the good light for the day.

Joslyn brough a little special effect tool that she had been wanting to toy with! I love how it turned out! It was this sort of triangular shaped block that when the light hit it, it reflected colors in the rainbow.

The photos turned out so nice and soft, and the second photo flaunts that beautiful rainbow effect. We got those shots quick! Success!

 

 

Our time in front of the camera had come to an end

Time to put my cat model back in the car. He was ready to get home and sit in my bathroom sink, or on my computer, or the bathroom floor. Anything cool. I love  my cool cat.

 

Thank you Little Skull Photography! Forever and always <3

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