What a ridiculously CRAZY busy week!
Crazy busy but crazy FUN!!
I wanted to make this in 2 parts so that you didn't get bored reading one big super long post.
I have so much to tell you and show you so let's get started!!
So, the MPA finale started with most non-Sydney siders making the journey into town.
Day 1 -
My husband and I packed up the car, full to the brim, with props and outfits.
I also took along a 'special guest'.... my head!
She popped up from time to time in various pictures...
Once we arrived in Sydney, we checked in to our motel and I set my hair and then chilled out for the night.
Day 2 -
The alarm was set for 8AM as we started our first day of rehearsals at Paddo RSL at 12 noon.
Coffee was drunk, makeup was applied and hair was brushed and sprayed and backcombed and sprayed again and brushed again and sprayed again!
"Dress to impress" was the dress code of the day as we had been informed that the Sydney Morning Herald would be present to take photos and video of us!
So impressive clothes were put on, crown and sash followed.
In to the car to make the "short" trip to the RSL.
Arrived with a minute to spare.
Wasn't the last to arrive.
Winning!
Once there everyone made the rounds giving out hugs and saying hello to girls we've met before and people we only know from interacting online.
My girl Miss Jade Serpentine and I
Miss Gigi Anne and I
So happy all the girls are sweet, beautiful souls. I wouldn't expect anything else seeing as they made it to finals.
Once everyone arrived it was time to get serious. Secret discussions about secret MPA business.
(Also, when I say 'time to get serious', if you are with this group of ladies, nothing can ever be THAT serious...)
We were given our running order and then practice started!
We learned the first half of our opening number and then some! It was a huge first day but we achieved so much!
Getting back to the motel and eating and sleeping was very necessary afterwards.
Day 3 -
Today the alarm went off at 7 as we started at 10AM.
Makeup and hair was a bit more relaxed for rehearsal today`as we had much more to do and had to leave the glamour for our Meet and Greet that night.
We tried to remember what we had learned the day before and then learn even more. Our opening number was starting to look GOOD! Even though I can't dance to save my life.
We took a moment to pose for a photo in our jeans as it was Jeans for Genes Day
By the end of rehearsals we had actually learned the whole dance and worked out our category formations and poses for each clothing category.
Not being biased, but I think our Neo formations were pretty awesome!
Finally we were finished rehearsals. However that left us an hour to get ready for the meet and greet.
We weren't finished yet!!
The meet and greet is an opportunity for family, friends and fans to come along and meet us and hang out with us and watch us be just a little bit weird.
We also helped raise some money for Jeans for Genes Day.
Yours truly, Miss Jade Serpeentine, Miss Mixi Venus, Miss Rockabilly Tam, Miss Foxy Rocket and Miss Scarlett Summers
Lady Liliana, Miss Annie Lou, Miss Gigi Anne, Miss Peach Cottontail and Miss Trixie Bombshell
Myself with beautiful Miss Emily
I'm not kidding about the weird! Clockwise from back - Miss Rockabilly Tam, Miss Rouge Kitty, Miss Mixi Venus, me being a nong and Miss Jade Serpentine
Bed and food were needed even MORE after today! Especially as tomorrow would be THE day!!
Hair sets, nourishment and beauty sleep... come at me!!
Well here was days 1, 2 and 3. I'll leave this post here because day 4 is a post all on it's own!
I just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and interest in my journey!
The Miss Pinup Australia Southern area finals! Wow what a night!!
Did I tell you?.... I was given the title of Miss Southern Pinup RU!!!!!!!
Oh my gosh I'm so over the moon!
On Thursday morning we packed the car full to the brim ready for our trip to Melbourne!
Once in Melbourne we took advantage of some free time and shopped, ate and drank (coffee) our way around the city. We weren't exactly blessed with beautiful weather but there's not much that can dull the beauty of Melbourne.
When we returned to my sisters place it was time to set my hair and get some beauty sleep!!
I didn't want to leave anything to chance on Saturday so I sat with my dryer on for about an hour to make sure my hair was ALL dry!
Sooo attractive!
Suddenly (or so it seemed) the time had come to make our way to the stunningly gorgeous venue, The Melba Spiegeltent in Collingwood. I have never seen anything like it.
When it is raining outside and there are pinups with their hair painstakingly and lovingly set, expect to see a multitude of umbrellas!!
I thought I was putting on a brave and joyful face for the other girls until I looked back on my selfies...
The face of someone who thinks they are being brave but is in fact made up of about 99% nerves!
We finally got to take our props and outfits inside, have a pep talk and then it was time to go, go, go!
Daywear outfits come first.
I did better taking selfies this year than last year, but only just...
Luckily Jac from Derriere Boudoir & Vintage Glamour was taking gorgeous pictures of everything that happened!
I SWEAR I thought I was smiling!!
Daywear - The Honey Bee Queen.
Credit - Derriere Boudoir and Vintage Glamour
This is one of my favourite photos from the night. It shows me a split second after popping a balloon! I'm not a fan of balloons. (Ok, I'm terrified of them...)
I forgot to take a swimwear selfie. But Jac was on it! I was The Jungle Queen! Meeeow!!
Credit - Derriere Boudoir & Vintage Glamour
Sleepwear - Miss Beautyrest Mattress 1953. Twinkle twinkle little star!
Still not smiling...
Credit - Derriere Boudoir & Vintage Glamour
If you would like to see the rest of the images from Derriere Boudoir & Vintage Glamour click HERE! *Please remember, Jac has spent a lot of time and effort on these images so DO NOT alter, copy or screen save the images. If you want to use them, please PURCHASE THEM!*
Once we completed our outfit categories it was time for Talent! I had a sewing 'segment'. Needless to say I did NOT follow instructions and the results were disastrous! (Luckily, that's what I was aiming for!)
Then we had a bit of a break to get changed back into daywear and breathe a sigh of relief that it was all DONE! We did it!
We all made our way back over to the stage and lined up awaiting the announcement!
And then......!
It was completely unexpected and I am so honoured to have been bestowed with the title of Miss Southern Pinup Runner Up.
The women that took the stage with me are absolutely incredible and everyone looked so amazing. I am so proud of us all!
Below is the beautiful Miss Rouge Kitty who was crowned Miss Southern Pinup!!! This woman is a gem of a human being and I am super dooper proud of her!
Miss Rouge Kitty - Miss Southern Pinup and I. Photo credit - Derriere Boudoir & Vintage Glamour
So much love and admiration for this woman!!
Miss Rouge Kitty - Miss Southern Pinup, Miss Pixie - owner and creator of Miss Pinup Australia and little old me!
Could NOT wipe the smile off my face!!
So to say it was a great night really seems like an understatement!!
Now I get the pleasure of going to Nationals!!
I'm off to make an evening gown!!
Much love and red lipstick, Miss Southern Pinup RU, Miss Toxic xx
Ten days until all the gorgeous entrants of the Miss Pinup Australia Southern area finals take the stage and reveal to everyone the new and improved version of themselves!
I have been excited this whole time. Right up until someone said "This time in 2 weeks..." and the terror set in!
No, not terror, much.
Just nerves. I had been feeling comfortable and calm up until this moment. Now I think "Have I been TOO calm? Have I forgotten something? What am I doing?!"
But then I remember the way I felt after completing my time on stage last year and I cannot WAIT for that moment. Such a glorious feeling of accomplishment and relief.
Ok, I'm excited with a great big dollop of nerves. Yep, that's it.
So.... What have I been up to? Practising! Last year I didn't practice. I thought as long as I knew what poses I wanted to do I'd be ok. WRONG! Ohhhh so wrong! So with the gift of hindsight, I have made sure to practice, practice, practice!
I have been tempted to tinker with my props and change my accessories. So far I have been able to refrain from this though.
I wish I could make it to the other finals to cheer the girls on but like last year, I will be very diligently stalking Facebook for any news and photos.
Southern area finals are June 18 at The Melba Spiegeltent in Melbourne.
Get your tickets here - SOUTHERN AREA FINALS
Northern area finals are June 25 at St Andrews Uniting Church in Brisbane.
Get your tickets here - NORTHERN AREA FINALS
Eastern area finals are July 2 at Paddo RSL in Sydney.
Get your tickets here - EASTERN AREA FINALS
Hopefully by now you have seen my Facebook posts in the lead up to the announcements and since. I hope they have been entertaining and had you waiting each evening for the next one.
I will keep making them, so keep an eye out!
I do have a super special sneak peek coming this week so stay tuned.....
I shared this on my Facebook page last night. I have been struggling to find the right words and even though it's not exactly what I wanted to say, I hope my point comes across. Here it is in case you missed it:
"Lots of the beautiful entrants from this year have made posts explaining why they entered Miss Pinup Australia and what it means to them to be a part of this journey. I have tried countless times over the past month to write it down but I can never find the right words. But tonight I think I finally found them! Last year I entered as a complete newbie to the pinup scene. I was in the newspaper, I got up on stage in swimwear, I showcased a look that I had never before attempted and I handmade the majority of my outfits. Without Miss Pinup Australia, I would never have done any of this stuff. I wasn't that type of person. This year is much the same. I constantly find myself saying, "Before MPA I wasn't the type of person who....." Until tonight it occured to me, I AM that type of person. I always have been. Miss Pinup Australia just had to say "Uh... yes you can. Now go do it." and THAT is why I entered this year. Miss Pinup Australia is like your favourite Aunty who always has your back and will give you that extra little 'push' when you are doubting yourself. It's the love and support from the incredible likeminded people who are a part of Miss Pinup Australia that have made me feel comfortable, capable and worthy enough to actually DO it. MPA WANTS me to do well. The entrants want me to do well. The mentors want me to do well. Miss Pixie wants me to do well. Because this is not a competition pitting women against each other. It is a life changing experience that helps you find who you really are. I AM the sort of person to be in the newspaper. I AM the type of person who can get up on stage in her swimwear. I AM the type of person to wander around town doing her groceries in full pinup attire. I AM the type of person who can sew entire outfits and be confident enough in my workmanship that I can wear them on stage without worrying they will fall apart in front of everyone. Not only do they want you to find yourself, but they encourage you to show the world. Shout it from the rooftops!"
I just wanted to give everyone an update on announcements and the links for tickets.
Come along to one or all the events, it will be worth it I promise!!
I wanted to make this blog because I know when I first dipped my toe into the world of pinup, I thought I'd never be able to afford it. I soon discovered though that it is what you make it, often times, literally!
I have my fingers crossed that these tips help some of you out. Specifically those out there that think they can't 'do' pinup because it's expensive. Here we go!...
My first and therefore TOP tip is definitely, unquestionably - learn to sew.
Now I'm not saying you need to sew like a professional. Just learn the basics. Buy a cheap (but not TOO cheap) sewing machine. Ask around your family and friends, someone possibly has an old one they will give you or at least let you have for super cheap.
Make sure they show you how to thread the machine! They may even give you some cotton and bobbins to start you off.
If you don't have someone who can show you the basics, YouTube is your best friend! On the days I think I'm harrassing my Mum a little too much, or I decide to start sewing at midnight (and would REALLY get in trouble if I texted then!), I ask my old friend YouTube to show me what to do!
There are tutorials for EVERYTHING. I make my circle skirts using A Vintage Vanity's full circle skirt tutorial. Jen pretty much makes the skirt with you.
Videos are the best learning tool because you can pause them, go back to a previous step and rewatch them as often as you need.
There are also patterns, vintage, repro or otherwise available for free or very cheap all over the Internet.
This tip is especially useful if you enter pinup comps. To ensure you stand out and instead of waiting on the edge of your seat to find out if something will arrive by post in time, making your own outfits often ends up being less stressful!
One of the best things about making your own pinup clothes is that no one will have the same dress as you. You can pick whatever fabric you like! This point brings me to...
Tip number 2: Op shops (charity shops, thrift stores). Buy vintage curtains or sheets as your fabric! Super cheap!
Of course, op shops are a gold mine for vintage dresses, shoes, jewellery and to a lesser degree, well for me anyway, vintage lingerie. If you look hard enough you may find furs, fabulous jewels, peignoirs, bags, hats, scarves, the possibilities are endless if you search hard enough and often enough. Of course, the best part about sourcing items from op-shops is... the price!
The next point I have to make in this tip is, you can purchase items that may not necessarily fit IF... you can SEW! Hence why sewing is my top tip. You can find out how to alter a garment or add something or fix something small, all online.
Obviously if something is in bad condition, even if it is only costs a dollar or two, it's more than likely not worth buying.
We were given this following tip from Miss Pixie (owner of Miss Pinup Australia and Boogie Bop Dames), that when buying shoes, if they are the style you want and the right fit but not the right colour, spray paint them! Vintage shoes in bigger sizes are a little more difficult to come across and if you do, especially at an op shop, don't leave them behind just because of the colour!
Tip number 3: Search buy, swap and sell pages on Facebook, garage (or yard) sales, flea markets and if where you live has hard rubbish collection, the front yards of houses close to you. You can find vintage and repro clothes and accessories, items you may need for props, or can makes props from and other gems. Sometimes people know what they have and will charge you accordingly, other people just want to get rid of their "old junk" and you can score yourself a bargain!
Tip number 4: Ebay and YouTube for hair styling. Contrary to what you may think, you do not need a lot of expensive, hard to find tools for creating a beautiful vintage 'do. You may wish to invest in a few quality items that will last you a long time and make the whole process a little easier but it is entirely possible to do your hair using inexpensive tools.
Ebay has everything you need and if you can wait for a couple of weeks, you can get most stuff from overseas for VERY cheap. I have recently purchased a tool that helps you roll victory rolls and a new set of curlers from China and it only cost me a few dollars!
Things like setting lotion and hairspray are worth spending a little bit more on as some will work better than others.
Use YouTube once again for a million and one tutorials on achieving all different types of vintage hairstyles.
Tip number 5: Makeup. It is NOT necessary to use the most expensive makeup! My favourite red lipstick is $2 from a cheap shop we have in town. You may think red lipstick is just red lipstick, but it's not. Everyone looks good with a red lip, but not the same red lip. There are so many variations of red. The first thing you need to figure out is if you need a warm red (an orange toned red) or a cool red (a blue toned red). The colour you like in the tube may not be the colour that you like on your lips. This is when getting a couple of dollar store lippies come in handy. Once you have found what type of red suits you best, then you can find one you really like.
Eyeliner: use what is easiest for you to master. When using a liquid, I always use a liner that is like a felt tip pen. I have a favourite that I will use for on stage, in photographs etc which is about $15 but for everyday I use one that cost $3 and it does pretty much the same job. This also means my more expensive one lasts longer.
Eyeshadow is simply what works for you. I paid $9.95 for a pallette that I use for stage and everyday and have been using it for well over a year and it still has plenty of life left in it.
Foundation and powder: this is a product that you really truly need to find what you think works best for you. I had a $4 stick foundation that I loved and it did exactly what I wanted it to do (until they discontinued it, thank you unnamed cosmetic company!) and I've had a $40+ foundation that was.... bad. It was useless, I could put 4 layers on and it still wouldn't cover anything. I currently use 3 different foundations. 2 liquid and 1 powder and I use them according to how I'm feeling or what I'm doing that day. None of them cost more than $15. I am always changing foundations though because I have also found that even if I get the same colour in the same brand, if they are from different batches, they may turn out to be completely different. So TEST the foundation before you buy it!!
Lastly on the topic of makeup is fake lashes. These can be super expensive in stores so head to Ebay once again! I bought a packet of 20 pairs of lashes from China for $2! You can cut them to fit and use them more than once. The only thing here is getting a decent glue. But the glue isn't very expensive and will last quite a while.
With all of these tips you can totally pull off pinup and not spend a fortune.
The best thing about being a modern pinup is that you can put your own spin on it. I actually would encourage you to do so! Interpret pinup how you will and it becomes you.
Pinup is for EVERYONE. EVERYONE.
Enjoy yourself and the confidence it brings you.
Before I leave I want to extend this challenge to you all...
Miss Pixie challenged the entrants of Miss Pinup Australia to post a selfie with the caption 'I am a strong, beautiful woman' and I want you all to do the same! To facebook or Insta or in the comments here... post it everywhere and sit back and wait for the positivity that will flood your way!
Much love and ($2, blue toned) red lipstick, Miss Toxic xx
I have been doing poses here and there, testing myself to see what I could do and what I couldn't and I have surprised myself! Turns out I was doubting my abilities for no good reason. Woohoo!
I have had my routines written down for weeks and have practised them.... in my head.
Of course in my head I look like some amazon goddess moving as gracefully as a ballerina from pose to pose. But once I started actually doing them, I realised it was much more impressive for ME to do the poses I planned.
I think I will encounter a few problems once I start dress rehersals due to some of my accessories BUT I am one determined pinup! It will work because I will make it work!
The ideas continue to come and just when I think I have the best routine I could possibly think of, I add one small thing or change a pose or even just adjust a pose and it becomes so much better!
I'm sure this will be happening right up until the night of the performance but that's all part of the process.
This year I'm also making sure I don't make the same mistake as last year. Last year I waited to the last possible moment to run through what I thought I wanted to do. Not only was I clumsy but I would forget what came next so my practice routines would run for 3 or 4 minutes, not 45 seconds!! I am certainly not going to let that happen this year, well I am going to do my very best to not let it anyway!
I think my biggest worry was that it would get boring after doing it over and over again. Except for the fact no one else has seen it before! Silly me!
Practice makes perfect.
My mantra for this year.
OK I must be off, routines won't practice themselves!
HEY! So it's been a while yeah? Having no Internet has been killing me because I have so many updates on my Miss Pinup Australia journey to share with you!
Just last weekend I attended the NSW meet and greet at The Skyline Drive In Blacktown. I had such a good time meeting the gals I haven't met before and catching up with the friends I made last year.
2016 NSW group photo! (plus a couple of spies from other states ;) )
Miss Peach Cottontail, Miss Daisy Dots, Miss Jade Serpentine and moi!!
The amazing lady that makes it all possible! Miss Pixie!!! xx
Have you ever seen a more glamourous game of Twister? Miss Dee Meanour, Miss Pixie, Miss Melly Day and Miss Jade Serpentine show us all how it's done!
Let the fun begin!
Pinups and hula hoops!!
See? How much fun do we get to have?!
I have also been on the front page of the local newspaper again this year! This time I got to share it with Miss Cleveland Kruze!
I have to say, the difference in myself between last years and this years front pages is fantastic! Proof I am growing as a pinup!
See? BIG difference!!
I am on a serious roll with routines and prop and outfit making. I'm really enjoying the process this year.
These are all the sneak peeks you get for now! However I am dropping lots of hints on Facebook so stay up to date over there!!
Ok, I will leave this post at that. I was just so excited to have Internet back on that I had to make a post as soon as I could (seriously, it came back on about an hour ago!)
I hope you all are shining bright and staying happy x
