It’s being redefined by diverse, body-positive, and creative interpretations across digital art and fashion. Of the three women pin-up artists mentioned here, Pearl Frush is the most mysterious. She is perhaps best known for designing the image of Little Debbie, whose face is still plastered on snack cake packages today. In 1960, the founders of Little Debbie commissioned Frush to draw the company’s logo, based on a picture of their then-four-year-old granddaughter. Little Debbie features Pearl Frush’s signature watercolor style, with flushed cheeks and cheerful eyes.
Types of Pinups
In the mid-19th century, burlesque was an increasingly popular form of entertainment. In Victorian burlesque shows, men and women piled into working-class London theaters to observe a variety of performances, from comedy to dance routines. However, burlesque shows differed from other shows in music halls in that they satirized upper-class forms of entertainment, such as opera or Shakespearean plays. The working-class theater was provocative and politically charged, poking fun at Victorian snobbery each time a chorus girl kicked her legs in the air.
From the 1860’s to the 1940’s, Burlesque performances became popular in the United States. They were a sort of variety show where women perform on stage by singing, dancing, or acting as she slowly begins a strip tease. Women began to take photographs of themselves naked or nearly-naked as their resume in getting the job as a Burlesque performer. It is still considered to go hand-in-hand with pin-up, and it is considered to be more tame and far more difficult and entertaining than other forms of stripping that you usually see in a seedy bar. It has remained popular to this day in Las Vegas and a few other major cities. Now, anyone can channel this iconic style—regardless of gender or body type.
Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3
Rather than relying on the male gaze, they transposed the female gaze into their work by using themselves and their friends as models, showing women as they truly are. A pin up girl is a model—photographed or illustrated—whose image was meant to be “pinned up” on walls. Originating in the early 20th century, this cultural icon reached peak popularity during World War II, when her image served as a morale booster for soldiers far from home. The term pin-up refers to drawings, paintings, and photographs of semi-nude women and was first attested to in English in 1941.3 Images of pin-up girls were published in magazines and newspapers.
Simply by word of mouth, the magazine grew and grew until it was selling over a million copies a month. For example, in the later 50’s and early 60’s, it became mandatory for young flight attendants to be attractive, fit, and well-dressed. Looking back at the photographs, you can almost have side-by-side comparisons of pin-up art of the fantasy stewardess and they look identical to what they actually ended up looking like in reality. During World War II, soldiers were drafted, and many of them were forced to fight overseas.
- Marilyn Monroe’s most famous scene was from The Seven Year Itch where the wind blows up from the New York subway to her her skirt is a perfect example of what pin-up was supposed to be.
- Our artists work closely with clients to choose everything from pose and hairstyle to background elements.
- These actresses earned the reputation of being sex symbols, and the posters of celebrities like Betty Grable were widespread in the lockers of G.I.s during World War II.
- These ladies had their hair piled on top of their head, and they were often wearing sleeveless, form-fitting dresses.
- It was more about the idea of catching a woman in a private moment that you’re not supposed to see.
If you’re curious about where it all started—and how you can become one—this beginner’s guide is for you. It became so tame, that people did not want to use it for pornography any longer, and yet it was too raunchy to be taken seriously as fine art. On average, an original pin-up painting by a famous artist will go anywhere from $2,000 to $100,000. One piece called “Gay Nymph” by art artist named Gil Elvgren sold at auction for a whopping $286,000 in 2011. Back in the 1930’s, no one would have ever imagined that these borderline pornographic images of women would ever sell for just as much as fine art. Even after the economic recession of 2008, the price of pin-up artwork never dropped.
In the 1920’s, some of the most famous African American pin-up models were also burlesque performers, like Josephine Baker and Lottie Graves. They were not afraid to public articles discussing how difficult it was for women of color to make it in Hollywood. One performer named Sahji Jackson danced in a movie called Jivin’ in Bebop in 1947, but she could not expand her career beyond that, so she moved to South America and had an explosively popular music career. In 1965, Jennifer Jackson became the first black woman to win Miss America, and she also had a music career, but even then, these examples were few and far between. From sultry posters in WWII barracks to modern custom pinup portraits, the pinup girl is more than a glamorous image—she’s a cultural icon.
These illustrations and photos weren’t just eye candy — they symbolized hope, strength, and femininity, especially during WW2. What is the difference between a pin up girl and a pin up model? A pin up model is someone who poses in the pinup style, while a pin up girl is the visual representation—whether in posters, photography, or art. The pin-up model continues to captivate and inspire, bridging the past with the present. At Pinup Portrait, we’re proud to carry on the legacy of this art form by creating personalized portraits that celebrate confidence, beauty, and self-expression. Embrace the allure of pin-up with a portrait that’s uniquely yours.
In 1953, Playboy Magazine was launched, transforming the vision of the pin-up girl into an all-American fantasy. The pin-up girl and the Playboy Bunny were celebrations of feminine beauty and allure during a socially repressed society that demanded conformity and modesty. These women shaped what it meant to be a pin up and influenced everything from fashion to art. Victory rolls, curls, and bandanas are signature looks — tutorials are available or you can request them in your portrait. These images weren’t just decorative—they represented confidence, joy, and something worth fighting for. Among the other well-known American artists specializing in the field were Earle K. Bergey, Enoch Bolles, Gil Elvgren, George Petty, Rolf Armstrong, Zoë Mozert, Duane Bryers,13 and Art Frahm.
Like Pearl Frush, Joyce Ballantyne also created an iconic logo that is still circulated today. In 1959, Ballantyne designed the Coppertone sunscreen ad, which portrays a little girl whose bathing suit is being pulled down by a dog. And now, thanks to custom art, you can become part of that iconic legacy.
From fashion to photography, the pin up aesthetic is alive and thriving with a modern twist. Pin-up models became mainstream during World War II, when they were often used to boost the morale of troops. Famous actresses and models like Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth became the faces of pin-up art, symbolizing hope and beauty. These images were both glamorous and accessible, capturing a balance that has kept them relevant over decades. By the 1940s, WW2 pin up girls like Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth were household names, their posters often found in soldiers’ footlockers, tent walls, and airplane cockpits.
- She was paid to pose unclothed for pin-up photographs at a calendar company.
- However, she lost her scholarship during her junior year after posing nude for an art class at another college.
- In recent years, the pin-up aesthetic has seen a resurgence, influencing everything from high fashion to tattoo artistry.
👉 Start your custom pin up portrait today and join the legacy of bold, beautiful icons. He had served in World War II, and he knew how much men loved pinup model photos. When they returned home from the war, it was very difficult for men to buy that kind of material, and it was illegal to send through the mail.
Today, pinup art is more than just nostalgia — it’s a form of empowerment. Women and men alike are embracing vintage style to express https://pin-up-site.in/en-in/ their individuality. The term pinup originated during the early 20th century and became iconic in the 1940s. It referred to images of glamorous, often provocatively posed women that people would “pin up” on their walls.
There are several clubs and organizations as well as conventions that celebrate women’s love of pin-up, and there are opportunities for women who want to model in the vintage style. Even today, women like Dita von Teese are becoming famous as a modern version of a burlesque model and performer. Pin-up art transformed everyday activities into sensual performances, especially domesticity. During an era when women’s lives were limited, and the housewife was emblematic of the perfect American woman, the pin-up girl subverted stereotypical images of women into one of sexual agency and eroticism.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or just getting started, there’s a place for you in the world of vintage pinup. And with custom portraits, you can create your own stylish story. Pin-up models have had a lasting impact on fashion, media, and perceptions of beauty. They represent a style that is playful, bold, and unapologetically feminine. This unique genre has shaped the way we view confidence and allure, influencing everything from fashion trends to advertising.
After beginning her own career as an artist, she realized she had to have a precocious personality to succeed. She changed her name from Alice Moser to Zoë Mozert when she began working. She was only 5 feet tall and remarked that she often felt infantilized in her career, especially by her male counterparts. Her family was so supportive of her career that they, too, adopted her new surname. Her signature style evolved as she began painting portraits for entertainment and sports icons.
But back in the 30’s, being a pin-up model was considered to be a shameful thing to do. Now, it is something that is completely expected by famous actresses. Today, it is difficult to find an actress who doesn’t have a sexy photograph. By comparison, the vintage version of pin-up is seen as being far more wholesome than what we see today, which is why a lot of women still enjoy modeling in the pin-up style. Even though a lot of the photos of pin-up girls are white, that doesn’t mean that women of color were not getting in on the action, as well.
In the 1920s the most notable black burlesque dancer was Josephine Baker. Dorothy Dandridge and Eartha Kitt were important to the pin-up style of their time by using their looks, fame, and personal success. African-American pin-up gained a platform when the magazine Jet (created in 1951) published material related to the African-American community.