The History of Sexy Pin-Ups

The term “pinups,” which literally means “to hang with a pin or thumbtack,” originated in the 1940s, although the practice dates back to at least 1890.

We associate the pinup girl style with the 1940s and 1950s; it refers to the “calendar girls” whose images were mass-produced and “pinned” to the walls of both bedrooms and a multitude of establishments.

The term “pin-up girl” does not refer solely to the images of voluptuous women that were common during those decades, but to any model whose image reached the masses through posters, calendars, drawings, or magazine covers.

Rather than being seen as women who broke the rules, pin-up girls were literally images that fueled the fantasies of the hundreds of thousands of men who had them hanging on their walls.

During World War II, pinups were not only real women exuding sensuality in photographs, but also drawings in women’s magazines of imaginary women dressed in military uniforms and striking a variety of suggestive poses, which were sent to American soldiers to ease the cruelty of war. These illustrated pinups, or “bomber girls,” were not viewed as prostitutes, but rather as patriotic good-luck charms, in addition to serving as advertising tools to sell all kinds of products.

Some of the most famous were the so-called “Varga Girls,” created by one of the most famous pin-up artists, the Peruvian Joaquín Alberto Vargas y Chávez; his pin-up drawings adorned the fuselages of many World War II aircraft.

The pin-up paintings by artist Gil Elvgren were reproduced in advertisements and calendars by the advertising firm Brown & Bigelow because of their playful sensuality, depicting his models in gardens, water skiing, climbing trees, and so on.

After the war, Christian Dior introduced his “new look.” Wartime restrictions on luxury items such as stockings were lifted, and undergarments went from being a single piece to two: the bra and the girdle. Society had already evolved from the flappers, who sported an androgynous style, to women who emphasized their curves and wore shorter, narrower skirts.

The Most Famous Pin-Up Girls in Popular Culture:

Rita Hayworth:

She appeared on the cover of *Life* magazine five times and starred in more than 60 movies. This redhead was the second-most famous pin-up girl during World War II, thanks to her famous photograph in a black negligee.

Ava Gardner:

She was discovered at age 18 posing as a pinup in a swimsuit on the beach. The power of her beauty led her to the movies, where she took on a different image—that of a “femme fatale”—wearing long black dresses and with the gaze of a panther. In 1951, she married Frank Sinatra.

Veronica Lake:

She was one of the most important actresses of film noir and a star in the 1940s. Her iconic look—her wavy blonde hair framing part of her face and her magnetic blue eyes—was her defining image.

Zoe Mozert:

In addition to being a model, during the war she created a series of postcards titled “Victory Girl,” intended for soldiers at sea.

Jane Russell:

She made her debut in 1943 in the film *The Outlaw*, which ran into trouble with the censors because of her plunging necklines. She is remembered for her role in *Gentlemen Prefer Blondes* alongside Marilyn Monroe. She was known as “sweater girl” because that was the garment that best highlighted her upper body.

Betty Grable:

Her statuesque beauty made her the most famous pin-up girl of World War II, thanks to a photograph of her in a white swimsuit, seen from behind as she looks over her shoulder.

Bettie Page:

To many, she is the “queen of pin-ups.” She stood out from other models of the time because of her bangs and her long black hair. She also gained popularity thanks to *Playboy* magazine, for which she was a Playmate in January 1955.

Although she rose to fame well into the 1950s, Bettie Page is perhaps the most memorable of the pin-up girls—and, as a result, the most imitated today. Her career lasted only seven years, but even after her retirement, her images—now in the public domain—have continued to be used.

Today, the pin-up girl image is being reimagined and adapted to modern times. Celebrities like Dita Von Teese and Katy Perry embody this look without losing their contemporary personalities.

To achieve the pin-up girl look, there are a few details to keep in mind:

It’s about showing off very feminine curves—not hiding them. Pin-up girls were voluptuous women who sensually displayed their charms.
Glamour—lots of glamour.

If there’s one thing pin-up girls emphasize, it’s an abundance of femininity. It’s all about looking your best at all times, like a diva.
The glamour of pin-up girls’ makeup back then lay in matte shades applied to a rather pale complexion.

Dark eyebrows and eyeshadow accentuate the eyes, but never go as far as a smoky eye; lips should definitely be red, and cheeks should have a healthy-looking pink blush.
Pin-up girl hairstyles are very structured and voluminous; back then, hairspray was as essential as coffee at breakfast.
Incorporate some vintage or retro touches into your wardrobe, such as classic prints, high-waisted pants and skirts, and low-cut, alluring tops that don’t reveal too much cleavage. The halter neckline was very popular among pin-up girls.