We here at the thehepburnmovement strive to show the diversity of pinup/vintage culture every chance we get, to show that ANYONE and everyone can be a pinup regardless of your age, sexual orientation or race. That despite the lack of representation in the media, we exist and are here to inspire others to step out into the spotlight. People from all kinds of nationalities and identities make up this community and we aim to show that with every post. We want to highlight the wide variety of pinup/vintage loving people because they come from all walks of life, and deserve to be seen. This weeks lovely pinup to be featured is no exception, she's a remarkable women who strives to be the change she wishes to see in the world. She is kind, quirky, funny and full of life, and it is our honor to be sharing her story with you today. She's one of the many incredibly inspiring women we've met thanks to the online pinup community and we cannot begin to explain how lucky we feel to be apart of it.
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Maya
We met Maya thanks to this wonderful online community, thanks to a lovely Facebook group to be specific. She started her pin up journey a lot like we did, just shopping at Modcloth and that's how our paths crossed. We were all apart of a lovely online group dedicated to buying and swapping Modcloth items. Together we grew our closets and found our own unique style and we are so glad we did. Maya is an incredibly inspiring women, a no nonsense gal who fights for equality for ALL people in this community and its our greatest pleasure to bring her front and center for all of you today.
When did you get into the pinup life style ?
I got into pinup style in 2013, which was the first time I had a job where I didn't have to wear a uniform! I love the creativity of putting an outfit together, and being inspired by vintage films, TV shows, and advertisements. I also love vintage shopping and mixing old and new together. I love how an outfit can bring out elements of my personality or history, and how certain pieces of looks can start conversations. I've met amazing people through clothes - people who live all over the country. I've met them in different cities and even stayed in their homes! It's definitely about more than clothes for me.
Who is your biggest style inspiration ?
I am very inspired by Tanesha Awasthi, who started the blog Girl with Curves. Her outfits are timeless and highlight her curves instead of hiding them. I watch a lot of Mad Men, and I derive a lot of inspiration from all of the women in that show. I am also very into classic country music, so I should recognize Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline for being style icons that bring style to more than just their clothes. I have a photo of Loretta Lynn next to my makeup, to motivate me to be unapologetic in challenging the men in my life. And I have to shout out my friends: Riley Jess, Sindy Malone Fowler, Sarah Wilson, Rosaline Hull, Elizabeth Cale Slagle, Christine Tolentino Ma, and Haley Melise who have all been huge inspirations for me over the years.
How does it feel to be a minority in the pinup community ?
This is a tricky one for me. I think that there are more brown girls who love pin up that are finding their own voice and platforms, but we definitely feel like a minority. Most of the models and historical inspirations tend to be white women of a certain body type with certain features. I've struggled to find vintage clothing in my size, or makeup that is flattering but still has that vintage feel. I think the hardest part is that when you start getting into vintage fashion and vintage history, you will inevitably hit onto issues that hit close to home for me: racism, cultural appropriation, and white feminism being among the most common. I struggle to find people to talk to about these issues - people who love the clothes but are critical about the history behind some of the styles and aesthetics. I started my own group to talk about these issues about a year ago, and that group has helped me feel comfortable talking about this more, as well as wearing clothing that makes me feel strong and empowered by history instead of silenced or intimidated. I am always seeking more models and representation of vintage fashion by and for women of color, but I have been fortunate to find people and groups that are supportive and share in this quest.
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We hope you enjoyed this weeks edition of "Anyone can be a pinup", we had such a wonderful time sharing Maya's story with you as well as getting to know her better ourselves. This community is full of strong, independent and courageous individuals who are fighting to make it and the world a more loving and inclusive place for us all. If that's not moving, we don't know what is and we look forward to sharing many more of their journeys with you.
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If you have any comments,questions or even suggestions on who you'd like to see us feature next, feel free to comment below and we'll do our best to reply in a timely manner.
As always thanks for reading, may your days be filled with pretty dresses, dapper clothes & a lot of happiness.
Paola & Kirsten xx
Aka "thehepburnmovement"
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