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 pinup is...
Audrey
Misssweetblackpinup
Misssweetblackpinup
We've been mutual followers for awhile now, but contrary to popular belief asking people to be apart of this series isn't as easy as it looks. Especially when its someone as influential and awe inspiring as Audrey. She is not only an advocate for pinups of color but she is literally paving the way for them. The first time we stumbled upon her Instagram page, we fell in love with her style and the way she exuded self love and confidence through every post. We are so excited that she agreed to be apart of this series and let us share her story today!
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When did you get into the pinup life style ?
As far as I can remember I've always been attracted by "old things" (movie, fashion, history) but when I was a teenager I wasn't confident at all ! Most of the time I wore jeans, sweatshirts and baskets until I met the man who would be my husband a few years after, just before I go to the university. From this moment I began to want to wear more feminine clothes and this is what I did but quickly I realize that the fashion was not made for every woman and every body. I mean I am a caribbean black woman, I've got shapes, curves and a generous pair of boobs, so the pair of low rise jeans or the little crop tops weren't doing it for me. So I had to find a way to have clothes that fit me and develop my own beauty and body. One day I watched "Grease" for the thousandth time and I thought "I love everything about this movie: clothes, hairstyles, cars, songs. Where can I get this type of clothes?" At this time, I didn't know anything about "Pin-Up" but I was hooked. A few days on a TV Show, there was a portrait of a woman who sang in a retro vocal group and she was explaining why she adopted this way of life; she said "because fashion is not adapted for my body" and it was exactly my opinion since I started becoming interested in fashion. This is was a real revelation to me and I decided to send her a message to thank her first and then the journey began to bring this style into my life. I'll always remember the first time I tried a swing dress, I felt like Cinderella because for the first time in my life I was wearing something which fit me perfectly. It was 5 years ago and now I can't imagine being different, this look makes me feel beautiful, confident, and it permits me to express my personality.
Who is your biggest style inspiration?
My biggest style inspiration is definitely Marilyn Monroe. I have seen almost all her movies and her outfits are always so glamorous and perfect. She is a true inspiration for me, I love her and I love her songs too. I chose to sing "Diamonds are a girls best friend" when I participated in my first Pinup Contest a few month ago and Marilyn was with me in spirit because I won it !
How does it feel to be a minority in the pinup community?
When you're a black woman, being a minority is something you have to live with in pinup community or in life in general so it's not new. Sadly racism does exist in the pinup community and it's exactly why all kinds of pinups need to be represented by women like us. To show the world that truly anyone can be a pinup. I made this dream a reality when I became the first black french pinup elected, officially by the Miss Pinup France Committee to represent my region. I will be representing my region next October in the National Pinup Contest and, maybe become Miss Pinup France 2017 ! So pinups, just be what you want to be and don't be afraid to let your own beauty shine.
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My biggest style inspiration is definitely Marilyn Monroe. I have seen almost all her movies and her outfits are always so glamorous and perfect. She is a true inspiration for me, I love her and I love her songs too. I chose to sing "Diamonds are a girls best friend" when I participated in my first Pinup Contest a few month ago and Marilyn was with me in spirit because I won it !
How does it feel to be a minority in the pinup community?
When you're a black woman, being a minority is something you have to live with in pinup community or in life in general so it's not new. Sadly racism does exist in the pinup community and it's exactly why all kinds of pinups need to be represented by women like us. To show the world that truly anyone can be a pinup. I made this dream a reality when I became the first black french pinup elected, officially by the Miss Pinup France Committee to represent my region. I will be representing my region next October in the National Pinup Contest and, maybe become Miss Pinup France 2017 ! So pinups, just be what you want to be and don't be afraid to let your own beauty shine.
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We hope you enjoyed this weeks edition of "Anyone can be a pinup", Audrey is such an absolute sweetheart and we are so glad we can share her story with all of you today. She's paving the way for ALL pinups of color in France and she won't stop until they get the representation they deserve. Thats not all she wants to show that pinups of color exist, matter and deserve to be seen and heard all over the world.
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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