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...
Ruby
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When did you get into the pinup/vintage lifestyle?
I got into the Pinup lifestyle about 4 years ago.I had graduated College about 3 years prior to that and I was still struggling to find a style that wasn't sorority tees and jean skirts.
It started slowly and I would pull things from my closet that looked "Pinup/Rockabilly" SO I would say I started there. very Rosie the Riveter/Amy Winehouse meets Ross Dress for Less. Then slowly I started acquiring clothing from larger well known Repro brands.
I had a "1950's housewife" look for a while with a lot of pastels and bright colors and while I felt comfortable in the style I noticed the color scheme wasn't working for me. So I got back to my old Punk/Goth ish roots and started incorporating more Black/Purple/Red into my wardrobe until eventually I got rid of all pastels and I am down to a Halloween palette for my daily wear.
Who is your biggest style inspiration?
My biggest style inspiration is my Pinup friends. They are always so quick to help out with style advice, hear out for the latest sales and give honest advice about things that look good. Instagram inspires me to find new people and check out their style and sample from what works for them.
I also take inspiration from Halloween since I consider myself a Pinup Ghoul. I enjoy taking inspiration from Gothic-ish looks and fashion that leans a little towards the dark side *insert evil Witch cackle*
How does it feel being a WOC in the pinup/vintage community?
Being a minority in the Pinup community can be very alienating. I find that I am a Minority in so many of my identities. I'm Latinx, I'm first Generation College grad and I'm Queer. So finding people in the community who align with my ideals and values has been very challenging. A lot of people are quick to assume my sexuality or in Facebook groups assume heteronormativity. I find myself often education members in the community about Cultural Appropriation, the misuse of Tiki Culture, Day of the Dead Emblems, hair wraps, etc. So many people figure that because they are emulating an era that they can take some of those racist elements with them and I'm there to be like, "Um, no". So while it has been challenging it has allowed me to create intentional spaces where we don't have to worry about any of that nor the emotional labor that comes from educating people because I surround that space with like minded people who like to dress "old fashioned" but not think "old fashioned". I find myself feeling exhausted but also hopeful that more and more this community will be infiltrated by people that define it as a space for everyone and challenge those that think otherwise to create inclusion.
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We hope you enjoyed this weeks edition of "anyone can be a pinup", Ruby's story is one we've been wanting to share for awhile as she is a dear friend of ours. We love how unapologetically herself she is and how out spoken she is about what she believes in. Often times, especially in this day and age its hard to stand up for what you believe in but we encourage you to never stop trying. You could be the person to spark that fire in someone else and truly make a difference.
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.
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