I dress for the image not for myself

Here at the thehepburnmovement, I strive to show the diversity of pinup/vintage culture every chance I get, to show that ANYONE and everyone can be a pinup/vintage lover 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 I aim to show that with every post. I 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 week's vintage lover  is...

Emily

I met Emily through Instagram and immediately fell in love with her page and aesthetic. She mixes vintage with her modern life so effortlessly. Not to mention she is the perfect example of vintage style, not vintage values. She is a loud and proud advocate for women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights and people everywhere. She practices what she preaches being heavily involved in her local politics and is a shining example of how we can all contribute to make a difference. She is paving the way for others like her and shining a light on femme visibility,one I can relate to myself. I am delighted to be sharing her story with all of you today.

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When did you get into the vintage life style?

When I was younger, I was obsessed with American Girl Dolls. I asked for one every Christmas and for every birthday I had. Whether it was Felicity during the Revolutionary War, Samantha during the Suffragette movement, or Emily during World War II — I had to have them! I yearned to dress like them, too. I remember when I was seven years old, my mom took me to Gap to pick out new clothes for the upcoming school year. I started to cry in the parking lot because I “wanted to wear petticoats” and dress like my dolls. My mom unfortunately informed me that no one dresses like that anymore. After many stages of fashion in my teen years, I re-discovered the fashion my dolls dressed like. Roughly three years ago, I followed my childhood dream of dressing like them! After much experimentation, I have completely turned around my wardrobe to a late 1930s-late 1940’s wardrobe.

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Who is your biggest inspiration?

I discovered a vintage community on Instagram and where I live in Chicago has helped me find my style. My style has really been inspired by a variety of women: Rita Hayworth, Barbara Stanwyck, Lauren Bacall, various European actresses, and everyday fashion that was worn by everyday women. I find that combining glamorous pieces with daily pieces really makes an outfit! It is also practical and affordable for a college student like myself. I would love to expand my wardrobe even more, but wardrobes aren’t built overnight. After a few years of collecting pieces, I have realized I don’t have to buy every accessory that is from the wartime period or every piece of clothing that fits. I have found that buying pieces that I am excited about and will get a lot of wear is much more rewarding (and justifiable!)

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 How does it feel to be a minority in the vintage community?

As a minority (I put the L in LGBTQ+) in the vintage community, it has it’s ups and downs as it does in everyday life. I’m a femme (feminine queer woman) attracted to other femmes, which proves itself to be a quite invisible identity most times. I believe most people on my social media know I am an LGBTQ+ activist and I have no problem answering questions to educate others. However, on the street, no one would guess by looking at me — especially with the way I dress! I attract much more attention from men than women, which is flattering. But, at the end of the day, having my identity be visible is a difficult task that I have not quite been able to tackle.
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I hope you enjoyed this week's edition of "Anyone can be a pinup". This month's version of the series is very special as it is highlighting members of the LGBTQ+ community in honor of pride month. Emily is such a vibrant,kind and inspiring soul. She truly shows that you are never too young to make a difference in the world. I am so happy I was able to share her story with all of you today. 

If you have any comments, questions or even suggestions on who you'd like to see me feature next, feel free to comment below and I'll do  my  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 xx aka "thehepburnmovement"