Controversial Post: Has Pin Up Taken Over Vintage?

Flashback Summer - Controversial Post: Has Pin Up Taken Over Vintage?


There is a myriad of ways people wear vintage clothing, but in my experience in the vintage community, people's wardrobes tend to fall into one of three very broad categories: authentic vintage, eclectic vintage, and pin up.

Authentic vintage would be the people that recreate period-accurate looks. The next one is eclectic vintage, or the people that mix lots of decades with modern styles for a look that is unique.  The last one is pin up, or the ladies that dress with a style like, well... a pin up.  Pretty self explanatory.

Personally, I'd probably put myself in the authentic category.  I like doing head to toe 30s and 40s looks, and I tend to get inspiration from more normal, everyday looks like the ones found in vintage photos.  Also, one of the reasons I started wearing vintage was to get access to clothing that was more modest than what is offered in mall stores.  I was tired of the stretchy-tight, short pieces I found at stores, tired of having to be vigilantly aware of the wind patterns while wearing a short dress.  The longer hemlines and more coverage of vintage clothing helps me feel more comfortable, because I'm not afraid I will flash people and I don't have to wear layer upon layer to get the coverage I want. 

However, when a lot of people hear "vintage," they think "pin up." Tight wiggle dresses, giant hair, spike heels, va-voom curves.  Of course, I like those things too and I definitely go for more "pin-uppy" looks from time to time, but I generally don't wear them on a daily basis.

A lot of vintage wearers that are famous could be in the more "pin uppy" category, too.  Dita, for example.  Quite a lot of vintage-style clothing, at least in my experience, seems to cater more toward a pin up look as well.  (Tatyana, Stop Staring, etc.)  This saddens me a little bit, not because I dislike the pin up look, but because it has changed the way people picture past eras' styles.  It has watered down all the various styles found through the 20s, 30s, 40s, and so on to be represented in tight, pin up style clothing.  Look at the "1940s" dresses I found in some prominent shops:



Of course there are authentic reproduction shops, and I don't want to minimize their products or influence.  But it seems pin up style has taken over vintage in some ways, especially as representing the first half of the 20th century to non-vintage wearers.

What do you think, does it seem like the pin up look has begun to represent "vintage" in the non-vintage world? What are your thoughts on that? Where would your style fit, or do you fit in more than one category?



33 comments

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. I definitely think that the Pin-Up look has taken over a great part of the way non-vintage wearers perceive "dressing vintage" as. I think it's sad really, that for the most part only one side of the coin is being represented, when there are SO many other ways those eras can be viewed! I'm glad though to see people such as Lauren of Wearing History starting to offer garments that portray the more everyday side of what it means to dress vintage.

    Cheers!

    Brigid
    the Middle Sister and Singer

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    1. Me too! I'm actually working on a Wearing History dress right now! I love the "everyday" side you're talking about!

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  3. I have to agree with you. Pin up style clothing has, to a certain degree anyway, taken over vintage. Everyone is entitled to their own style and tastes of course so I see nothing wrong with the pin up style. If it makes you feel glamorous and comfortable with yourself then by all means rock it! Like you, I fall more into the authentic category. I do love mixing vintage from different eras. But more often then not I want a look that is true to a certain era. It's particularly important to me when attending living history events which serve as a means to education people about the past. I spend a lot of time researching the correct materials, patterns, accessories, sewing techniques, etc. i.e. all those little details that make an outfit correct for a certain period of time. From a research standpoint it bothers me when you search online for "vintage" anything and half the hits are pin up related. I found it exceedingly frustrating when searching for vintage and vintage style clothing for my bridesmaids to wear to my wedding. There are tons of great vintage style clothing options on the market but most, in my opinion, are either too short or too va-voom.

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    1. On a related topic, another pet peeve of my mine is the selection of photos submitted for the Vintage Life magazine contests. Especially the ones for Miss December. So many pin ups and not enough vintage. :(
      -Emily

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    2. I agree! One of the reasons I love vintage is because I can look classy, unique, and put together (even sexy!) without showing a lot of skin, unlike a lot of more modern styles. I think this aspect of vintage gets overlooked a lot!

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  4. I don't know that I would agree with that. While there is a certain va-va-voom element to a lot of vintage reproduction, I think you could also style them in ways that are more conservative. If you're looking at something like Pinup Girl Clothing, it seems like their most popular styles involve a full skirt that falls below the knee; you can choose to wear that with a lower cut top, or with a buttoned up blouse and cardigan. Even a pencil dress isn't necessarily meant to be a sexy item. Worn with a pair of lower heels and a sweater, it can be very classic and conservative.
    I think it really comes down to what people want to make it. Some women approach it from the same standpoint that you do - perhaps they're looking for a style that makes them feel unique and feminine while remaining a bit more covered up. Other people women see it as something more tied to burlesque, or enjoy the subversiveness of wearing something that could read as conservative but is actually quite alternative.

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    1. You make a good point, Jessica! Vintage can be what you make it.

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  5. Very well written. I do tend to think that in the eyes of the masses vintage and pinup are almost interchangeable. Which can be frustrating at times. Just yesterday, a lady told me she loved my 60's pin-up look. What? Are you kidding? I was wearing a vintage ski sweater, black wool A-line skirt, leggings and boots. With my hair in a snood, and a barrel roll in front. Not 60's at all or particularly pin-up. As much as I was screaming at her ignorance in my head, I realize that she only meant to compliment me. I told her thank you very much, I really enjoy emulating fashions and styles from our past particularly from the 40's and 50's. I told her I enjoy being able to feel confident and sexy while being covered up and not in skin tight clothing. This was my way of thanking her for her compliment while educating her a bit and letting her know I don't consider myself a pinup, nor do I wish too. I've very glad that there are a few sub-sections in our community, I think it gives us all room to grow and evolve and means there is plenty of room for all of us to be individuals with similar interests and tastes.

    She Knits in Pearls

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    1. Wow, I believe I've had the same reaction you did when people have made similar comments to me! I also don't really want to come off as a pin up type, more leaning toward classy and sophisticated, so I identify with your feelings. Way to be gracious in your response, though!
      It is nice to have subcultures within our subculture of fashion. You're right, there's room for all of us!

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  6. Thank you for this post! My sisters and I discuss this over and over, and I am so happy that you have now brought it up on your blog! Personally, no pin-up styles cater to my modesty standards, and it saddens me greatly that such a broad variety of eras has been watered down to just the va-voom vampy side of things in this day and age, like you said. They had so many more morals than we have today, back then, and I think that the world has just taken a small portion of the 50+ years of fashion we vintage-lovers wear, and exaggerated it hugely.

    Thanks again for the post!

    -Charlotte
    boyerfamilysingers.blogspot.com

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  7. Thanks for your post. I think my style would be viewed as eclectic. For me personally both pin up and authentic head to toe feels too costumey. However as long as I'm free to wear whatever I feel like I'm happy :) and happy to see everyone else wearing what they love too!

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  8. I prefer more of an authentic look most days. It is frustrating that most reproduction companies cater to the more pin-up, cleavage bearing, super tight, stretch type style but it's much closer to modern fashion standards so a wider range of women will be interesting in purchasing them. Plus it's much easier to fit with stretch fabrics. I feel like the pin-up/rockabilly type look is definitely more popular than authentic vintage but there are certainly worse fashion trends.

    As for influencing people's idea of what was actually fashionable during certain time periods, I'm pretty sure that's a lost cause. People have zero idea about what actually happened in history and even less of a clue about what people would have worn. I get compliments about my "20s" outfits all the time! And I'm usually wearing 50s which is about as far from 1920s as you can get.

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    1. Ha, I've gotten that too! Why does 20s and 50s represent all past decades? Like all the decades blend together, and that's what people see? Have they not seen any old pictures or movies ever?!

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  9. I agree, pin-up really has taken over the vintage world! It's so difficult to find reproduction (which is pretty much all I wear) pieces that don't have short hemlines, plunging necklines, or tight, showing-every-curve-and-bump skirts. I suppose our only hope is sewing for ourselves!

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  10. I typically wear ecclectic looks, but am a huge fan of those devoted enough to go authentic. I love all types of vintage, but do have to agree that Pin-up has become the defacto "vintage" style when the average person thinks of vintage (or even 1950s, to a point, though the basis for pin up is much earlier!). I'm definitely a fan of wearing whatever you love, but sometimes I feel like the pin-up look can veer into caricature territory, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. I guess people assuming that all vintage is "Pin-up" is like people assuming anything with a glittery headband is "flapper"!

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  11. I think I have to agree with you here. I like to dress in all three of these ways. However I am a nurse and of course wear a uniform to work . When people hear that I like a vintage look, they think straight away that I dress pin up x

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  12. I don't know about using the words "take over" but it is more popular bc those who dress rockabilly also dress very pinup. I think there are more women out there who admire and love vintage fashion, film, music etc but don't dress that way often. So to make thing easier for themselves they shop at the pinup shops. It is a lot easier to do that than search high and low for a vintage dress that will fit them right and that they will love. Plus not everyone sews or wants to sew or has time to sew in order to create a authentic vintage look. I think pinup has become more mainstream and therefore it seems like it has taken over but really its just become popular for the moment. I would rather pinup be popular than vintage so that those of us who dress authentically or eclectically can still enjoy the uniqueness and joy that can be found in the decades gone by. xox

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    1. Ha, that's very true.... save all the real stuff for people who appreciate it! Good point!
      I think you're right about pinup just being more mainstream, so that's what stores make products for. Makes sense!

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  13. I think it has always (well, in the context of the past decade or two) been a prevalent part of the vintage world, and certainly has experienced periods of particular popularity, but even with the widespread wearing of certain "pinup-ish brands (like PUG, for example), I wouldn't say that it's eclipsing more traditional forms of vintage attire entirely. To my mind, it's just one branch of the larger tree that is wearing old school or old school inspired fashion and ultimately, I'm glad it exists for those who derive as much pleasure from dressing that way as I do from sporting a more traditional vintage wardrobe.

    ♥ Jessica

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    1. True story, I'm not worried about it taking over; it's just difficult to find reproduction that doesn't delve into pinup. (Which is fine that people have options, I just wish there were more places to get authentic repros so I don't kill all my vintage from wearing it all the time!)

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  14. Thank you for this post, dear friend. I think clothing stores go to "tag" vintage or pin up to try to attract more audience for their sales, we imagine "vintage" almost like a lifestyle, comfortable and durable clothes, to look with the style that we love ... the clothing stores use "vintage" as a way to attract more customers, simply.

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  15. I think pin-up has represented vintage for quite sometime. I've always had a fascination with vintage clothing for a long time. And I think I always thought of Victorian clothing and pin-up clothing. I think a lot of it has to do with media, there are more relatable films and shows from the 50's than say the 20s, 30s, or 40s. When growing up the vintage fashion boundaries blurred together, and I just kind-of mentally clumped things together. I think 50's appeal to people since the emphasis was about curves, and that can be particularly frustrating with modern fashion. A lot of clothing today is fashioned around baggy clothing that hangs off of thin people. There is so much stress of being "thin enough" that it can be breath of fresh air to have a dress that looks better on a curvy lady than stick figure lady. I think other fashions are less universal, like 20s fashion we picture flat chested and thin people, even though not everyone from the time were "thin" by our models standards. 30s fashion is more pricey, as there are lots of fabric for the bias cuts, and may come off as more formal. 40s were more boxy, and again, might come off as more formal.

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  16. My frustration with the influx of pin-up into vintage and the general "blending" of the two together is that the vintage reproduction lines are becoming more and more pin-up in style and less authentic because that's what consumers are expecting.

    Like yourself though, I much prefer authentic style and really don't like it when the 40s 'swing dresses' are really short and tight. To me, that's just pin-up. Not 1940s.

    I guess it's hard enough to find vintage reproduction without then having to sort through all the pin-up styles as well. So that's just my take on it. :)


    xox,
    bonita of Lavender & Twill

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  17. I'm gonna say "no"... because honestly, I feel like authentic vintage is a smaller niche growing out of pinup and rockabilly looks that started gaining ground in the '80s. I'm sure there have always been a few stalwarts with an authentic look, but I think the appetite for authentic vintage exists in part because there is a larger and more mainstream "pinup" community that is a little more accessible... and from there, people can choose to go further into a more genuine vintage style if they like. I tend to view the pinup style as more simple pieces, too... scarf, knit shirt or sweater, voluminous circle skirt or wiggle skirt, pumps. Maybe pearls too. But it's more about the person than the clothes. Vintage tends to be the whole nine yards, hat, shoes and blouse that are appropriate to the era... so often more about the clothes than about the person. I think your example of a more pinuppy look isn't that at all... it's still got the high attention to detail and authenticity that makes vintage outfits stand out.

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    1. There isn't a dictionary of terms for the vintage world (sadly, ha), so "pin up" could definitely mean different things to different people. What I described is what I picture with pinup style, but as your comment shows, people may think other things when they hear the word!

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  18. YES! I love pinup stuff, even went to a pinup party a couple of months ago but that's not my thing. People often think that is my thing when they hear I dress vintage. I try to explain by saying, think more Donna Reed.

    Right now I'm still building my wardrobe and all of that but the look I'm going for is the more authentic vintage look.

    The pinup stuff is great, I have friends that wear it a lot and it's perfect for them. It's not for me though.

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  19. I haven't been around the vintage or pin-up scene long enough to say whether things are going in any direction or not, but I was certainly more aware of people wearing pin-up or rockabilly type looks before I found people wearing more authentic vintage styles. I enjoy the look of both on others, but am more of an eclectic dabbler myself. I like the bright colours and fun prints often used on pin-up styles, and I like the 50s silhouette best on me, but I'd prefer in general to explore something more everyday and subtle.

    I've encountered a lot more of the decade-confusion, when wearing or showing off a hat. "I love those fifites styles" about a very 20s cloche, or vice versa! I just try to roll with it and accept the "I love..." part.

    On another note, the word "vintage" suggests totally different things in other contexts. Seach Pinterest for "vintage maternity" (or "vintage baby") and apparently "vintage" mostly means pale colours, soft glowing light, standing in fields of flowers, headbands and lace.

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    1. So true! I had a vintage style wedding, and I had to reiterate over and over that by "vintage" I did NOT mean burlap and mason jars!

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  20. Without reading others comments first I apologize if I'm already repeating what someone else has said.
    I've noticed that people who blog about their lifestyle have seem to become the forerunners in fashion, home decor and to favoured colours. From there, manufacturers have taken their cue. It seems that we the general public who were once guided by their decisions have turned it the other way around. For instance my sister works in a floral and gift shop. What they've purchased as this years big find is yesterdays news in blogs I've read maybe a year ago. I think that's what been happening with the clothing industry as well. They've taken noticed how many people in blog land enjoy the look of vintage clothing turned it up a notch (we all know sex sells even in clothing) and are manufacturing the heck out of it. TV has taken notice with the upcoming Agent Carter (yes the Marvel nerd in me is excited) and I'm not sure if a year or two ago that a show like that would have flied. Bomb Girls certainly didn't make it. It will be interesting to see where clothing goes over the next year. Will it stick to pin-up or head to more amped up suit styles and hats.
    Even thrift stores have jumped into the game labeling things as vintage and putting a higher price tag on it.
    I've been hanging around vintage for a while as I explained in my latest blog post and like you enjoy being able to cover myself with style.
    I think what will happen is it will come and go like a summer breeze and people will be on to something new and the diehards will stay.

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  21. I think that the prominence of "pin-up" representing the vintage culture is because true vintage culture is not very popular, while the rockabilly scene, which a good number of like the pin-up, borderline caricature look, is much more visible in society, as it has numerous, high-profile events, such as Viva, as well as a thriving music scene, which can cross over into other sub-cultures, such as rock, punk, etc., to propel it into the main stream.

    I don't think that "pin-up" has really "taken over" vintage, I just think "pin-up" is more visible, and those who wear authentic vintage on a regular basis need to take the time, if comfortable, to clear up those blurred lines the average popular is aware of. Additionally, the average population is horrifically unaware of what each decade offered. I've gone out head to toe 40s and had people say I look like I just walked off of Mad Men. *Facepalm* I think it's more about a lack of knowledge than anything else instead of various groups encroaching on territory.

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    1. Ha, true story. I agree with your facepalm. You make good points here, and I totally see what you're saying! It makes a lot of sense, and I agree!

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