Meet the chaotically sweet Miss Kitty Kaos - February Pinup of the Month from New Zealand (seriously, the NZ girls are dominating Pinup of the Month lately and we're loving having the opportunity to lear more about them!).
How did you choose your pinup name?
My Pinup name ‘Miss Kitty Kaos’ came about due to my spontaneity and impulsiveness. A close friend nicknamed me Cocaine Kitty as I do everything at 100 miles an hour (such as moving to NZ from the UK after falling in love with the country whilst on holiday). When deciding on a Pinup name, it seemed the local choice.
Why do you love pinup?
Simply because I love to dress up. My work requires me to usually dress in jeans. My partner and I moved to New Zealand to help with the Rebuild after the Christchurch Earthquakes. I work as a Quantity Surveyor for a large construction company and I usually spend my working week in hi-vis vest and steel toe boots, surrounded by other builders and machinery. I love pinup because I get to feel feminine again, and I love to encourage and empower other women to feel confident.
Would you like to share your favourite beauty tip?
Firstly, wear sunscreen! Also, at one of the first ‘Pinup makeup’ workshops I went to, the lovely Anissa Victory Armstrong of the Pinup Parlour taught me a valuable lesson – when worrying about winged eyeliner or eyebrows, remember – they should be sisters, not twins.
What’s your favourite aspect of the Pinup and Rockabilly subculture?
One of my favourite things about the Pinup scene in New Zealand is the support we give to each other. I receive so many lovely comments, not just from the other pinups, but from complete strangers in the street. Wearing pinup truly makes me feel feminine and elegant.
Also, I love attending car shows, and you can often find me in either my VW Karmann Ghia or the VW Kombi at the various events around New Zealand. We’re pretty busy most weekends. I love meeting new people – if you see me, come up and say hi!
When did you know that pinup was right for you?
I have always been interested in fashion from the fifties and just recently have felt more comfortable expressing myself. I have taught myself how to do hair and makeup by attending workshops and watching lots of YouTube videos. I started getting into Pinup just before we moved to NZ, having spent my life surrounded by classic cars and attending car shows, it seems a little odd that I didn’t get into it sooner.
What advice would you like to give to new pinups?
When I was starting out I found that watching hair and makeup tutorials on YouTube was really useful. I follow Cherry Dollface, Miss Victory Violet, Pin up doll Ashley Marie, and a few others. You could also try to attend hair and makeup workshops if you get the chance, it’s a great place to learn new skills and meet like-minded people. Kabella Baby in Christchurch and Rita Sue in Auckland run workshops throughout the year, and I’ve learnt loads, met so many new people and had so much fun!! Beauty School Dropouts also run classes and travel New Zealand sharing their passion.
Also, I ‘follow‘ heaps of pinups on Instagram. Follow me and my Pinup journey at www.instagram.com/Miss_Kitty_Kaos.
Favourite business shout out?
I’d like to give a shout out to Kabella Baby in Christchurch (www.kabellababy.com). The ladies in this shop are so helpful, and can be brutally honest if something doesn’t suit you! It’s my favourite shop in New Zealand.