Meet Mrs Greatnews, blue-haired beauty and Pinup of the Month for March from New Zealand.
How did you choose your Pinup name?
My pinup name is actually just my married name! My husband and I merged our surnames and I figured I couldn't really top it on uniqueness, so I decided to roll with it.
Why do you love Pinup?
I love the aesthetic and the unapologetic femininity of it. Since dressing pinup practically 24/7, my confidence has skyrocketed and I feel much more comfortable and at home in my personal identity and self-expression. I've always been a girly girl, so pinup has given me a way to channel my femininity in a unique and colourful way.
Would you like to share your favourite beauty tip?
If you're not a professional hairdresser, please for the love of hair, find a hairdresser who understands retro hairstyles and ask for their advice for how to keep your hair healthy. I know a lot of pinups rely on heat styling, which if you're not taking the right precautions, can completely fry your hair. And learn how to wet-set your hair! I almost exclusively wet-set my hair because under all the blue, it's platinum blonde and a little fragile.
What's your favourite aspect of the Pinup and Rockabilly subculture?
I love how female dominated it is. I find it a lot easier to strike up conversations with pinups compared to other people in my life because I already know we have something in common. I've spent literally hours bonding with other pinups over things like favourite brands, and swapping pinup tips and stories.
When did you know that Pinup was right for you?
Mad Men introduced me to 50s/60s fashion, but it wasn't until last year that I really committed to being a full-time pinup. Before dressing pinup 24/7, midway through last year I was going through a tough time. I decided to wear my pinup dresses and utilise self-care by getting gussied up just to go to work and it just kept going from there.
What advice would you like to give to new Pinups?
This will always be hard straight off the bat, but don't compare yourself to other pinups. Take inspiration from them, but figure out what it is you bring to the scene and how you want to express yourself rather than just trying to copy others. Also be willing to experiment with hair and makeup, because it really is all about practise, and you won't get any better at it by not trying. I also highly recommend getting yourself a pinup buddy if you don't already have one. Find someone in your area through Instagram or Facebook and introduce yourself, so you have someone to go on this journey with. Oh, last tip, I swear, don't exclusively stock your wardrobe with dresses. It's really tempting to do so when you first get into it, but pants, tops and skirts are important too.
Favourite business shoutout
Bleu Foxxx Shop, Kabella Baby, Rita Sue, Two Lippy Ladies and Moxie Mama Wear. Each of them stock different brands, so to get the full NZ pinup experience, you really have to shop around! My favourite brands right now have to be Vixen by Micheline Pitt and Collectif.
