Pin ups

The word Pin up became synonymous in during the roaring 1920s and was introduced to the english language in 1941 however the practice is dated and documented all the way back to at least the 1890s. Aside from the traditional drawn pin up, many pin ups were photographs of actresses and models. Including one of the most popular early pin-up girls was Betty Grable, her poster hung from numerous lockers of G.I.s during World War II.

The term pin up would not be the same, if not for Alberto Vargas one of the most known pin up artists of all time. Born February 9, 1896 as the son of a renowned photographer, Max Vargas. Alberto Vargas studied art and had a foundness of the beauty of a women from an early age. It wasnt untill he left Europe beacause of the war and arrived in Ellis Island in october 1916 discovering the "beauty of american women".

An incredibly famous pin up and my biggest inspirations, Betty Page is one of the most photographed pin ups of all time. Aside from being a killer model she had the nerve to take some risque shots that other pin ups wouldnt dare. She will forever be a sex symbol and live through the photographs of her and the photographs inspired by her.

Cowboys but no indians

Cowboys were all the rage in the 1950s, from the big screen to fashion and perfect for advertising. Cowboys were extremely popular, and so was everything that became associated with them like Marlboro. Malboro is an excellent example of how a company managed to profit on popular trends just to increase sales. Today you wouldn't imagine it but originally Marlboro cigarettes were targeted to women back in 1924.

During the 1950s, Marlboro ditched its mommy slogans and baby ads and capitalized on the phenomenon of the cowboy. With the introduction of the new cowboy land known as "Marlboro Country" the company was able to increase sales by 5,000% within the campaign's first 8 months. Talk about smart advertising.

My Flickr of Retro ads

R I P Betty Page

Los Angeles, December 11, 2008 – Bettie Page, sweet-smiling legendary 1950s pin-up queen with the killer curves and coal-black bangs, died today of pneumonia at a Los Angeles area hospital. She was 85 years old. She suffered a heart attack one week ago and never regained consciousness. Her popularity as an underground, guilty pleasures phenomenon has continued to soar despite the fact that the reclusive Page disappeared almost a half century ago, leading many to believe that one of the most photographed individuals of the 20th century was already dead.
She is credited by many for jump starting the cultural sexual revolution that continued into the 1960's and 1970's. Her popularity was fueled by camera clubs and mail order picture magazines. She was featured in over 20,000 photos and became the "it-girl", her photos adorning the walls of army barracks, school lockers and oak dens across America.





Like so many pin ups, Betty Page has given me so much inspiration. I will dearly miss this legend. RIP Betty
text credit: Bettiepage.com

Coca Cola Ad

This is one of my favorite photo shoots I have done so far, I just love how this looks like an old Coca Cola ad. Well it actually is an old Coca Cola ad and they photographer Michelle Elise photoshopped my image into the ad. Hope you enjoy the picture! xo Darla Deville

1950s Vogue

This timeless look graced the covers of vogue in the 1950s.

Vogue as described by book critic Caroline Weber “Vogue is to our era what the idea of God was, in Voltaire’s famous parlance, to his: if it didn’t exist, we would have to invent it. Revered for its editorial excellence and its visual panache, the magazine has long functioned as a bible for anyone worshiping at the altar of luxury, celebrity and style. And while we perhaps take for granted the extent to which this trinity dominates consumer culture today, Vogue’s role in catalyzing its rise to pre-eminence cannot be underestimated."