New Millennium Pin-Up Queen - Dita Von Teese

The origin of the pin up queen dates back as far as 1910 but I'm sure the beauties of that day and age were quite muted in regards to their photo shoot clothing choices.  The term 'pin-up' got it's name by G.I.'s in World War II who would cut pics of their fave starlet out of magazines and hang them on their locker walls. We've certainly evolved from the days when modesty was alive and well that's for sure!  So here we are in the new millennium as we have bid a sweet farewell to the vintage mavens such as Clara Bow & Gloria Swanson and ushered in the new breed of pin-up known as Dita Von Teese.

Dita Von Teese was born Heather Sweet in Rochester, Michigan in 1972.  As a child she was trained in classical ballet but as she came into adulthood, she became fascinated with the styles of the 1940's & became a pin-up model primarily in the realm of fetish modeling showcasing her extremely small 22 inch waist that she showcased in a magazine called 'Tighlacer', corseted down to 16 inches!  Her dance training ended up paying off as she later went on to incorporate it into her burlesque routines which she has now acclaimed fame for. 

In addition to being a retro pin-up doll, Von Teese is said to be solely responsible for reviving the art of 'burlesque'.  She has been compared to the likes of Sally Rand as her shows incorporate the vibe of the vintage 30's & 40's queens of burlesque.

Aside from doing pin-up and dancing, Dita is a big wig on the fashion scene being #1 on many best dressed lists. Christian Dior and Marc Jacobs are among her fave fash designers.  She has even strutted the catwalk for Jean Paul Gaultier in Paris 2006 for Fashion Week.

She has done for the art of pin-up what Madonna had done for women in pop music which is bringing a bold and edgy new perspective to the old art, in addition to paving a way for up and coming models but my question is..."Did it really need to be revamped?"  As for myself, I think 'not' as the vintage pin-ups queens from long ago will always be remembered for their sense of style and class.

Random Fact: 
Dita Von Teese was married briefly to shock rocker Marilyn Manson...EWWW!

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RED...The Power Color!

"Scarlet, rose, crimson or just plain red...call it by any name, it will always be considered the color of romance and rage! Red is the most emotionally intense color to wear if you want to draw attention to yourself on any given occasion.  It's often always associated with energy and desire and the frequent wearer of the color 'red' usually has an unspoken aura of heightened sensuality...


In 1953, the very first issue of Hugh Hefner's 'Playboy Magazine' featured the infamous Marilyn Monroe as the centerfold and it comes as no surprise that the backdrop for the photo shoot was 'red'.  It is said, that when used in advertising, the color red evokes feelings of eroticism. 

Vintage screen stars, Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor were best known for their pouty red lips and the seductive statement making shade for evening wear... These vampy vixens were way ahead of their time, putting sexy off the charts!

The legendary designer Valentino who has been in the business of fashion for over forty five years, has used so much of the color scarlet in his collection's that his fans named it after him...'Valentino Red'. 

Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang at the 2011 Academy Awards...

Burlesque queen Dita Von Teese in Zac Posen...

Red, most definitely still dominates to this day in regards to fashions, from evening wear, right down to rain slickers and let's not forget the red lipstick!  Red is always going to be the color of POWER!

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