1950s

Step back into the 1950s, a decade captured in vivid vintage photography, classic pinup poses, and mid‑century fashion. This collection preserves authentic slides and snapshots of everyday life, from California landscapes and vintage cars to military scenes and beauty contests. Explore how post‑war optimism, evolving beauty standards, and advertising shaped the era’s style and culture. Each image offers a nostalgic window into 1950s history, modeling trends, and the golden age of American glamour.

How Politics shaped womens fashions in the early 20th century

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

This is a very interesting article in the 1950s pinup magazine about the history of how politics and politicians shaped women’s fashions during the first half of the 20th century. The early feminist movement asked for many changes, among them suffrage, easy divorce, property laws, and equal education. This resulted in a fashion trends that were mannish, including the no-curves, flat chested, flapper girl of the 1920s. This article goes on to call Victoria Claflin Woodhull a “political freak” (who ran for presidency in 1872), and pacifist Jeanette Rankin whose only winning two terms in congress corresponded with declarations of war (1917 and 1941). The caption under Woodhull says that she ran on a free love ticket.

Women’s Fashion Trends in the first half of the 20th Century changed drastically

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

Women’s changing fashions and shapes thru the 1900s! This first page quotes a skit about womens’ changing fashions from 1903-1953 written by Lois Long of the New Yorker and performed on “The American Road” by Mary Martin. Following that are production stills of Miss Martin performing her skit in various outfits representing the major fashion trends of the first half of the 20th century. Doesn’t it seem like every era declares itsself the one of the “emancipated clear eyed career girl”?

Then… and article about women in television commercials and television advertising (“bringing glamor to household appliances”).

Marilyn Monroe’s appearance on the Jack Benny Show, and Ed Sullivan’s Toastettes

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

Here’s a scan from CheeseCake – An American Phenomenon. It’s a spread with Ed Sullivan’s Toastettes and film snaps of Marilyn Monroe’s appearance on the Jack Benny show. “It was wonderful,” said MM, “You know, Mr. Benny at 39 has all the charm and poise of an older man.” When Marilyn Monroe agreed to be on the Jack Benny Show, finally television had come of age and could compete with the movies. Cheesecake Pinups on the new medium of television!

Making fun of cheesecake Pinup

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

When Imogene Coca and Sid Caesar took aim at 1950s cheesecake pinup culture on their groundbreaking show Your Show of Shows, they created comedy gold that doubled as cultural commentary. Through hilarious sketches featuring Coca as Cleopatra, satirical beefcake parodies, and pointed jabs at ballet photography’s “legs as art” phenomenon, these comedy pioneers exposed the absurdity behind the glamour photography that dominated the era.

Explore how television’s most fearless comedians used satire to challenge beauty standards and gender norms in 1953, revealing the fascinating intersection between comedy, pinup culture, and social critique during television’s golden age.

Television reshaped the 1950s Pinup Phenomenon

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

“The Bust Line May be Best Line in TV”. This article explores how television was currently reshaping the Pinup phenomenon, remarking on Faye Emerson’s low cut gowns in the late 40s, but then turning again away from excess by raising bustlines and hemlines (referencing the Breen office’s revision in 1951, that apparently included a ban against showing intimate apparel on a moving figure). However, these restrictions had the result of making the female form more enticing, “A whisper echoes more than a shout”.

Bustlines and Derriers in Pinup History

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

From Jane Russell’s legendary bustline in The Outlaw to the 1950s fixation on the derrière, this article traces how pinup art has cycled through busts, legs, backs, and bottoms. Discover the origins of cheesecake pinups, the role of humor, and how early television reshaped our ideas of feminine allure.

To Man, Woman is Basically Funny – history of pinups in humor

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

hoopskirts to bathing suits, this Cheesecake Pinup magazine takes a look at the history of sexual innuendo in humor and media.

One of the first cartoons is from the 1860s, showing the wind blowing up a dress to reveal the hoopskirt underneath and (gasp) the sexyness of the woman’s ankels! Then came the peepshows in the Kinetoscopes of the 1890s (as examples are The Bedroom Farce, and a womens’ wrestling). Then, the late 1890s cinema came along, and in the early 1900s, Hollywood and the Keystone comedies and the scantily clad “big names wearing too little” and sensual Femme Fatale Movie Stars of the 1920s…

How the term cheesecake pinup originated

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

How did the term “cheesecake” pinup originate? Origins of cheesecake, and the first pinup model and cheesecake photograph. An article about the history of American pinup.

How to create a “French Look Bust” (aka cone shaped bust of the 1950s)

Misc. Ephemera

These “French Look Bust Wires” were interesting to shoot… not because of the wires themselves, but the instructions for fitting any bra or garment to make a “French Look” of the quintessential cone shaped bust shape of the 1950s. It promises support and uplifting, and the instructions are illustrated with 3 easy steps. Foundation garments and functional lingerie, including bras, helped create the classic curvy “pinup” silhouette of the 1950s.

1958 Hilda Calendar – an Illustrated curvy BBW Cheesecake Pinup

Misc. Ephemera

Discover the whimsical charm of the 1958 Hilda calendar, featuring Duane Bryers’ iconic curvy pinup, Hilda. This playful and unique cheesecake pinup art celebrates body positivity and humor, with Hilda unapologetically defying 1950s beauty standards. Each month features vibrant artwork paired with advertising for Munger Linen, making it a true piece of vintage ephemera. Perfect for lovers of retro pinup art and mid-century Americana!

A couple in the 1930s, and then again in the 1940s or 1950s

Old Photo Scans

Mary doesn't remember her aunt being very wealthy, and doesn't know if this first couples picture from approximately the 1930s is her wedding photo to her second husband, or was just a special occasion photo. Either way, both of them look rather...

Classic Sexy Patriotic Pinup Pics

Vintage Styling & Photography

I styled a patriotic-inspired vintage photoshoot featuring a sparkly red, white, and blue mini dress I found in Las Vegas. The look was completed with an American flag and a retro vibe, channeling mid-century pinup charm. Set against my vintage 1950s “pinup exercise machine,” we created timeless, playful poses that pay homage to the glamour and patriotism of classic pinup art. Combining nostalgia with bold styling, this shoot captures the enduring appeal of pinup photography and Americana aesthetics.

Vintage inspired bridal headshots

Vintage Styling & Photography

The dress was 1970s. The veiled hat is probably 1950s or 1960s. I did her makeup 1970s style, but tried to go natural. Posed with tulle and the fireplace backdrop. These came out very “old Hollywood” and romantic looking!

A 1950s styled picnic

Vintage Car Workshop, Vintage Styling & Photography

This was our very last photo set at this vintage photography workshop that I styled and co-organized. Nikki and Amilee dressed up 1950s style, and pretended to go for a picnic. Nikki pretends to take pictures of Amilee with a vintage film camera,...

Cheesecake Pinup in a Car Repair Garage

Vintage Car Workshop, Vintage Styling & Photography

I was just in an increasingly humorous mood as this retro photography workshop progressed! I posed model Amilee in a vintage child’s dress from the 1950s, with a wrench, in the car repair garage. She gave the perfect helpless and silly expressions of a gal who wouldn’t know the gas tank from the radiator (I wouldn’t, either).

Pinup models on a South Pacific Set

Vintage Car Workshop, Vintage Styling & Photography

This cute, humorous, cheesecake pinup photography set features pinup model Amy Mooney (Shooby Duwop) posing with a classic red car against a vintage beach backdrop. It looks like she’s on set of a 1950s beach flick! Later, pinup model Amy W. joins in, and they pretend that they’re lost on the way to the real beach (it does not help that they’re in Missouri, reading the map upside down).

Ghost Photos

Vintage Styling & Photography

Happy Spooky Saturday, and hope everyone had a great Halloween! While I was posting model Linzy Anna’s ghostly garage photos, I came across all the other “ghost” pictures that I’ve shot. This is a special photographic technique, with no photoshop being used to make the transparency. It’s difficult to direct models on posing, but most people usually get it after a few tries, and the result is worth all the hard work. Because of the special lighting I use, I need at least 1 or 2 other assistants… so it’s quite labor intensive!

Spooky Double Exposure Ghost Photos in the Garage

Vintage Car Workshop, Vintage Styling & Photography

I love shooting double exposures in spooky settings such as this mechanic shop! Linzy Anna is styled WWII period in an authentic, vintage 1940s, cotton side zipping blue dress. She looks like the ghost of a girl, coming back to haunt the 1950s car that she tragically died in.

Plus Size Pinup Modeling a 1950s style Felt Circle Skirt

Vintage Styling & Photography

We got some very cute breezy sexy pinup pics, ala Marilyn Monroe in the 7 year Itch. They also came out fabulous in black and white, with more of a vintage editorial fashion feel.

Smoking in A Blue vintage semiformal dress

Vintage Styling & Photography

This powder blue vintage semiformal dress from the late 1950s or early 60s was totally cute and fit model Bri perfectly! We had so much fun playing with the smoke and sunlight when she took a cigarette break. The sunbeam cooperated perfectly, and without much of a breeze, the cigarette smoke hung mysteriously in the air.

Check out my Etsy Shop for everything, as I continue to fine tune

Editorial

I’ve decided to change things around, and re-focus this site on my vintage blog and on writing more about some of the fabulous finds that I post on my Etsy shop. I’ll only be posting higher end, and personal favorite, vintage items in my shop on this site (and ofcourse ephemera as I scan or photograph it).

The practical reason is that for a twenty five dollar dress, it takes an extra 15-20 minutes to upload the images to this site as well as to Etsy. That time adds up, and I could be listing even more, or marketing, or writing a fun blog entry or scanning more ephemera! There’s currently no way to import Etsy listings into this ecommerce system 🙁

With that hour or two that I save every few listings, I’m going to be blogging and writing more personally here. 2013 has brought me many personal changes, the most notable being a healthy dose of getting fed up!

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