Enlisted Man's Girl

"There are two reasons why I am successful in show business and I am standing on both of them."
-Betty Grable

ChrisRandallPhotography

What is it about classic pin-up girl style that appeals so much to both men and women, to this very day? The pin-up girl is is an idealized slice of female sexuality- she is womanly in the sense that she is ample and curvy, yet there is always an element of girlish innocence. She is more often than not depicted as smiling, or displaying a sultry pout.

 If you pick up a modern day copy of Playboy, pass a billboard for a store selling "intimate goods", or look at any other highly sexualized images of the female form today, you are likely to find that the model is almost always scowling- glaring out at the viewer like a tigress ready to pounce. Perhaps this is because in 2014, there is no shock value left when it comes to sexuality- therefore the model must imply a sort of threat by her facial expression, in order to stir any primal reaction in the modern day male. But in the World War II era, the mere suggestion of a bared body part on a young woman was enough to cause a stir- and the "pin-up girl" image was designed to excite the viewer, but at the same time, reassure and comfort him.

Betty Grable's career was propelled into silver screen super-stardom, after this photo of her in a white bathing suit was distributed by her studio, Twentieth Century Fox, to 5 million American Troops during World War II. 

What an odd feeling it must be to know that your image is pinned to the walls of barracks and the inside of soldiers' lockers, being looked at by the eyes of 5 million young men.  Grable's photo highlighted her lovely legs in a pair of pumps, which she later took out an insurance policy on in the amount of 1 million dollars- thus, 

Betty Grable's name became synonymous with the phrase "million dollar legs".

There are times when I can see a racy photo of a woman that highlights some sexualized body part or another, and understand why men go gaga over it- after all, the female body can be quite a work of art. Yet there are other times, when the idea of a pair of breasts or legs being worshipped, to the point where they are almost an entity separate from the woman herself-just seems silly and ridiculous. Maybe this is because I am the owner of one pair of each, and I can't help but  consider their utilitarian purpose. 

Breasts? Yup, I've got those... I've also got three children who were sustained almost entirely by those breasts for the first two years of their lives. Legs? Yea, got  a pair of those, too. They've run an 18:43 5k, a 1:33 half marathon, and can squat 115lbs- but mostly I just use them for getting from one place to another. So sorry guys, I just don't get what the big deal is:) 

I can't help but think, as I read Betty Grable's quote at the top of the page, that she saw the humor in such idealization too. She is sexy and she knows it- and there she sits, with her Coke bottle shades and care-free pout, cool as a cucumber. I love the sexy, smart expression on her face, and I also love the fact that for some reason, in this photo, she is the one holding the camera... It gives her a deliciously powerful presence.

To accentuate Grable's luscious lips, I lined them with a pinkey-nude shade, and filled them in with a moisture rich lipstick in a similar shade.

And now I will share with you the secret to looking glamorous, even if you have five minutes to get ready, are hungover, have only gotten four hours sleep, or have just stepped off a red-eye flight.

  All you need is a little lipstick, a pair of sunglasses that fit your face just right, and a cute printed bandana. 

Here's how to fold your bandana to achieve that perfect pin-up girl style:

And voila, instant movie star! 

Do you have a travel-friendly, instant movie star beauty secret? Let's her it!

Products


Makeup:

Model Co. Party Proof Lipstick in "Dusk til Dawn", Birchbox.com 24$ (comes in a trio with 2 other
gorgeous neutrals).

Lancome Le Lipstique Lip Liner in "Natural Mauve", Sephora 25$

Clothing and Accessories:

Striped Nautical Tankini by Ralph Lauren, TJ Maxx, 35$

Sunglasses by Betsey Johnson, TJ Maxx 10$

Bandana, Walmart 1$ (Comes in dozens of super-cute patterns!)