Pin-up photography poised to be next busty Dallas-Fort Worth trend

Local women ages 18 to 80 are finding personal pleasure in posing for the camera.

DALLAS — Since the rise of the pin-up in early 1940s – thanks to the timeless beauty of Rita Hayworth and Betty Grable, whose posters were plastered all over military barracks during WWII – women across the globe have tried to emulate the iconic style of the Hollywood starlets.

Courtesy Dynamite Dames Photography; Make-up and hair by Cherry Dame

Notice, if you will, the clever use of the iron for the grilled cheese and the bottle of Jack in model JJ DeVour's hand.

When “The Queen of Pin-Ups” Betty Page entered the scene with her unique looks and controversial photos in the 1950s, the pin-up style garnered even more attention, however it wasn’t until iconic blond bombshell Marilyn Monroe took to the limelight that pin-ups were cemented in history forever.

Lately, women like Dita Von Teese and native Texan Jamie Deadly have brought the art of pin-up back into the 21st century with their updated retro style and burlesque dancing. In Dallas, the pin-up culture has grown in leaps and bounds, even re-emerging in the rockabilly subculture, which features women who dress up in the pin-up style with visible tattoos that they proudly display.

Local magazines like Pin Curl and Retro Lovely focus on the work of pin-up photographers and models, while giving them a medium to show off their talent.

Burlesque shows have also become more frequent in Dallas-Fort Worth, with shows from the monthly Ruby Revue Burlesque Show, plus the yearly Dallas Burlesque Festival, and others. The show features an array of women with vintage style who pay homage to the “days of Abe Weinstein and Jack Ruby,” with saucy strip teases and sexy retro outfits.

“Pin-up is a classy way of getting photos done, without being trashy," says Sarah Ellis-Hardcastle, owner of Fort Worth based Dynamite Dames Photography. "It’s also a great outlet for lots of women of all shapes and sizes that they can all be involved. You don't have to be a size 2 to be a fantastic pin-up, whether it is for yourself, a loved one, or for modeling. There are tons of ladies that would be rejected in a normal modeling world that have made names for themselves."

Courtesy Paper Moon Photography

Honey Cocoa Bordeauxx

Local burlesque dancer and pin-up model Honey Cocoa Bordeauxx, who is featured in many Ruby Revue Burlesque Shows, takes the art of pin-up and burlesque and combines it with exercise. She hosts weekly workout sessions at Green Space Arts in Denton. Instead of doing aerobics or weightlifting, Bordeauxx teaches her students the art of burlesque, which ultimately, she says, gives them a reason to feel sexier.

“Burlesque shows and events like Dallas Burlesque Festival and Hot Rods and Heels are making burlesque and pin-up accessible to many audiences that may have had no idea about burlesque and pin-up before,” says Bordeauxx of the recent emergence of pin-up and burlesque in the Dallas area.

But what exactly makes a good pin-up model? Editor-in-Chief of Pin Curl magazine and owner of Through The Looking Glass Studio Shoshana Portnoy believes it is all about being comfortable with who you are.

“First and foremost is a comfort level: [being] comfortable with your strengths and weaknesses and a comfort and willingness to try new things,” Portnoy says. “Along with that comes awareness. It is important to know how your face and body looks from all angles and perspectives – and how to move and pose in the most flattering way for your body type. Secondly, every pin-up model is an actress on some level. She must be able to get into the character and embody the concept of the shoot, bringing the set to life.”

Courtesy of Shoshana Portnoy

Local pin-up model Bondi Holly

Women from “all ages and all walks of life” can do a photo shoot, says photographer Ellis-Hardcastle. “I have shot gals who model, I have shot soccer moms, I have shot older women who are looking for a nice gift for their husband,” she says. “The youngest I have shot is 18 and the oldest is 63. No joke.”

Ellis-Hardcastle has also had requests for zombie pin-ups, with girls who actually eat raw meat for the shoot. Although it's unnerving at first, Eliss-Hardcastle says she has no qualms with shooting what the client wants. She and Portnoy agree that at the end of the day, it's about giving models a positive experience.

“If a client leaves feeling better about herself than when she came in and can look at the images and realize her own beauty, then I have done my job. Nothing makes me happier,” says Portnoy. “Pin-up is all about the woman’s personality showing through and developing a character for yourself. It’s being sexy, yes, but also being witty about it.”