Congrats to my fellow Pin Up Pal!

Check out my fellow vintage lover Miss Phoebe Nyx! She won The Pin Up Registry's Pin Up of the Month contest. Check out her interview with them, then go read my interview of her!

https://www.pinupregistry.com/single-post/2018/04/27/Pinup-of-the-Month---April-2018-Phoebe-Nyx

Interview with Phoebe Nyx: The Chartreuse Chanteuse

Hi there all! So here is the long awaited interview with local Burlesque performer Phoebe Nyx! This tall glass of water is fun, quirky, and an all around doll! Let's get into it:

How did you get started in burlesque?

I started attending burlesque shows to support my performing friends, and I fell in love with the art form.  I spent a year as a regular, dressing for the themes, sitting in the front row, and getting to know the troupe.  It wasn't long before I wanted to be part of the show, and started brainstorming a name and an idea.  When it was time to audition, I brought my soprano ukulele, Elphaba, who I'd only been playing for two months, and a parody I'd written as a show opener.  I was terrified, but I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone and facing my stage fright head-on. I was hired on the spot as a variety act and a stage kitten. That was in 2015, and I'm so glad for that moment of bravery and a troupe that took a chance on me.

Photo Credit: Ron Tencati Photography

Have you always been a performer?

Yes, it's an important outlet of expression for me.  I've done everything from improv to music to character performance to emceeing...but, oddly enough, no formal theater.

Photo Credit: Ron Tencati Photography

Are you a self taught musician?

Ha! Depends on the instrument!  While I sang in chorus and choir when I was small, I'm a classically-trained cellist, and have been playing instrumentally since I was 11.  I came up through a system that taught music reading and playing by ear simultaneously.  Once I was comfortable on the cello, I began picking up piano and guitar on my own.  After that was Irish whistle, lyre, a return to voice, and baritone ukulele.

What is the best part about being on stage?

It's the rush that makes you feel like you’re flying.  Let me sing on a stage, a capella or with my uke, and I feel like I could soar.  When I walk through the curtain, I leave my fears, my insecurities, my worries, backstage, and I hope to help the audience feel the same way...it's my job and my honor to help them escape, at least for a little while.

Who is your vintage style icon?

I adore Lucille Ball, Maureen O’Hara, and Rita Hayworth.  Each of them had a beautiful natural look, using bright colors and fit-and-flare dresses to draw the eye and fresh makeup to keep it. Large waves in the hair, or an iconic poodle, arched brows, a red lip, and soft rose cheeks...these red-haired sirens were talented, elegant, and spirited. My copper red is because I fell in love with Maureen in The Quiet Man, my everyday look is positively Lucy, and my evening glamour  and burlesque stage look is decidedly Rita.

What era do you find really suits you or that you love to emulate?

I’m a 40s and 50s gal, and I'm rarely without a New Look Dior silhouette or touches.  There’s something to be said for the style and music of the era, and for the overall aesthetic.  It's iconic!

What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for vintage styling?

There are so many!  I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

Don't be afraid to hunt.  I love the hunt for true vintage.  Know your measurements, and bring a measuring tape with you if you're going to be browsing the clothing racks in-store.  Thrift stores and antique malls are treasure troves of history.  My local antique mall (Sleepy Poet in Charlotte, NC! I swear I know the entire assortment of the 40s-50s racks at one of their vendors, Kitsch-y Cool Vintage) staff is fantastic, and they've dubbed me “The Green Lady.”  They always know what I'm after.  Get to know the staff, browse and shop small and local any time you can, and don't be afraid to hunt eBay or Etsy to widen your search!

Start Small.

Hats, gloves, purses, and jewelry are a great and cost-effective way to get started!  I began with my mother handing down a simple pair of my great-grandmother’s late 50s Lisner leaf earrings.

Find Your Look

For my face, I wear minimal powder and blush and play up my eyes with thick winged liner and filling in my brows.  It's unusual that I don't have a bright lip...I think, at last count, I have a dozen different shades of red!  My hair is naturally big, frizzy, and wavy, so I use the volume to my advantage.  I'll never have sleek waves and curls...my hair just won't do it, so big, natural-looking Rita waves it is! 

Every person has a different Look, from vibrant hair color to signature beauty marks to retro tattoos...the sky’s the limit!  What draws your eye and makes you happy?  Find it and embrace it!

What do you think really defines your style, on stage and off?

I am a fit-and-flare kind of girl.  A well-fit top and a fluffy, voluminous skirt make me happy, whether it's daywear or evening gowns, and nearly always in my signature shades of green.  It's sweet, playful, feminine, flirty, and a little sassy, heavily inspired by Gil Elvgren’s gorgeous pinup art. 

Why do you think vintage styling has gained popularity?

I think there's a sense of nostalgia that vintage styling taps into, and there's something lovely about a vintage silhouette on a modern woman.  It's distinct, it's memorable, and it's confident.  You can't slouch in these shapes, so you keep your shoulders back, your head held high, and you become a more commanding presence.  It works for every body shape, every height, every build, every aesthetic.  Vintage, retro, and rockabilly culture welcomes -everyone-, which is a distinct and positive change from the culture, society, and era from which the clothing style comes.

DragonCon Burlesque Show 2016

What has been your best vintage find?

Just one?  That's so hard!  I find treasures all the time, and it's hard to pick a favorite! 

Some of the pieces I've been fortunate enough to find in my searching are deadstock stockings, a black circle skirt hand-painted with gold Greek columns, and an olive circle skirt with hand-appliquéd oak leaves and acorns, all vintage 50s. I’ve also found a lovely lime peignoir set that was one of my earliest acquisitions, and it’s a cherished treasure.

Hey look! I know that blonde, it's me! 

Is there one item that you would love to own that you haven’t found yet?

I've coveted a Lilli Ann princess coat with fur collar...in green, of course!  Difficulty is always the price and my size.  One day.  That's my unicorn.

How did you pick your signature color?

I love green so much, and my favorite shades are apple, lime, kelly, and emerald. I started wearing more and more green over the last several years, but that distinct lime green is absolutely inspired by my ukulele.  It's a color that makes me smile, and it has that effect on others.  It’s a love letter to the vibrancy of Technicolor, a color that is loud and immensely playful.  That's something I hope to cultivate in my style: a visual representation of who I am, without ever having to say a word.  Put that shade on a blue-eyed redhead, and you're bound to turn heads!

What advice would you give a budding pin up girl?

Look at the pin-ups of the era, both the art and the Hollywood inspirations, and find the things that speak to you.

Develop a persona.  Find a name that matches your stage presence and personality.  Think of it as creating a pin-up character: Is she sultry?  Bubbly?  Girl-next-door?  Vixen?  And as you're finding clothing to build a wardrobe for her, find pieces you can mix and match, find shapes and silhouettes that support your persona, and remember that thrift stores are your friend! 

This community is so supportive!  Reach out, ask questions, find tutorials, and have fun!

Heavy Rebel Weekender 2017

What is coming up next for you?

I'm applying to several pin-up competitions and burlesque festivals this year, and I'm excited to get on the road a bit!

Interview With The Cherry Dollface!

Big news vintage glamour guys and gals! Here is the long awaited interview with international pin up girl, model, make up artist, and now author....Cherry Dollface! 

1.    So where did the name “Cherry Dollface” come from? How did you pick that name in particular?

"It was actually completely by accident. It was just my email. The first magazine that published me saw my email and thought that was my pinup name and just published me that way. I didn't think too much about it and it just kind of stuck!"

2.    How did you get into vintage/pin up fashion and makeup?

"I was always into old things. My first CD was Patsy Cline and I always loved Marilyn Monroe even from a young age. I started swing dancing when I was 14 and it was just kind of a natural progression into the style."

3.    Do you have any style icons that you look to for inspiration?

"I dont really look to one person or in one direction. I love mixing old with new and I take my inspiration from everything. I look to modern fashion for ideas to put my own spin on vintage fashion."

4.    We’ve seen your style evolution in some of your YouTube videos (particularly with your hairstyle), how did you pick an authentic to you style?

"I just kind of do what works with my cut and texture. I am always changing up my color and cut and that helps me to keep evolving with my styles. It also helps me to teach gals with all lengths of hair! I don't really plan out my style… it just sort of happens!"

5.    Speaking of hair, you do styles from the 40’s to the 60’s, which style would you say is your favorite? And why?

"I can’t pick just one favorite!! I rarely do my hair the same way twice and I am always finding new styled and new ways to style old styles. I tend to lean toward updos because I hate having hair on my neck. My hair is super thick and feels like a sweater when it is down!"

6.    One series that I love is “Products I Hate”; so, what are your top three current favorite products (for hair or face) and why?

"Glamglow Youthmud, Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Romance Palette, Smashbox Primerizer"

7.    You also spend your time traveling the country doing pinup makeovers for all kinds of women, what is their reaction to the whole process? Do you find them leaving feeling more confident than when they walked in?

"Oh my gosh, it’s so much fun! I always get the most positive reactions. Usually girls are insanely nervous when hey show up and then when they leave, they want to do it again and again. It is amazing to watch the change in confidence. I love it!"

8.    Anyone who follows you knows that you have a new book coming out, can you give us a hint about the content?

"It is an everyday gals guide to a vintage lifestyle. There are 5 chapters: hair, makeup, style, decorating your house and entertaining. There is a little something for everyone!"

9.    You have also put a lot of your personal journey on YouTube talking everything from marriage, to everyday life, to your surgery stories….do you find it scary to talk about your personal life with people you don’t know or do you find it therapeutic?

"I find it a bit of both. I definitely pick and choose which personal things to share. I try to think of what parts of me will be helpful and relate-able to other people. I still have my secrets… I think that's the only way to keep it healthy."

10. You started your video blog and tutorials over seven years ago, does it feel like it has been that long? Did you ever think that your channel would become so popular?

"I actually didn't really starting making videos until 2012… But no it doesn't feel like it has been that long! It is crazy to think that I have been doing this full time for 5 years now. I just feel very lucky. "

11. What advice would you give any budding pinup/rockabilly/vintage glamour enthusiasts out there?

"Just be you!!! If it feels right, do it."

12. So, after all this….what’s next?

"WORLD DOMINATION!"

For more vintage goodness from Cherry Dollface you can find her on Facebook and Youtube! 

There you have it folks! Stay tuned for more vintage glamour tips, tricks, and interviews with me, Vicki Vegas! XOXOXOXO