Our Pinup of the Month for May is kick-ass Roller Derby-loving Pinup Lisa Frankenstein! From the USA and off to Japan to bring some of her fabulous style and sass to the masses.
How did you choose your Pinup name?
My Pinup name is actually just my roller derby name because I love it so much. I grew up in the 90's- a time when all things bright, cute, and sparkly reigned supreme. I had a massive Lisa Frank collection as a kid, and was super sad when they eventually went out of business. A few years ago when Lisa Frank made her comeback, my obsession reemerged! I started collecting again around the same time I began to play roller derby. When it came time to choose my name, I knew I wanted it to reflect my personality- so I went with Lisa Frankenstein, both cutesy and kinda creepy.
Why do you love pinup?
I love the empowerment that lives within the pinup community. The idea that women can be beautiful and badass. I can wear a dress and heels and makeup and feel beautiful, while still working a nine to five and taking care of a family, running a business, running errands- whatever the case may be. Pinup just enhances my self esteem and makes me feel good. I love pinup because I love the way it makes me feel.
Would you like to share your favourite beauty tip?
Youtube. Seriously. It's only in the past couple years or so that I really became more interested in doing my own hair and makeup, and Youtube tutorials have saved my life. I was pretty much clueless to trends and how to do anything on my own, until Youtube. Now I can slap on a pretty decent face in roughly three hours. Haha Progress!
What’s your favourite aspect of the Pinup and Rockabilly subculture?
I touched on this a little bit earlier, but my favorite aspect of the Pinup scene is the diversity. Pinup doesn't discriminate and it attracts many different types of people. It also, in my experience, is a very uplifting and helpful community. I'm a member of several online pinup groups and my favorite threads are the ones where women post their outfits and other women come specifically to compliment them. Like... that blew my mind the first time I saw it. It's just such a cool, genuine thing.
When did you know that pinup was the right thing for you?
I mean, I've always loved vintage fashion. Always been a fan of older era styles and things like that. My first foray into pinup was a photo shoot my husband and I did together. I bought this beautiful floral Pinup Girl Clothing Birdie dress and never looked back. I remember putting the dress on and thinking, "Oh. This is what I've been missing out on!"
What advice would you like to give to new pinups?
Pace yourself. Really. I wish someone had told me to take my time building my pinup wardrobe and not to purchase things simply because I thought other people were. It's more than okay to start out slow with a few basic pieces and work up from there. Plus, mixing and matching is one of my favorite parts of pinup!
Favourite business shoutout!
Oh, man. Just one? haha Obviously, I'm going to say Pinup Girl Clothing because there were my first pinup love. They can be a little pricey, but the clothing is quality and worth it. Also, I'm a big fan of accessories. I love Erstwilder and Splendette and I feel like they really make an outfit pop. Other than that, I live on Etsy and in local thrift shops. It's a lot of walking and digging, but it's worth it when you find someone you love!
Photo credits: Mixer and Garage photo by Capital Bombshell, makeup and hair by Cherry Dollface
Balloon photo by Lucy LaRiot, hair by His Vintage Touch, makeup by Stephanie Rose, stying by SlapBack NYC
Cupcake photo by Retro Riot, hair and makeup by Marie La'Pearl