Katie Kaleidoscope - Pinup Doll Australia 2019

In October 2019 Miss Katie Kaleidoscope took out the Pinup Doll Australia title, in an engaging and tough competition and despite inclement weather causing last minute venue upheaval. Organised by a dedicated committee headed by Miss Belles B Ringing, Pinup Doll Australia has a large charity component and strong focus on inclusivity and support, a message we are proud to support here at The Pinup Registry.

The judging panel included Miss Victory Violet, Missy from Curve Creation and Daisy Jean Floral Designs, and Sugar St Claire from The Pinup Registry.

As part of our sponsorship, we have interviewed Katie Kaleidoscope (lover of vintage fashion, pageboy hairstyles and corgis) so you can all get to know her better and learn more about her, her chosen charity and what it takes to be an international level Pinup competitor.

How did you choose your pinup name? ​

I wanted to keep my name simple and Katie is my name! I chose Katie Kaleidoscope as a pinup name because is resonated with my colourful personality

What do you enjoy most about the Pinup and Rockabilly subculture?

I love the self expression and individuality that comes with dressing pinup. The pinup and rockabilly scene is super inclusive and fabulous where i've made lifelong friends Care to share your favourite Pinup tip?

Make sure you use a setting lotion to set your curls! I use TPR sponsor Poison Apple to ensure my curls are bouncy and mouldable into a variety of styles.

Do you have a defining Pinup moment - when you felt like it was the right path for you?

I think the turning point for me was when I started focusing on developing my own style within pinup. Id always sort of dabbled in vintage and retro clothing in my teens but started to really discover a vampy 40s/50s aesthetic in my 20s.  Any advice for Pinups entering or thinking about entering their first comp?

Go and watch as many comps as you can. Be certain about what you're doing on stage (always have a plan or routine practised) and most importantly, be authentically you and have fun! Do you get stage fright and do you have any tips for overcoming it?

I do get the stage jitters sometimes! I try and focus on being entertaining and having fun. If you manage to do something outside your comfort zone that is a huge achievement in itself!  How does it feel to be crowned 2019s Pinup Doll Australia?

Quite surreal. Every person on the PDA stage put months and months of effort in. It's always fabulous to see your hard work pay off with a national title.  I particularly like how big and shiny my tiara is :) 

What did you enjoy most about the PDA comp? 

There were so many amazing pinups from all over Australia competing at Chromefest. It was amazing to make new friends and share the journey with like-minded people. Challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone, putting on events and raising money for charity were definitely the highlights.  Why did you choose your Soi Dog as your charity and what fundraising activities did you do? I have always been a huge animal lover and dogs have a very special place in my heart. In Thailand there were no animal rights laws until Soi Dog helped create the first animal rights law there in 2014 and they continue to do amazing work for street dogs and cats. For my charity fundraising I hosted a Vintage Market, Pinup Pageant and massive monster raffle. We raised over $3100 for the charity which went on to save 100's of dogs!  What’s up next for you (if you can share your plans!)?

I'm running a few pageants this year and helping host the online version of Pinup Doll Australia Allstars in March with 2018 winner Miss Bambi L'Amour. Very much looking forward to catching up with all of my fabulous pinup pals via messenger and watching who takes out the Allstars crown for 2020!