Marilee also did the beautiful makeup and hair, which works well with the fashion aesthetic even though we intended it to be fantasy. The dress is by Kay Gnagey of Originals by Kay and is based on an original ensemble in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s fashion collection. The Chantilly lace shawl is an antique, and the fan is from Amazon with a vintage silk ribbon from Etsy.
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.
Our version of the October, 1962 Playboy cover.October, 1962 Playboy cover, featuring that month’s centerfold (aka “playmate”), Laura Young.
Marilee did the fabulous early 1960s makeup and hair (and lent me those awesome vintage earrings!), and I supplied my own clothes and vintage copy of the magazine. The playmate necklace (crystal pave bunny head) is a cheapie I got years ago on Ebay, the velvet dress is the olive green velvet Starlet Wiggle from the Vixen line by Micheline Pitt, and the shoes are my old reliable Christian Louboutin Piou-Piou patent stiletto pumps.
Catherine Morland posing with the magazine that inspired the shoot. That centerfold is apparently VERY spicy.I love the simple set Marilee created for the shoot. It mimics the original while also adding texture.
I was basically channeling one of my old Vampire: the Masquerade LARP characters, a dancer from Clan Toreador whom I named Lily after Lily Bart in Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth. Marilee did some very romantic Rachael-from-Blade-Runner-ish hair and makeup, and I wore one of my “Elisabeth” dressing gowns from Catherine D’Lish, a black lace bodysuit from Torrid, garter belt and stockings by What Katie Did, and a pair of signed Manolo Blahnik Campari pumps I got third-hand for like $35. Oh, and the fangs are one of two great custom pairs I got from Kaos Kustom Fangs.
So my friend Elizabeth and I recently attended a Persuasion-themed Jane Austen picnic sponsored by The Greater Bay Area Costumers’ Guild. It was an excuse to wear Regency, and in particular to acquire a copy of the beautiful gold Regency gown in the Kyoto Costume Institute collection.
Gold silk 1805-ish Regency gown with beret and red silk spencer. I love my pineapple reticule!
Tiki pinup incoming! I’m super-thrilled to share that I got one of the Retro Lovely Tiki special edition covers this year (Volume 2)! Marilee Caruso shot me at an amazing home tiki bar in the Sacramento area (Danger Island!). I’m so happy with these images and also grateful to see a few friends in the issue with me, including Miss Melody Noir!
My Retro Lovely Tiki cover, shot by Marilee Caruso!
You can get signed copies of the issue and/or a 12×18″ poster of the cover art direct from me! Prices include USPS Priority shipping to US addresses. If you need international shipping, contact me! Buying these from me doesn’t make me much money, but it does help me defray the cost of bringing you pinup (which I love to do!)…
Check out the latest regular issue of Bombshell Magazine to see me in a cool film noir-themed set photographed by Marilee Caruso. I’m even on one of the covers! Fabulous Rockwell DeVil once again did my hair and makeup, and my wardrobe for the shoot included vintage jewelry, a 1940s robe by Trashy Diva, a basque by Bettie Page lingerie from Playful Promises, stockings by What Katie Did, and shoes by Remix.
(FYI, I’m a nonsmoker, but posed with a cigarette for the shoot because this is noir, people!)
On the cover of Bombshell Magazine. Photo by Marilee Caruso.
Yeah, I’m still alive. I recently shot with the wonderful Marilee Caruso, with makeup and hair by my favorite beauty goddess, Rockwell DeVil. The fruits of our labor appear in Retro Lovely#190, freshly minted just this morning! Note that instead of publishing under my real name, I now go by the nom-de-pinupCatherine Morland. Because I like Northanger Abbey, of course.
Photo by Marilee Caruso, MUAH by Rockwell DeVil.
There’s more new pinup to come, but for now, enjoy these nice pics, some of which appear in Retro Lovely, and some that don’t. Just click “read more” to get to the other side… Continue reading “New Pinup in Retro Lovely #190…”
Thanks to my friend Elizabeth, I now have a new Regency gown – a full day dress ensemble – that fits! She asked me to be her model for a Regency fashion lecture at Modesto’s Jane Austen-themed JaneCon, and I agreed! She kindly made me the entire ensemble for the cost of materials and washing/ironing labor, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a good thing she loves to sew, because I sure don’t! I do love paying my friends, or doing them favors, in exchange for beautiful clothes! The look and fit is just perfect.
Me in mushroom hat/beret, fichu and spencer jacket. Regency makeup is weird but surprisingly effective – you use burnt cloves to fill in your brows and liquid/pomade consistency lip and cheek products.I’m on the left, Elizabeth’s on the right. She made us look good.
The outfit consists of an 1805-ish gown made from a block-printed almost-sheer cotton muslin from Renaissance Fabrics. It’s the first front-opening Regency gown I’ve had, as my other, smaller gowns were all of the slightly later frock (back buttons) variety. Since this gown has a bib front that pins in place, it’s taken a bit of getting used to. I think eventually I’ll add period-incorrect snaps and ties to help keep it in place so I won’t stab myself or flash anybody by accident. Continue reading “A new Regency gown!”
