I am dreXeL. I thought you knew…

Usually I just write about my own life, my art shows and occasionally my friends’ art, but today I feel compelled to write about someone who’s been so much a part of our culture from the 50s till now, that I’d be willing to assert she single-handedly is responsible for the pinup genre of modelling, photography, clothing, as well as alt modelling sites like SG and Gods Girls and a lot of other stuff I’ve probably not even thought of.

Not that there weren’t other women involved in this, but in the 50’s and 60s, posing for photographs with a whip in your hand was extremely…avant garde if not taboo.  Remember back then men and women even slept in different beds on television.  I call them “Ricky and Lucy beds”.

Now fast forward 50-60 years and there’s not ONE of us who hasn’t been touched in some way by the life of Bettie Page, by emulating it in some small way or at least admiring it.  While the women have been sporting the short bangs, polka dotted dresses, leopard cat suits, tight pencil skirts with pumps, and dressing up for fetish clubs, dancing in cages, the men have been right by our sides enjoying every moment of this aesthetic, coming to these same clubs, buying pinup calendars, signed bettie page prints, and helping to keep her influence on our culture alive all these years.

Bettie Page is everywhere we look in popular culture.  Currently Masuimi Max is, in my opinion, THE superstar of the classic pinup genre.  And understandably so.  She’s gorgeous,  She’s also the spokesperson and a primary model for Pinupgirlclothing.com.  If you want to know where to go to keep the memory of Bettie Page alive in your own fashion, THAT is the site to go to.

Her life was tragic, and its end no less so.  We’ll miss you. XOXO, dreXeL

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