Iconic pin-ups from the 40s to 50s

In the 40s to 50s, a female figure stood out for her beauty and her great presence in American military barracks. This is the pin-up, a woman with advantageous shapes, a seductive smile and suggestive poses.

Very often models, sometimes become actresses, pin-ups are so named because American GIs displayed their photos or drawings on the walls of their barracks using a pin in English. Here is a presentation of the careers of 5 pin-ups from the 40s to the 50s , with dresses typically worn by them.

Pin up from the 40s and 50s n°1: Rita Hayworth

Iconic actress of the 40s and 50s, Rita Hayworth was propelled by the film “La Blonde Framboise”. She remains at the height of her fame by posing as a pin-up girl for magazines, in addition to starring in successful films. The best-known photo of her is that of the cover of Life magazine, released in 1941, where she poses in a black lace negligee. It then enjoyed success with American GIs, who purchased it en masse, displaying it in army barracks.

This popularity among the military pushes her to act to support their morale, by participating in events where she will have the opportunity to dance on their arm or by visiting barracks and hospitals. She also participated in advertising campaigns aimed at promoting the war effort among the population. Her career, at the same time, is doing well, notably thanks to her role in the film “Only Angels Have Wings”, where she appears alongside big names like Cary Grant and Jean Arthur.

Pin up from the 40s and 50s n°2: Bettie Page

Coming from a very modest background, Bettie Page is a pin-up who began her career in New York , starting from nothing. She initially survives thanks to small food jobs and one day meets someone who is a real stroke of luck for her. This is Jerry Tibbs, an amateur photographer who allows him to launch his career as a model. She created her first portfolio with him. These are photos considered erotic, at the limit of what the laws of the early 1950s deemed legal.

She thus gained notoriety little by little, until she appeared on the covers of magazines dedicated to pin-ups such as Wink or Beauty Parade. She is distinguished in particular by her now iconic hairstyle, namely straight bangs and long black hair. In 1954, she had another decisive meeting for her, that of Bunny Yeager, a photographer who had herself been a pin-up girl. She organizes a photo shoot with Betty in Africa USA Park in Florida, where she poses in leopard print lingerie with two cheetahs. These photos will become his best known, Bunny Yeager having had them published by the famous Playboy magazine. Subsequently, the young woman will completely cease her career at the end of the 1950s.

Pin up from the 40s and 50s no. 3: Marilyn Monroe

Many people know Marylin Monroe , through Andy Warhol's portraits, the famous photo of her in a white dress or even, in relation to the mysteries surrounding her death. But few people really know about her career and the fact that she started as a model and pin-up. Indeed, in 1945, she joined the modeling agency Blue Book Modeling Agence, where she attended her first modeling classes.

She made her first advertisement for swimsuits, and the following year participated in an advertisement for a shampoo. It was on this occasion that she acquired her emblematic hairstyle, blonde bobbed hair , on the advice of the agency director. She also does erotic photography. Following her meeting with the photographer André de Dienes in 1946, she produced numerous portraits and even nudes. She continued on this path by producing, in 1948, charming photos for the Golden Dreams calendar.

It should be noted that, a few years later, in 1953, these photos were published by Playboy magazine, which greatly contributed to the magazine's notoriety. Marilyn Monroe will have, after this career as a model, that of a cinema star, propelled by films like “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”.

Pin up from the 40s and 50s n°4: Jane Russell

Adored by GIs, Jane Russell took her first steps in the cinema in 1940, where she began acting in the film “The Outcast”. Her face and her generous shapes were very noticed, to the point that the film was censored. Indeed, the neckline she wore was considered too plunging. It was therefore released in 1943 for an informed public, and in 1946 for the general public. This film truly highlights her, making her known to as many people as possible.

Posters representing her in a lascivious posture, on a haystack, with a pistol in her hand, repeating the most famous scene from the film, are multiplying. She became one of the favorite pin-ups of the American military, drawn on the cabins of war planes and in barracks. She continued her career primarily as an actress, and reached the height of her notoriety when she starred opposite Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. The two women will also remain very friends.

Pin up from the 40s and 50s n°5: Candy Jones

Very famous model from the 40s to 50s, Candy Jones began her career as Miss New Jersey in the Miss America pageant. Her destiny as a model seemed obvious, given her very imposing height of 1m93. She works as a hostess and, at the same time, appears on numerous covers of pin-up magazines. In 1943, she appeared, in just one month, on 11 magazine covers. In 1945, the magazine Yank, the Army Weekly, intended for the military, featured it on this page.

In 1947, she opened her own modeling school , teaching many young girls how to pose and parade but also how to stay in physical shape, thanks to fitness classes. She will direct this school for around twenty years. Her notoriety continued to grow, since she then hosted the current affairs show Monitor on the NBC channel.

A few years later, from 1972, she hosted a radio show devoted to the paranormal alongside her husband, Long John Nebel. She puts aside the world of pin-ups and fashion to fully tackle this show.

Finally, remember that:

• Many pin-ups were also actresses, such as Rita Hayworth, Jane Russell or Marylin Monroe. This career has often contributed to shaping their image as sex symbols.
• Others have chosen to stay solely in the world of modeling and pose as pin-ups for calendars or magazines. This is the case of Bettie Page and Candy Jones.
• The pin-up was an almost comforting figure for American GIs. Many of them gained their fame in the 1940s, supporting the morale of the troops with their photos, reminding them, among other things, who they were fighting for.

If you're feeling inspired by pin-ups, don't miss our section dedicated to pin-up dresses !