Tag: Stiletto City

1960’s Ye-Ye Fashion Show and Wine Tasting

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k150_23SZDNothing is more groovy than stepping back into the era of 1960’s French Yé-Yé. Clever Vintage Clothing and LA Wine Tasting joined forces at the Luxe Hotel on Sunset Blvd. to create a evening of French ‘60s style revelry with an exquisite selection of wines, a vintage fashion show and a performance by the band Paris Loves LA, featuring French expat singer Adele Jacques.

For a little history, French Yé-Yé came about when French singers like Brigitte Bardot  tried to perform American pop songs but didn’t know the words in English so they sang, “Ye, Ye…,” which made them sound utterly charming and of course they were always stylishly dressed.

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For the fashion show, Clever Vintage curators Dave and Sabino brought in a goldmine of ‘60s deadstock (never been worn) ‘60s outfits in perfect condition after recently buying up the inventory of a department store that had been closed and untouched since 1968.  Bright colors and bold patterns ruled these knitwear sets.

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collage1We felt like our own little gang of ‘60s girls. After walking our runway around the pool, the band started up and we couldn’t help but dance to their infectious sounds, in fact, we even jumped up on stage with them and became their go-go dancers!

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For our grand finale, three of the models showed a vintage swimwear collection and really made a splash by jumping in the pool! But much to everyone’s delight, the biggest surprise was Clever founder Dave Temple jumping in with them – clothes and all!

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It was a fun, wild night, much like they had in the ‘60s I’m sure. Many thanks to Clever Vintage Clothing for letting me be a part of it.

For how to dress like a French Yé-Yé girl, check out this article on Vintage Shopper.

Swing it,
Kastle

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Retro Hairstyles with His Vintage Touch

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k150_23SZDheel iconIf you want to pair your vintage or vintage-inspired clothing with the perfect hairstyle, look no further than Tony Medina of His Vintage Touch. Tony does his styling wizardry out of the Pinup Girl Boutique in Burbank, CA and is known for creating the amazing sculpted do’s seen in the Pinup Girl Clothing catalogs. You may have read about Tony previously here on this blog after I attended one of his hair styling classes. I made a trip to PUG to interview him on how he got started doing vintage looks and had him do a little number on me! Check out the video:

Check out the final look on Instagram.

Be sure to check out the previous videos from the Pinup Girl Boutique series:

Be sure check out:

Part One of this video series on the Pinup Girl Boutique featuring manager/pinup model Doris Mayday

Part Two featuring an interview with Micheline on how she got started as a makeup artist and the secret to having the perfect brows.

Part Three featuring Micheline Pitt’s eyebrow makeup demo.

Pinup Girl Boutique video series filmed and edited by Secret Agent Mojo Würkin

 

Go big or go home,
Kastle

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Tag: Stiletto City

LA Fashion Week 2013: My Three Top Picks

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k150_23SZDheel iconLA Fashion Week has been happening all over Tinsel Town this week with fashion shows from Downtown to Hollywood. My dance card has been rather full trying to hit as many events as possible to check some well-known and emerging designers. Lots of women’s fashion ideas for Spring/Summer 2014. Each event has been its own creative feast for the eyes and I must say the people watching in the audience has been almost as entertaining. The fashion crowd knows how to pull out some style! I saw a lot of bling, stilettos and general “bring it” attitude. A nice change from going out and seeing people in flip-flops and track suits (which pains my eyes!)

Most of the shows have featured several designer showcases back to back and few music acts and performance artists to mix things up. While some fashion collections I was admittedly underwhelmed by, three stood out to me for ultra unique silhouettes, interesting cuts, use of textures and patterns. And of course, my picks all seem to have a little retro influence (what can I say, I love that!) but use it in very modern, wearable ways.

My favorites included:

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Sue Wong, Nuvula, Emily Daccarett

Check out what they showed on the runway:

Stay tuned for a full report of all the shows I saw during during LA Fashion Week!

Stay stylish,
Kastle

Video filmed and edited by Kastle

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Tag: Stiletto City

Stiletto City 2.0: It’s Coming!

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k150_23SZDheel iconLights, camera, action! Stiletto City is getting an upgrade! It’s a very exciting time as I gear up to launch this blog 2.0 with more content on women’s fashion, vintage fashion, beauty product reviews, fashion trends, updating your look, hair how-to’s and makeup how-to’s.

PLUS regular VIDEOS and GIVEAWAYS!

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Be sure to follow Stiletto City on social media to be the first to know when new posts are up and the opportunity to get in on some fabulous contests and giveaways!

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Thanks and I look forward to seeing you in the City!
Kastle

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The Social Scene and Street Fashion of Social Media Week LA 2013

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k150_23SZDheel iconIf you love social media like I do, a whole week of discussions, Tweeting, Facebooking and Instagraming with like-minds is like being dropped in a little connected oasis. And that’s just what happened when a major digital marketing conference descended on the westside of Los Angeles. See what happened when I checked out the social scene and street fashion of Social Media Week LA 2013

 

The Social Scene of Social Media Week

Most of the events took place at ROC’s collaborative workspace headquarters in Santa Monica as hundreds of mobile-device-carrying social enthusiasts went from panel discussions to masterclasses to parties. I attended every day and got a headful of ideas to take back to my social media efforts for world domination!

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Celebrity Faces of Social Media Week

Of course, some of my favorite events included those focused on the ever-exploding online opportunities in fashion and beauty online including:

  • Rodger Berman CEO (and husband) of Rachel Zoe on the transformation and disruption of the fashion biz with the mega success of Rachel Zoe, Inc.
  • A panel featuring blogger Aimee Song, websites WhoWhatWear, StyleHaul and brands BeachMint, ShoeDazzle  and Junk Food Clothing on who’s winning when it comes to brand marketing promotion – celebrities or bloggers. Answer: the bloggers!
  • A chat with Michelle Phan, one of the best known beauty bloggers out there, discussing her career and the launch of her new cosmetics line “Em.” Plus, even more projects she has in the works!

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As a journalist turned blogger, I was also excited to see one of my favorite interviewers, Larry King, interviewing Star Trek star turned social media icon George Takei.

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The Street Fashion of Social Media Week

I also hit a fashion and beauty soiree where a roomful of fashionistas flaunted their best outfits and learned how to grow their presence online. See my previous blog post. I had good time style spotting all week. Here are some of the fashionable folks caught on the Stiletto-cam!

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I loved having the opportunity to meet all the people at all the parties. And of course, I had lots of fun planning my daily outfits!

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1. Dress by Clever Vintage, 2. Pants by PinupGirlClothing 3. Dress by Forever 21. All clothing purchased by the author.

Plus, I was excited to discover so many amazing companies who are doing so much with content creation on the web. You were nothing short of inspiring – and I’ll be contacting you! I see some partnerships in my future!

As I gear up to build up this blog and relaunch my YouTube channel (stay tuned for details!) I’m thrilled at the possibilities that await. Stay tuned. I have lots in store for you.

Thanks Social Media Week for the fun and inspiration!

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Vintage Hair Class: Learning to Get “His Vintage Touch”

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k150_23SZDheel iconThere is an art to good hairstyling. And when it comes to vintage-era looks, it’s hard to top Tony Medina of His Vintage Touch, who creates sculptured looks with perfect waves that are authentic to periods from the ‘20s to the ‘60s. He did an amazing set on me recently, see the photo on Instagram.

And while everyone who loves retro-inspired looks wishes they could get their hair done by Tony every time they go out (he takes appointments at Pinup Girl Boutique in Burbank), most of the time we have to tackle this daunting task at home.  For that reason, Tony taught a class at the PUG Boutique on how to do a few different sets.

The sold-out, three 1/3 hour tutorial was packed with 50 eager learners, many who know of him through his work for the photo shoots for Pinup Girl Clothing. We were treated to Tony’s great hair tips and delightful, and sometimes naughty, personality. He did three different looks: victory rolls, side-swept waves and pageboy.

Here are the transformations

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Victory Rolls

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Side-swept curls

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Pageboy

Here’s what I learned:

What you need:

  • Curling iron – Tony used a ¾’ Hot Tool Curling Iron
  • Teasing comb
  • Teasing brush
  • Wide-tooth comb
  • Lots of hairspray

Every set starts with a proper pin-curl set. For time’s sake and the smoothest curls, use a curling iron – curl hair and pin with curls all doing downward. Let cool.

Curl with iron root to end, release then wrap around fingers and pin the curl standing for more volume.

Tony says he prefers curling iron sets over wet sets because they are faster and heat holds the set better. He says he’s not a fan of complicated wet sets that tell you to face the curls in all different directions. He uses this one set on all of his looks.

Sets work best on dirty hair (1-2 days since shampooing), clean hair that’s never been colored or bleached is harder to hold in a set – hair needs texture.

After you comb the curls out, if the roots are fizzy or you have naturally kinky hair, use a small flat iron to smooth the roots.

For bangs, use a small curling iron to curl them back into the shape of set.

After pulling out the curls, it’s all about the comb out, then massive teasing.

Teasing should start at scalp should go all the way up, except the very end to keep the curl. Sections should be teased so you can’t see through it. Mist with light hairspray.

Smooth the top of teasing with a teasing brush, then sculpt and smooth with your hands. Shape front curl with fingers and pointy end of teasing comb.

Sculpt curls and pin into them so you don’t see the bobby pin.

Top wave should be eyebrow arch to arch to be symmetrical with the face.

Duck clips are your friend – use them to hold the front waves and back “drop-crown” in place for a few minutes.

A good set can last for three days with three different styles like these. First should be a tight curl look because it continues to hold the set, next can be looser, then a brushed out wavy look.

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A little bit about Tony:

His looks are authentic to the era, not retro.

He went to beauty school but says it was the worst year of his life. He learned most of what he knows by looking at vintage magazines and practicing on his two sisters until he got the looks right.

He got started at Pinup Girl Clothing when Micheline Pitt saw the hairstyles he did for La Cholita on her tour with Dita Von Teese. He never wanted to work in a salon but he’s been working at the PUG Boutique ever since!

He doesn’t do haircuts so don’t ask. Just styling.

He LOVES Selena – and Gwen Stefani.

Tell Twitter to stop asking him to follow Beyonce. He does not want to follow her!

And while I can watch Tony do hair all day, my home sets are never quite as awesome. Luckily I live close enough to know I can make an appointment when I need a perfect do. That’s why he has His Vintage Touch!

Here’s to great hair days!
Kastle

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Clever Vintage: ’60s Soiree Fashion Show

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k150_21heel iconThere couldn’t be a more glamorous way to spend a summer evening than recreating a night in the French Riviera in the 1960s. I was modeling as part of a fashion show for Clever Vintage Clothing and LA Wine Tasting’s Mingling Soiree series. On the agenda was a collection of to-die-for ‘60s vintage fashions, great drinks and entertainment by French-born singer Adele Jacques performing French pop with her group Paris Loves LA, all poolside at the Luxe Hotel in Bel Air. It really felt like we had been transported for a night to elegant and carefree St. Tropez.

Backstage in the Clever Vintage dressing room, there it was a girl bomb of makeup, hairspray, false eyelashes, bauble jewelry and shoes everywhere as we got dressed in the exquisite collection curated by Dave Temple and Sabino Gutierrez. I had my hair done earlier in the afternoon by stylist Tony Medina of His Vintage Touch in a giant swirl of a beehive that went perfectly with my outfits for the night. See the photo on Instagram!

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My daywear outfit was a melon-colored, mod, A-line dress with scoop neck and side pockets. My evening outfit was a stunning  paisley jumpsuit with harem paints, bead-trimmed tie belt and beaded neckline that was part of the Malcolm Starr “Home Collection” of the ‘60s when people threw fabulous cocktail parties in their stylish living rooms.

 

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Our runway was along the pool and the fashions could not have had a more pecfect setting. There were many French people, dressed up in ‘60s inspired cocktail attire. The audience cheered for each model that passed and we smiled for a sea of phone cameras.

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CLICK HERE SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE SHOW >>

After each run we got to mingle with the audience and answer questions about our outfits. I had a hard time keeping my feet still because the music by DJ Marlon Fuentes was a mix of ‘60s pop, dance music and garage rock. I just wanted to hit the makeshift poolside dancefloor and shake and shimmy all night long! And I got to get a peek at Adele Jacques’ performance, which I adored. She embodied the endearing sexy bubbliness of Brigitte Bardot for sure! See a video from a past show:

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At the end of the night it was hard to take off the fabulous outfits and go back to reality. I wish every night could be like a night in 1960s St. Tropez. Perhaps that’s what made it so special.

Au revoir!
Kastle

Photos courtesy of Deanna Hodges and Clever Vintage


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The Perfect Red Lipstick

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k150_21heel iconAlmost every girl I know is always on the hunt for the perfect red lipstick. Every time I hear of a new long-lasting lipstick, I want to try it and the first color I buy is red. Well ladies, I think I finally found my perfect red.

While at the PHAMExpo last week, I purchased a number of Stila products, one of them was their Stay All Day® Liquid Lipstick in the color Beso.

I was pleasantly surprised when I applied it. Drying to a velvety matte finish, the color is a deep, true red and highly pigmented. I applied a little bit of Stila Lip & Cheek Stain in Cherry Crush underneath to keep lips red but I don’t know that it was necessary because the lipstick stayed strong for hours. And a bonus, it doesn’t transfer! That means I can give my boyfriend (light) kisses and not get red all over him!

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However, because it’s matte, it might feel a little dry to some. I applied some lip gloss over it and I have found most other matte lipsticks break down and get gummy or slide off when you do this. Not my Beso, the color seemed to rejuvenate and kept going!

A tip on application – a little goes a long way and the sponge wand applicator isn’t the best way to go.  Dab a little on the back of your hand or a palette (I use a small plastic plate from Target) and use a lip brush. The lipstick is thick enough to line your lips with, but I like using a separate liner. I found Sephora’s Real Red Liner to be a perfect match.

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So go get your red on!

S.W.A.K.
Kastle

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PHAMExpo: Beauty Bonanza

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k150_21heel iconIf you can imagine Sephora on steroids, you can imagine what a beauty convention is like. For the first time ever, PHAMExpo put down stakes in Pasadena, CA and opened its doors to makeup pros, beauty bloggers and the public alike. Inside, was a giant candy store of cosmetics, pro artist demos and deep discounts on product purchases.

As a beauty junkie and avid watcher of YouTube makeup tutorials, I have to say there’s nothing like having a roomful of pro artists providing tips and answering questions, and the makeup right there for you test and purchase.

When I walked in, Doe Deere from Lime Crime was doing a Q&A on the main stage. With her long lavender hair and doll-like style, Doe and her fun, colorful cosmetics line have amassed a huge following. The audience was packed with girls with funky hair colors and bright makeup eager to ask a question. The most popular question turned out to be turning Doe’s favorite question back to her “What is your daydream?” to which she answered, “To give all my Lime Crime fans a big hug!”

Following the her Q&A, fans lined up to get a photo with Doe in front of the daydream board where the entrepreneur encouraged them to pen their own dream.

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I took some time to walk around and see what was available. There were known brands such as MAC, Stila, Inglot, OCC and Makeup Forever and lots of up and coming brands that specialize in lashes, nails and brushes and other pro tools. I spotted a couple of Vanity Girl Makeup Mirrors and got to say hello to founder, Maxine. A few beauty schools were also there to help makeup enthusiasts enroll and go pro.

Some of the displays were pretty over-the-top, especially to exhibit some of the character makeup and artist airbrushing. MAC’s display probably drew the most attention. While all the other booths had female models, MAC lined up five hunky guys in nothing but their boxer briefs to airbrush for what was mostly a crowd of women in attendance. Yeah, that went over well!

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My favorite part of the weekend had to be the pro artist demos. Nothing encourages me to try new products more than an explanation on how to use them to get a specific look. At this expo, the running theme seemed to be how to get HD-ready skin. All of these makeup experts work to prep models and actresses for photo shoots and TV and film work, but were well aware that with the popularity of Instagram and YouTube and having an HD camera on that phone in your pocket, EVERYBODY needs to be camera ready!

Some of the most inspiring pro artist demos I checked out included:

Cory Bishop, Stila Cosmetics – really knowledgable about HD-ready makeup. Loved that he used a mature model for his demo (anyone can make a thin, 20-year-old with high checkbones and perfect skin look good!) His tip on using silicon-based products and non-talc powder changed my thinking on my makeup. I was lucky enough to catch him at the Stila counter and he helped me pick out some color matches for my foundation overhaul – thanks Cory!

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Caitlin Callahan, MAC Senior Artist – a real pro in knowing how to make skin look like skin, not made-up or powdery. “Creams look like skin, powder looks like makeup.” Really knew her stuff. Offered the great suggestion of taking a quick photo or video of your makeup as you’re doing it or after you’re done to see how it reflects on camera and with a flash.

Tracey Taylor, Temptu Pro Artist – a lesson in airbrush makeup, the ultimate in making skin look smooth with a long-lasting look. Tracey talked about how air-brushing needs very little touch up, is waterproof (yes, you can swim in it!) and covers everything. If you are willing to invest in the equipment and the learning curve, it’s probably the best solution for a flawless face. If you are a pro artist, knowing airbrushing allows you to charge more for your service.

Keynote, Pro Artist Valente Frazier – Emmy award winning makeup artist who has worked with Tyra Banks, Michelle Obama, Rhianna Heidi Klum and more. Has a super fun personality. Created a glamorous but natural look. And thanks for the compliment on my 1940’s hairdo Valente!

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW FOR MORE PHOTOS!

Here’s what I learned:

  • HD shows everything!
  • Silicone-based products look closest to skin, have light reflective qualities, don’t break down, need primers, powder or setting spray.
  • A moisturizer with mineral oil gives silicon something to cling to.
  • If you’re getting camera-ready, don’t use products with sunscreen, it will make skin appear white with a flash.
  • Buff foundation on with a kabuki brush for an airbrush finish or use a damp Beauty Blender sponge.
  • Synthetic brushes are better from cream products. Won’t absorb product into the bristles so applies smoother and are easier to clean.
  • A foundation in a warmer color can used as a bronzer.
  • Blue and purple-based colors can make you look older. Go for orange-base to look younger.
  • Strengthen the natural lines of your face – hairline, brows, and lash line and it will make you look younger.
  • Play-up the features you like about your face (such as eyes or lips) deflect from flaws.
  • For mature eyes, use browns. They won’t turn grey or ashy. Brown shadow and liner, then a pop of black liner in the waterline.
  • Use cream blush, it has the same texture as skin, especially on mature skin. Put on hand to warm it, mash into bristles of brush, or dab on cheeks and blend with fingers.
  • Eye pencils are creamy and reflect like skin. Powder shadow looks like makeup.
  • Don’t use talc-based powders with silicon-based foundation, it will look cakey. Use low or no talc loose powder to dust on just areas prone to shine to set.
  • Put concealer under the eye only where it’s dark, not in a big “U”. Then blend with a brush.
  • After applying concealer under the eye, take a folded tissue to blot and absorb excess concealer to prevent creasing.
  • Take a photo of your makeup when it’s done to see how it looks to others and with a flash. Nobody wants to be caught out like Nicole Kidman’s famous red carpet flub.

 

Here’s my haul:

  • Stila Stay All Day Foundation, Fair #2
  • Stila Convertible Color, Gladiola
  • Stila convertible color, Camilia
  • Stila Lip Stain, Cherry Crush
  • Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, Beso
  • Stila In the Know Eyeshadow Palette
  • Stila Kajal Eyeliner, Oynx
  • Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, Black
  • Stila Smudge Stick, Silver Dollar (free gift!)
  • Makeup Forever Aqua Brow
  • Purely Cosmetics Diamond Perfect Finish Powder
  • Embryoisse Lait-Crème Concentré Moisturizer
  • Beauty Blender Sponge
  • Beauty Blender Sponge Cleaner (free gift!)
  • SILK Flat Powder Brush
  • SILK Complexion Brush
  • Karen Zander Pro Brush Soap
  • J. Cats Nail Art Strips

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Stay tuned for my upcoming blog on getting my HD look!

Be your best self,
Kastle

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Retro Hair Class with Miss Rockabilly Ruby

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k150_21heel iconOne of the key parts of a vintage look is having the right hair. I recently discovered hairdresser Miss Rockabilly Ruby who has styled looks for Pinup Girl Clothing and works out of Lola and Roxy’s Salon in Burbank. I had her give me one of her famous updo’s a few weeks back that came out simply spectacular (see the photo on Instagram) and I was excited to check out her pinup hair class to share her awesome talent here on Stiletto City and get some tips on how to create those amazing Ruby do’s!

Miss Rockabilly Ruby

I joined about 25 other aspiring pinups in the back room of the Pinup Girl Boutique as Ruby created three different looks: a ‘60s bubble flip, a beehive and an elegant ‘50s faux bob. Ruby hails from Minnesota and just moved to LA last year so we are lucky to have her! She trained at the Aveda Institue after studying graphic design and finding she hated it. But she definitely has an artistic touch to her hair designs! Here are some of the amazing creations she did that day. Click on each image to see the transformation slideshow.

Look 1: Bubble Flip

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Look 2: Beehive

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Look 3: Faux Bob

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Here are a few things I learned:

These do’s will keep hairspray companies in business!

Use duck clips to section off hair and work with one section at a time.

Each of these looks was set the same way using a GHD 1 inch flat iron to curl each piece of hair under and clip. Let set until cool.

Mist each section before you take that flat iron to it to protect the hair. Kenra Platinum Hot Spray works well and is available at the Pinup Girl Boutique.

Your set do can last you a few days if you sleep very still or use satin pillow cases.

Teasing is your friend but will be your enemy when you try to get it out – get in the shower, use lots of conditioner and wide-tooth comb.

Ruby loves doing BIG HAIR, the bigger the better, especially ’60s hair. (My kind of gal!)

Ruby loves talking “Toddlers & Tieras” and “Honey Boo Boo” – don’t get her started!

Now that class is over, I’m hoping I have at least a pinky-full of Ruby’s talent to try to create these looks myself. If not, I know she’s just an appointment away! One thing I know for sure is that it’s a delight to sit in Ruby’s chair. Besides her fabulous end product, her spunky personality will have you laughing the whole time!

Go big or go home!
Kastle

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