Your Summer Pinup Style Playbook
Bettie, Marilyn, Sophia, Elizabeth and Grace offer five different ways to approach vintage glamour
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Summer arrives with fresh possibilities.
Longer days stretch into sun-soaked afternoons. Plans take shape somewhere between a picnic, a beach day, a shopping excursion, a BBQ and the promise of staying out a little longer. The question of what to wear begins to bloom with possibility.
It is the perfect season to revisit a style that was built for exactly this kind of light; the pinup aesthetic has always belonged to summer.
The word “pinup” suggests a singular image. A confident woman. A defined silhouette. A certain kind of pose. In practice, it was never quite that narrow. The women who shaped the look approached it differently. Bettie Page preferred a little mischief with her looks while Marilyn Monroe embodied bombshell energy with the wiggle dress. Sophia Loren brought unforgettable curves to coastal glamour, Elizabeth Taylor treated every look like a high-contrast close-up and Grace Kelly moved through elegance with effortless control.
Each offers a distinct mood, forming a summer style guide of pinup-inspired possibilities, from cherry prints and polka dots to silhouettes that shift depending on who is wearing them.
Mischievous Pinup: Bettie Page
Photo Credit: RetroClassicsArt
Bettie Page approaches pinup with a grin and a hint of trouble. Leather, leopard print, bullet bras and playful retro styling keep the look rooted in vintage while leaning toward something mischievous. The attitude does the rest. It should feel fearless.
Best Worn For: Girls night on the town.
Signature Scent: Petals & Poison, Strawberry Banshee.
Bombshell: Marilyn Monroe
Photo Credit: Vogue
Marilyn Monroe made the wiggle dress a statement. The silhouette does the work, drawing attention exactly where it should. Add red lipstick and a walk that assumes the room is already paying attention.
Best Worn For: Date night.
Signature Scent: Juliette Has a Gun, Lipstick Fever.
Midnight Riviera: Sophia Loren
Photo Credit: Who Wore What
Sophia Loren’s version of pinup arrives straight from the Italian coast. Black linen, tailored shorts layered over swimwear and oversized accessories create a glamour that holds up in full daylight. It should feel like a dark summer romance.
Best Worn For: Beach day.
Signature Scent: Tom Ford, Figue Érotique.
Picnic Heiress: Grace Kelly
Photo Credit: sheworestars.com
Grace Kelly refines pinup into something precise. Gingham, soft florals, breezy cotton and immaculate grooming suggest ease, but nothing is accidental. The look appears gentle. The impact is not.
Best Worn For: Garden party or picnic.
Signature Scent: Byredo, Rose of No Man’s Land.
Silver Screen Siren: Elizabeth Taylor
Photo Credit: Harper’s Bazaar
Elizabeth Taylor builds glamour through contrast. Light against dark. Structure against softness. The silhouette is defined, the palette deepened, creating a look that feels like pinup perfection, with just enough drama to drown out the demure.
Best Worn For: Dinner reservation or special occassion.
Signature Scent: Kayali, Oudgasm Rose Oud 16.
Summer leaves plenty of room for experimentation. Days unfold without as much structure. Plans become fluid; outfits follow. It’s the perfect time to try something new, leaning into a new silhouette, print or colour, dressing with a little more intention than usual.
Pinup has always understood that instinct. It was never about one look, per say, but about the freedom to make the style your own.
Let these icons inspire your approach, and dress like the season is yours.
Which will you try first? Tell us in the comments and subscribe to receive our free monthly digital issue to your inbox including a first look at dark feminine style and culture, the chance to vote on next month’s stories and a preview of upcoming giveaways.
