The Brides of Dracula suck the life out of Retro Lovely’s Halloween in April special edition!

I love the 1992 Dracula adaptation with Winona Ryder and Gary Oldman. While watching the film in a Carson City theater auditorium last year (Fathom Events hosted a set of 30th anniversary showings back in October), I was struck by the idea of doing a pinup shoot featuring the count’s three hot vampire brides. Fast-forward to the end of April, and my dream was not only reality, it’s on the cover of Retro Lovely‘s “Halloween in April” special edition, Volume 1!

Brides of Dracula Retro Lovely Halloween in April Cover
Brides of Dracula on Retro Lovely’s Halloween in April Cover.

My friends Miss Melody Noir and Lena Von Noir kindly agreed to be my sister brides for the shoot, and Marilee Caruso – my favorite photographer! – signed on to do makeup, hair, and (of course) take the pictures.

More after the jump… Continue reading “The Brides of Dracula suck the life out of Retro Lovely’s Halloween in April special edition!”

Retro Lovely Bond Girls pinup: I cosplay Plenty O’Toole from Diamonds Are Forever

It’s not a secret that I’m into “Bond Girls,” so when I saw it was a theme for one of this year’s Retro Lovely special editions, I immediately knew I had to submit something. I chose one of my favorite James Bond film girls to emulate: Plenty O’Toole from 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, played by the gorgeous Lana Wood.

Catherine Morland cosplays as Bond Girl Plenty O’Toole.

Marilee Caruso did the pretty hair and makeup and took the photos for our six-page feature. I didn’t think I’d be able to pull off an early-1970s look, but Marilee made it work and I ended up loving the results. She also shot Missy Maybe’s lovely cover set for the same issue!

Catherine Morland cosplays as Bond Girl Plenty O’Toole.

More after the jump…

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New Year Pinup: My first Retro Lovely Holidays special edition cover

I was super-excited to work with Amanda Torres of Feathered Flash Photography last month, and she didn’t disappoint! Amanda is lovely and her work is amazing. I am over the moon with the Christmas-themed pinup photography, makeup, and hair she did for me, and proud that we both got our first Retro Lovely Holidays special edition cover this year!

Catherine Morland on the cover of Retro Lovely Holidays
Catherine Morland on the cover of Retro Lovely Holidays, photographed by Feathered Flash Photography.

More pictures after the jump…

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Northanger Abbey Cosplay Pinup: Catherine Morland does…Catherine Morland

Hurray, another nifty Retro Lovely cover photographed by Marilee Caruso Photography (who also did the makeup and hair)! This time, it’s in Retro Lovely’s cosplay title, Masquerade No. 26!

You can grab a copy of the magazine or a cover poster via Magcloud, and use code BF25 to get a discount (on these or any Magcloud publication) through 11/28/2022 (the actual discount varies by publisher and issue, btw). Note that I don’t make any money off of purchases direct from Magcloud, just the Tiki issue and posters (I have one mag copy left and a handful of posters if you want to help feed my pinup addiction. I mean, support me as I pursue this noble hobby! Ha!).

This one’s kinda meta, because my nom-de-pinup is Catherine Morland and I’m actually portraying Jane Austen’s heroine from Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland, in the photo set. As she’s into gothic romances and horrid novels of all kinds, we have Catherine reading novels by candlelight in a spooky forestscape of her imagination. Eat your heart out, Emily St. Aubert!

Retro Lovely Masquerade Catherine Morland Cover
I cosplay as Northanger Abbey’s Catherine Morland…my pinup namesake!

More after the jump…

Continue reading “Northanger Abbey Cosplay Pinup: Catherine Morland does…Catherine Morland”

Victorian Pinup: Retro Lovely Victoriana Cover

While it’s not strictly pinup, the late 1860s dinner gown pictures Marilee Caruso took of me at the California State Capitol are in Retro Lovely’s inaugural Victoriana issue!

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.

Victoriana Cover
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
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.

Early 1960s pinup inspired by the golden age of Playboy in Retro Lovely #211

Everything happens at once, it seems! Back in September, Marilee Caruso and I shot a set of images inspired by the October, 1962 cover of Playboy magazine. Today, they became a six-page pinup spread in Retro Lovely Issue #211!

Our version of the October 1962 Playboy cover
Our version of the October, 1962 Playboy cover.
October, 1962 Playboy Cover, featuring that month's centerfold, Laura Young
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
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
I love the simple set Marilee created for the shoot. It mimics the original while also adding texture.

As always, you can get the issue straight from Magcloud (when you order a hard copy you get a digital copy for free, immediately). For all of my recent pinup publications, see my Linktree.

More photos from the shoot after the jump!

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Pinup Vampire: On the cover of October’s Bombshell magazine

The fun pinup vampire shoot I did back in May with Marilee Caruso is finally published! The shots are in (and on a cover for) this month’s Bombshell pinup magazine.

BOMBSHELL Oct 2022 - Catherine Morland Cover
BOMBSHELL Oct 2022 – Catherine Morland Cover

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.

Catherine Morland, pinup vampire!
Catherine Morland, pinup vampire!
Catherine Morland, pinup vampire!
Catherine Morland, pinup vampire!

As always, you can buy this faaaabulous Catherine Morland cover issue direct from Magcloud (price includes a free .pdf copy of the issue, available immediately after you pay!). You can also use my handy Linktree to find this or any of my other recent pinup issues. My Linktree can also direct you to an order page for Marilee’s great 2023 pinup calendar (a shot from this vampire set is the February image!).

More pictures after the jump…

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The Pinup Never Stops: Patrick Nagel “Rio” shoot finally published!

Some of you may remember my 2014 “Rio” shoot from 2014 with Miss Missy Photography. I was super-happy with the pictures (I love Duran Duran and Patrick Nagel), but never expected them to ever be published as they were such a weird combination of 1980s and midcentury pinup aesthetics.

Well, fast-forward to 2022 and Retro Lovely’s 20th Century Retrospective series, and I realized that my Rio pics finally had a chance – the 1980s special edition! And indeed, four of the images from the shoot have been included in Volume 2 of this years ’80s retrospective.

Retro Lovely 80s Vol 2
My Patrick Nagel “Rio” pinup pics are in Retro Lovely’s 80s Vol 2 this year.

Thanks to Missy for doing such a great job, and for helping me submit the photos this year.

To grab copies of my most recent pinup, keep an eye on my Linktree. 🙂