Be Yourself. The World Will Adjust. Vintage Glamour Model Miss Bee Town Talks Self-Confidence And More

Self-confidence is something a lot of women struggle with. We often feel immense pressure to follow trends and conform to what society says we should be or look like - instead of embracing who we truly are. 

That’s one of the main reasons I find women are reluctant to wear vintage fashion; they’re afraid of judgment.

I spoke to vintage fashion enthusiast and YouTuber that goes by the name of MissBeeTown. I asked for her advice on dealing with such judgment, and her tips on dressing in vintage fashion.

Photographer: Nicole Engelmann 

Q: Can you tell me a bit about your life and how you got into pinup/vintage style fashion?

A: “Right now I live in London, but I was born in Adelaide, Australia and spent many years living in Melbourne. I grew up watching the Golden age musicals and westerns that played in the middle of  the day as I was often sick as a child and off school. I grew to love the style of the leading ladies and also how they carried themselves. 

I started practicing the hair and makeup from as young as 8, but really embraced the vintage style from about 14 years old when I would do my music performances with my hair in Hollywood waves, sporting black eyeliner and red lips. I also grew up looking at the amazing vintage collections of my mom, and both my grandmothers who kept many things for costuming as they were both involved in theatre.”

Q: What era of fashion do you like to dress in the most and why?

A: “I tend to emulate 1940s and 1950s as I really love the Hollywood glamour of those eras, 
especially the femme fatale and the leading lady styles of technicolour musicals. I like the artifice and the exaggerated figure. There's something so creative about putting a look like this together, so the process is just as exciting for me as the final look.  Of course, because I like this side of it, I do dabble in everything from the ‘20s-‘60s - but I generally leave the house in ‘40s- ‘50s attire. “

Q: What are some of your tips and tricks for maintaining a pinup look?

A: “As much as the clothing is a big part of it, the thing that I think really defines the looks of the mid 20th Century is the hair and makeup. Each decade was very distinct and it was a time when hair and makeup products were being invented to keep pace with the developing film industry. With the rise of stars came the popularity of makeup for everyday use as women tried to emulate their idols. If you can develop the skills to recreate the hair and makeup of these decades it's easy to make an outfit look vintage, whether it's the real deal or not.”

Q: What’s your advice for women who want to try wearing vintage fashion but think they can’t pull it off?

A: “I really believe that pulling something off is all down to confidence and feeling like you're expressing who you are. My advice is to stop worrying about what other people think. Who cares? If it makes me happy and I feel comfortable with it on then how other people feel about it is their problem. And I think we often forget that it's a subculture now, but it's what everyone wore back then. 

So, with a little more research there's lots of options for people of all shapes and sizes from the era. There isn't a right body type or look for vintage (or any style for that matter), so if you rock it with confidence, you'll own it.”

Q: What’s the reaction you usually get from the general public?

A: “Mostly I get compliments - in fact, I get way more compliments when I'm dressed vintage! They come from all sorts of people too. I find if someone is staring and I smile at them they'll reveal they were staring because they really like my outfit. Honestly, the thought that someone is staring because they're thinking something negative comes more from my own insecurity than reality in my experience. 

Some people feel the need to say something negative under their breath of course, but they're usually dressed in something mainstream or conservative, which is fine, but I have zero interest in looking like that so I really don't place any value in their opinions on the way I dress. Plus, they're being incredibly rude and I don't have time for those kinds of people!”

Q: What are some of your must-haves to complete your look?

A: “Red lipstick, eyebrows (each era has a distinct eyebrow trend), pin curls, my waspie (foundation garment), and seamed stockings. They feature in 90% of my looks.”

Q: What brands do you get your clothes from?

A: I try to lean on the side of sustainability, so if I can I buy second hand or true vintage. But to fill in wardrobe gaps there are some wonderful small businesses who specialise in vintage reproduction that I love, such as Vivienne of Holloway, Freddie's of Pinewood, The Pretty Dress, and the Revival Retro store here in London. Buying local and going for classic pieces that are well made, that I'll wear for a long time, is a great way to reduce my contribution to the waste caused by fast fashion if I'm buying new.

Q: What pinups from the past (or present) inspire you the most?

A: “In terms of pinups I get inspiration for shoots from artists like Elvgren, Vargas and Bolles. For real life pinups I love the styles of Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Sophia Loren, and Gina Lollobrigida.”

Q: Any up coming events or projects we can look forward to?

A: “I release videos regularly on my YouTube channel @MissBeeTown, where I talk about everything vintage beauty and style in my series Vintage Tips and Tricks. You can find my professional shoots and collaborations on my Instagram (also @MissBeeTown) and keep an eye out for upcoming music performances, which I'll announce on both platforms.”