Pin up posters might not have the popularity today that they once did, but most people will immediately recognize some of the most popular pin up moments from the heyday of beautiful pin up models. Marilyn Monroe was a pin up queen in her day, and any collection of pin ups should feature her in at least a few pieces. Marilyn was a popular pin up girl in the 1950s, considered a sex symbol and the epitome of beauty and glamor. She was more than just an actress, though, acclaimed for a comic performance in Some Like it Hot and her rare dramatic turn in Bus Stop. She was an idol, an icon, and one of the Hollywood legends created during that period.

A collection of pin up posters represents a phase of US history that relied heavily on entertainment in movies and magazines. World War II made entertainment at home necessary to show the country that no matter what, there were good things to look forward to and keep morale from getting too low. Entertainment also served during this period to make things look as normal as possible at home, and try to give the illusion that though we were at war, everything was all right and would remain all right. It took the emphasis off the fact that people were dying elsewhere.

Pin up posters weren’t all about Marilyn, though, she was merely one of the best-known subjects. Betty Grable was featured on perhaps the most widely recognizable pin up of all time, popular during World War II. Almost everyone who’s been exposed to entertainment media in any form, even today, is probably familiar with the shot of Grable. She’s wearing a bathing suit and standing with her back to the camera, looking over her shoulder. The seductive backward look, the high heels and the hands on her hips were all provocative at the time, and helped cement her as a sex symbol and the woman of many soldiers’ dreams. Grable had what were considered to be perfect legs, insured for $1,000,000 by her movie studio. She was even reported to be Hugh Hefner’s inspiration for his Playboy empire.

Pin up posters didn’t always feature sex symbols like Monroe and Grable in photographs. Artwork was another popular pin up subjects. Alberto Vargas fro Peru created so many pin up of beautiful and voluptuous girls that the term Vargas girl is widely recognized and often is used to refer to a drawn or painted pin up girl.

A great place to find original and reproduction pin up posters is eBay, where you can often find the original magazine covers or intact magazines featuring photography, and even artwork by well known pin up artists like Vargas. Originals are rarely in great condition, but they’re still surprisingly available. Just be sure to clarify whether it’s an original or one of the reproductions that are so popular with fan of the genre who don’t want to spend the time or money necessary to track down an original.

Originally posted 2008-10-31 05:00:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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