This week our #Badgirlcrush is the very stunning glamour starlet
We fell in love with this classic Platinum Pin-up when she started following us on instagram, inspired by Old Hollywood, Ashlyn exudes glamour in all aspects of her everyday life, there is so much to this beautiful lady, from her love of vintage, (especially her pink springolator collection) to designing lingerie inspired resort wear and now currently working towards her BA in fashion merchandising, we love a creative lady with so many bad ass talents!
Read below to find out more about this wonderful creature!
@ashlyncoco
Q: Hey Ashlyn! Thank you for taking the time to do this interview! Our aim for our #badgirlcrush of the week is to give our followers/readers some insight into everyday creative women that inspire, we love your unique effortless style and love for everything glamorous!
A: I’m so honoured that you chose me as your #badgirlcrushoftheweek! I instantly fell in love with your brand and aesthetic because it is just that..Original. It is not an alternative spin on vintage glamour, but true to authentic, classic glamour that I grew up with... which is why I love TOBG!
- Aw thank you so much lady!, you've pretty much said what we are trying to accomplish with our label in a nutshell!
- Aw thank you so much lady!, you've pretty much said what we are trying to accomplish with our label in a nutshell!
Q: Ashlyn, let our readers get to know you, tell us a bit about you and some of the things you love - we see you have studied at Beauty school and Fashion Design, can you tell us more about that..
A: As a little girl I was always an artist and a creator. I loved to write, as my imagination was huge and I would write story after story. My parents let me take private painting lessons, and I always wanted to paint Marilyn Monroe. As an artistic person, I also loved music, and my parents got me my first electric guitar and lessons when I was 13. A bit of a rebel, suffice it to say I was only interested in Music and Arts and chose a different path than the others. My mom became a cosmetologist in the 60’s, and she had a vintage blow dryer and curler set that I was enamoured by, inspiring me to go to beauty school. I attended Paul Mitchell Cosmetology at 17, and I’ll never forget the first thing they taught us, which was the finger wave and the pin curl set (This is probably why I’ve mastered my signature hairstyle today!)
A: As a little girl I was always an artist and a creator. I loved to write, as my imagination was huge and I would write story after story. My parents let me take private painting lessons, and I always wanted to paint Marilyn Monroe. As an artistic person, I also loved music, and my parents got me my first electric guitar and lessons when I was 13. A bit of a rebel, suffice it to say I was only interested in Music and Arts and chose a different path than the others. My mom became a cosmetologist in the 60’s, and she had a vintage blow dryer and curler set that I was enamoured by, inspiring me to go to beauty school. I attended Paul Mitchell Cosmetology at 17, and I’ll never forget the first thing they taught us, which was the finger wave and the pin curl set (This is probably why I’ve mastered my signature hairstyle today!)
I couldn’t stop at just cosmetology, and later I designed a line of lingerie inspired resort wear, made in Los Angeles. With a passion for branding, marketing and fashion, I’m now working toward my BA in Fashion Merchandising.
A: I’m sure you can see by now, my love for Old Hollywood started in my childhood. I first saw Marilyn’s photo as a little girl in my uncle’s basement, as he had a huge collection of her memorabilia. Although a California girl, I spent all of my summers in upstate New York (hence the basement reference) where my very large Italian-American family resides. My uncles always had pinups and playboys in their basements, which I would sneak off to look at. I thought they were so glamorous and loved looking at their female forms. As I said before, Marilyn was my muse, and I would paint her so many times that my art teacher got sick of it! I also adored Betty Boop, and sketched her over and over.
All of the homes I spent time in were built in the 1950’s and had the original pink tiles, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. My uncles would smoke cigars and listen to The Rat Pack, Bobby Darin, Elvis, etc. And this was all I knew. My aunts would give me their vintage costume jewellery and let me play dress up in their high heels and clothes while my mom always had me dressed in pink princess gowns. This is where my love of pinups and anything pink & vintage originated from!
In the early 2000’s I met a girl who became my best friend, and introduced me to some great old rockabilly music and we discovered there were modern pinup models and fashion brands catering to something we grew up loving. It just always seemed right to me!
Q: What exactly drew you to those specific eras and how have those times influenced your personal style?
A: I have a huge collection of photographs, films and more of my family, specifically in the 1940’s-1960’s. Because of this, I always studied the fashion and accessories in these photos. My grandparents always played films from these decades, and I became very familiar with 40’s, 50’s & early 60’s films and starlets. These decades most describe my personal style, as the wiggle dress became popular during these years, and that is my go-to silhouette. These were also the years of the buxom blonde bombshells, which has come to be my favourite aesthetic.
Q: Who are some of your favourite women from the 40s and 50s and why?
A: I love blonde bombshells, Marilyn & Jayne, in particular because they had everybody fooled. These women were some of the smartest, complex women, but were typecast and stereo typed by their roles as the “dumb blonde,” which I can easily relate to. Not only were they misunderstood, as well as incredibly kind and sensitive, but they were such style inspirations!
Other style inspirations of mine include Diana Dors, Betty Grable, Veronica Lake, Lana Turner, Mamie Van Doren, and Anita Ekberg. I also love bad girls Lili St. Cyr, Bunny Yeager, and Bettie Page. I adore Bettie Page because she was the original bad girl, but the girl next door at the same time!
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your personal style and some of your favourite vintage pieces?
A: My personal style is fragments of many things. I’m inspired by Old Hollywood, but have come to create a unique aesthetic based on my lifestyle and what I have grown to love from the past and present. For example, I love glitz and glamour, but I loved punk rock in my teens, therefore I sometimes imbue a hint of that.
One of my favourite studies was historic costume, where I learned a strong foundation of authentic and true vintage fashion, which has led me to my discriminating taste. I have a massive collection of vintage, but adore a brand like TOBG that creates accurate and true to era designs! It’s so hard to narrow down my favourites as I have glamorous gowns, to demure day dresses, and I love them all.
I have a black 1950’s plunge dress that is below knee and nipped as the waist with a deep V in the front and in the back. She may be my current cocktail dress favourite! I also have a peach floral embroidered gingham peasant dress from the 1950’s, which might be my current favourite day dress.
Q: We see you collect Springolators, we simply love them! Can you share some of your favourites with us?
A: Ah yes, Spring-o-lators are my obsession! Really, an outfit is not the same without them. I wear a 5.5-6 size in shoes, so I’m always finding the perfect pairs as those sizes seem to appear frequently. My favourite pairs happen to be pink Lucite, as they are so rare now a day, and back then. Most Lucite heels were clear, but I have found a few in pink! My favourites tend to have tons of rhinestones, floral carvings or are just a simple pair, but super comfy!
- Ah the pink lucite are just stunning! I always see listings for the most gorgeous pairs but they are tiny, you are so lucky to have tiny feet!
Q: Who is your favourite Fashion Designer or label from the 50s?
- Ah the pink lucite are just stunning! I always see listings for the most gorgeous pairs but they are tiny, you are so lucky to have tiny feet!
Q: Who is your favourite Fashion Designer or label from the 50s?
A: For c. 1940’s I love Elsa Schiaparelli for many reasons. She embodies Art Deco and Surrealism and created the Lobster dress, which I adore! Plus, her signature color was a specific shade of pink, now known as Schiaparelli’s Shocking Pink. Also, who doesn’t love an Italian girl? William Travilla is also my favourite and such an inspiration in costume design, especially with his work of arts he created for Miss Marilyn Monroe. Ceil Chapman is also one of my favourites, with her glamorous gowns and Cole of California with their amazing swimsuits. But who can forget the ultimate bombshell designs of original Frederick’s of Hollywood c. 1950’s!
Q: You always have beautiful curls and gorgeous make up, can you tell us your secretes? What’s your go to red lipstick and favourite eyeliner?
A: Thank you! I often get asked this question but I think the knowledge I gained from beauty school has helped me perfect my pin curls and brush out techniques. To get the desired winged liner that I adore, I always opt for a liquid liner with a small fine brush to paint. I usually alternate between brands, but Sephora brand has a great one. With reds, it’s never so simple! I’m always combing different lip liners and lipsticks to create different shades of reds. MAC’s Pro Long wear “Lasting Lust” is incredible and doesn’t budge, even when I’m eating an In-N-Out Burger! Mac’s Ruby Woo matte & Red Lizard by Nars are also some favourites.
Q: How do you get those curls?
A: I use the curling iron and pin to cool method, and sit as long as I can, pinned. Sometimes I use pink sponge rollers which create the bounciest curls, but those can be uncomfortable to sleep in. I do bigger sections for a soft 1940’s wave and smaller sections for a 50’s Jayne style. Marcel irons are the best, and they were originally used for the waves of those eras. I use a soft round brush to brush out and mold my curls afterwards.
Q: Where is your favourite place to have a holiday and sip on Martini’s?
A: There are three Pink Palaces that come to mind when I think of this! The Madonna Inn – San Luis Obispo, The Beverly Hills Hotel – Beverly Hills, and The La Valencia – La Jolla. Each of these lay right on the California Coast and are PINK! The cocktails and views are incredible, and all of them date back from the 1920’s to the 1950’s, so they are enriched with historic glamour.
Q: Can you share with us some of your favourite musicians and filmmakers? What would be your go to record?
A: I have a very wide range of musical preference, so it’s hard to narrow that down to a record. Of course I adore the classics such as Dino and Sinatra but my favourite is Bobby Darin, as his voice was unlike any other. I love old rock’n’roll such as Little Richard, but also the instrumentals of Santo & Johnny, as well as The Ventures. In terms of more modern music, The Misfits (c. Glenn Danzig), The Cramps, Morrissey & The Smiths, Blondie, and I could go on...!
As for filmmakers, I think Billy Wilder was brilliant. He was the man behind my favourite comedies such as Some Like it Hot & The Seven Year Itch.
Q: What does 2015 hold for you?
A: I never know what the year will hold, as I’m always completely surprised. It’s been a rough couple of years, but I think 2015 will be a good one! I’m very excited about my venture with The Pink Collar Life and I’m hoping for some new and exciting opportunities and adventures. We will also me monthly contributors over at the Powder Room Magazine which will be lots of fun and fashion tips. I know for sure this year will hold lots more shoes!
Q: Tell us about your new blog venture with Tara Mi Sioux ‘The Pink Collar Life’
A: The Pink Collar Life is made up of both of our personas and interests, combined. Tara too, has been collecting vintage for years for the same reasons I have. We both love to live in the Golden Era and want to bring along anybody who wishes to join us! I bring the ‘Pink Pin-Up’ to the table while she brings the ‘Burlesque Bombshell’, which is the perfect marriage. We spend so much time together as it is, and are always adventuring, so we decided to make it official after so many requests. The Pink Collar Life is not a person, but a brand and a lifestyle. We love to feature our evolved vintage wardrobes, but also love to support a brand that we feel captures classic vintage vs. neo vintage. We also talk original dining spots and architecture, old cars, shopping, cocktails, vintage beauty, and so much more!
There you have it Kittens! What a complete doll!
If you would like to find out more about Ashlyn,
you can find her here:
@ashlyncoco
XXX
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