What's in a Name?....A Pin Up Name?

I suppose I should start out by introducing myself. Betty O'Belle is obviously not my name, my name is Thespa. 

I've recently, very recently, started working toward my vintage style, my "Pin Up Look". My hubby and I are planning a 20 year anniversary in Vegas to renew our vows and that is what started this whole obsession. Right at first everything seemed very overwhelming. 

I worried about what to wear, how to do make-up and hair, would I look rediculous? ect, ect.

So like many I went searching online, I made Pin Boards on Pinterest to keep anything that appealed to me. I've always been interested in vintage, retro, antique, etc so dressing the part isn't that far a stretch. As I searched high and low at Pin Up images and blogs, the idea that I wanted a "Pin Up" name started to stick.
So I thought, and thought, and the first thought was obviously Betty. Betty is just so sexy a name and of course images of Bettie Page spring to mind. So Betty it was for my first name.
I decided I wanted a middle name and Olive was it. Olive because I am Greek for the most part, North American Mutt truth be told, but Greek none-the-less. I got my Greek Name Thespoena from my grandmother. Also Olive because I do have the Olive skin tone. If I get even the tiniest bit of sun I tan instantly.
I shortened Olive to "O" partly inspired by the fancy advertising names given things long ago. Names like the Singer "Slant-O-Matic", of which I own one and love it, best sewing machine ever made in my opinion and the last Singer to be made with all metal parts inside and out.

And last I needed a last name, enter Belle. Because I live in the South, I've been a southern girl all my life, can't go a day without drinking good ole sweet tea. :) Southern Belle.

So there you have it...my Pin Up Name

Betty Olive Belle = Betty O'Belle

I'm just starting this blog, right here, today. It is now 2:21pm on a Tuesday and my children are scattered here and there in their various summer activities and job for the oldest one. My hubby of nearly 19 years is at work. It is unseasonably cool outside today, on a day that should have been like yesterday, 95 degrees and sweltering. Today I have all the doors and windows open and fans on to bring the air conditioned feeling of outside...in. I believe it is around 65 degrees. It is so nice I can't stand it and here I sit typing away. 

I should be out picking blackberries and chokecherries but I did that already...when it was 95* :(

 Anyway, I'm getting off track.

I've never really thought of myself as sexy, or beautiful. My husband always told me so but I never really believed him, lol. I've always been overweight my whole life. Two years ago I lost a bunch of weight, tried really hard, and have kept it off. Though when you have been overweight your whole life no one bothers to tell you that when you lose the weight you will have lots of extra skin that never goes away. :( That left me very discouraged and I plateaued afraid of even more bagginess. It's not terribly bad, just not what I had hoped for after working so hard to lose weight. But I am content with the knowledge that I am more healthy.

 Again I'm getting off track.

I've always been the type of person that cared what other people thought. Very critical of myself, and that left me in a bit of a lag for a long time. Meaning I never really tried to look better for fear of failing. Never really learned how to do makeup because I never wore it. Never really learned how to fix my hair because it was always up in a pony tail. Never had any fashion sense because I was always in a t-shirt and jeans. Are you starting to see a picture here? Yeah, not pretty. It's no wonder I never felt pretty, if you had to look at that in a mirror everyday you wouldn't feel pretty either, lol. 

My decision to go vintage was brought about by a very tough year last year in which I made it through things I never thought I could. I have started to look at my life and reevaluate what is important and what isn't. And I have come to the conclusion that I am important. I deserve to look pretty. I deserve to wear what I want just because I like it. I don't have to wonder or worry about what others are thinking because it doesn't matter, as long as I am happy with who I am and how I look. 

I've started dressing as myself. And who knew that myself was a vintage Pin Up?

I've felt happier, uplifted, and dare I say even Pretty? Yep.

Another fun thing that has happened is that while I'm in public in my retro style I have gotten compliments. Over the past two weeks of experimenting trying to find my style, I have gotten compliments, me, queen of frump girl land. I have never gotten compliments that weren't from family members before. I'm not sure if it's because I look better or because I feel so good or both. But this is definitely working for me. 

I hope to share my journey into vintage style. Make some new friends along the way and hopefully inspire others who are tired of being in that low point that it is so tough to get out of. 

I also want to share things I learn about hair, makeup, fashion, home making, and more.