Miss Pearl Lee Shells slides herself into a girdle, then a net petticoat, dress, nylons, heels, gloves and a flaming red coat of a lipstick called Boy Magnet - and that's just to go to the shops.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Wollongong mother of two is a vintage pin-up brought to life, educated by YouTube and enabled by a booming worldwide market for vintage fashion.
She went into business with her mother and aunt when they realised their combined collection of mostly 1950s Hawaiian fashions, accessories and five-and-dime store trinkets was enough to set up a shop, My 50s Closet, at Bulli.
There, the racks creak under the weight of scores of old dresses, prized for their craftsmanship, elegance and nostalgia value.
"[In the 1950s] women put a lot of effort in from head to toe - hat, shoes, gloves," said Miss Shells, who was Rachael Watts before she adopted her pin-up name full-time. "It feels really beautiful."
Current demand for vintage clothing is thought to be celebrity-fuelled but Miss Shells became interested before the masses cottoned on.
She developed a penchant for cat's-eye glasses and music by Elvis and Peggy Lee while in high school.
With her mother, Elaine Stewart, and aunt, Maria Stewart, she began to host increasingly authentic 50s-themed parties and events, hiring a Cadillac from the era more than once.
Although competition for vintage rarities had increased since then, so had her knowledge of where to find true gems.
Many of her dresses come from the United States - some with price tags of $300-$400 - and have ended up in the store because they are the wrong size.
"I've got the good stuff at home," she said. "The more you get into it, the more you find. It's just amazing the things that are still out there."
Last year, Miss Shells donned a $700 number, called The Neptune's Daughter, and won a fashion contest at the Love Vintage Clothing Show.
The contests are vital to modern pin-up culture and have helped spawn businesses in "pin-up for a day" glamour photography, a glut of YouTube tutorials on the arts of pin curls and false eyelashes, and workshops in how to pose for the catwalk and camera.
My 50s Closet is exhibiting at the annual Love Vintage Clothing Show at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion this weekend after three years on the waiting list, and Miss Shells plans to wear something special.
