Sunshine Coast pin-up Jacqueline Shapland reaches finals in Cooly Rocks On
She’s a 1950s Barbie girl in a pin-up pageant world, and Sissy Southpaws has drawn back the curtain to give a peek of her retro style and vintage doll collection.
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A Sunshine Coast vintage fashion enthusiast has gone to new heights in her pageanting journey after reaching the finals in a nostalgia festival competition.
Sunshine Coast pin-up Jacqueline Shapland, or Sissy Southpaws by stage name, has been named a finalist in the Cooly Rocks On pageant, with the finals to be held at the Gold Coast in June.
Ms Shapland, 43, works in retail and also runs a website called Jacqueline Creative where she designs vintage-inspired scarves and bandannas.
Ms Shapland said the vintage aesthetic has been a part of her life for many years, and she wears vintage and retro-inspired pieces in her everyday life, even if it just be some winged liner and red lipstick.
“The style makes me feel confident and comfortable, and it’s fun to mix the old and the new,” she said.
“Style is about personality and self expression, so I wouldn’t really call it ‘dressing up’. For me, it’s just dressing.”
Ms Shapland described herself as artistic, creative and interested in nostalgia.
She noted it is “liberating” to surround yourself with things which make you happy, once you no longer mind about fitting in.
Ms Shapland said she loves collecting items, and it is not hard to find vintage or reproduction items online.
The 43-year-old has a small collection of vintage style Barbie dolls as a child of the 80s.
“I think Barbie has some vintage looks that everyone recognises, and I do have some outfits that reference this pop culture icon,” she said.
“But I take influence from lots of places – old Hollywood, atomic aesthetics of the 50s, rockabilly music and fashion, drag, and costume designers like Edith Head.”
Ms Shapland explained most pin-ups choose a name to reflect themselves, and she chose Sissy Southpaws as she is left handed.
She described putting together an outfit to be “just another canvas” as an artist, and clothes are a way to connect with others.
Her pin-up experience has been mostly for fun, and it has proven to be a great way to find a like-minded community.
She also noted pageants help her step out of her comfort zone.
“It’s a fun confidence builder and a very supportive environment among the pin-up community,” Ms Shapland said.
“There are events that host pin-up pageants on the Coast, along with car shows and music events.”
This is Ms Shapland’s first time in the Cooly Rocks On pageant, the biggest event she has ever participated in.
She said it is pretty nerve-wracking and she feels anxious, but she is sure other participants will be there to offer encouragement and share laughs during the event.
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Originally published as Sunshine Coast pin-up Jacqueline Shapland reaches finals in Cooly Rocks On
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