Bettie Page’s Big Break in California!

Peyton Powers

Most of us Bettie Page Babes are familiar with Bettie’s famous beach & bikini photoshoots. They showcase her gorgeous smile, long dark locks, and, of course, her beautiful body. When Bettie decided to start modeling professionally, she took a chance and moved from Nashville, Tennessee to California to advance her goals, just as many models and entertainers have since. California proved to be the land of wonderful opportunities for Bettie and she was sure to take advantage of the beautiful scenery, including the beaches! From the way that the sun lit up her face to the way the beach waves sometimes came crashing up against her legs, it was clear that Bettie felt right at home in California in her bikini with the sand in her toes. Because of Bettie’s history with California and Santa Monica in particular, it is only right that the flagship Bettie Page Store be established here!

Bettie’s time in both Los Angeles and Santa Monica was pivotal for her career as she was exposed to the talented photographers and stunning, natural scenery that every model dreams about. Over the course of her career, Bettie worked with many renowned photographers including Sam Menning, Irving Klaw, and Bunny Yeager. Some of my favorite pictures of Bettie on the beach, including those featured below, were taken by photographer Bunny Yeager (You can read about their relationship in a previous blog post here).

With the addition of an official Bettie Page Store in Santa Monica, Californians can reflect on how their state and its creative and talented inhabitants contributed to Bettie’s commercial success and how it shaped her as a professional and as a woman while keeping up with the cutest trends in vintage fashion! The store will be located in Santa Monica Place Mall and will open in mid-August 2016. We hope to see you there!

Next time you’re on a California beach, strike a pose to celebrate Bettie and her wonderful contribution to pinup modeling and retro fashion!

Stay tuned for more updates about the store’s official opening in mid-August 2015 and more! Follow the Bettie Page Store on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Xoxo,
Peyton Powers