Bright colours, bold lips and a community of confident women is what vintage culture is all about, and two Hawke's Bay women are part of it as finalists in the Miss Pinup New Zealand beauty pageant.
Rose Olliver, aka Miss Cecelia Rose, and Sarah Bauer, aka Grace Velocette will take to the stage in Auckland in November, showcasing their vintage style.
Olliver said the vintage community is very empowering for the women involved.
"It's all about vintage styling but not vintage values," Olliver said.
"It's certainly very empowering to be able to dress that way.
"Putting on a bright fun dress when you are surrounded by a sea of black and navy and all of a sudden you put on a belt and you've got a waist and people comment and compliment you."
She said the vintage community, both online and in person, was a very encouraging community to be a part of.
"There's a lot of encouraging people who aren't confident, and they sort of start to find themselves through their love of fashion."
While she uses a stage name, she says she is the same person on and off stage.
"It's the same person, but I say I've cranked the dial up by 10.
"When I am on stage I'm sort of myself with personality plus 10."
Bauer said pinup had been a way for her to come out of her shell.
"It's filled with the most amazingly supportive people which has given me the confidence to embrace my qualities and a style that I love."
She compared pinup to being like a pineapple.
"Stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside."
Miss Pinup New Zealand is run at the Very Vintage Day Out, which is held in Auckland on November 3 and 4.
The 10 finalists have to showcase day wear, nightwear and beachwear styles, perform in a talent section, and the top four then proceed to a Q and A.