Lingerie Style Icon: Bettie Page

5"5 of glamour, style and raw sex appeal, the fetishist and model Bettie Page still continues to be a style icon for many of us interested in pin-up, lingerie and fetish. Her jet-black hair, stunning blue eyes and what is now known as "Bettie Bangs" have influenced artists, designers, and models heavily and she is still fresh in our mind! So here it is, get the "Bettie Page" look. First off: get a bottle of black hair dye, cut hair to shoulder length and cut short fringe (hairdresser not necessary)!

Bondage Bettie
Possibly the most famous incarnation of Bettie, right? So often Bettie is clad in rope, bearing a whip or on the lap of another woman, but we mustn't forget the most important compound of these situations (and this blog) - the lingerie! Here Bettie taking on a more dominant role is clad in a leather/PVC corset, cowboy-cum-fetish boots and shoulder length gloves! If you have an unholy amount of disposable income this La Perla by Jean Paul Gaultier ($1610 for the corset, $535 for the bra!) set is the perfect accompaniment to your leather whip and handcuffs, however if you're looking for something on a budget this faux leather fashion corset for only £35 on Amazon might suit you better. But if you're looking for a good-old-steel-boned-restraint What Katie Did's leather corset range is perfect and not too expensive either! To match on the bottoms a Ridgy & Peller silk and lace thong ($42), and also these lovely fetish boots by Pleaser, only $32! To polish off this look, long leather gloves - these are by Lanvin and oh.. only $1175. But Honour do wonderful latex, and wet-look gloves from only £12 (I just couldn't add the pictures for some reason!)

Burlesque Bettie
As well as being a model, Bettie often did burlesque, such as is featured in Irving Klaw's Teasearama (a photographer who also captured many of the most iconic images of Bettie). The above photo is a still from Teasearama where Bettie is clad in sequins, but she was also well known for her Belly Dance routine. To capture a modern burlesque Bettie Page look, don some sequin high-waisted shorts (Topshop, $60), an embellished sheer bra (Damaris, £60) and some sequinned pasties to go underneath (Journelle, $26). However if you really wanna go for the real deal burlesque look, make your own costumes like Bettie did! Buy a black bra and get sequinning, and add some pink bows to your shorts. To finish off, these cabaret-style seamed fishnets by Leg Avenue for only £1.90 on Amazon, and some fabulous fetish heels by Pleaser for $50. Go out on stage with a wink and a shimmy and be super-charismatic and you have Bettie Burlesque down to a T!

Bunny Bettie
Another photographer that worked with Bettie a lot of Bunny Yeager, and she was often clad in leopard print costumes and surrounded by the gorgeous creatures themselves! To pay homage to the animal side of Bettie this Deborah Marquit bra and thong set is perfect for a seductress (bra $195, thong $85), whilst this Dolce & Gabbana slip with it's lace trim is also a perfect nod to this starlet. If you're looking for subtlety, this Damaris set has got that down for $90 for the bra, and $65 for the knickers.

- t00ts x

All Bettie Page images from www.vintagegal.tumblr.com
All other images from Polyvore via linked sites (click through picture for sources)

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