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Permalink Reply by Nikki on March 18, 2014 at 9:52am

Sadly I won't be able to go until next year... But you can bet I'm already starting to plan my outfits! ;) I also am starting to work on vintage hair up-dos because I have really thick and long and I'm sure its warm there. What are you planning on wearing and how are you going to do your hair? :)

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Permalink Reply by Samantha Schulze on March 18, 2014 at 10:56am

I have the same problem as you with the really thick long hair. I need to practice that too before I go. I have a whole lot of PUG and other repro brands I plan on wearing while I'm there. Unfortunately around where I live there isn't a whole lot of vintage clothing. There is only one store I know of and I can't justify spending $400 on a dress so I've never been back haha. You'll love it when you go next year, it's really like nothing you've ever seen before and it'll come around in no time. Are there any good products you use for your hair?

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Permalink Reply by Nikki on March 18, 2014 at 8:01pm

Hmmm. I'm pretty awful about good hair products to be honest. I use garnier fructis's leave in conditioner religiously (the air is insanely dry where I live). I just recently discovered Ion's mousse- it really helps hold curls when I use foam curlers but doesn't weigh my hair down. :) What about you?

There isn't ANYTHING vintage in my town. There is one store that is half lingerie and half vintage. It's a cool idea but they literally have about 20 vintage pieces at a given time, and their stock doesn't change very often. What is your favorite PUG item you own? I just made my first PUG purchase yesterday and I cannot wait for it to get here! What other repro brands do you like?

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Permalink Reply by Samantha Schulze on March 19, 2014 at 10:03am

Oh i'll have to try the Ion's moouse. I use Motions at the moment and I always feel like it weighs my hair down and makes it greasy towards the end of the day which is awful. My favorite PUG item I just got recently. It's the brown and pink harlequin Jenny dress. It is a dream! I have two other Jenny's and love them but the colors and vibrancy of the brown and pink one is just amazing. I was in awe taking it out of the bag. What did you order? You'll love whatever you got I'm sure. They really are my favorite repro brand because of the quality. I really like Hell Bunny, Sourpuss, and Steady too. I think the reason I love PUG so much is because, like I'm sure you can understand being like me with limited in person vintage shopping available, everything fits so true to the measurements on the PUG website which is awesome. I hate when I get something in the mail and it's making me look like a stuffed sausage haha! You really will LOVE what you've ordered I'm sure of it :)

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Permalink Reply by Nikki on March 19, 2014 at 3:04pm

Thank you so much! I am sure I will love it all. I ordered the pink tiger sarong style one piece swim suit (I've had my eyes on that for over a year,) an Audrey skirt in floral, and a pair of white flat shoes that tie. :) I'm so excited! I'm really hoping everything fits. 

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Permalink Reply by Samantha Schulze on March 20, 2014 at 7:39am

Oh man I LOVE the pink tiger swimsuit! I'm sure it'll exceed your expectations :)

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Permalink Reply by Tahitia Belle Fille on March 19, 2014 at 9:49am

Last year was my hubby's and my first year too and it sounds like you already have all the fundamentals down. Learning to dance is a definite must for sure :)

Other than that all I can say is make sure that you have a good data plan for your phone (if you're coming down from Canada or from overseas), bring at least one bathing suit if not two because the Orleans's pool is just gorgeous and you'll regret not having one. Remember to pack a shrug or two to go with your evening outfits since it might get just a little chilly at nigh (but it might not so you might not end up needing it, it was really warm last year).

Other than that all I can suggest are to plan two outfits a day before hand, one for the daytime and one for the evening. If your room is at the Orleans then getting away to change outfits won't be a problem.

I hope that that helps :)

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Permalink Reply by Samantha Schulze on March 19, 2014 at 10:08am

Thanks Tahitia :) I always forget a cardigan or anything when I go out and then end up freezing. Definitely not a great thing when you're trying to look cute lol. We have a room at the Excalibur this year so I've put some time down in our itinerary that we can go and change and freshen up in time to get back for whatever we want to do at night. I wish we could stay at the Orleans but we didn't know last year when we went whether we'd be going this year or not so we decided not to book. In hindsight we should have and then just cancelled if we couldn't go. We didn't get a chance to go to the pool last year so that's number one on my list this year and I'm stocking up on bathing suits haha! I hope I get to see some of the faces from here this year! I've been trying to be less of a lurker and more interactive on the website so I can meet some new people who are interested in the rockabilly scene like I am (or lack of scene in Orlando lol)

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Permalink Reply by Tahitia Belle Fille on March 20, 2014 at 10:15am

Well I think that you're going to be okay weather wise down at Viva this time. I don't remember it being TOO chilly last year at night when it was held in March (save for the time a gust of wind on the strip blew my Audrey skirt up over my waist to the delight of the tourists all around... that was pretty "breezy" ;) ), and it's almost a full month later this time around.

If you do book a room for the Orleans next year there won't be any issue if for whatever reason you have to cancel, that's what my husband and I did for this year and the hotel didn't give us any trouble. We're going to try and pull out all the stops to make it next year though.

My advice is to ALWAYS have a bathing suit with you. Last year I found myself without a bathing suit at the pool meeting so many people poolside that one burelsque dancer/pinup model that I was talking too "ordered" me run to the gift shop and buy a bikini so that I could join her in the water. I was lucky that I found one that was both cute AND fitting but next year I won't be taking that chance. A bikini will be by my side at all times ;)

Also lots of sunscreen too if you're a pasty Canadian, but if you're from Orlando that might not be a problem.

You will absolutely have no problem meeting and making new friends at Viva, Rockabilly and every other kind of pinup. There aren't that many pinup girls in my home town of Hamilton Ontario either (I can count them on one hand and they're mostly swing dancers) but at Viva everyone is just absolutely nice and wanting to make friends too.

Post plenty of pics when you get back!!!

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Permalink Reply by Samantha Schulze on March 20, 2014 at 11:14am

Thank you for all the advice :) I can't wait to meet everyone with our tastes and you can be sure ill post pictures this time :)

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