Ever Dream of Being a Pinup Girl?

Betty Grable in the '40s. Marilyn Monroe in the '50s. Raquel Welch in the '60s. Now they can all be you.

Amanda and Mike Little are torquing the concept of glamour photos with a generous seasoning of retro to develop their Bombshell Pinup studio. 

In a quiet stretch across Haddon Avenue from Haddonfield Commons, Amanda offers clients the opportunity to create a photo memory of times past. Sometimes they have a decidedly sexy component, a la fishnet stockings and lingerie. Or it might be the image of a French maid, with cute frilly cap and a very short apron and just a hint of a naughty pout.

It can be a swing skirt or a 1950s fruit-printed house dress, with children and husband already at the kitchen table, just waiting with forks at the ready for a taste of macaroni and cheese.

Always it's with full makeup and high heels—unless the subject is dressed like a mermaid.

A visit to Bombshell is where imagination runs rampant.

The clients may be a bit shy when they begin the session, which could run to four hours, but they soon fall easily into following Amanda's pointers on posing. A model herself and a Marilyn Monroe look-alike, Amanda has a knack for easing away self-consciousness during the sessions.

Most of the clients select a set constructed by Mike Little, ranging from a tiki hut to a boudoir. This time of year, Santa's workshop is a hit, especially if you're designing Christmas cards.

When children are in the photo shoot, often the setting is a tiny Alice in Wonderland cottage. Nearby is an 8-foot tall mushroom with a bright blue crown that fits into that theme.

Yes, children are welcome. So are pets.

Prices range from $250 to $500 and includes makup and wardrobe use for photos. With appointments usually booked online, Bombshell has no set shop hours. There is really only one strict rule: No nudity, Mike says.

“If you're looking for nude shots, you're not going to come here,” he says, although the illusion can be created with a satin drape over a strapless bra.

Only time-sensitive skin is exposed for the photos is in pregnancy shots, where mothers-to-be proudly display their rounded abdomens, usually swathed in soft satin or fur.

Open for 14 months at the present location, Bombshell initially included a small boutique store. The business is in its sixth year.

Now it's crammed with props for the photo shoots. Many of them come from Craigslist, like the pink Frigidaire refrigerator, made in 1956, that was purchased from a basement in Pitman. In the 1950s kitchen area, with aqua and yellow lino tiles, it's next to a Fortune stove recovered in South Philadelphia. The stove works but the chocolate chip cookies sitting on a cookie pan probably wouldn't pass a health department inspection.

If you don't see the photo accessory you're dreaming about, don't be afraid to ask. The basement is crammed with items. “Craigslist is always an adventure. We never know what we'll find that we can use,” says Mike, a plumber who now works on the corporate side of a water heater manufacturer.

Amanda has worked as a cosmetician and stylist since she was 19. Weeks before Christmas and Valentine's Day are the busiest, she said. Women will buy a photo package for their honey or men will purchase a gift card so their girlfriend or wife can set up an appointment. Bridal parties also are a hit, say both Littles, with sessions running for about three hours for three to six women. Save-the-date photos are becoming popular for couples announcing a future wedding.

It's a fun thing, say the Littles, especially when couples plan the setting together.

Amanda can provide many wardrobe choices, or will recommend stores or websites to purchase special items. Children bring their own clothing for photo shoots.

“There's too much size variation and the kids always want to wear the costume at home,” Amanda notes.

The client leaves the studio with 50-100 digital photos to choose those they like best at leisure. Once final choices are made, Amanda will fine-tune and correct the shots.

An individual photo shoot takes about two hours, including makeup. To take four photos for a calendar could double the time “depending on how long it takes to change costumes. Sometimes it's hard to get the garters and corset on,” she says.

“Everybody comes back” to order the final product, according to the Amanda.

Individuals and families sometimes bring pets to the appointment. “Pets are part of the family,” says Mike, as he was reminding their 12-week-old Labrador-boxer mix to behave. It might have been the Santa costume that made her prancy.

For information on pricing, to view what's available and to make an appointment, visit bombshellpinups.net. The studio is at 411 N. Haddon Avenue and the phone number is 856-429-1309.