Our new favourite dresses have arrived at Rita Sue.. and they're a little bit special!
Miss Charlotte Cake, Baker & Blogger, wearing the Fatale Embroidered Tulle Prom Dress (left) and the Fatale Embroidered Southern Belle Pencil Dress (right) by The Pretty Dress!
Introducing the
Fatale Embroidered Tulle Prom Swing Dress, an absolute stunner of a frock! The fresh new blooms at the Parnell Rose Gardens made for the perfect setting for this show-stopping dress.
Beautiful in black, with layers of tulle overlay, the swing dress is just fabulous for dancing and twirling in. The off-the-shoulder bodice has a subtle cross over at the front, with beautiful red rose embroidery sweeping down one side... Ooh, la, la!
The Fatale Embroidered Tulle Prom Dress, perfectly paired with a TaylorMade Petticoat!
Also new in at Rita Sue from the Pretty Dress, is the
Fatale Southern Belle Pencil Dress. Nipping in at all the right places, the pencil dress delivers elegance and a little bit of sass! The delicious floral golden embroidery shines beautifully in the light, contrasting beautifully with the black.
Beautifully designed and made in the UK, the Fatale Dress ticks all the right boxes for style and class. The stunning embroidered detailing is the icing on the cake! Pop in and see these gorgeous designs in person - Find your perfect fit today.
Introducing: Miss Charlotte Cake
The sassy Miss Charlotte Cake was one of our very first models when we started at Rita Sue. Working alongside the lovely Soda Fontaine during many sessions, the pair quickly became known as “
The Twin-Ups”. Charlotte was Runner-up in Miss Pin-up NZ (2015). She also participated in the NZ version of TV show “Come Dine With Me”, winning her section, and since then has become a strong individual in the foodie scene, with her own Pin-up baker Blog -
www.misscharlottecake.com! Instagram: @misscharlottecake
Miss Charlotte Cake on the Season Premier of NZ's 'Come Dine With Me'
We asked Charlotte to share some of her thoughts and experiences about being a modern pinup girl in Auckland.
What does being a pin-up mean to you?
I actually don’t think about what ‘being a pinup girl’ means, it’s not something that usually crosses my mind… I guess it’s having an interest in a past era, and enjoying the style of fashion, hair, makeup, material possessions of a certain previous decade without having to live in the past. To take all the good things (like the above), and recreate them in a modern way in this day and age.
How did you first enter the pin-up scene?
I went to the very first Very Vintage Day Out, and have been to every VVDO event since. I guess that was what thrust me into the thick of the community where I made new friends who liked similar things as me and it just grew from there.
Who are the international and local pin-up models who inspired you and how?
To be perfectly honest, I don’t really look to any local or international pinup models in particular. Personally, I prefer to feel inspired by watching old vintage films (for the hair, makeup, costumes). Of course there’s Dita von Teese and Katy Perry, two of my favourite people in the Universe for obvious reasons. I guess some people draw inspiration from scrolling through Instagram; I do the same to an extent but feel way more inspired after watching something like ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ for than famous white swimsuit, or ‘Rear Window’ for Grace Kelly’s polished, two piece olive suit.
What piece of advice would you give to young aspiring pin-up models?
I would say: Put yourself out there as much as possible, make opportunities for yourself, don’t be afraid to ask if you want something, take risks and do things that scare you and just work really hard for something that you’re passionate about. Nothing worthwhile comes easily.
How do you think other people see you? And how would you describe yourself?
I would describe myself as a quietly confident, quirky, weirdo who loves to op-shop, bake treats, hoard red lipstick and watch horror movies.
How I think others perceive me? Probably as ‘the chick who loves cake’ – but trust me, they’ve only scratched the service if that’s all they know about me! :)
If you could meet an idol, (currently alive or not) who would it be and what would you ask them?
I would love to meet Amy Schumer – have you seen her Youtube channel? Basically she’s a badass, loud, unapologetic, sassy comedian who completely takes the piss of everything in her videos (but still makes strong, valid points without giving a f**k). She uses her unique comedic skills to bring up issues women deal with on a daily basis, as well as the sexualisation of woman. If you haven’t seen her stuff, I would highly recommend you get watching!
Who (family/friends) have been the strongest influence on your life growing up?
I grew up in a house full of women, and (biggest cliché ever)… my strongest influence was my mum. She did EVERYTHING to make sure my sisters and I had everything we needed. She was basically two parents combined into one and I’ll forever want to be the strong, incredibly brave woman that she is.
You work in the travel industry- Can you describe for us what you do?
I’m an Office Manager for an online travel bookings company. We specialise in international cruise ship bookings, car rentals and motorhome bookings. A typical day for me involves running two offices with approximately 130 staff, checking emails, organising events, running errands, social media marketing, and helping out all over the office wherever it’s needed. I get to work with lots of different departments, and no day is the same. I love it, the company culture is incredible!
Who/what inspired your love of cooking/baking?
My mum! She’s a superwoman I tell you…
I learnt very quickly where food comes from - how to grow it, how to prepare it and how to cook it. Because my mum is a nurse, she would have tons of night shifts which meant I used to help out and cook dinner for my sisters when she wasn’t home. The first meal I ever learnt how to cook was spaghetti bolognase.
Charlotte's delicious baking!
You have been involved in many events. What has been your most rewarding experience to date?
I’m tossing up the Streetfood Collective event or the Tea Tasting event. I was proud of both of them, purely because I loved creating something that brought people together to have a good time.
What are your interests outside of the pinup scene?
Discovering new places to eat, spending time with my loved ones, reading recipe books, sewing, pottering around my house getting small jobs done (it’s a satisfaction thing), writing, cooking and baking, petting my cat or chickens, exercising (I’ve just signed up for my first pole class)!
Charlotte, with her partner Carl at the Now And Then Fashion Show at St. Kevin's Arcade
What are the three most important things in your life right now?
My health, my family and my mind.
What are your goals moving forward?
I have millions of goals… goals are SO important! I guess to sum them all up it would be to continue living a healthy, happy life and to keep doing things that make me feel good.
We've certainly been a bunch of busy bees recently! Rita Sue has had the pleasure of being involved in several events over the past few weeks, including the Spring Fling at
The Street Food Collective. Hosted by
Miss Charlotte Cake and the lovely ladies at
The Pie Piper!
Photos via Instagram #springflingnzIt was a perfectly Summery Sunday at The Street Food Collective. Fresh ice cream was being brewed in the kitchens, cool cocktails were flowing, and a delicious range of nibbles were on offer; from fresh tacos to sweet smores! The venue was brightly decorated in red, blue and white, with beautiful potted plants courtesy of Miss Charlotte Cake which were available for guests to take home!
Photographs courtesy of The Undefined PhotographyWe had a fabulous time at our wee stall - thanks so much to everyone who stopped by to watch our fashion show in the afternoon! Our stunning models did an amazing job of showcasing our Spring favourites by Vanessa Kelly, Zoe Vine, Pinup Girl Clothing, and Collectif! All designs featured are available to purchase.
Photograph courtesy of Devel Branded
Models from left to right: Miss Charlotte Cake, Soda Fontaine, Briar Engel, Miss Lola Fondãnt, Miss Lorelei Louise, Samantha Keen, and Miss Lily Kate!
Photographs courtesy of Devel BrandedJust some of the dresses featured in our fashion show, available at our webstore:
Miss Charlotte Cake wears the
Monica Dress in PinkMiss Lola Fontaine wears the
Audrey Dress in Parrot Print
Soda Fontaine wears the
Junebugs Dress in Birdcage Print
Briar Engel wears the
Erika Dress in Yellow & Plum Rose
Briar Engel wears the
Dorothy Dress and the
Vamp Dress in Cream Floral
Check out Miss Charlotte Cake's blog post about The Spring Fling
here!
Upcoming Events! Posted on 02 Oct 21:08 , 0 comments
We're oh-so-excited about our brand new website! We hope you enjoy browsing through our collections online.. and reading our fresh new blog about what we're up to! Of course you can still visit us in person at our store at St. Kevin's Arcade in Auckland City if you're in the area (pop on over to our
Visit Us page for map & parking details)!
There are loads of fun and exciting Spring events coming up this month - including the Spring Fling, organised by one of our fabulous models,
Miss Charlotte Cake!
The Spring Fling will be held on Sunday the 25th of October at
The Street Food Collective in Grey Lynn! Be prepared to eat all the freshly baked pies you can get your hands on;
The Pie Piper will have you sorted! Sit back and relax with family or friends, and certainly don't miss our Rita Sue fashion show!
Our stunning group of models will be showcasing our gorgeous new Spring outfits. And we will have a wee stall nearby if you'd like to purchase any of the outfits you see on the day!
Many more awesome events are in store for October! Make sure you check our blog posts and
Facebook page for updates.
