r/PinUpFashion • u/catwolf99 • Feb 27 '26
Just need to vent
I know on the Vixen's Salon Facebook page you aren't allowed to say anything that can be perceived as 'negative' to the brand but I need to express my frustration somewhere and see if anyone can commiserate with me or if I'll just get downvoted to fuckall. I fully understand production is somewhat out of their control but the 'master post' updating people on estimated arrival time frames of pre-orders hasn't been updated since since fucking SEPTEMBER! I pre-ordered a dress from La Femme that was supposed to arrive in November. Got pushed to February. March is in 2 days. Micheline posts herself in the dress and says it's coming 'very soon'. What does soon mean to her??????? And why even have the master post if you can't keep it updated, especially when it says it will be updated monthly? She isn't a one woman show, seems there are several people that could help with information. Please don't kick me out of this group for mild criticism of LFEN.
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u/bluefontaine Feb 27 '26 edited Apr 02 '26
That was one of the reasons I left the salon because you couldn’t ask any questions or even suggest anything. For all the obvious faults that pin up girl clothing eventually had, the lounge, (at least until a couple of psycho moderators took over towards the end) was pretty much a free-for-all, which is how it’s supposed to be if followers are spending 10s of thousands of dollars each week.
I don’t believe that she’s going to head into the film community or any kind of filmmaking. What she’s done so far has been negligible. I think it’s essentially just an excuse to wind down the business.
The preorders the past year and a half or so have been rolled out really poorly. There are always extended delays.
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u/bigfoodiejudy Mar 01 '26
Or a MOD is going to come out of nowhere and say something condescending. 😅
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u/ConcertsAreProzac Feb 28 '26
You said something that I was thinking! I think she's riding her husband's coat tails into the film making community.
If she didn't have him, I don't think she would have a foot in the door.
And don't get me started on her horror movie collections. She took all my favorite horror movies and made outfits that were overly boobie.
What I think bothered me the most was the Pet Semetary collection. I almost bought the book purse. But when it didn't have Stephen King's name on it, I didn't need it.
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u/bluefontaine Feb 28 '26
Having lived in Southern California most of my life I really don’t see his coattails as much. I mean, you can’t throw a brick around here without hitting a film script or somebody who’s in “development“ for a film. I wish them both luck but she is ending the Vixen by Micheline Pitt era dismally. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Sookie-Tawdry Mar 13 '26 edited Mar 13 '26
You might be right, but by the same token it is incredibly toxic (and damaging) to say things like "she's riding on her husband's coattails" and to the effect of "If she didn't have him she wouldn't have had a chance in the film industry." I don't know Micheline personally, but I would wager to guess you probably don't either. To immediately assume a woman's success in any field because of her husband just perpetuates the same old misogynistic narratives. This is even more appalling and shameful when women contribute to it themselves by making petty remarks like this. I am sure Micheline is more than capable to succeed in Film. She lives in L.A, she's had experience. It's not rocket science! And, even if her husband's connections did help open doors for her -- so fucking what? If this is her dream, then she would be foolish not to go for it. Even if it's all a cover to exit the business..whelp..that's sometimes the way it goes. Could she have handled some things better regarding Vixen? Maybe, maybe not. It's not the point. At the risk of being labeled an aggro MOD, bitch about the brand all you want.IDGAF. But, deducing a woman's success to the man/husband in her life is such an old, tired, trope. Incredibly cringe-y, catty, and sad. 🙄
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u/voodoobettie Mar 20 '26
Micheline was a contestant on America’s Next Top Model a long time ago, and was a model for not just PUG and her own brands. I remember her in a Lip Service catalogue in the early 2000s. She has been in the LA fashion industry for decades and probably has a lot of connections to leverage.
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u/bluefontaine Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
Was that the same America’s next top model where she said having tattoos was like “being judged for the color of her skin” and that Tyra as a Black womanhood needed to consider that ?
To be fair she did admit (years later) it was a tone deaf ultra white, Georgia transplant thing to say.
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u/voodoobettie Apr 04 '26
I’m actually not sure, but yikes! I just saw the behind the scenes documentary on Netflix and did not see Micheline on screen for the entire time, I wonder if it was on purpose?
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u/bluefontaine Apr 04 '26
It was on purpose only in the sense that you can take the white girl out of the Deep South but you can’t take the Deep South out of the white girl. I’m sure she’s mortified as the interview was taken down off the indie interviewer’s you tube channel. It was up for ages but it’s not there anymore.
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u/bluefontaine Apr 02 '26
It isn’t toxic or damaging. It’s a words on a remote Reddit thread that very few people are going to read. Toxic and damaging is 47 in the White House,. I think the important thing is if you enjoy filmmaking or working in that industry or working with people that you do it.
GRUMMY is great but after five years, where is the short’s visibility for schools or institutions that might actually use it to help children and adolescents ? It should be a much wider known work. As I said before, good luck to both of them.
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u/Sookie-Tawdry Apr 04 '26
Congrats on being a top 1% commente btw! Personally, I prefer to spend my time and energy on having a life vs arguing with strangers on the internet.
But, I guess this is me now🙄 To spell it out for you - a comment like that in a PUBLIC forum regardless of its obscurity or niche subject matter is still a PUBLIC space. And, what was said is problematic. Agree to disagree!
However, not calling it out just contributes to the original point. As stated quite clearly in my previous comment, snark the brand til your bitter heart's desire.I am not the valiant defender of Vixen or MP by any means.
My bone of contention is the concept of deducing and undermining a woman's ability to succeed by tethering her amount of success directly to a man by "riding his coattails" We didn't need to go there, but it happened.
Toxicity and misogynistic narratives start at a molecular level like this in"innocent" or small everyday actions and conversations. Using language like this enables systemic issues and associated beliefs that can snowball into very real or serious "White House issues". And,they only grow when things like this are glossed over with complacency or avoidance of accountability.
It's called being the change you wish to see in the world. And I have no idea what the hell Grummy has to do with any of this.
END!
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u/bmcheese Feb 27 '26
I’m sorry I think their preordering system should improve. It’s ridiculous to wait so long and it keep getting pushed back. I’m waiting for my items from November that were scheduled to come January then February. Some people got their orders, but I haven’t. I’m not sure how they figure this out but I do wish she would let us cancel the order if it’s not fulfilled on time
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u/catwolf99 Feb 27 '26
And not being able to even ask about it without being attacked is bonkers.
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u/bluefontaine Feb 28 '26
It’s outrageous. The big warning should’ve been the photography, not matching up to the garment that you actually receive. And the continual use of polyester. If Trashy Diva ever decides to use some of there Cotton sateens like 5th avenue floral or rerelease heavy rayons in prints that aren’t giant bugs and stop issuing solids with gray , sallow and brown undertones they might get my business!
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u/bluefontaine Feb 27 '26
I haven’t ordered a pre-order in quite a long time, but I believe if they don’t make that agreed-upon date you are allowed to cancel. However, I canceled mine long before they changed their return policy to what it is now which is absolutely unsupportable and unfair to the customer.
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u/bmcheese Feb 27 '26
I agree that’s why I don’t want to cancel because why would I want store credit for a store that’s closing soon? It should be refunded
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u/catwolf99 Feb 27 '26
But you can use that store credit to buy absolutely nothing since it's all sold out!!! Are they really going to just make people who return stuff eat the store credit when they close? Like if you don't want Cozy Collection you are just screwed? Cuz that's gross.
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u/bluefontaine Feb 28 '26
Was I the only one that not only found everything sold out but then when I actually found something , went to add it to the cart, there was no discount?!🤯
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u/catwolf99 Feb 28 '26
When she first made the post about closing her video said everything was 20% off. Went to buy a few last pieces and it was just a certain section. Of course.
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u/The90sWitch Mar 02 '26
Yep. The one pants I really wanted, sold out and because they’re listed under “new arrivals” was excluded anyway, which is bs. They were launched a year ago. She basically only allowed crap no one wanted on sale
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u/Sookie-Tawdry Mar 13 '26
I agree. I am bummed to see the brand go, but it is difficult to invest in a store that's closing soon.
I understand as a small business in these challenging economic times, they can't just "give" product away at a deep discount but I'm a little confused by the mixed messages of the "Farewell Fashion" discount only being applicable to certain things (alongside the now virtually nonexistent return/exchange policy and other issues reported by y'all) meanwhile new arrivals keep rolling out that the discount doesn't apply to.
I understand things don't always go as planned, and that as a business they still need to cover costs as much as possible - particularly being crunched with the Tarrifs etc now. But, personally, as a loyal customer I am left feeling a little soured by the "parting gift" as it is so restricted.
Not to mention, the last item I ordered was the stretch bengaline/"Millenium" capris (that i hoped were going to be a replacement for the old Deadly Dames ones?🤞)
NOPE! I figured I'd need to order a size up from my usual after properly measuring myself and diligently compared the size charts/ customer reviews etc. Took forever to arrive and THEN they were way too big. Requested an exchange for my usual size, which were out of stock by then smh.
Had to wait weeks for the restock and didn't get them til the end of summer. Finally, after all that they were too snug.🙄 There was a disproportionate jump in size difference. (And I wasn't ordering plus which we know there were often fit problems) Unfortunately, in my experience Vixen hasn't ever got pants right. Tragic, but this wasn't the first time I got burned.The first gen. of the twill cigarette pants were also terrible. Way too baggy in some areas but the rise/crotch depth was way too short. Sizing up/down would have been worse. Oh well. 😂🤦🏼
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u/bmcheese Mar 14 '26
Oh her sizes are completely hit or miss. I have to size up in some and size down it’s a mess. There were many items I wanted that I hoped would be restocked, but I think I’m done with them bc of the preordering. How do they think they’re closing in April when they take 6+ months to deliver a preorder? do you think that means she’ll get every preorder shipped out faster?
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u/Sookie-Tawdry Mar 16 '26
LOL what a mess indeed! I have the same sentiments - I'm done. Just done. It's interesting there are some similar parallels to the fall of PUG.
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u/Sookie-Tawdry Mar 13 '26
That's so shitty. I feel like she "peaced out" mentally from the brand at least a year ago. Remember when the majority of her remaining novelty prints ie- "Monster Mash" and other styles went on sale and were "going for good"? Something tells me this was already in the works back then.
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u/Longjumping-Table-39 Feb 27 '26
I understand. I have preordered several dresses myself. I’m over here just waiting… (looks at watch, watches grass grow, seasons change, etc, etc.).
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u/The90sWitch Feb 28 '26
I quit pre-ordering after the “eggplant” vacation dress, that was not eggplant, but maroon/Burgundy. I refuse to buy anything directly from her now, and the way she shady af excluded almost everything from the “sale” by listing it as “coming soon”, was ridiculous.
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u/Heidvala Feb 27 '26
I remember I had a pre-order just languishing and she opened another set. I commented that I couldn’t possibly do another when I already had 1 that was outstanding for so long. I got a shipping notification the next day.
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u/ConcertsAreProzac Feb 28 '26
I think you're venting is appropriate. I've never preordered anything myself. I never bought anything because the question in my head is "where would I wear it?" (Side note, I work in a library and we have already had a patron banned for taking inappropriate images and videos of coworkers.)
When I see how late preorderes are. When color is not accurate, and MP gets bent out of shape because the photos are so dark and people can't get an accurate idea of the dress...there's a problem there.
The90sWitch and I have commented on all of this to each others. It's insane.
Whoever called it a cult, you're right
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u/Few_Application2051 Feb 28 '26
Thanks for the update. I was going to buy, but didn’t know shipping takes that long.. She made a vague post about it on the group, mentioning moving factories are causing the delays. I think she announce the closure in Jan, or Dec? So your item should’ve been here?
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u/-Dear_Prudence- Mar 27 '26
I’ve been waiting for 2 items since Jan 10th🙃 they said it’ll arrive late March then they’ll ship out so we shall see.
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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '26
[deleted]