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Though the 1950s celebrated feminine curves and also gave birth to pin-up girls, it was still unusual for an icon to sport a fuller, rounder physique. When you hear the words "pin-up girl," the first thing that comes to mind is most likely Marilyn Monroe.
This woman was an icon, defining the pin-up model style. But contrary to the common misconception, she’d be around size two by today’s standards and nowhere near the alleged size 16. With Marilyn still embodying the perfect woman to this day, people sometimes forget about the other pin-up girls—for example, the iconic Hilda.
Created by illustrator Duane Bryers (1911-2012), Hilda was a plus-size girl who was definitely not shy about her chubbiness. Not only was she the only curvy girl in the pin-up game at the time, but she was also hilariously clumsy. Hilda pin-ups graced America’s calendars from around the 1950s to the 1980s, and to celebrate that, we are going to share some of Duane Bryers’ classy illustrations below. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite Hilda pin-up!
(h/t: vintageeveryday)
This post may include affiliate links.
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Who Drew Hilda Pin-Up?
The author of Hilda, the “unconventionally chubby” pin-up girl, is Duane B. “Dick” Bryers (1911 - 2012) from Tucson, Arizona. He was a painter, sculptor, and illustrator who became famous for his pin-up art.
From murals depicting the mining history of Minnesota to “girlie art” on aircraft fuselages (also called nose art), magazine illustrations, and watercolors depicting the cowboy life, Duane Bryers’ art was truly diverse.
However, what made him really famous was Duane Bryers’ Hilda, the cheerful pin-up model. He made about 250 drawings of her beginning in 1956 and up until the mid-80s. Hilda was just as famous as the other pin-up icon, Bettie Page, whose pictures frequenting all kinds of magazines during the 50s.
What is The History of Pin-Up Art?
The history of pin-ups begins as early as the 19th century when burlesque performers and actresses started using photographic advertisements both as business cards and as a means to advertise their shows. Later on, it became quite popular to sell these posters to anyone wanting them. Since those posters, and later magazine cut-outs, were usually pinned up somewhere on a wall or inside lockers of G.I.s during WWII, the term stuck, and the girls depicted in those banners started to be called pin-up models.
It’s true that those posters were mostly intended for an aesthetic purpose without any deeper meaning or thought in them, but there were also authors of pin-ups like Duane Bryers with unconventional ideas and whimsical commentary of the cult-like sexualization of women.
#8
#9
Catherina Fijalkauskaite 8 years ago
Rubens meets Monet, meets pin up & Duane Bryers <3 LOVE this one!
Who Was The Real Hilda?
Hilda’s realistic looks and cheery personality made lots of people believe that she was based on a real woman. However, Bryers denied the speculation by admitting that Hilda's pin-up was purely the creation of his imagination and not a depiction of someone he knew.
The brilliance of Hilda was in the fact that she always satirized the pin-up culture while also embracing its tropes, all that with a fun, adventurous, and very loving attitude. It’s really no wonder that Duane Bryers’ creation became this popular and is well-loved even though decades have passed and trends have changed tremendously.
Now, let’s get back to Hilda’s adventures on our list! And if you love any of them, don’t forget to tell us in the comments.
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#19
Julie Boyd 8 years ago
Bryers said that there really was no model for Hilda, that he created her in his head. That warms my heart to know that Hilda was his Dream Girl.
#26
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#41
Dana Dragonduck 8 years ago
Yes, this IS exactly what the boobies do when you are trying to carry a big heavy load.
#46
Barbara Williamson 6 years ago
the storytelling in each and everyone of these is so detailed. #BodyPositivity back when that wasn't a thing, Hilda haz it.
#47
Susanna Miller 8 years ago
It's mail order, brand new - the box and catalog are on the floor, the tag is indeed on the garment - and they sent a child's instead of an adult's. Look at the length!
#48
#49
#51
Jyllian Curran 6 years ago
This one is my favorite. So intimate the way that Hilda focuses directly on the viewer while showing her baby picture.
#55
#57
#68
#83
#90
M Mitchell Marmel 8 years ago
Aha! Now we know the secret! Hilda is actually the Mighty Katrinka, and she's waiting for the Toonerville Trolley! ;-)
#97
#101
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Shauna Moreno 6 years ago
You'd think she'd be a bit more tan with all of this fun in the sun!
#110
Tom O'Connor 6 years ago
Finally caught ya! Her hair is defying gravity. Still good though. Lol
#112
#113
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#118
Janine Randall 8 years ago
She reminds me of Debbie Reynolds in this one, the facial expression is perfect.
#132
Teodora Dîrjan 5 years ago
hahahahahaaaa 'v been there, done that. It happened to me when I put some wallpaper all by myself. But finally I did it !
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Edna Donohue 5 years ago
I love that he drew her so adventuress & calm in the face of situations like this!
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Robbie Quattrocchi 7 years ago
This is what I love about her. She's a farm girl who just does her thing.
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Grace Robertson 8 years ago
Hilda should save some leaves for her little outfit - leaves get brittle real fast.
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What do you think ?
Michel M. Prins 8 years ago
The thing I personally always find very outstanding about these drawings of Hilda compared to usual pin-up girls is that the usual pin-up girls were always shown at their best (best pose, best clothing, etc.). The thing with Hilda is that you see her in situations which are far from the way she planned it. You see her happy, sad, annoyed, dreaming, etc. which also includes very genuine facial expressions. The situations she's in makes her very human, likable and relatable. Most of the usual pin-up girls (even though they look absolutely beautiful, stunning and amazing) lack the thing that Hilda has: Being comfortable herself and being comfortable to be around.
Arty 8 years ago
true! but what still bothering me is why is "plus size" supposed to be linked to "clumsy"? isn't it a bit stereotypical? Like you said, the other pin-up girls were always shown at their best.
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Sasy 8 years ago
They are fantastic, I would love it if they were available as prints, or that Society 6 thing where you can get them on items, such as bags and cushions etc, I would LOVE that.
Ravyn Soleil 8 years ago
It's pretty easy to find sites online that do that!
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natedog2@msn.com 8 years ago
Even though these are 50plus years old, it's quite refreshingly to see something like this as opposed to what is portrayed nowadays. Two thumbs up
Aubrie Allen 8 years ago
I love that she's bigger and happy! It took me along time to be comfortable in my own skin. I'm like her, bigger, happy, and kinda hot!
adoracat 8 years ago
I was in my late 30's before I was comfortable in my own skin. Being told I was hot and sexy and beautiful finally sunk in.
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Matt Paton 8 years ago
Or maybe.. Duane Bryers was a genuine artist able to capture not only the female form, but also the personality of the subject. This has little to do with plus size and standard size subjects.
Lea S. 5 years ago
For some of us who have a body like Hilda's it hits home. Art has different meanings to different people.
Load More Replies...
Sally Barry 8 years ago
She is just the best! Notice she has a waistline, my mother always said a woman can be any size and look good if she has a waistline. I always wonder what her life is like: is she on vacation in these pictures, off for the summer? She's talking on a phone in one: who is she talking to? Does she have a job? How old is she? Seems to be very happy, but she's always alone except for those sweet animals.
Ruthann Buhrow 8 years ago
I was quite taken with the facial expressions, attention to hair movement, etc as well. I found that I spent less time looking at the full body of the picture. I was engrossed in the beauty and the trueness of her face!!!
Igor Molodetskiy 5 years ago (edited)
She is not a plus size, she is a right size. Great personality and a lot of fun.
Robert Oppenheimer 3 years ago
My folks owned a half and large sizes store back in the 1960s. There was always a Hilda calendar hanging in the office courtesy of one of our suppliers. I had totally forgotten (possibly a result of a stroke 3 years ago) until a friend's Facebook post jogged some memories.
Marilyn Bojanowski 5 years ago
I love this girl! Once you know her personality, her nakedness becomes less dirty, and more of a part of her innocence. Everyone out there think Disney princesses are pretty, well this girl is my idea of pretty!
Nadia Najjar 5 years ago
In 1966 I became an Artists Model in Manchester, UK, and because I had a similar body shape to Hilda I found that I was in great demand in various Schools of Art. I enjoyed it so much that when I migrated to Australia I continued to work as an Artists model for another 40 years.....! It was a wonderful experience. I’m now 80 years old and these pictures have brought back many happy memories for me....!
Lynda Watson 5 years ago
I remember some of these pictures,love them it shows what true people look like plus love the fact that they weren’t all posed and perfect. True reality !!!!
Vanessa Shaw 5 years ago
I love Hilda. She doesn’t take herself too seriously...loves animals..reading...painting....trying new things....is very comfortable with her nakedness...loves picking fruit and fishing...can’t sing but tries anyway. Her clothes are not meant to be provocative...she just feels more like herself in them. He expressions are priceless and refreshing.
Hadassa Rabinovich 6 years ago
There is a gal who has recreated several of these paintings in photos! They are so fun!
David Jeremy 6 years ago
I think the Marylin Monroe being a size 16 may have originated in the UK, I remember hearing it said years ago, where it's very believable. I believe US sizes are pretty different so it wouldn't apply over there.
Melissa Viau 6 years ago
I don't like the ones where she is harming fish or tormenting the cow, it really takes away from her beauty as a person to see her being cruel to animals. In these images she is lacking in empathy I would expect in such a beautiful character, in contrast to when she seems so sweet and caring about other animals (dog, cat, etc) in other images. Other than the images depicting violence to animals, the rest are absolutely beautiful and cute. <3
Christena Massey 6 years ago
Artist should have thought twice before making her a red head. No REAL red head would run around in the sun with so much skin exposed; take it from me.
Lea S. 5 years ago
What?! He was fantasizing. Why should it have to be that realistic? Do you see a lot of women running around with only wispy flowers covering them like that? I can't believe you think an artist creating his own dream girl is supposed to stop and consider this, it's just so silly. FYI - my hair is red and when I'm out on the boat in the summer - I definitely have that much skin exposed.
Load More Replies...
Tracy Doyle 6 years ago
Thank you for posting these incredible works of art! I have seen too many "fat girl" pin-ups that were either exaggerated and mocking or just exploitative. These really show a fun, sexy side of a happy, young, curvy girl. I do have one minor suggestion in your text however. The pinup girl was mainly a phenomenon of the '40s, especially in the war era. The original superstar pinup was Betty Grable and her million-dollar legs. They were often centerfolds from popular magazines. The idea was that WWII soldiers brought them to the war to have a gal to remind them of home. These Hilda drawings may have been done in the '50s, but the style harkens back to the WWII "cheesecake" style. Lovely works!
Laura White 6 years ago
happy and carefree, and above all showing her want of a better word human side
Connie Beattie 6 years ago
love Hilda....but, you have duplicated 2 pictures: #155 is the same as #27 and #160 is the same as #25.
Mercia-Dawn Greenwood 6 years ago
Had no idea Hilda even existed. I absolutely Love her! So refreshing from all those skeletal pin ups. Each and every pic was a joy!
Tash Goswami 8 years ago
If only real life fat was as gravity defying hers seems to be - no rolls, hanging upside down in real life means being smothered by boobs but hers stay pretty pert! But i love it and i love the fact that she is happy and chubby - real life should be more like this!
Fiona Messenger 8 years ago
Well it's pretty clear, she ain't no size 2, but she can shake it shake it like she's supposed to do :-D
Kristi Rogers 8 years ago
These are Wonderful! You can really tell the artist's intentions with Hilda and her personality. It really comes to life on the page. It would be great if there was a way that we could get prints of these photos.
Bethany Leigh 8 years ago
I feel like this artist just followed me around for a year to get inspiration for these.
Barbi Wilkerson 8 years ago
I like the pin ups that are silly like this. Were these made in 2015. I just started following its facebook
Brian Clarke 8 years ago
BBW pin-up artist Les Toil (who scanned all of these images) has them available I think. His website address is on most of those images above.
Rich McCormick 8 years ago
These are just gorgeous. I love the style and the compositions and the model is perfectly illustrated. LOVE
Glynis Lailann 8 years ago
Love it. This must be the pre-curser to Bridget Jones' Diary - about Real Women.
Christina Pasarya 8 years ago
There's a reason why it was forgotten, ..short,round, redheaded, ask any girl and they will not choose this look.
Lea S. 5 years ago (edited)
Excuse me? I'm short, round, and I've chosen to be red-headed. I happen to love my look. And it wasn't forgotten - I've known about Hilda for years.
Load More Replies...
Rosie Unger 8 years ago
You do know that Marilyn Monroe was technically "plus sized", dont you? She was a size 12 which is now considered to be "heavy* woman
Jami Russell 7 years ago
Actually that's long since been debunked. She was only a size 6, maybe an 8.
Load More Replies...
Amy Neal 8 years ago
She's beautiful but Marilyn Monroe was a size 14/16 which is also a plus size model.. she's probably the same size as this one… This girl is not that big if you look at pictures of Marilyn Monroe you'll see that they are about the same
Jami Russell 7 years ago
That's been debunked. Marilyn was a size 6/8, no larger.
Load More Replies...
Michel M. Prins 8 years ago
The thing I personally always find very outstanding about these drawings of Hilda compared to usual pin-up girls is that the usual pin-up girls were always shown at their best (best pose, best clothing, etc.). The thing with Hilda is that you see her in situations which are far from the way she planned it. You see her happy, sad, annoyed, dreaming, etc. which also includes very genuine facial expressions. The situations she's in makes her very human, likable and relatable. Most of the usual pin-up girls (even though they look absolutely beautiful, stunning and amazing) lack the thing that Hilda has: Being comfortable herself and being comfortable to be around.
Arty 8 years ago
true! but what still bothering me is why is "plus size" supposed to be linked to "clumsy"? isn't it a bit stereotypical? Like you said, the other pin-up girls were always shown at their best.
Load More Replies... Sasy 8 years ago
They are fantastic, I would love it if they were available as prints, or that Society 6 thing where you can get them on items, such as bags and cushions etc, I would LOVE that.
Ravyn Soleil 8 years ago
It's pretty easy to find sites online that do that!
Load More Replies... natedog2@msn.com 8 years ago
Even though these are 50plus years old, it's quite refreshingly to see something like this as opposed to what is portrayed nowadays. Two thumbs up
Aubrie Allen 8 years ago
I love that she's bigger and happy! It took me along time to be comfortable in my own skin. I'm like her, bigger, happy, and kinda hot!
adoracat 8 years ago
I was in my late 30's before I was comfortable in my own skin. Being told I was hot and sexy and beautiful finally sunk in.
Load More Replies... Matt Paton 8 years ago
Or maybe.. Duane Bryers was a genuine artist able to capture not only the female form, but also the personality of the subject. This has little to do with plus size and standard size subjects.
Lea S. 5 years ago
For some of us who have a body like Hilda's it hits home. Art has different meanings to different people.
Load More Replies... Sally Barry 8 years ago
She is just the best! Notice she has a waistline, my mother always said a woman can be any size and look good if she has a waistline. I always wonder what her life is like: is she on vacation in these pictures, off for the summer? She's talking on a phone in one: who is she talking to? Does she have a job? How old is she? Seems to be very happy, but she's always alone except for those sweet animals.
Ruthann Buhrow 8 years ago
I was quite taken with the facial expressions, attention to hair movement, etc as well. I found that I spent less time looking at the full body of the picture. I was engrossed in the beauty and the trueness of her face!!!
Igor Molodetskiy 5 years ago (edited)
She is not a plus size, she is a right size. Great personality and a lot of fun.
Robert Oppenheimer 3 years ago
My folks owned a half and large sizes store back in the 1960s. There was always a Hilda calendar hanging in the office courtesy of one of our suppliers. I had totally forgotten (possibly a result of a stroke 3 years ago) until a friend's Facebook post jogged some memories.
Marilyn Bojanowski 5 years ago
I love this girl! Once you know her personality, her nakedness becomes less dirty, and more of a part of her innocence. Everyone out there think Disney princesses are pretty, well this girl is my idea of pretty!
Nadia Najjar 5 years ago
In 1966 I became an Artists Model in Manchester, UK, and because I had a similar body shape to Hilda I found that I was in great demand in various Schools of Art. I enjoyed it so much that when I migrated to Australia I continued to work as an Artists model for another 40 years.....! It was a wonderful experience. I’m now 80 years old and these pictures have brought back many happy memories for me....!
Lynda Watson 5 years ago
I remember some of these pictures,love them it shows what true people look like plus love the fact that they weren’t all posed and perfect. True reality !!!!
Vanessa Shaw 5 years ago
I love Hilda. She doesn’t take herself too seriously...loves animals..reading...painting....trying new things....is very comfortable with her nakedness...loves picking fruit and fishing...can’t sing but tries anyway. Her clothes are not meant to be provocative...she just feels more like herself in them. He expressions are priceless and refreshing.
Hadassa Rabinovich 6 years ago
There is a gal who has recreated several of these paintings in photos! They are so fun!
David Jeremy 6 years ago
I think the Marylin Monroe being a size 16 may have originated in the UK, I remember hearing it said years ago, where it's very believable. I believe US sizes are pretty different so it wouldn't apply over there.
Melissa Viau 6 years ago
I don't like the ones where she is harming fish or tormenting the cow, it really takes away from her beauty as a person to see her being cruel to animals. In these images she is lacking in empathy I would expect in such a beautiful character, in contrast to when she seems so sweet and caring about other animals (dog, cat, etc) in other images. Other than the images depicting violence to animals, the rest are absolutely beautiful and cute. <3
Christena Massey 6 years ago
Artist should have thought twice before making her a red head. No REAL red head would run around in the sun with so much skin exposed; take it from me.
Lea S. 5 years ago
What?! He was fantasizing. Why should it have to be that realistic? Do you see a lot of women running around with only wispy flowers covering them like that? I can't believe you think an artist creating his own dream girl is supposed to stop and consider this, it's just so silly. FYI - my hair is red and when I'm out on the boat in the summer - I definitely have that much skin exposed.
Load More Replies... Tracy Doyle 6 years ago
Thank you for posting these incredible works of art! I have seen too many "fat girl" pin-ups that were either exaggerated and mocking or just exploitative. These really show a fun, sexy side of a happy, young, curvy girl. I do have one minor suggestion in your text however. The pinup girl was mainly a phenomenon of the '40s, especially in the war era. The original superstar pinup was Betty Grable and her million-dollar legs. They were often centerfolds from popular magazines. The idea was that WWII soldiers brought them to the war to have a gal to remind them of home. These Hilda drawings may have been done in the '50s, but the style harkens back to the WWII "cheesecake" style. Lovely works!
Laura White 6 years ago
happy and carefree, and above all showing her want of a better word human side
Connie Beattie 6 years ago
love Hilda....but, you have duplicated 2 pictures: #155 is the same as #27 and #160 is the same as #25.
Mercia-Dawn Greenwood 6 years ago
Had no idea Hilda even existed. I absolutely Love her! So refreshing from all those skeletal pin ups. Each and every pic was a joy!
Tash Goswami 8 years ago
If only real life fat was as gravity defying hers seems to be - no rolls, hanging upside down in real life means being smothered by boobs but hers stay pretty pert! But i love it and i love the fact that she is happy and chubby - real life should be more like this!
Fiona Messenger 8 years ago
Well it's pretty clear, she ain't no size 2, but she can shake it shake it like she's supposed to do :-D
Kristi Rogers 8 years ago
These are Wonderful! You can really tell the artist's intentions with Hilda and her personality. It really comes to life on the page. It would be great if there was a way that we could get prints of these photos.
Bethany Leigh 8 years ago
I feel like this artist just followed me around for a year to get inspiration for these.
Barbi Wilkerson 8 years ago
I like the pin ups that are silly like this. Were these made in 2015. I just started following its facebook
Brian Clarke 8 years ago
BBW pin-up artist Les Toil (who scanned all of these images) has them available I think. His website address is on most of those images above.
Rich McCormick 8 years ago
These are just gorgeous. I love the style and the compositions and the model is perfectly illustrated. LOVE
Glynis Lailann 8 years ago
Love it. This must be the pre-curser to Bridget Jones' Diary - about Real Women.
Christina Pasarya 8 years ago
There's a reason why it was forgotten, ..short,round, redheaded, ask any girl and they will not choose this look.
Lea S. 5 years ago (edited)
Excuse me? I'm short, round, and I've chosen to be red-headed. I happen to love my look. And it wasn't forgotten - I've known about Hilda for years.
Load More Replies... Rosie Unger 8 years ago
You do know that Marilyn Monroe was technically "plus sized", dont you? She was a size 12 which is now considered to be "heavy* woman
Jami Russell 7 years ago
Actually that's long since been debunked. She was only a size 6, maybe an 8.
Load More Replies... Amy Neal 8 years ago
She's beautiful but Marilyn Monroe was a size 14/16 which is also a plus size model.. she's probably the same size as this one… This girl is not that big if you look at pictures of Marilyn Monroe you'll see that they are about the same
Jami Russell 7 years ago
That's been debunked. Marilyn was a size 6/8, no larger.
Load More Replies... 
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