"I think it's such a classy and timeless era," said Alicia Estrada, founder and CEO of Stopstaringclothing.com. "Think about the femme fatales like Joan Crawford, Dolores Del Rio and Rita Hayworth."
Unlike some fashion, retro dress is all about leaving something to the imagination.
"I feel like we are in a new era where women want to look sexy, but they don't want to show every inch of skin," Estrada said.
"You don't have to be wearing a miniskirt or a low-cut shirt, you could still feel sexy and you could still feel confident in what you're wearing," said Lola D., a pin-up model and mother of two.
Stop Staring clothes are curve-friendly yet classic, but expect to spend some more time achieving the look.
"It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort to look the way the women did back in the day. I think it's a lost art," said Paula Baby.
Not to be outdone, what about the fellas? Photographer Greaser Aaron specializes in pin-up art and admits retro is a way of life.
"It's personal preference, I like the greaser look, I like to drive a hot rod, I like to pomp my hair," he said. "I dig the style of the pin-up girls."
Once you've got the glamorous clothes, you need wheels, Southern California retro-style. N2A Motors based in Corona has been customizing modern-day hot rods, like the 789, a sleek, cherry-red and black automobile inspired by a late 1950s Chevy with the muscle and technology of today.
"It's back when cars were sexy, and that's what we're bringing back, when cars had curves," said Gene Langmesser, president of N2A Motors.
Langmesser says it's a collaboration of "old school meets new school."
"Everybody kind of stops what they're doing just to watch you," Estrada said. "It's kind of a really neat era, and I think that's why people love it so much."
