Tag: #PinupCommunity

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👠 The Day After Heels

When Your Toes Are Still Mad and the Pavement Was 100 Degrees

I just wrapped my very first pageant as a host, the inaugural Firehouse Fatales, and let me tell you, it was a flaming success in more ways than one. The vibe? Immaculate. The contestants? Absolute knockouts. The temperature? Oh, just a casual 100 degrees in late June in Wyoming.

We were out in the blazing sun all day, surrounded by vintage cars, concrete, and the kind of dry heat that sucks the hydration straight out of your skin. I wore heels basically all day, because of course I did, and I walked several blocks back and forth between venues, handled emcee duties, and made sure everyone had what they needed. I also smiled through it all like my toes weren’t actively trying to escape my body.

By the time I got home, I was sweaty, crusty (literally, I had a salt layer on my face), dehydrated despite gallons of water, and my toes… were numb. Not just a little. We’re talking weird tingles under my big toenails well into the next day.

So what was going on?

Turns out it was a perfect storm:

  • Hours of walking in heels on hard concrete
  • Scorching heat drawing every drop of moisture out of my body
  • Swelling that I couldn’t see but absolutely felt. I couldn’t even fit into a pair of shoes the next day that normally slide right on
  • Electrolyte imbalance despite drinking water and even a Gatorade
  • A good ol’ dose of nerve compression in my feet
  • Not to mention less that two hours of sleep the night before

I had forgotten how much your body can shout at you after the adrenaline of a big event wears off. And this time, it was shouting in Morse code through my toenails.

If this ever happens to you, here’s what to do:

Post-Heel Foot Recovery Checklist:

☐ Rehydrate, for real
Water isn’t enough if you’ve sweated out your minerals. Add in a real electrolyte (LMNT, Liquid IV, or a mix of salt, lemon, and a pinch of potassium powder or cream of tartar).
(Up next I’ll immediately post my favorite summertime electrolyte drink!)

☐ Take your magnesium
This helps with nerve repair, muscle cramps, and those middle-of-the-night Charlie horses I definitely had.

☐ Elevate your feet
Prop your legs up above your heart for 30 to 60 minutes and let gravity help out your circulation.

☐ Soak those feet
Warm Epsom salt soaks are your friend. Add a little peppermint oil if you’re feeling fancy.

☐ Gently massage and stretch
Use your hands or roll a ball under your arch. Flex your toes, roll your ankles, and gently scrub around the nail beds with a soft toothbrush to stimulate sensation.

☐ Wear forgiving shoes
Don’t shove your foot back into anything that compresses your toes. Let them breathe and decompress.

☐ Rest and watch
Numbness that improves over 24 to 48 hours is normal. But if it worsens, spreads, or sticks around too long, talk to a provider.

I’m sharing this not just because it’s helpful, but because I want you to know that even when you’re standing tall (in heels, in public, in a 100° inferno), the crash afterward is real. You can be proud of what you pulled off and take the time to recover properly.

I’m giving my feet the night off and tomorrow I’ll be back in my flats, planning the next big thing. Maybe a little wiser. Maybe a little more hydrated. Definitely with happier toes.

xoxo
-S

P.S. – This year’s Firehouse Fatales event was everything I hoped it would be. We had a full lineup of stunning contestants, a fantastic crowd, and a solid vintage car show to set the scene. From the Pin-up Pitstop to the judges’ scorecards, every little detail came together. My family helped, our sponsors showed up in a big way, and the community really showed us love. It was hot, it was a little chaotic behind the scenes, but it was beautiful. I’m so proud of what we pulled off and already excited for what next year might bring. I’ll be sharing a full recap post soon with more photos, the story behind the event, and how you can get involved next year, so keep your eyes peeled.

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Becoming Sophie Atomic

Why I Stopped Holding Myself Back and Stepped Into Pinup

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved the world of pinup and rockabilly. The bold styles, the effortless confidence, the timeless silhouettes. I was drawn to it in a way that felt almost instinctual, like I had known in another life that I belonged there.

But I never let myself truly step into it.

I spent years believing I wasn’t enough. Not pretty enough. Not thin enough. Not the right type of person for it. Somewhere along the way, I absorbed the idea that pinup was for a certain kind of woman, and I wasn’t it.

I don’t know exactly where that belief came from. Maybe it was growing up in a world that constantly tells women they need to fit a mold. Maybe it was the echoes of people making fun of me when I was younger for dressing in the style. Maybe it was an ex-boyfriend, years ago, who went out of his way to make me feel less than; an insecurity that lingered far longer than he ever did.

But here’s what I do know: I was wrong.

Every woman is worthy. Every woman has value. And the only thing that had ever kept me from stepping into this world was me.

I turned 40 last December and realized that my life was not what I wanted. It was also not what 15-year-old me had dreamed of. That was a gut punch, but it was also a turning point. I decided that if I wanted something different, I had to stop waiting and go after it.

So I did. And the moment I took that first step, the doors flew open.

How It All Started: Saying Yes to Miss Oil City

The first opportunity came unexpectedly.

Boston Betty, who competes in pinup and works as a photographer, reached out to invite my roller derby team to compete in Miss Oil City, a pinup pageant happening on May 24th in Casper, Wyoming. She was waiving the entry fee for the skaters, giving us a chance to step into something completely new.

I freaked out.

For two hours, I spiraled, going back and forth between I want to do this so badly and I can’t, I’ll make a fool of myself. But then a teammate said six words that changed everything:

“Why don’t you just go for it?”

So I did.

That one choice, the decision to say yes, set off a chain reaction.

From Casper to Arizona: The RockNRoute Rendezvous

After I signed up for Miss Oil City, the universe decided to test just how serious I was about stepping into this new world.

Through the pageant, I was introduced to an incredible woman named Jezebel Jinx, who runs a huge pinup community in Williams, Arizona. She told me she was doing a speed round of applications for RockNRoute Rendezvous, a major pinup competition happening September 13–14, but applications closed the next day.

My stomach dropped.

I wanted to apply. I really wanted to apply. But fear crept in again.

Thankfully, my mom, the absolute rock that she is, pushed me to go for it. And so, I did. Less than 24 hours later, I found out I had been accepted.

In two months, I had gone from doubting whether I even belonged in pinup to competing in two pageants, one of them at a national level.

This wasn’t just something I admired anymore. I was in it.

Finding My Place in the Pinup Community

I expected to feel out of place.

I thought I’d be the odd one out, the woman fumbling through her first steps in a world full of polished professionals. But what I found instead was one of the most supportive, empowering groups of women I’ve ever met.

These aren’t just pretty faces posing for photos. These are real women with real lives, real struggles, and real stories. And yet, no matter what they have going on, they show up for each other. They cheer each other on, hype each other up, and make sure no one feels like they don’t belong.

For so long, I had believed that stepping into this world required perfection. It doesn’t. It requires confidence, authenticity, and the courage to take up space.

Yesterday, for the first time, I felt it click.

As the women around me told me I was beautiful, that they were proud of me for taking a chance on myself, something shifted. I wasn’t an outsider looking in.

I belonged here.

Meet Sophie Atomic

With all of this happening, I knew I needed a name that fit the energy of this transformation.

I love all things Cold War era. The Atomic Age, the mid-century aesthetic, the firecracker energy of it all. It felt right. Sophie is cute, pinup-esque, and keeps the “S” theme that still feels like me.

And so, Sophie Atomic was born.

Sophie Atomic isn’t a character. She’s me without the fear. She’s me at full confidence, at full volume.

The Next Chapter: Miss Oil City, RockNRoute, and My First Magazine Feature

Right now, I’m in full prep mode. I’ve spent hours scrolling Pinterest for outfit ideas, practicing hair and makeup, working on my walk, my poses, my presence.

At first, I thought I had to play it safe. Lean into classic or kitschy pinup because that’s what felt “acceptable.” But the more I grow into this, the more I realize that playing it safe isn’t me.

I’m not just pinup. I’m rockabilly. I’m psychobilly. I’m a little louder, a little edgier, a little rougher around the edges. And that’s exactly the kind of energy I’m bringing to these competitions.

Beyond the pageants, I’m also planning my first magazine feature in Rods N’ Rebels. Jezebel Jinx, who runs the magazine, has welcomed me into her La’Rouge Rebelz troupe and invited me to submit photos whenever I’m ready. She told me she has every faith I’ll fit right in.

That moment, standing there realizing a pinup magazine will be publishing my photos, was surreal.

If You’re Waiting for the Right Time, Stop Waiting

If I’ve learned anything through this journey, it’s this: you don’t need permission to chase the life you want.

I used to think I wasn’t enough. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter what size you are, what you look like, or how much experience you have. You are worthy. You have value.

And if there’s something calling to you, something you’ve always wanted to do but fear has held you back, this is your sign to go for it.

I spent years standing on the sidelines. That ends now.

Follow My Journey + Get Inspired

I’ll be sharing every step of this experience, from competitions to behind-the-scenes looks at my transformation, on:
📌 Pinterest – My pinup inspiration board
📷 Instagram: @LevelUpSaho – Outfits, pageant prep, and photoshoots
📺 YouTube: LevelUpSaho – Vlogs and behind-the-scenes content
📝 Right here on this blog – Deep dives into my journey

This is just the beginning. Let’s make it happen.

xoxo
-S