This Friday, May 9 at 3 Kings Tavern, Paper Dolls pays tribute to Mother’s Day with a party for the winners of their pin-up contest for mother's ONLY.

Kaffeine Buzz: How did you decide to create Paper Dolls and what have you learned from your clients along the way. Are they looking for something other than your standard lingerie photos?

Jim Narcy: I decided to create Paper Dolls-- A Pin-Up Party because I fell in love with the concept of the company as a whole and the effect it has on our clients. You can't separate "A Pin-Up Party" from the name Paper Dolls. Our photo shoots take up the better part of a day and are done is a social setting among friends or a group of ladies that are interested in a certain pin-up theme. This social environment nearly eliminates the pressure of being in front of the camera-- worrying about not having a perfect body etc. Besides, who has a perfect body? It doesn't exist. When clients are relaxed and feel the freedom to play in front of the camera it allows me to capture their spirit. This is where true beauty emanates. The results have been outstanding and often surprising. Clients are regularly overjoyed and say to me, "Oh my God! I never thought I could look that good!" The boost in self confidence and true joy I see in their eyes is a great reward. I discovered a noble purpose in what I do and it’s not just about making money or "taking pictures of hot chicks." Personally I shoot a lot of editorial work and from time to time photograph professional models. Contrasting this reaction with the typical "ho-hum" response I get from professional models is striking. These are the elements that sold me on the company.

My clients have varying interest in what types of pin-up art they would like produced, but the typical lingerie photos are the most atypical for Paper Dolls. Our clients have requested the most unusual themes like Pirates and Sailors or James Bond Girls or Pillow Fight Pajama Party with the emphasis on the pillow fight not the pajamas. Burlesque has been very popular too, but again its more about the tease than the strip. Cindy Lauper said it best, "girls just want to have fun." This is difficult to explain to my guy friends. A man's idea of beauty and sensuality is totally different than a woman's. A quick flip through Play Boy compared to Vogue will demonstrate that. The only way I can explain to the guys is purely economical-- I make more money taking pictures of girls with their clothes on than with their clothes off.

Kaffeine Buzz: What type of women have been your clients?

Our clients have ranged in age from 18-65 years old. Frankly, the older women are much more fun to photograph. They have been thinking about this for decades and are not afraid to play in front of the camera-- they have decided to party. We photograph some women in the rockabilly/scooter crowd and lots of mothers. Definitely the "girl next door," and woman that want a boost in self confidence…ones that have the sneaking suspicion that they can break the current beauty myth of the fashion magazine's ideals, and after being photographed by Paper Dolls, their suspicions are proven to be true.

KB: What have been the occasions for them getting their photos done?

JN: Good question. For some there is no occasion-- they just want to have fun. At other times it is a huge occasion like a bachelorette party, or they just got divorced, or lost weight, or had a baby and now want to feel sexy again. Primarily the photos are for themselves, not their boyfriend or husband.

KB: How did you come up with this photo contents and what took place at your last event?

JN: The Mother's Day Pin-Up Contest is another way of breaking the myth of fashion magazine beauty. Many women after having a baby have a significant change in self concept and don't feel as sexy as they once did. I want to show that they are and more importantly to honor them for being mothers. I feel motherhood is commonly disparaged and not honored. Mothers are no longer hip and cool and part of the "in crowd." How absurd, this is the beginning to another chapter of womanhood. What an exciting adventure. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart. Our own mothers (even if we had awful mothers) daily saved our lives when we were infants crying in our cribs marinating in our own urine. Of course this is just the beginning. Even into our adult years, mothers continue to bless us and save our lives in greater ways.

KB: How did the contestant photo sessions go these past few times, and how many people have registered thus far?

JN: Paper Dolls photographed contestants at La Rumba on April 26th and at Brix on May 3rd and each event was a delight. The ladies arrived dressed to the nines in full pin-up style. The most fun one being at Brix. The photo studio was set up near a large window looking out onto 22nd Ave. As Rockie's fans left the baseball game they would stop and stare at all of our beautiful dolls being photographed. It was quite a spectacle. Thirty mothers registered for the contest from as far south as Colorado Springs and as far north as Brighton Colorado.

KB: What can you tell us about the emcee team?

JN: The idea for the emcee team of Lucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo came from the Mambo theme of the party. We're having a Latin Jazz band play and having a dance performance troupe as well so as I dwelled on the 1950s theme of the pin-up photos the first thought that popped into my head was I Love Lucy. Lucy was a mom and a powerful successful woman that I imagine ladies could look up to. Her husband, Desi Arnez was known for his Mambos and Latin Jazz so it was a perfect match. Our Ricky is played by Jefferson Arca famed for his Naughty Pierre's Burlesque and Comedy show at Lannie's Clowtower Cabaret. I've seen him perform countless times and he is a wonderful talent. His performance alone is worth the whole ticket price of our party.

KB: What designers will be a part of the fashion show?

Our fashion show coordinator, Gretchen Sutphin, told me about a new line of clothing that has a nod to the 1950s pin-up theme in a location you would not readily expect-- David's Bridal. Paper Dolls is about discovering the unexpected beauty in everyone, so why not give it a go? And after seeing what their Special Occasions line has to offer and at the great prices they have, I was sold, and am happy to have them along for the ride. Our pin-up contest finalists (see attached photos) will be the models for the fashion show and have plenty of verve so it'll be a hoot and a holler to be sure.

Paper Dolls' NAUGHTY MAMBO Pin-Up Party

ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDES:
Comedian Emcees Lucile Ball and Ricky Ricardo
Fashion Show
Sexy Cabaret and Naughty Mambo dance performances
Maunel Lopez Latin Jazz Project
Free Naughty Mambo dance lession
Free Drawings
Pin-Up Art Show
Winners of Mother's Day Pin-Up Contest Announced

JIM BEAM and FLYING DOG drink specials all night

letbeautyloose.com/paperdolls

-Kim Owens, May 8, 2008