- Charlotte loved growing up with both her Italian and Greek heritage but at school, she was bullied for looking different to her peers
- At age 27, Charlotte moved to London to re-discover herself and she stumbled across vintage dresses and burlesque classes
- Through learning the art of burlesque, Charlotte came to love and appreciate the parts of herself she was once ridiculed for when she was younger
Watching old movies from the 1940s and ’50s with my Italian grandad, Giuseppe, was one of my favourite pastimes as a teenager. I loved the glamour, romance, and the women in their full skirts. Sophia Loren was my idol.
‘She’s beautiful,’ I’d sigh.
‘They don’t make them like that anymore,’ Grandad would say.
I felt a connection to Sophia. With a Greek dad and Italian mum, I loved my heritage. Weekends were filled with big family gatherings sharing traditional dishes – dolmades, lasagne, and pasta bakes.
But while home was full of love, school was completely different. I was bullied for my body shape and how I looked, and kids would sneak up behind me and stick Blu Tack in my long, thick dark hair.
‘Got you!’ they’d laugh, running off.
So I withdrew into myself. I hated standing out and couldn’t wait to leave school.
At 18, I started a government traineeship in Darwin, where I lived. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave me stability. Still, a part of me longed for more.
So in 2012, at 27, I took a leap and moved to London, UK, on a working visa.
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It was the first time I’d stepped outside my comfort zone and I loved it.
Wandering through the iconic Camden Market, everything changed.
‘Wow… these are amazing,’ I gasped, running my hands over racks of vintage clothing.
There were beautiful 1950s dresses everywhere – cinched waists, full skirts, bold prints.
Picking up a gorgeous frock, I instantly thought of Sophia Loren and bought it on the spot.
‘Wow… these are amazing.’
When I put on the dress, something shifted. For the first time I didn’t feel self-conscious about my body. I felt feminine, beautiful and confident.
Hooked, I started wearing 1950s-style outfits every day – to work, out with friends, everywhere.
Then one day, I saw an ad that made my heart race.
Burlesque classes. All ages and sizes welcome.
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Burlesque dancing – a fun, modest striptease – was popular in the 1950s, so, intrigued, I signed up.
Arriving, I hesitated at the door. Oh gosh… what am I doing? I thought. This is far too risqué for me!
Taking a deep breath, I walked in anyway.
The room was full of women of all ages, shapes and backgrounds.
No-one looked perfect and no-one was judging.
This is far too risqué for me!
‘Welcome!’ the teacher smiled.
As the class began, I felt completely accepted. I even started to appreciate the things I’d once been bullied for – my long dark hair and my body shape.
I went week after week and, at the end of term, we were invited to perform in a theatre show. Terrified but excited, I agreed. I also created a stage persona – Valentina Volupte, as a tribute to my Italian roots.
Standing backstage on the night of the performance, my heart pounded. Then stepping onto the stage wearing an apron over lingerie, I performed the routine with the other girls, slowly shedding layers as part of the act. I felt empowered and free. When we finished, the audience gave us a standing ovation.
‘Encore!’ they cheered.
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I couldn’t believe it.
Back home in Australia, aged 30, I wasn’t the same person. Settling in Queensland, I returned to working in government admin. But creatively I wanted more.
So in 2016, at 32, I entered my first pageant – Miss Pinup Australia.
For the talent round, I performed a burlesque fan dance. No stripping this time – we were in a church hall, after all! I didn’t win, but it didn’t matter. I’d found a community of like-minded women.
These competitions weren’t about being the thinnest or most conventionally beautiful. They celebrated personality, stage presence and style.
I’d buy my vintage outfits online and I loved wearing my hair in classic Hollywood waves.
Over the next decade, competing in over 15 pageants, I rarely won, but every time I walked away with something bigger than a prize
– friendship, confidence and growth.
It wasn’t about winning – sometimes the prizes are just a voucher, or a few hundred dollars. It was about stepping on stage and celebrating who you are.
My partner Adam, 37, a work colleague I met in 2021, was my biggest supporter. ‘You look beautiful,’ he’d say.
Last year, I decided to go for the big one – the Pin-Up Pageant at Cooly Rocks On, one of Australia’s biggest vintage festivals.
The crowd was huge, and I was nervous as I performed a song medley inspired by classic films – ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, ‘Over the Rainbow’ and ‘Shall We Dance?’.
Halfway through, the microphone started cutting out, but I kept going!
My lilac strapless gown had its own story. I’d bought it online from an elderly woman in America.
‘I wore it when I was younger,’ she said, delighted it was getting a new life.
Wearing it on stage felt like carrying a piece of her history with me.
At the end of the comp, the judge made her announcement. ‘And the winner is… Valentina Volupte!’ she declared.
As the cheers hit me, I burst into tears. But it wasn’t just about the title. It was about the journey.
The girl who’d once been bullied for her looks had grown into a woman who embraced them – curves, hair, heritage and all.
And it all went back to those afternoons on the couch with Grandad, watching Sophia Loren light up the screen.
As the reigning champion, I’ve been invited back as a judge for the Pin-up Pageant at the Cooly Rocks On festival, running from 3-7 June at Coolangatta, Qld. It’s great to be encouraging other women the way I was once encouraged.
It’s funny how the things that once made you feel small can become your greatest strengths.
Pin-up and burlesque didn’t just change how I looked. They changed how I saw myself.
And that’s a feeling worth everything.
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