Photos and story by Jessica Del Curto
She was a small town Catholic girl from a traditional Hispanic family in Tome. She was in Albuquerque, studying business at UNM.
He was a "drifting white boy," a wanderer, who joined the military when he was 15. He ended up in Albuquerque, where he spotted her on a ferris wheel and squeezed himself in to the seat next to her.
Much to the dismay of her parents, it was love at first sight. She dropped out of school, married him, and eventually had seven children.
“But I am so glad they did,” says Joyce Baca, granddaughter of the couple, Carmen and Earl Ward. “They were so in love throughout their marriage. I remember sitting in the living room, watching them dance the jitterbug and the foxtrot. He had a voice like Johnny Cash, and she would sing to him in Spanish."
It’s the memories of her grandparents -- and their stories of the good old days -- that inspired Joyce to open up a shop along Central Avenue, 66 Pin-Ups, filled with ‘50s and '60s-style women's clothing. It's also what prompted her to host a rockabilly-themed car and fashion show called “A Trip Down Memory Lane," to be held tonight at Salsa Baby.
All the proceeds will go toward the New Mexico chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Joyce has seen firsthand what the effects of losing one's memory can have on a person and their family. It was Alzheimer's that took the life of her Grandma Carmen two years ago on Valentine’s Day.
“My grandmother inspired me so much,” said Joyce. "She really was my everything, and she called me her guardian angel. I wanted to be able to give back in some way, and also help other families who are going through some of the same things that we did."
66 Pin-Ups opened it’s doors in July, and the boutique is packed with dresses styled from the era of Swing, Rockabilly, and Pin-Up. With the popularity of shows like Mad Men and Pan Am, there's been a recent surge in popularity of fashion from the '50s and '60s. Higher waisted inseams, collared necklines, and longer hemlines have hit both the runway and the fashion blogs.
Joyce says the country’s fascination with this look is easily explainable. “There was something so rich and wholesome about this time," she says. "I love the idea that you can still be 100 percent sexy without being vulgar." For her, Bettie Paige is as risque as it gets. "I am so not into the tall high heels and the night club clothes that girls wear these days," she said.
Joyce keeps her boutique stocked with items from the clothing brand Bettie Page, but also boasts a few local designers as well. Punkabilly aprons are made by local designer Evelyn and Joanne, and a rack is filled with homemade dresses by seamstress Jean Buhl of Jean Bean Designs.
66 Pin-Ups teamed with the clothing store Dressed To Kill Clothier, to bring both men and women's fashion to the show. A silent auction will also take place, and vintage rides from Bombardiers Car Club will be parked outside of Salsa Baby.
"I'm excited to see the local models dressed in clothes from the store," she said. "I love that '50s-style clothes look good on all body types," she said. "The curvier, the better."
"A Walk Down Memory Lane"
Tonight, doors open at 6:30.
Salsa Baby - 307 Central Avenue NW
Joyce Baca, owner of 66 Pin-Ups.
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