How to Survive the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend
Once a year, Las Vegas becomes the mecca of rockabilly
culture as pinups, car enthusiasts, musicians and dancers take over the Orleans
Hotel and Casino for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend. After the recent
pandemic which saw the cancellation of such shows, many pinup and rockabilly
lovers are keen to make their annual pilgrimage back to Las Vegas. Whether you
are counting down the days, or wish to go there in the future, here some tips
on how to survive this mammoth event from Viva Veterans Miss Lolli Suzette,
Lucy Luxe, Miss Ruby Lane and Miss Lulu Divine:
Schedule
"Scope out the Viva program well in advance and map
out your days to ensure you get to the things you’re dying to see or do, first.
There’s often multiple amazing things happening at any given time, so you need
to think about where you want to be the most." - Lucy Luxe
"Check out the daily schedules that VLV has
released, have a plan for who are your “Must see” artists, acts, shows and
events. There is something for everyone so you will never be
bored. Might I suggest checking out the Bombshells and Dollies Movie
Premier (Staring Lulu Divine) – Friday Night 10pm at the Showrooms." -
Miss Lulu Divine
"One of the hardest decisions is choosing what shows
and events to go to. The best thing about Viva is there is so much to do,
so you never truly miss out on anything. Though I have to say there are two
shows I suggest you don’t miss, first one being the local sensation ‘Cherry
Rat’ with her vibrant fun rockabilly songs (might I add she’s also down to
earth and just a beautiful person!) and second ‘The Delta Bombers’, their shows
are always explosive with their Rock & Roll fused blues, country,
rockabilly sound (Catch them on the main stage at the Car Show on
Saturday)!" - Miss Lolli Suzette
(Miss Lolli Suzette at the car show)
Outfits
"Everyone at Viva dresses to impress so preparation
of your outfits is key. I plan my outfits in advance but I usually change
my mind at the last minute, especially after I lock eyes with all the stunning
vintage the vendors have on the racks that I NEED to buy! (Side note, Virgin
Australia allows one passenger to have two 25kg suitcases, that’s a total 50kg!
If you’re anything like me you’ll need it!) Theoretically, you are going to
need at least two outfits per day plus your swimsuit for the pool, realistically
you may only end up wearing half of what you pack, but at least you’re prepared
for anything! You’ll need comfortable but gorgeous day outfits for dancing,
shopping and pool parties and of course your show stopping Saturday Car Show
outfit! For night time pack your glamorously stunning night outfits as the
nights are filled with shows, more dancing, photo opportunities and of course
your choice of tequila cocktail (or whatever drink you like)! Oh and don’t
forget accessories, they really do make an outfit." - Miss Lolli
Suzette
"When coming from Australia, it goes without saying,
you’ll want to plan your outfits well in advance: It’s a long trip back home if
you forget the perfect accessory, right? I prepare a spreadsheet including
photos of my outfits in their entirety and even make a note of a desired
hairstyle too: Whether my hair behaves and does this on the day is another
thing entirely! People often plan two outfits per day, for both the daytime and
the evening. I know one time I threw in a third, because why not?!" -
Lucy Luxe
"I found it significantly less stressful to pre-plan
my outfits out, one for day time and one for night time. I find
bagging these outfits out (accessories included) into clip seal bags makes the
days and getting ready much easier." - Miss Lulu Divine
"Things to consider with outfit styling: Full outfit
planning usually requires accessories which can include; hat, bag, shoes,
bangles, earrings, belts, necklaces this is something to think about whilst
buying and also packing. If you have to travel light think of bulky accessories
like shoes, hats and bags you can reuse for a few outfits. I always try them on
before I take them to make sure everything is cohesive. Sometimes when
buying I use a collage app to piece outfits and potential accessories together
to see if they work before I make a purchase. When I’m packing I put my
accessories for that particular outfit in the corresponding handbag so
everything is together." - Miss Ruby Lane
(Lucy Luxe at the car show, photographer credit: David
Gatt)
Shoes
"Okay gals, I know we want our legs and feet to look
as glamourous as the rest of our outfit, however you will walk so much, dance
so much and have the sorest feet, so whether you consider your footwear for
comfort over fashion or compromise and put your heels in your bag for photo’s,
just be sure to take care of your feet. Soaking them at the end of the day
always helps as well." - Miss Lulu Divine
"Packing some gel cushions will help with the
constant wearing of heels if you’re not use to constant wear. Also pack
band-aids for precaution." - Miss Ruby Lane
Car Show
"Think about the heat you sometimes experience
attending events here in Australia… And then think about being in the actual
desert, all dolled up! The Vegas heat can get real at the car show, so a
parasol is definitely recommended. Luckily, Viva does a parasol in their
merchandise each year, so it doubles as a perfect keepsake after it’s served
its protective purposes!" - Lucy Luxe
"Take business cards. You do not have to be a
professional model to have your own business cards, you are going to meet so
many amazing Pinups, Photographers, Companies etc. It’s impossible to remember
everyone and for them to remember everyone, having your cards with a picture of
your face will help them remember and assist you with networking. Be sure to
pop your social media on the card." - Miss Lulu Divine
"Saturday is the BIG day! Bands, classics, drinks,
shopping and the pinup pageant all while recovering from the first two days of
Viva and the Viva Pre-parties if you’re really game! But not everyone buys
Hi-Roller tickets (ticket for the whole 4 days) some only come for the Car Show
on Saturday so it is busy busy busy. My biggest tips for surviving the Car Show
are; drink plenty of water as its always hot, comfortable shoes are must, you
will definitely need a parasol (hot tip: the vendors sell cute flats for
a low price and you can get a practical souvenir Viva parasol as well!),
buy all your Viva souvenirs at the car show as these vendors are only open for
one day. Make friends with a car club (its always fun to meet new people
and they might let you sit and have a drink for a bit in the shade) and if you
want to be front and centre for a show on the main stage, get there
early!" - Miss Lolli Suzette
"Remember sun cover! If you plan on going to the
pool party and the car show slip slop slap! Make sure you are wearing and
reapplying sunscreen, plan an outfit with a hat and a parasol also comes in
handy. It gets HOT! Also make sure you carry water." - Miss Ruby
Lane
(Miss Lulu Divine at the car show)
Shopping
"Empty those piggy banks because you are going to
want to bring the cash! Not only are there vendors at the Car Show on Saturday,
there is two full function room upstairs dedicated to shopping. Many of the
vendors sell vintage of all sizes and styles. And if you arrive a week early
Vintage Alley in Downtown Vegas holds a pre-viva event where the vintage shops
stay open after hours and host pinups such as ‘Vintage Vandal’, who is there to
help you find that vintage piece you definitely need!" - Miss
Lolli Suzette
"When the vintage vendor shopping opens on the
Thursday evening, it can only be described as manic! A piece of advice I was
given, was to pack a measuring tape in my purse so I could measure any items of
interest without having to try them on: Speedy shopping? Yes
please!" - Lucy Luxe
Hair and Skin Care
"The dry Nevada desert can be cruel to our
Australian hair! Styling may be difficult, when you arrive in Vegas, go to a
Walmart or a drug store and stock up on styling products. I recommend
taking both heat and foam rollers (don’t forget your converter for the
electrics). Throughout my vast travels through America I have encountered
this issue a lot, the weather, water and constant Air conditioning is not
something our skin is accustomed to, if you have sensitive skin be sure to pack
plenty of skin care products, including loads of sunscreen – the sun will feel
warm and won’t have the same bite as QLD sun and before you know it you will be
sunburnt for the remainder of you VLV experience." - Miss Lulu
Divine
"Travel comfortably. Don’t stress too much about pre
boarding selfies or in flight snaps. If you have a long haul flight, comfort is
your first priority, make sure you move during the flight. I usually set my
hair wet before I go and leave it wrapped in a scarf, as I usually just go for
viva. Wearing makeup on the flight clogs your pores but if you’re worried
bring a mini makeup kit on board and do your makeup before you land. If
you wet set pack a curling wand anyway in case you need touch ups in a hurry!" -
Miss Ruby Lane
(Miss Ruby Lane and Ivy Fox at the Pool Party)
Self Care
"I cannot stress this enough, VLV is such an amazing
experience that will have you busy all hours of the day and night, so remember
to look after your body and eat regularly." - Miss Lulu Divine
"If it’s your first time going to Vegas and Viva
there are a few things to consider; you’ll want to do EVERYTHING, which
generally means very little sleep, remember to stay hydrated as the
climate is very dry and hot and eat regularly or you will find yourself getting
sick. Also, the air in the hotels. This can be very irritating for anybody who
isn’t use to smoking being permitted indoors. They use a perfume agent in the
air conditioning to try to mask the smell a little and this wreaks havoc on my
eyes. Consider some antihistamine eye drops and something to stop the puffing
underneath your eyes (you may want to seek a medical opinion for this)." -
Miss Ruby Lane
Expect the unexpected
"There is a handy app for Viva which can help you
plan your weekend. But don’t be disappointed if you miss anything because
sometime you meet new people and plans don’t always go as expected. Enjoy the
randomness that viva can also bring!" - Miss Ruby Lane
"Something I learnt early on is to mark on your
program what you want to do and see, then be prepared to have your plans be
completely flipped upside down and be caught up in all the fun around
you!" - Miss Lolli Suzette
Enjoy it!
"Most importantly, soak it all in. My first Viva was
a little overwhelming due to the sheer amount of awesome things happening and a
feeling of disbelief I was actually there. The second time around, I was better
able to really enjoy it." - Lucy Luxe
"The main thing about travelling all that way to
attend Viva is that you have sooo much fun that you just want to keep going
back!" - Miss Lolli Suzette
"The biggest thing to remember during viva is to not
to be disappointed if things don’t go to plan. Viva is a big melting pot of
rockabilly culture from all over the world, its great to stop and chat to
people about things that bring you together, music dancing and fashion. The
people you meet make the world of difference and make the experience that much
more special." - Miss Ruby Lane
Did you love all of these tips from our local gals? Make
sure you also pop in over to The Flying Pinup's blog and read her 'The Pinup's Ultimate
Guide to Las Vegas' for some amazing places to check out while you are
in town.
Find everything you need to know about the event on their
website here.
It's definitely on my bucket list!
Renae xo