A classic pin up tattoo is one of the most recognized of these designs, being popular in World War II as a morale booster for airmen, seamen, and the likes of the army. As a good luck charm, a beautiful woman would be painted on the side of an airplane, on a ship, or tattooed upon someone's body.

No history of American pop culture in the 1940s would be complete without mention of Betty Grable, the most popular pinup girl of the World War II era.