The French Cuff

April 5, 201728 Comments

Be still, my heart

For the longest time, I didn’t understand french cuffs…or rather, I didn’t understand how they could work for me. French cuffs seemed like something only fancy men would wear to a black tie event…or like Don Cherry. They seemed impractical and thus, useless to me. It wasn’t until this long-longsleeve trend started happening, that I started to look at french cuffs in a new light. I am certainly not wearing them how they were designed to be worn, but I am wearing them in a way that works for me. And so I’ve been trying to play with clothes in this way sometimes…wearing them not necessarily how they were intended but in a way that makes sense for me and adds interest to my outfits. I never truly got down with the minimalist trend that happened, but there is this new wave post-minimalism style that makes sense to me. It combines function and basic-ness with something more exciting…it’s like haute fashion for the normal people of this world, which is certainly me.

One of my followers on instagram asked me the other day how I would describe my style…and I was left a bit perplexed, because I often feel like I dress several different ways. Somedays it is romantic, with ruffles and bows and girly shit, other days very post-minimalist, sometimes it’s the simplicity of Parisian style, some days I’d describe it as “boy”, sometimes it is so reminiscent of the 70s…it’s all over the map, but there is something congruent about it all when I look at how it reflects my life. I’ve always wanted to fill my life with the things I love. Why can’t you have everything you want? And so my fashion often mirrors that sentiment…I love so many styles and am inspired by so many people that I just want to have it all when it comes to style. And really, that’s how it should be. Style doesn’t have to be defined and you should certainly only be dressing for yourself. If you don’t give a fuck about style then don’t give a fuck about it. And if you do care, show that you care, but only because it is truly something that matters to you and brings joy to your life.

-WHAT I WORE-
Shirt, Trench, Handbag: vintage via CS | Overalls: vintage Jacob | Loafers: Nine West

Act Three Apparel SS’17 Lookbook

March 28, 20173 Comments

Another amazing collection and lookbook

If you have been around here for awhile, then you are well aware that I have been working with Act Three Apparel for several years now; as a model and stylist for their AW’15 and 16 lookbooks and as a stylist for SS’16 and 17 lookbooks. Watching this label grow has been truly amazing. As soon as Sarah approached me with designs for the first collection I knew it would be loved by many of you and by my blogging/instagram pals and community. Aside from feeling a sense of pride for the brand, being able to meet some online friends that I maybe would never had the chance to meet, first Gaby Cetrulo for SS’16 and then Annika White for this collection, has been another wonderful part of this job. Annika is beautiful, as you can see, and funny as heck. There is nothing I love more than a girl with an improbable doll-like disposition and a kick-ass personality. Annika was the perfect face for this collection and Danielle brought it together with her dreamy imagery and analogue prowess that make these lookbooks what they are.

Photographer: Danielle Suzanne
Model: Annika White
Stylist: Alex Spence (me hi!)
Art Direction: Sarah MarlandYou can find the collection at these spots.

Being Kind To Yourself

March 15, 2017March 15, 201715 Comments

how the hell do we do that?

I shot these awhile back, and until recently, I wasn’t really sure why I hadn’t gotten around to sharing them. Aside from me not totally loving all the images I took, I also found myself being hyper-critical about my appearance…which seems to be my way lately. I have come to learn I am so mean to myself. I never find myself thinking horrible things about the people around me, but for whatever reason, when it comes to me, I am downright nasty. I am certain I am not the only person who does this to themselves.

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Is It Crushing Us All?

February 28, 2017March 14, 201716 Comments

Or is it just me?

Hi guys!!! Long time no talk or post or whatever. I am still alive and well. I feel slightly out of practise with this blog…like what do I even write about anymore? That’s probably the reason I haven’t been posting as much…I just don’t have much to say, and if I do, I post it in real time on Instagram. Are blogs dying? What do you guys think? Do we like YouTube more? Is Instagram just more accessible and the speed at which we take in information? Are we just too busy to sit down and read, or really write something? How can I be a blogger when I don’t even take the time to read blogs anymore? These are questions I wonder…stupid questions, really, because in the grand scheme of the world, they don’t even matter. But, in the grand scheme of my life, I am deeply a part of this world. I am supposed to care about what is new or what social medium is the best. I am supposed to be battling my way to the top, to have the most followers and the most success. And honestly, I do care and I do battle, but then I also dislike myself for caring too much and battling too much. Social media seems like it is crushing us all, and we all feel it, but we don’t really try wriggle our way out, and we struggle to see how it truly benefits our lives, but we also love it because it validates a lot of us and it gives us purpose and it influences us and inspires us…but it’s still crushing us and we still don’t really know how it benefits us.

Nobody starts a blog to just do it anymore. Everyone wants to make money from it. Everyone wants to find the quick and easy route to the top. But for a lot of us, we’ve been at it a long time and it’s almost more about luck than anything. I am not at all saying it’s bad to want or make money from social media, afterall, I do, but blogging has become this idealized job that anyone thinks they can do if they have a camera and a computer. It’s not an easy job though. It takes talent and it takes real effort and constant work. It’s a tiring one, that takes away from your real life and the people in your real life.

I am not sure how all of this reading right now? It’s not mean’t to be bitter or misanthropic. I’m more writing this for myself than anything. To just get it out. I love social media, but then I also dislike it. I daydream about disappearing from it some days, but then I also wonder who I would be without it, and that is fucking sad and scary.

Would love to hear all of your thoughts in the comments below. This post is not mean’t to call anyone out or read like I am giving up. I guess I just wanted to start a discussion. To see how we all feel. This space has always been about wanting to connect, so that I don’t feel alone and so you don’t either. To let us all know a lot of our feelings are universal, regardless of all the things that seem to set us apart.

– WHAT I WORE –
Sweater: vintage via CS (similar; found it in blue!) | Jeans: vintage Levi’s (similar) | Boots: Zara via CS (similar)

*photos by Zach

A Relaxed One

February 6, 201717 Comments

this is what i got up to

I’m starting a new series on the blog and as the name implies, i will be sharing a day in my life – from the exciting to the mundane. This idea came to mind in an effort to get myself to pick up my camera more often, document day to day life as it is, and test myself on how I can share a day in images with little to no words. This first go was alright. There were parts in the day I wished I had documented, like our delicious homemade fresh rolls dinner and a very hilarious TV setup for our Riverdale/tickle documentary viewing. But ah well! One post at a time.
OKAY ANDIE | IADWM: A Relaxed One