Updon’t

December 1, 2014December 1, 2014Leave a comment

My hair being worn in any way other than down is a rare sight. If I’m being honest, I don’t much like the way I look with my hair up, but that feeling flip-flops. When I had short hair I didn’t mind having an exposed neck, and quite often when I was growing it out I would just throw my hair into a top-knot and go about my day (the top-knot was way better than the weird length it was at). But now that my hair is long it has become a pseudo-invisibility cloak of sorts. It hides all the things I am a bit self-conscious about (forehead, ears…), silly things really, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way sometimes. The other reason that my hair often stays down (or in a side braid) is that my hair is thick. When I’m at dance rehearsals I won’t even bother trying to put my hair up and out of my face because inevitably it will fall out after 2 minutes of moving around. The only way to ensure my hair will stay put in a bun or pony tail is a whole lot of hairspray and bobby pins galore. So what’s with the low bun in these photos then?! Well, sometimes after I take photos I realize my hair was covering some interesting and pretty details of my outfit. I really didn’t want that to be the case with this cardigan. I’ve been wanting to photograph this vintage dream for awhile and I originally thought I wouldn’t do so until around Christmas time…but well it’s close enough now, and there is no rule saying I can’t dress it up with a fancier holiday-inspired outfit later on like I intended. I’m still unsure how I feel about this low bun – although it’s still sort of on the safe side since it’s covering the things I always try to hide – I doubt it will become a go-to hairstyle for me, but I’m really glad my giant mane was not in the way of getting some nice photographs of the beautiful bead-work on this 1950s mohair cardigan.

*photos by Ryan

Cardigan: vintage via Carousel Antiques
Blouse: thrifted
Skirt: vintage
Coat: Vintage via Gisela and Zoe Vintage
Shoes: Sylvie and Shimmy
Scarf: H&M
Purse: vintage via Public Butter
Tights: old ballet tights

Into It, Intimates / SJ Lingerie

November 28, 2014Leave a comment

I absolutely love bodysuits, which I know is sort of a weird statement – they aren’t the most practical of garments (although when have I ever been known to care about practicality?!). But for whatever reason, a really beautiful, well-made bodysuit just gets me every time. Maybe it’s because I’m a dancer and was forced to wear a bodysuit every ballet class, so my eye has always wandered towards interesting and unique bodysuits to spice things up, because wearing a plain bodysuit every class gets really boring, believe me. These pieces by Australian brand SJ Lingerie are obviously not mean’t to be worn to dance class, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to own them all just so I can lounge around and feel pretty. They make a lot of other intimates aside from bodysuits, which are all gorgeous (and which you can see with your own eyes below), but it was originally seeing the Pearl Bodysuit that got me to look into the brand. Romance comes to mind when I look at these pieces – a pretty good adjective to be associated with an intimates brand I think. SJ Lingerie has all things I love about intimates… lace, bodysuits, silk, nighties, high waisted panties…the list could go on and on. If you haven’t heard of this brand I urge you to check them out. It’s truly a pleasure for the lingerie loving eyes.

My favourite: Pearl Bodysuit, Pearl Soft Bra, Vixen Padded Bra, Vixen Crop Top, Vixen Boy Shorts, Vixen High Waisted Brief, Pearl Lace Nightdress, Classic Nightdress,

Sur Ma Tête / The Florence

November 27, 20142 Comments

This fascinator is my favourite of all my hats (and you probably know that cause I’ve worn it plenty on this blog). Doesn’t it feel like it could have been worn by a bride?! There is something very elegant and ethereal about it that just makes me feel really good when I put it on. It’s covered in cream floral appliques and each top flower has a darling rhinestone. I got Florence from a vintage/antique shop in Ithaca, NY. The name of the shop fails me now, which I’m sad about because the owner was lovely and had some truly amazing vintage pieces in her sweet little shop. I truly believe this was a very special piece to someone at one point, and now it is very dear to me.

Name: Florence
Age: 60-65yrs (1950s)
Talents: she can teleport you to otherworldy places, her air of innocence can make even the naughtiest of people seem like sweet angels, those dreams you have where it’s so good you never want to wake up…they happen because of her
Fascinator: vintage shop in Ithaca,NY
Cardigan: vintage via Carousel Antiques

Ernest J. Bellocq

November 26, 2014Leave a comment

Some of my favourite present day photographers have lead me to truly inspiring and interesting photographers from the past. Ernest J. Bellocq, being one of them. Bellocq was a working photographer during the early 20th century. After his death in 1949, most of his negatives and prints were destroyed (how dare!!!), but the work that he is best known for – probably because they were the only negatives found – were the prostitutes of Storyville, New Orleans. Few at the time knew of the personal photographs he was taking. He was making a living by mostly taking photographic records of landmarks, ships and machinery for local companies, which I can only imagine was a rather stifling job for a creative, and thus had to fill his creative desires as a photographer during his personal time.

What I love so much about these photographs, aside from the subjects (I’m highly intrigued by prostitutes from the past), is that Bellocq made this work for seemingly no one but himself. Which arguably today, a lot of photographers begin by making work to fill a personal desire, but there is also a desire for it to be seen and there are so many platforms in which it can be viewed by almost anyone – it’s almost unfathomable to me now that a photographer wouldn’t have a website (or instagram etc etc). I love the idea of a creative who made art just for himself, because he needed to. He needed no encouragement or reassurance, it’s just what he did. It makes me imagine all the other photographers and artists out there, in the past and present day, whose work will never be seen, and that is/was okay with them. Obviously that is not the case with Bellocq, his work eventually came to light, but I do have to wonder if he ever thought to himself that his work would become so highly regarded over 100 years after they had been taken. I have a feeling that was never the intention.

Behind The Scenes / Winter Whimsy

November 25, 20144 Comments

On Saturday I made my way over to Brantford, ON to style and work on another photoshoot with Gerald, Annya and our model Emma. About 1 month ago I was given some pieces from Mode Laboratory’s SS 2015 collection and was waiting for the perfect time to use them. While the pieces are indeed Spring/Summer I thought they worked splendidly with our wintery photoshoot. There is something so magical about winter landscapes and a model adorned in white and pastel pieces. Mode Laboratory’s pieces are whimsical in and of themselves and I think they were a match made in heaven for the work that Gerald produces. I’m uncertain when I’ll be able to show you the final images, but for now, here are a few behind the scene photos I took during the shoot.