Fallen Flowers:

This past weekend I went to a friend's beautiful fall wedding at Cecil Green Park at the University of British Columbia. I wore a vintage 1970's Wayne Clark wrap dress from none other than my mama's closet. Decided to alter the dress to suit me and I have to say it was a dream to wear. Can't say I will ever look as stunning as my mom did in it in that last photo but thanks to her influences our fashion sense will always strike a bit of resemblance. Oh also, I caught the bouquet...

Off the Beaten Path:

Off the Beaten Path: Fall '14

photographer: zhamak fullad

model: emily verhulst

styling/creative direction: yours truly

wondering, wandering, searching for the way,

confined by the walls and structures of today.

something inside was telling her, "this is not where you are meant to be,

you are not like the others, you were meant to be free".

through the trees she discovered the light and let it shine on her true face,

deep down she knew, she was meant to stray, this was her place. 

off the beaten path.

Speakeasy To Me:

                         

This past Saturday I attended a surprise Bachelorette Party for my spectacular friend Dominique and it was the Cat's Meow!  The theme was 1920's which definitely is one of my favourite fashion eras, can you blame me?  Style was a priority back in those days and boy did they know how to throw a party.  We made sure to pay homage to that,  leaving a trail of sequins, feathers and fringe in our blazing paths. Loved all the glitz and glamour jazzing around.  Dominique looked like she was reliving her past life in all of her razzle-dazzle, she was an absolute stunner.  Thank you for a glorious time, it was truly the Bee's Knees!

Professional photography by Tyler Lindal of Tip Top Photography check out his amazing work at     http://www.tiptopphoto.ca/



(My outfit: dress; H & M, fringe cape: Forever 21, headband: Urban Outfitters, shoes: Zara, purse: vintage
Dominique's make up and hair by Brooke Marie and Bianca Pica
outfit: dress: Venus, shoes: Spring, headband: Claire's)  

All That Glitters:

Tis the Season for glitz and glam, indulgence and of course the gift of giving.  I can't afford to indulge in as many ways as I'd like so at least I can look like it when it comes to my wardrobe.  This snazzy dress was a recent find at one of my weekly thrift hunts.  After keeping my eye on it for 3 weeks I declared against the larger marked sizing, and convinced myself to at the very least to try it on.  Even though it was obviously too big, there was something about it that convinced me it was worth buying and taking in to get altered. The next day, I went into my local seamstress with apprehension thinking about the intricate beading and sequins bedazzled all over.  I knew it was either going to be ridiculously expensive or straight up impossible to fix.  Turned out the cost to get it altered would have been 20 times more than what I paid for the dress itself, being that it would have to be done by hand.  Seeing the disappointment on my face, the seamstress took me to the back of the store and taught me how to sew it myself, step by step, as I held onto her every word through her gentle yet distinct Russian accent.  After some patience and a few late nights,  I had transformed this over-sized outdated throwaway into my latest dream dress.  Amazing how a little kindness can go a long way.    


(clutch: H&M, earrings: The Bay. dress, shoes, faux fur jacket and rings: vintage)

The Portrait:

Photographer: Alex Barredo

Stylist: Buffy Aybars

H/M: Tara Makepeace

Firstly, excuuuuse my absence!  I've been a busy bird as of late, building my styling portfolio with a few photo shoots here and there.  This was one I did earlier in the fall with talented Vancouver photographer Alex Barredo and the beautiful Sasha Ali.  Shot at a stunning mansion in Rocky Point, Port Moody, naturally the outcome was nothing short.  These are some of my favourites - to see the final cuts click here and take a gander at Mr. Barredo's repertoire of sexy shoots.  Stay tuned for another upcoming shoot I've recently had the pleasure to collab with him on.

Style Profile: Tara Dawn

 

 

Meet Tara.  She had me at the first clunk of her Litas and the strike of her firey red hair.  We bonded over our shared zodiac sign and love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  When we met up for this shoot she picked me up on her bike looking effortlessly rad, which is really her demeanor every day.  Naturally, I had to start taking snaps making that her first look for this post.  This girl is the type that could throw on a paper bag and make it look stylish.  Quirky with an edgy undertone, she's a definite trendsetter and her own individual.  I mean, I don't know if I've ever seen anyone make prints on prints on cat hat ever look that good.  Oh and those killer smiley shorts? Yeah she made those.  Modeled after Yolandi Visser in this video.  What talent.

Here's what she had to say about her personal style:

"I'm like a bratty Lana Del Rey in a 90s chick flick.

I'm influenced by pop music, sunshine, witchcraft and strawberry milkshakes. My icons might be Marina Diamandis, Bridgitte Bardot and Bettie Page.

The greatest time in fashion IMO was the 1960s. More chic than the 70s and 80s but sexier than the 50s perm era, and then we also had Mod Fashion which was sweet.

I don't have a huge preference for fashion bloggers but I do have a huge girl crush on Audrey Kitching.

My favorite places to shop for new things are usually on the Internet, it's the best way to find the specific imaginary whatevers you make up in your head. I also frequent TopShop on Granville, American Apparel and Aritzia for basics. Hands down my favorite articles of clothing are gems found in thrift stores or given to me by friends.

My favourite brands to wear are American Apparel and Cheap Monday. I'm a huge fan of Cheap Monday. Besides their denim, they sell cool fashionable basics that aren't outrageously expensive. American Apparel nails the basics in everything and is incomparably retro chic.

My style advice.. just put it on your body and leave the house."





(Look 1:

shorts: second hand, necklace: Crystal Cactus, bike: Linus x fourstar cruiser

Look 2:

hat: ripndip, shirt: second hand, shoes: matiko

smiley shorts: reworked Cheap Monday

Look 3:

hat: second hand from Nasty Gal when it first started, pants: Wilfred, top: Brandy Melville, bag: American Apparel, glasses: nasty gal, lipstick: The Velvetines in Suede Berry)