This was such a fun photoshoot you guys! Most of my outfits gravitate toward feminine and cutesy. I just can't help it really. I love girly things and am a sucker for darling little dresses and novelty prints. But! I also love bold, hard-edged looks...and really, if I'm honest, everything in between. I really just enjoy change and trying different things. I may go weeks crooning over a sweet as pie look and then all of a sudden I want something straight and sleek. I don't really think I have a "look". I may be wrong (I don't get the benefit of seeing myself through others' eyes), but I would categorize myself as a bit of a "shape-shifter" or chameleon of sorts. I imagine most of us are at one time or another.
Well, today, the chameleon has lost it vast pastel palette and shifted its skin into a sharp, angular monochrome! And sweetness be damned! Brash and bold rule this day! Okay, okay, I know I still have a bit of sweetness, but hey, I can't transform completely. A chameleon is still just a lizard at the end of the day? I don't know where I was going with this...
The outfit! That's right, I was talking about the outfit. I found this top on Ebay and was lucky enough to win it! The top was the inspiration for the whole outfit really. How could it not be?! Look at that detail! Such a fantastic Art Deco vibe with fan like cut-outs on a sheer silk crepe. My guess is that it is from the late 1940s/early 1950s maybe? My word how I enjoy this top! And taking cues from the daring flappers of yore, I wore it with just a black bra underneath (luckily my grandma doesn't read my blog!).
I still wanted the look to be "classy" though, so I paired it with a simple, clean-lined pencil skirt in beige. Wanting to feel all "rule breaky", I decided to go with dark, punk inspired accessories with a feminine twist. Modern, black patent gladiators mixed with sultry, contrast seamed stockings equaled a pretty delicious combo. It really is hard not to feel playfully sexy with that black line running up the back of your leg.
Jewelry and hair were a fun experiment as well! I wanted a more 1920s vibe with the hair, so I tried to keep it a bit tighter to my face. To see the difference, see last week's Sunday Snag, Sugar 'n' Spice, where my hair was looser and more away from my face. My hair is getting a bit long (and it was windy that day), so I pinned the back curls under the upper curls in a faux bob style. In keeping with 20s tradition, I wanted to incorporate a headband. This one, "Night Atop the Stars", from my shop was just perfect for the look! If you didn't catch yesterday's Saturday Shop Talk, click here to see what this headband looks like worn flapper style across the forehead. It is beautiful that way too! By the way, the beadwork on that piece is over one hundred years old! How amazing that it can work so easily in a very modern look! My rings are also from my shop. "Voodoo Vixen", the round ring, is made from an antique cut glass button and "Black Hole Sun" is a vintage toggle button that is now a bad-ass rocker chic cocktail ring.
Outfit Details
Blouse: 1940s/50s?, Ebay
Pencil Skirt: Years ago, Express
Shoes: Years ago, Nine West
Stockings: Contrast Seamed with Garter Belt, What Katie Did
Headband: "Night Atop the Stars", my shop ChatterBlossom
Knuckle Ring: "Black Hole Sun", my shop ChatterBlossom
Round Cocktail Ring: "Voodoo Vixen", my shop ChatterBlossom
Behind the Scenes Note:
This particular photoshoot was really funny. The hubs and I decided to go to the art museum here in Raleigh to take the photos. They have a gorgeous surrounding park area and this particular evening was nice, cool and overcast. Well, we had quite a few spectators. I realize it's weird and interesting to see someone modeling or taking photos and I don't mind at all, but it's always funny to see the reactions. There were kids riding scooters around and one would just zoom in between me and the camera, dog walkers would look terrified because we were standing in the pathway (of course I politely apologized and moved aside), one little old lady stopped and took photos of me, and two middle school aged girls just leaned against a tree nearby and watched the photoshoot. I must admit, it is rather difficult to "model" with so many onlookers, which is why there were lots of bloopers, laughing, and ridiculous faces throughout the shoot. The three photos below are what the majority of the shots looked like from this outing. A somewhat bizarre and hilarious experience!
Last Week's Sunday Snag:
