sharks & jets

inspired by the song stuck in my head
*snap*
*snap*
*snap*

etsy:  aubabi78

etsy:  paperdollgirls

opening scene

abandoned building just perfect for singing "cool" from the ruins of detroit

etsy:  holcroft

vintage tape measure from stockmarket via etsy

vintage dress from foreverlovelyvintage via etsy

vintage 50s sewing machine from surrenderdorothy via etsy

very maria at the gym dance vintage prom dress from simplicityisbliss via etsy

glamour & body image

my interview with glamour magazine

about body image in the march 2011 issue.

click to read full article:  shocking body-image news: 

97% of women will be cruel to their bodies today by Shaun Dreisbach

the following is the transcript for the entire interview 
& some stunning women i admire.

q:  you mentioned in your survey that you are thankful to finally have a realistic view of your body--but that you still have issues comparing yourself to others. what changed for you? how did you manage to achieve that "realistic view" of your body?

a:  i guess i started to realize my view of myself was warped.  when i was younger, it seemed all the pretty popular girls had perfectly straight blonde hair with dark tans & baywatch bodies.  meanwhile, i'm this irish girl with a thin frame, pale skin, & long, wavy red hair.  i stood out.  i got called names.  one day a bunch of girls even held me as the leader slammed my head against the brick wall.  i wanted to change.  i wanted to vanish & fit in.  then, in some middle school nightmare scenario, i (the nerd) was forced to room with some of the gorgeous popular girls on an overnight field trip.  while getting ready, i tried to lay low & silenced the room with my blowdryer (at least this way, i wouldn't be able to hear the insults) trying to force my hair into submission.  then i looked over & they were all staring at me.  i braced for the impact & then one of them said, "that's what your hair naturally looks like???  you should leave it like that!"  then, they all chimed in with their own jealousies & self hatreds.  at that moment, i began to realize none of us REALLY see ourselves.

the final nail in the coffin was my engagement photoshoot.  the photographer (andrew kung) is amazing & i really respected his work.  i knew his work would reflect me & i was going to use that as the most accurate mirror i'd ever looked in.  i honestly wanted to see what others saw.  it was really very shocking to me b/c the image i saw in my head didn't match the image in the photos;  it matched the girl in my brain- happy, confident, a little quirky.

our engagement photoshoot with andrew kung

q:  also, how do you stop yourself when you find yourself comparing yourself to others? 

a:  i remind myself what i have control over.  if there is something i truly admire about another woman (ie:  her style, her composure) i can adopt & adapt those things to myself.  we should try to be more inspired by others.  both the iphone & the french fry are loved, but how successful would the iphone be if apple dressed it up like a fry & sold it in a greasy paper bag?  it wouldn't!  

janelle monáe

q:  if negative thoughts about your body do pop into your head, how do you shut them out? is there something you tell yourself or remind yourself of, for example?

a:  that none of us have accurate perceptions of ourselves.  

christina hendricks

q:  So many women, as you know, struggle with body image and think truly cruel thoughts about their bodies. I'm curious (because I know a lot of readers will be, too!) what your secret is in general?

a:  ownership of your power & your nature.

you own your power.  this means accepting that your choices affect you.  you can't control the fact that we all age, but you can put on sunblock everyday.  you can't control that things get a little softer as you age, but you can feed your body healthy food & stay active.  you can't make your curly hair straight no matter how many irons you take to it, but you can have your stylist show you how to rock your natural texture.  i read a study recently about some rats in a maze.  when they took away the ability for the rats to solve the maze, they became depressed & completely stopped trying to find the food.   i've heard too many women give up control to some vague outside force (turning 20, turning 30, 40, etc;  getting married;  having kids), but none of those things means you have to become some automaton dancing to the beat of lower metabolism & busier lives.  taking ownership of your choices gives you power.

you own your nature.  i'm never going to look in the mirror & see a blond surfer girl, but neither is christina hendricks, zooey deschanel, or janelle monáe.  those are all stunning women & they stand out because they aren't trying to alter their nature.

 zooey deschanel

curly girl the handbook

recommended reading

if you have curls or waves like i do, 
this book is a life changer.

my curl icon, lilly cole

there is a strong push to stop fighting exotic curls 
(which only leads to frustration & damaged hair)
& learning how to treat your unique texture.

curly girl book via amazon

i'm in love with the recipe section which shows you 
how to make your own hair products with natural ingredients.   
psssst  they actually work!  
i've been using the lavender refresher & the aloe recipes & my hair has never been bouncier.  & even with the blizzards & the roaring fireplace, my static is GONE.

me styling grandpa's hair

snow white

inspired by snow white

bow by lashseedstudios via etsy

butterfly garland by thisneckofthewoods via etsy

vintage peep-toe pumps from simplicityisbliss via etsy

wool bunny by lorinichols via etsy

jungle red by nars via sephora

apple tree canopy bed by attiladesign via etsy

apron by boojiboo via etsy

vintage rouge compact mirror from talkingbirdie via etsy

sleeping bear bean bag chair by chicsindesigndotcom via etsy

woods wallpaper by cole & son via anthropologie

fine art print by ellemoss via etsy

butterfly lovers ear buds via anthropologie

tweet knob via anthropologie

vintage apple basket from experimentalvintage via etsy

vintage nightgown from pauperandpixie via etsy

fine art print by slightclutter via etsy

diy: making new shoes look vintage

when going for certain styles, 

vintage especially, 

looking shiny, new, & perfect 

can often make your look costumey.  

like people, scuffs give an item more character & warmth 

... a past.  

what is vintage if not a story?

a few months ago i purchased the most comfortable flapper shooties for $14 at dsw, but there was just something not right about them.  they looked too new.

 this is similar to the technique for giving a new statue an aged patina.

1.  i took to them with sand paper & a metal finger nail file till they were evenly uneven.

2.  next, i rubbed in brown shoe polish followed by black shoe polish.

subtle, but it makes all the difference.

in my art studio wearing my newly aged shoes.

 jacket:  taikonhu   dress:  marc jacobs   belt:  anthropologie   shoes:  what's what