Gone in a blur
AHHHH Spring. I love you. I LOVE YOU. So so much. Your charm, beauty, reset, refresh, colors and smells.
There is one problem with Spring, it is gone in a blur. It is fleeting…beautiful…but fleeting. Each year I am wishing and hoping for it to come, and then when it does I feel a panic inside to hurry and enjoy it before it leaves me. Before the dreaded rain storm or gust of wind blows off all the beautiful blooms. They are left in piles on the streets and eventually forgotten.
What does this have to do with fashion?
I recently entered a Forever 21 for the first time in years. It’s not that I have necessarily banned fast fashion from my shopping routine, I just honestly have not needed to shop there for years because I have found other sources to fill my closet.
And fast fashion, much like Spring,
is here one day and gone the next.
There is a lot we could talk about (and probably will over time) but I just want to touch quick on how I like to utilize these trendy, fast fashion stores…
COSTUME JEWELRY!
When we talk about “costume jewelry” here, let me try to give you a heads up if you are unfamiliar with that term. It refers to anything that is not “fine” jewelry (solid golds, 925 silvers, real jewels, etc). Anything made with fill gold, plated gold, mixed metals, plastics, fabrics, non precious stones, etc etc all fall under the category of costume jewelry. It is made to be a flashy, trendy piece to add to your outfit. When I buy costume jewelry I still try to keep in mind how long it could last. I honestly NEVER buy chains or necklaces that I know are going to rub off to copper in a few months. You will be tempted by these things cause they look so sparkly and pretty at the store, but don’t fall for that trap!
I keep my eyes on things that will have a more lasting finish- like colored plastics, fabrics, and beads. Being a vintage shopper, I have a little insight into what things look like at the “end” of their life. Most costume jewelry metals look beat up and way too tattered to buy second hand. But I own a ton of fun costume jewelry that dates all the way back to the 50’s-80’s that is made from those more hardy materials listed above and they still look amazing years and years later!
I have tons of fun acrylic floral earrings from the 50’s and 60’s. Gaudy stone, pearl and plastic earrings from the 80’s that are just as relevant today as they were then. How cool is that?
I keep this knowledge in the back of my mind when I am shopping for new costume jewelry. Forever 21, HM, Urban outfitters & Zara come to mind for adding some fun costume jewelry to your wardrobe.
Let me know what your favorite long term thing is to purchase from these trendy stores! I would love to hear!
A little about this shoot- I was hoping to capture that feeling of being completely surrounded and enthralled by true beauty, as well as the excitement that its just here for a second then its gone! I played with my not so sharp/grainy 35mm cameras using different slow shutter speeds. This is always so challenging to me because I LOVE sharp images, practicing slow shutters (and especially camera shake situations) is definitely a challenge to relinquish control and I kinda hate it haha. BUT I am so drawn to these types of images that I always try to push myself to practice.
Wardrobe for this shoot looked like a cotton candy explosion in the back of my car. Ruffles, pastels, bows & puffy sleeved goodness were a common theme. Pieces range from 1950’s prom dresses to modern silk skirts and 80’s Bermuda shorts. Haley exudes such a happy and playful spirit- it was so fun to dress her up in these overly girly pieces and let her frolic in the blooms!
Gear used: Hasselblad 501, Pentax 645, various 35mm cameras. All kodak film (mainly portra 160). Film processed by Joe at Flea Bones film lab
Wardrobe styling and art direction by Miesh Clothing
Makeup and Hair: Linsey Rogerson
Model: Hayley Elise Rawle
Assistant: Madeline