Stay Warm and Beautiful

It has been absolutely freezing here in Toronto for the last few days. My roommates keep coming home with new scarf purchases and obsessing over fur hats. Winter is a time when practicality sometimes overrules style, so here is some inspiration from a shoot I did last year with some of my friends.

Photography: Megan Breukelman Photography

Model: Rebecca Celeste Kwan
Styling: Thea B.
MUA: Kris Erin Beauty

Living Doll

I dressed Brittany in some vintage garb for a 50s inspired shoot for Caileigh Kyle last summer. We shot at a really cool house and experimented with cinemagraphs, that you can check out on Caileigh's blog here. It was a fun process. I was very happy with the outcome and the shoot was featured in Issue 8 of Pony Anarchy Magazine.

Photography: Caileigh Kyle Photography
Model: Britt Bergmeister @ Elmer Olsen
Styling: Thea B. for Imperial Style Group
MUA/Hair: Samantha Pickles for Judy Inc
Assistant: Justine Turl

Déjeuner

We had Bryan Gauer of Inspired One New Media Productions come on board and create a behind the scenes look at an editorial shoot we recently shot. Five models, one hair stylist, one MUA, the three of us for wardrobe, and a photographer. We shot at Mulberry St. Coffee House on James St. N.

Mulberry Déjeuner from Imperial Style Group on Vimeo.

More: Coco Magazine Editorial

extra shots from the shoot. credits found here.

mmxii

Need more curls.. (The first words that came to mind when I started reviewing these photos) Please forgive my napped-on hair. I snapped these photos behind the bar on the main floor of my house, look at me trying to be sexy! I completely forgot all of my faux-model skills but all together I think this look is a little bit Marilyn Monroe, a little bit Jessica Rabbit and a little bit Dita Von Teese maybe?

This is what I wore for 2011's year end festivities and to be honest, the shoes cost more than the entire outfit. You must be thinking "that's quite impossible, she's got her fur on!" but I bought it secondhand for a measly $35. I know right!? What I love about this stole is that it actally has structured shoulders and it's a great length. Don't you think it makes the whole outfit look so much more lavish?

Now while my shoes were one hundred, I purchased them way back in September. They are Guess and this is the first time I've actually worn them. The dress is totally 80's with its giant shoulder pads and even though it has sleeves, I think the sweetheart neckline brings all the sex appeal. It was also a thrift find and with the way it fits me, you can imagine how stoked I was to see a ten dollar price tag. TEN DOLLARS!!! amazing.

So. What did you wear? 

Here are my resolutions for the new year:

1: Actually go on a trip (my first ever trip). Finally leave the country and go have some fun somewhere.

2: Find a better paying job. Enough retail, I gotta find a better way to support my habits.
3: Get active. I have a closet full of beautiful clothing that don't fit me anymore, what a waste..
4: Try more trends. I make inspo boards on Pinterest based on runway, now I gotta take it a step further.

5: Get some really good content going on this blog and build a readership.

I'm usually a total Grinch from November 15th to December 28th but the holidays were very different for me this year. I was completely broke even though I worked 3 jobs. I was able to relax and keep to myself. My ears did not bleed from all of the awful renditions of Santa Baby playing in the malls. And it was overall less stressful. Christmas came and went with absolutely no fuss. And even though I didn't really have an extravagant wishlist (or a wishlist at all) I was pleasantly suprised with all the wonderful goodies I received from friends and family.

Coco Magazine Issue One

In addition to the video shoot Peacock Chic had been working on (see it here), we also had the opportunity to work with local photographer Daniela Majic on an editorial spread and feature interview for the premiere issue of Coco Magazine.

Daniela is a fantastic photographer and we all really enjoyed working with her. Her work is very high fashion and she focuses on creative production to make her ideas a reality. Makeup was done by Sheridan Tech student, Jessica Godfrey and hair by our very own Afrodita Durlov. Afrodita is not only co-owner of Peacock Chic, but she also is co-owner of The Hairem Salon with her other sister Nata.

sagittarius

the other day i went closet diving. i had such a great time playing dress up, mixing and matching whatever i picked up. this look is all about making summer basics look clean and chic. i'm sure you're all starting to notice how often i wear this freaking blazer! it's from H&M, as are all the other clothing items (socks and belt included). the shoes are from Aldo and the ring is Forever21, but my favourite piece is probably the necklace, which is from my favourite little vintage/consignment shop in my home town Peacock Chic Boutique.

i'm gonna try these hype widgets for my lookbook since more people seem to read my blog than hype my looks so show some support if you're on the site please! i also haven't gotten any advice from anyone regarding my previous post so far. is time worth more than money? i know it's all relative, but maybe encouragement is all i need. share your opinions or stories with me so i can try to figure out the meaning of life.

hiatus con't

i have already received some lovely feedback on the skirt i wore yesterday. i'm going to share more photos from the sesh in this post and tell you what i'm wearings.

shirt: ricki's / skirt: second hand, customized / jacket: H&M conscious collection / hat: winners

bag: second hand / shoes: belong to my mom

what i did with the skirt to "customize" it:

well firstly there are two layers. i wanted to have the inside layer significantly short, but i didn't want to cut it, so i wore a belt between the layers and pulled the extra fabric over it (like you would a shirt/dress).

after that, i wanted the top layer to be shorter and asymmetrical so i put knots in the fabric in various places.

(note: the knots were removed in some shots).

over the next few days i will do a post for the glee concert.

writers block

sometimes it's hard to produce anything of worth. it can be disappointing for the audience, of course, but as i find myself in this situation i can't help but believe my own excuses. there is something to be said about a person who can find a story in anything. i just happen to have lost my touch, hence why i started blogging (not that i'm actually getting anywhere with that). and so when i read mundane blog posts or various status updates and tweets about how exams are coming up and how busy everyone is, i just feel bored. if there's one thing i despise in the world, it's wasting my time, but who am i to judge? i find myself in the same situation! my very own blog has been lacking in content. i've only been looking to lose myself in someone else's life while, continuously procrastinating as i push everything further and further back. blogging can be like a diary, sometimes nothing eventful happens that day. but when i find myself unsatisfied, when my ability to research, investigate, analyze and plan are completely lacking, i go by feeling.

last week, i took a few photos and decided i would wait to post them while i stay toronto, pretending to study. problem is, i have no story to accompany these photos, nothing to match the outfit. i just wore it, because i felt like it. and that's kind of how things go sometimes. life isn't always about following a plan, sometimes life is just addressing how you feel (pun intended). and everything artistic comes from a feeling, doesn't it? atleast, that's what i've always maintained.

i did some editing on them, and i couldn't decide which i liked best. so here's my miss-match outfit post, it's a little bit miami vice, but i like it. sometimes the best things happen when you just go with your gut!

jacket is H&M conscious collection, the bag and necklace are vintage, shoes are my faves from aldo.

so if blogging is like a diary, why can't i just talk about how i feel sometimes? it's my point of view. i don't need to try to hold myself to a higher standard, i should just be me - not that i haven't been, but you know what i mean... anyway, followers i guess are like friends. they like you for who you are and what you have to say. alot of bloggers are as popular as they are because they share their personality and their day to day lives. and once again, that's me connecting the entire world to my own personal life experiences. such is truth though. this is the human condition. the desire to be a relatable person is natural because of our inclination to be connected to one another.

i am also just kind of bumbed that my internship with TWB Co. is coming to an end. Ashley has been great and i learned so much, but i'm left feeling like i may not have done that much for her. sure most of the website issues have been dealt with, but it's still not 100%. and she's getting ready to go back to the store in Lake Rosseau with some great apparel we helped her select. but nothing has come of the magazine and blog front just yet. i mentioned in a previous post what it meant to me to be a contributing influence, even though i'm not directly selling to people. it just goes to show that things don't always go as planned. maybe i should have followed up more diligently but ashley had me doing other things she thought were more important. no excuse as far as i'm concerned but the job only lasted while i was physically there. ashley wasn't concerned with having me go out of my way for her because i had been doing this just to do it. i didn't fulfill any hours for school or anything, i just wanted to learn. anyway, i feel like a failed at what i wanted to do for her so i'm a little disappointed but i can say that working with her gave me a bit more direction for the future. so thanks ashley!