We Aim To Slay

For as long as I can remember I’ve loved all things fashion and beauty; so much so that as a young teenager I was convinced that I was going to become a model. While that didn’t come to fruition I still love to be in front of the camera, and nothing makes a photoshoot better than working with an outstanding photographer!

I was blessed to have met one such photographer a few years ago while working with my Dazzle Boutique family. After watching Jerome Stallings work magic on the models whose hair and makeup I had done, I finally got the chance to be in front of Stalling’s lens! Ever since that shoot, I had been longing to work with Jerome again, and earlier this year I got my chance.

Because I wasn’t sure how many looks we would shoot or even what kind of look I was going for, I decided soft makeup would be my best bet. I styled my hair as I typically would, except that I used my diffuser to dry my hair faster.

Again, because I wasn’t sure how many looks we would shoot or what kind of looks I was going for, I decided to pack several options.

This included pieces such as two dresses, two kimonos, a few pairs of jeans, a few tops, several sweaters, a long duster jacket, a few pairs of shoes, a super adorable purse (a birthday gift from my mother, purchased from Dazzle!), and a pouch full of jewelry. Once arriving at Jerome’s Connecticut-based studio, he helped me select several looks!

Jerome and I were lucky enough to have scheduled this shoot for one of those rare warm Saturdays in January, so we headed outside to accomplish my two favorite looks!

THE FOREST NYMPH

This dress is probably one of my all time favorites! I couldn’t even tell you where it’s from or who it’s by, as my grandmother saw it online and impulse bought it for me (she’s pretty incredible that way!).

The maxi length dress features button closures from the waistline to the hem, and two long swaths of fabric that tie the top half closed. This offers a plunging neckline that is perfectly balanced by puffy shoulders and sleeves that are cuffed at the mid-upper arm.

The first time I wore this dress was this past fall to attend a benefit dinner, and I’m looking forward to an opportunity to wear it again!

For this look I paired it with rhinestone encrusted skull earrings, a bold red lip (my absolute favorite red lipstick by NARS), and decided to channel my inner forest fairy by going barefoot. The result was several incredible photos – so many in fact that these were by far my favorite images to come out of this shoot!

SK8R GURL

After emerging from the woods, we headed to the nearby skate park to shoot a more urban-style look.

The base of this outfit – the flowy pants and cropped top – were both purchased from Urban Outfitters more than five years ago. The top is supposed to tie in the front, but I decided to tie it in the back. These pants zip shut and tie in the front, as well as featuring slits up the front of a more culotte-style leg. While shooting this look, this skateboarder approached us about getting in on the shoot, and the results were incredible! (You can see those shots as well as more from the shoot in the slideshow included at the end!)

Jerome lent me this black cardigan from Forever 21, and these black heels were an absolute steal from TJ Maxx about two years ago! I added in this adorable  circular purse, and I think the results speak for themselves!

SWEATER WEATHER

Believe it or not, my mom hand knit this sweater to my exact specifications – slightly cropped, sufficiently boxy, and off the shoulder.

For this look, which is a bit sexier, I decided to pair the sweater with black thigh high socks and to fluff my hair out.

RISKY BUSINESS

There’s nothing more powerful than a badass jacket – until you pair that jacket with equally badass booties!

This duster was a gift from my grandmother (a jacket that she actually used to wear!) and from the moment she gave it to me I had been considering how I would style it for an evening out. Try as I might, I couldn’t see past pairing it was killer shoes and some super flattering jeans. So for this shoot I let this jacket speak for itself.

I paired it with a pair of jeans that feature distressed hems (thanks for giving me these jeans, Mom!), and a pair of motorcycle booties from Just Fab. To fill the space left on top, I decided on this super interesting neckless from Zara!

GOLDEN GIRL

This shirt was first introduced into my wardrobe during my last month of college, and you may remember it from my college graduation look! A lot has changed since then…except how I feel about this shirt.

Because this shirt is such a standout piece, I decided to pair it with something that would be demure, but just as alluring  –  which brought me to these bellbottom mesh pants and thigh high, lace, heeled boots.

I am beyond impressed with how these images turned out! I had such a difficult time choosing images for Jerome to edit, but in the end his expertise and eye for detail brought forth the best shots! Below I’ve included a slideshow with even more images!

You best believe that Jerome and I will be working together again in the not-so-distant future, and I’d love to hear your suggestions for looks! In the meantime – remember to SLAY!