The concept for this collection and photoshoot was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. When I started to imagine the aspects of the story that were most inspiring to me, a few points really stuck out. The tea party is by far one of the most memorable parts of the stories of Alice. I thought about this particular scene for a long time. I wondered if maybe the tea party was more of a turning point in the story and the participants; instead of being mad or crazy, were they just realizing their own strengths and personalities?
Expanding on that, when Alice arrived in Wonderland what if instead of being a scared, naive, and insecure girl, Alice- through her trials and adventures in Wonderland- started to find herself, her security in herself, and her personal confidence? That was my concept for the photoshoot, to capture the transformation of Alice while she found her true identity.
In order to best communicate this I chose three models with different styles but similar looks. The start of the shoot is stiff and posed with all three models dressed in Alice’s signature colors: blue,cream, and white. As the shoot continues the models separate and layer on jewelry, take off layers of clothing, and then change wardrobe completely. The end of the shoot is the tea party with three completely different girls all laughing and enjoying themselves. They are finally themselves, completely.
Category: guest
I’ve never traveled by train before, so when Amy Powe offered to write this post about her experience travelling from New Orleans to Chicago, I was excited to live vicariously through her.- Christy
Text by Amy Powe
As the population of those who embrace slow food, slow design (local and sustainable!), and slow money (yes it’s a thing), continues to grow it’s hard not to be curious about what’s next. In The South we have a reputation of never been in too big of a hurry about anything but, are we ready for slow travel?
Recently, I traveled with my family of four to Chicago aboard the infamous City of New Orleans. The train station is much closer to us than the airport. Parking, easy, surface lot, five dollars a day. The scene at the train station is interesting. There is an eclectic and eccentric crowd of all ages, shapes and sizes in all manner of dress. Honestly when is not the case in New Orleans?
As there are no security checks other than a sign that reads “We’re All In This Together” with interior shot of the train, there is no need to arrive any earlier than 45 minutes prior to departure. We have an easy departure time of 1:45 in the afternoon. First class (aka sleeper car ticket holders) board first. You are allowed two bags and can bring on liquids and food. My daughter and I share a deluxe sleeper car complete with (albeit small) sink, toilet and shower. We made our travel plans last minute, so there was not a sleeper car available for my husband and son, so they bunk in a sleeper car roomette. The roomette does not have nearly the amount of room as the deluxe model, or a private bath.
Inside our sleeper cars, we are greeted by our train hostess Kenya. She provides us with bottled water and 4 pillows. She explains that once the conductor makes his announcement we are free to move about the cabin. She also takes our dinner reservation, asks what time we would like beds turned down and what time we would like a wake-up call.
The sight seeing car has lots of seating and tables to keep travelers busy on their journey. There is much card playing, reading, crossword puzzle and suduko action. I never did get a clear answer as to whether or not wi-fi is available but, there didn’t seem to be much of a demand from my fellow passengers. There is a bar and snack bar downstairs. I would skip the snack bar next time and pack sandwiches from La Boulangerie before leaving town. The hot items are “cooked” via microwave and that is scary for me because I don’t own one and it definitely isn’t in the theme of slow! However, the Coronas were exactly right and there was a fair variety of beers and wine. Fast forward to dinner. The dinner menu was pretty bleak however, the local special was barbeque ribs. Actual non-microwaved food. My husband and kids loved it. I assembled a salad and vegetables from the menu. The retro of it all made for a very charming atmosphere. Once back in the room, the beds were made and it reminded of bit of a micro version of my Cabra dorm room at Loyola. The curtains were drawn back as the sun slowly disappeared from the sky. It was a lovely thing to have nothing to do than watch the sunset.
Sleeping on the train is very doable, but if you are a light sleeper you may want to medicate or take ear plugs. The train does continue to make stops during the night and the horn continues to blow as it approaches crossings. But, if you’re like my daughter you will sleep through the night and then some.
A basic breakfast is served morning before our 9 am arrival in Chicago. We arrive a few minutes ahead of schedule and make our way off the train and onto the platform. Chicago’s train station is much more advanced than the New Orleans train station. A cart picks us up, and wisks the four of us and luggage with urgency through the crowd at the station. The driver makes a stop at the rental car office (a brief pause for paperwork) and promptly drops us off to our rental car. Back to the fast lane.
photo credits: travelingmamas.com tarprail.org flickr.com condrenrails.com amtrack40th.com travelingmamas.com
While I’ve always loved a lush, almost garishly colorful front yard I’m seriously lacking in gardening skills. Patricia Hall of Serenata Flowers shows us how to brighten up your home with flowers. And no, they aren’t the plastic ones that my grandma has in her front yard. I’m not making that up. -Christy
Flowers grow abundantly in the South, and they are expressions of love for nature’s beauty and the home. Fresh flowers from a garden or landscape are beautiful anywhere, but flower ordering makes them available for entertaining or enjoying any time of the year.
A cut bouquet brings an air of elegance and distinction to a southern home that is unequalled. A welcoming home in New Orleans, Savannah or Charleston always includes a variety of flowers in treasured vases for friends and family to enjoy. Favorites include Fuji mums, gerbera daisies and freesia to create an abundance of color that distinguishes the rooms of a gracious hostess. The bright whiteness of the freesia flower creates a distinct contrast with the colors in an arrangement. Following in the southern tradition that reflects a preference for sweetness, freesia fits beautifully as an accent in any bouquet. Hydrangeas are typically very showy plants that are remarkably beautiful in the pastel colors that complement a home’s décor.
Orchids and lilies add elegance to a room
Orchids provide gorgeous blooms in many shades that range from white to pink that extends to deep purple, breathtaking as an indoor arrangement. They are available all year round as fresh flowers, and they hold up very well for table arrangements. A few stems of lilies make an excellent accompaniment with their stately shape and appearance in a tall crystal vase. Such an arrangement on a table in the foyer welcomes friends and family with an unmistakable aura of southern hospitality.
Lilies are an especially good choice for several reasons. The long bloom time makes them a durable flower to consider for an arrangement, and the beauty and elegance they add are second only to their delightful fragrance. While lilies may cost a little more than some flowers, their extraordinary beauty and long-lasting quality make them a favorite in many homes.
A southern tradition of sweetness and beauty
A hallmark of a traditional southern home, true of New Orleans and other southern cities, is the abundant display of vibrant colors in flower bouquets. Likely coming from a tradition that encouraged the cultivation of gardens, southern families still enjoy the fragrance of flowers in the home. With so many activities available today that compete for time and attention, many families now choose a reliable service for fresh flowers delivered on a regular basis. Seasonal flower arrangements provide a delicate touch of color to any room, especially when they accent the chosen shades in the décor.
The dining room is frequently the heart of the home, and it is an ideal location for a flower bouquet set in a deep cut-glass bowl. White tapers add immensely to the elegance of the display, bringing a sense of warm and welcome to the room. Many flowers in the south exude a delicate, sweet aroma, and it is a lovely scent to have wafting around the room. Roses brim with color and aroma, and they are the classic flower to use in almost any arrangement. Small sprigs of Confederate jasmine add a light scent of the old south that is delicate and sweet.
The southern expression “beauty is as beauty does” sums up the importance of always displaying flowers in the home. They silently represent the love of beauty and the important role that it plays in the functioning of a gracious, southern home.
About the Author
Patricia Hall works part-time for an online florist in the uk and loves to surround herself with flowers at any given point of time. Even in her free time she loves to involve herself with everything flora and fauna.
'To me there is nothing more beautiful and global as the language of flowers - it is the easiest to understand all around the world in the same way. That is one reason why I truly admire flowers for what they represent in some ways - unity of all mankind!'
Accessories make the look- image c/o VK Nagrani |
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Rachel and her best friend, Whitney |
Morris, Elkin, and Sam Rubenstein. Image c/o Rubensteins
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A Jazz Fest worthy shirt. Image c/o Rubensteins |
Meagan Ginter of 1980 Boudoir has a great trunk show and networking event this Saturday in Covington, LA. Stop in if you are in the area for food, music, and styling by local designers. – Christy
Following New Orleans’ Fashion Week, downtown Covington will get a dose of fashion
fun this Saturday, March 31st from 11am-4pm, at Fielding Art Gallery.
“FREE STYLE,” a Trunk Show and Fashion Networking Event, will turn the space into a
boutique shop for the day. The show will feature the works of local Northshore designers,
including vintage clothing and accessories from 1980 boudoir, costumes and ready wear
pieces by Trapped in Time Designs, and hand-made jewelry by These Aren’t Your
Grandmother’s Pearls and Covington’s own, The Factory Bead Shop.
Admission is free and patrons can enjoy being styled by professional make-up artists,
photographers and stylists. A great excuse for ladies of all ages to come and play dress up,
this event also showcases free food and dessert from local chefs, as well as fashion
models, music and other activities.
The gallery will also be open Friday evening, during Covington’s Block Party, for a
sneak peek of the show.
All local fashion lovers, models, photographers and designers are encouraged to attend.
Anyone is invited to drop off their business cards, during the event, at the networking
table.
For more information, contact: 1980boudoir@gmail.com
Saturday, March 31st, 11am-4pm, Fielding Gallery, 525 E. Boston Street, Covington, LA
Flyer and text by Meagan Ginter
Why The Hell Letterpress?
Contributed by Bourbon and Boots
If you’ve opened a magazine, cruised the Internet, or visited your local gift shop lately, you’ve probably noticed the abundance of letterpress prints being touted as the “next big thing” in home decor. I’ve certainly noticed. Rather than simply think about how cute these prints would look in my guest hall powder room, I started to analyze the artwork and the design concepts being played out in the prints.
They were…sparse.
They were also well balanced, textually based, and visually stimulating thanks to the use of color; but they were sparse nonetheless.
And then it kicked in: WHY did this very minimalist design make me so darn happy? Why did this print look so familiar? Why is every woman from here to Tuscaloosa snatching these prints up and plastering them all over their homes?
Naturally, I did a little research. It turns out that this isn’t the first lap around the block for these humble letterpress prints, nor is it the first time that Southern ladies have adorned the walls of their homes with textually based posters.
During the Civil War, letterpress prints were an affordable, fashionable, and patriotic way to decorate the home. A new kind of printing press that allowed the paper to be quickly rolled through and stamped with ink was being employed by Southern printers to produce books and pamphlets in a quick and cheap way. This was a drastic change from normalcy, since most informational materials were imported from Northern states. For the first time in history, Southerners had a way to let their ideas set sail into the world around them.
Both the North and the South used propaganda to rally support for their respective causes. Southern printers crafted a physical embodiment for the ideas that unified the culture of the region by inexpensively reproducing books, newspapers, and bold faced posters known as “broadsides.” These broadsides were sparsely decorated, textually based posters that communicated propaganda, announcements, and advertisements. Since the broadsides would be posted in town squares and street corners, the text had to be relatively large. The printers would use arrangements of metal or wooden blocks to set up a message and would use basic design concepts to ensure that the message was visually pleasing.
As the war raged on, the South began to run out of printing supplies. The inks and papers that were commonly used to print became entangled in Union Naval blockades. Southern print shops began to print on wallpaper, potato sacks, and old rags. Scarcity of supplies meant that the printing of books became nearly impossible. The Union recognized the threat posed by Southerners armed with the power of word, as demonstrated by General Sherman systematically smashing the printing presses of the cities he invaded. Even printing the shortest of pamphlets proved extremely difficult for the South.
However, the printing of broadsides lived on. They showcased the resourcefulness of entire communities. Southerners began to recycle old bank ledgers and other used paper products, which were collected by the publishers to re-use to create new prints. People began to purchase these broadsides, initially intended only as ephemeral community announcements, to decorate their homes. These disposable announcements weren’t just about the design. They were about the IDEAS and principles behind the designs and the pride that communities took in standing united in the face of adversity.
Now, printers such as Old Try and Roll & Tumble Press are bringing back these old-fashioned printing techniques. The answer to my “why prints?” question seems to be answered by recognizing the nostalgia and tradition that typeset prints pass on. In rough economic times, these prints are once again a testament to the resourcefulness of communities, the power of ideas — and the time tested fact that Southern Women have damn good taste in home decor.
Kelsey Winchester is a freelance writer and artist from Little Rock, Arkansas. She graduated from the University of Arkansas where she solidified her artistic voice and grew to fervently appreciate her Southern heritage. After a brief but very enlightening stint in law school, Kelsey now spends most of her time examining the Southern spririt (through both art and writing) and in the occasional baking of the best bourbon-pecan pie you’ve ever had in your life. Bourbon and Boots is a southern store that tells the stories and sells the stuff that make our region great!
I’m out at sea this week, so while I’m cruisin’ around Mexico I’ve got several lovely ladies taking the blogging reins for me. Let them know how much you like their posts by leaving words of wisdom in the comments. See y’all when I get back and sadly no, my pasty white self won’t be bringing back a tan.
Cavortress is a Charleston, SC based company known for designing swim and resort wear known for offering ‘conspicuous classics perfect for fun the in the sun’. This is our first year manufacturing our products that will be available at Hampden Clothing, which has been named by both Town & Country and Coastal Living as one of the top shopping destinations in the South. Cavortress can also be found at the well known Southern chain Monkee’s , and on our website www.shop.cavortress.com and at Austin’s SXSW event in March. Our swim and resort wear features prints that I designed and fabric and hardware imported from Italy. Not to mention, and all of our products are made in the United States. Cavortress swim and resort designs are inspired by the number of requests we received from or vintage clothing clients over the years for vintage swimwear.
Excerpt from Cavortress vintage campaign ‘Sugar and Spice’ featured at 2011 SXSW’s STYLE X event. Photoraphy: Cyle Suesz. |
More than a decade later, Cavortress vintage has expanded to sell clothing to a number of private clients including Charleston Magazine’s Style Director and brains behind Charleston Fashion Week, Ayoka Lucas; runway coach and former model (for Armani, Vivienne Westwood, and Clairol) Michelle Wood who was
recently seen on MTV’s True Life, as well as a number of radio and television personalities and musicians including second time Grammy nominee Spencer Chamberlain of Tampa’s Underoath and his girlfriend for their attendance at the 2010 Grammy Awards.
Our vintage fashions are also available at a number of independent boutiques in the South (including House of Sage and Rogue Wave Surfshop) throughout the South where we carefully curate monthly ‘mini-collections’ based on the boutique’s clientele. The Cavortress ‘Great American Vintage Collection’ will be
shown at SXSW’s second STYLE X event in Austin, TX March 15 and 16 along side of our swim and resort collection. Shoppers can expect to find hand knits, silks, woven wools, cottons, plaids, leathers, as well as strong American brands like DKNY, Pendleton, and Levi’s, including some that don’t exist anymore like Campus Casuals, I. Magnin, and Bleeker Street. Fashions featured in the Cavortress ‘Great American Vintage Collection’ have been plucked from thrift shops, auctions, and private collections across the country from Sioux City to Palm Beach, Honolulu to Salt Lake, Huntsville to Galveston, and San Francisco to Buffalo. This year vintage jewelry will be included. The 2012 advertising campaign for the ‘Great American Vintage Collection’ is being photographed this month with Tout Talent’s Madeline Cimone.
In addition to designing swim/resort wear and placing vintage fashions, I most recently worked with TBA Productions and Seamless Pictures on the full length feature horror film, III, as a producer, wardrobe designer/supervisor , and as the effects assistant. Principal filming wrapped in December and the movie is currently in post production. The III team is excited about entertaining purchase offers from a number of studios and distributors. Being new to the film industry, it was thrilling to read a script, meet the actors, and make decisions about how to curate the character looks, not to mention figuring out how to
manufacture practical effects for an impalement, human gutting, and amputation. III unearthed totally new applications of my talents that I look forward to using again soon!
Cavortress working on special effects for Robert Dough, lead actor in III who will also appear in HBO’s East Bound and Down this February. |