fashion | Hold the Glamour

October 18, 2012

Cutting 10 inches off and a sunrise in Dallas

When I left home yesterday afternoon for the airport, it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was so mild for this time of year in New York, all I wanted to do was stay and enjoy the afternoon with my family. This is one of the sacrifices one must make when work beckons, even on weekends. We shoot or travel, seven days a week. Fashion shoots are not simply Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.

I was on my way to Texas and fortunately on this Sunday afternoon, my flight which was over three hours was on time (most of the other flights were strangely delayed). I felt blessed. One can never tell what the skies of aviation will dictate. There is no rhyme or reason.

Texas – The sun rising over Dallas

I woke up this morning and looked out of my hotel window and saw the sun rising over Dallas. I saw hues of blue, pink, orange and gold coming over the sky that filled in the space between the skyscrapers. I’m fortunate I get to see the sun rise and set in different cities, states and countries around the world. I simply love it!

Texas – Hair & make-up ready with backlight and sequence top shining

Whilst I was at work today, a good friend of mine called me from New York. She told me she was cutting off 10 inches of her virgin hair and donating it to cancer patients. Isn’t she amazing? Her hair is without dyes &/or chemicals and she has fabulous, thick, black, long, shiny hair that is now going to someone who really needs it and deserves it.

New York – 10 inches of hair going to cancer patients

I know someone else (a hair & make-up artist) who donates his long, beautiful, virgin hair every few years (that’s how long it takes him to grow it out). He waits until his hair gets to about six or eight inches long then he too donates it to cancer patients. What wonderful people! Giving unconditionally to those who need it most. I commend both Aileen and Stefano – you set an example.

So, I thought it was a great day at work. We were taking beautiful shots, I was wearing fun clothes and knowing such inspirational people who cut their hair off for charity. It was a good day indeed.

Have you ever donated anything of yours to a great cause or charity? If so, what?

Is there a charity the world should know more about?

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September 5, 2012

Fashion darlink!

Over the weekend I flew from New York to Sydney. It was a good flight, as long as a 27-hour, door-to-door travel experience goes. It’s a long way people however, worth it at both ends of the journey. I truly believe the more you do it, the more familiar the process becomes therefore, the easier or more bearable the trip becomes. I’ve been making this journey four times a year for almost 11 years. It adds up quickly.

This week, New York Fashion Week commences and simultaneously, Melbourne Spring Fashion week has been making a colourful splash. It is a fashion explosion of fabric, hair, make-up, accessories, music, flashes, people, celebrity and poses.

Already, there are trends for both the northern and southern hemispheres emerging. Colour that is bright, bold and even neon in palette is everywhere. Denim is back and beautiful. Some of my favourite colours include cobalt, teal and coral. Not to forget florals, lace, metallics, prints and the forever favourite of black are hot, hot, hot no matter where your plane is landing.

Speaking of cobalt, I was walking along 23rd Street last week in New York when I looked up and saw at least six people in front of me wearing hues of cobalt. I stared in wonder, laughed and struggled to get my phone out of my bag to take a photo. I was crossing 6th Avenue so it wasn’t particularly safe and sensible of me. As I reached the other side of 6th Ave, half of my cobalt people walked down the subway steps whilst the others continued along 23rd. My photo-op was over. It was a great, random vision of colour.

A that moment, I was reminded what a fashion trend was. When people embrace something that is being sold to them and run with it on mass – no matter what it is. It is a trend. It is fashion.

So get ready as the world of fashion darlink prepares to unleash its power of persuasion and wonder. Stirring up a need inside us to buy, buy, buy. A must have if you will!

What are some of your favourite pieces or trends that are coming off the runways?

What do you simply oppose?

Do you have any predictions to share?

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June 23, 2012

Where the ocean meets the sky

Sydney – the studio, quiet and empty before the day starts

Sydney - the rack of clothes that need to be shot

Sydney – the racks of clothes that need to be shot

We started shooting the spring and summer catalogues for Sara by Ezibuy last Friday in a studio in Sydney at 8am. Traffic is a part of Sydney life and it took me an hour to get to work (that was with no traffic accidents or incidents). Once inside the studio, Annette McKenzie (genius) starts on hair and make-up. By 10am we were ready, Juli Balla (photographer) and the crew were ready to start shooting the new season looks.

Sydney - hair & make-up done with curlers setting my hair

Sydney – hair & make-up done with pin curls setting my hair

Sydney - curlers out, touching up my lips with a hint of colour before getting changed into outfit #1

Sydney – curls out, touching up my lips with a hint of colour before getting changed into outfit #1

Scanning the racks of clothes once I was ready to get changed I noticed there were some key pieces that I really liked and simply had to have. The new season clothes were bright, colourful and included skinny jeans that fit me like a glove (one of my all time favs). Stripes are still very much in and still one of my favourite trends. There was a navy and a tea coloured linen jacket that I really liked too. Having basic neutrals in your wardrobe is a must in my opinion. It’s all about variety and versatility.

This routine continues over the next few days in studio. Our days of shooting merge into one as the days go by. At the end of our Sydney stint we head up to Palm Beach (Northern Beaches of Sydney) to get some location shots done. One can’t go any further than Palm Beach and its a 45 min – 1 hour drive north of Sydney (depending on traffic of course).

Palm Beach is somewhat far for the crew to travel and we mumble to ourselves about the distance and 6.45am call time however, once we are there and Andrea Rowe (amazing producer extraordinaire) walks in with delicious coffee and we have a moment to enjoy and take in the breathtaking views, we soon realise how divinely beautiful and blue this part of the world is. What were we saying?

Sydney – Palm Beach, view from the house we were shooting in

Sydney – Palm Beach, our view of where the ocean meets the sky

Sydney – Palm Beach, the day is done and I am heading home

Sydney – Palm Beach at ground level

Tomorrow we depart for Noosa, Queensland for the rest of the Sara shoot. Stay tuned.

Where have you been where the ocean meets the sky? What beautiful places do you dream of visiting and experiencing?

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May 16, 2012

Face Time in the Pacific

NYC – Shopping down Fifth Ave

NYC – The Flatiron Building

NYC – My facial at Pacific Touch NYC with a Vitamin C mask on my face

As most of you know with my job and career now, I am required to ‘maintain’ myself. To present myself professionally with hair cut and colour up-to-date, lingerie/swimsuit ready and nude or neutral manicure/pedicure to every job. This is work and a part of my job.

In addition to the above, I like to exercise when I can (with two small kids in the picture, there isn’t always the time I’d like unfortunately), get body massages and facials for a better me. Last week I exercised and had a delicious facial. I felt great.

I went shopping in the Flatiron District with a girlfriend and then went and had a 90 minute ‘Pacific Touch Facial’ at Pacific Touch NYC. I was in heaven and as usual, fell asleep.

I try to live my life as holistically as possible and that’s how Nichola Weir approaches her skin care treatments and massage. I love this woman. Believe it or not, I have super-sensitive skin and I can’t use a lot of products and product ranges because my face turns red. It’s a sign that it’s not happy.

Nichola and I discuss what I’m eating, drinking and using on my face to try to pin-point the reason for such sensitivity. I know since falling pregnant the first time, nursing, falling pregnant again and nursing some more, my skin has changed. It is a slow process however, I’m using a lot less product these days and it certainly helps.

What doesn’t help every week is that most days I have a whole range of products and make-up put on my face that I can’t control. I have the make-up artist’s use my own personal Armani liquid foundation that I take on every shoot with me and my own mascara of course… the rest is from their kit. As long as they sterilize their brushes properly and use new sponges (and they all pretty much do), I’m generally O.K.

So if you are after a bit of glamour in your life or day and in New York, you must go see Nichola for some yummy pampering. You won’t be disappointed and will most likely fall asleep as I do, under the spell of her healing hands. Go the glamour!

www.pacifictouchnyc.com

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May 1, 2012

Castings, campaigns and space shuttles

New York - Florentina and I with Alberto our hairstylist

New York - Florentina and I

New York - Space shuttle Enterprise does a flyby past our studio

Last week I went to a casting that was held over three days… I went on day one within the first 90 minutes of the casting starting and discovered approximately 150 models waiting to be seen. There were women and men, full-figured and straight-sized models… All shapes and sizes if you will. I had to see the client then and there as I couldn’t return later or at another time due to work commitments.

So, I asked this guy who was by the door if he knew who was next. He told me it was him. I asked him if I could go next and mentioned my reasons why (I jumped the entire queue in a matter of minutes and it was legitimate). I knew some people frowned upon such behaviour… So what! I’ve let people in before and certainly appreciate being let in. I saw the client, told them this very cute guy kindly let me in and off I went… Off to my next gig. It was a beautiful day in New York! So far so good.

My next gig was a fitting for a shoot the next day. I walked in to the Broadway building to another massive casting. It was my client looking for a straight-size model for another days shoot. Once I walked in to the conference room I took off my gear, tied my hair up in a ponytail, took off my jewelry and then I put their clothes, shoes and accessories on for my fitting. A tailor pinned the clothes where necessary and he was going to sew the samples later that day to fit my body perfectly for the shoot tomorrow.

The next day at the shoot, my fellow model Florentina Kuhl and I meet at the hair and make-up station at 8am, clean and clear as we call it (no make-up on, clean hair, nude or clear manicure and pedicure). This is how we are expected to show up to our shoots (although some do not). We shot for the clients fall print campaign. It was a great day and before I knew it we were done and it was time to go home and finalise my tax preparation… YUK!!! Where’s the down time? I was exhausted.

My last shoot for the week was also in New York with another straight-sized model. We meet at 8.30am at the hair and make-up station… It was the U .N. as we called it. The hairstylist was from Greece, the make-up artist was from Canada and the two blonde models (me being one of them) were from Russia and Australia. We saw space shuttle Enterprise fly fast our building TWICE in a matter of minutes. Everyone was going crazy at the sight… Me included (see the photo above). It was a long day in dresses and heels standing on cement however, we were all so happy that it was Friday afternoon and the weekend was here. My hair and make-up was done and I was ready for Mila’s pre-school art auction that started at 6.30pm.

Another good week of glam!

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March 27, 2012

Welcome to my world!

This is... Me!

‘Wow’ and ‘hi’… My first post on my blog ‘Hold the Glamour’. I’m rather nervous and super excited at the same time. Welcome to my world!

I hope to share with you moments and snippets of my world, life, family, career and the everyday… That my days really aren’t as glam as one might imagine and that there isn’t only glamour in my life. There are many times I’m feeling the glamour and in some kind of glamour somewhere however, mostly, I’m a daughter, sister, wife and mother who works and travels for her work… All over the place in fact, a global citizen if you will.

I will no doubt express an opinion about most things… Good health and lifestyle, the protection and care of our children and the helpless in this world, environmental issues that are close to my heart, the eye-opening and exciting world of travel, what’s hot in a New York minute and let’s not forget fashion dahlink! and sexy, womanly curves! It’s all here at some point of my day, week or month.

This week has been a rather difficult one for me personally and emotionally as my husband Steve and daughter Mila are in Hawaii (I KNOW). To be honest, I’m not used to being the one at home whilst members of my family are away. There is a definite shift that happens and our home is SO quiet and different. Levi (our two-year old son) & I miss them terribly however, they are having the times of their lives. Their photos and videos prove it.

Anyway, Steve is an artist & singer/songwriter and he has an art exhibition commencing on March 31 (our darling Mila’s fourth birthday). If you happen to be in Kailua, HI (Oahu) on the evening or during the month of April, feel free to stop by MU’UMU’U Heaven (a must see fashion retail experience) and check out Steve’s collection of contemporary pieces. Let’s not forget you’ll visit a dynamic fashion brand of fun-loving and vintage-loving clothes, home decor & accessories. I have many pieces in my wardrobe and home to talk about.

In the meantime, Levi and I are kicking back in the big apple, enjoying the freakishly warm spring-like weather in New York. We are partying with the best of the four-year old’s born in the spring of the Northeast as we go from one household to another on our weekends… It’s one, big, two-day event at a time.

Here’s to glamourous events in our lives!

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Tag: fashion