MY LATEST VINTAGE FINDS

While going home for the weekend, I not only photographed garments for my up and coming photoshoot this Saturday, but I also browsed The Closet for some vintage pieces. 

I picked up a BIBA knitted top and a candy floss pink jacket.

I'm in love with this BIBA top. I had my eye on it for a while and was sure someone would have bought it by now. Fortunately for me, no one had purchased it and it had been sitting on the shop floor for quite some time. I love the hand embellished pearl detailing and the colour is adorable.

I've decided to photograph some other garments that could be worn on top of the BIBA piece. It's starting to get awfully wintery outside, so I will have to make the most of these outfits before it becomes too frosty and bitter.

Love the pastel pink against this vintage Zandra Rhodes turquoise jacket. 

I wore this particular combination to Uni today, not particularly warm, but the colours in the vintage shiny blazer compliment the top well.

Both outfits to be worn with these high waisted American Apparel leggings. I love using these leggings as a starting point for an outfit, they pretty much go with everything in my wardrobe. (And no, that magazine pull of Boy George stuck to my bedroom door is not part of the leggings)

I also bought this candy floss coloured jacket. The cut and shape is so Jill Sander-esque. I love the square buttons too with the diamonte stones.

Really cute 80's style

I thought this looked great teamed with my vintage Gala Mondi sheer black body.

The jacket would also look amazing with a contrasting coloured vest. Sadly, I don't own one of those so I'm making do with black!

When I tried the blazer on, I was wearing these leopard print shorts from Topshop Oxford Street, Henry Holland for Pretty Polly tights and a plain black vest. I thought the animal print looked really quirky with the pink jacket. The Henry Holland tights I was wearing were the 'Alphabetights". I purchased them on ASOS last week and I can't get enough of them!

I also bought the knee high House Of Holland pink striped tights exclusive to ASOS. I have no idea why I have an obsession with pink recently but I'm so in love with pastel colours.

I think that these knee high socks would look really cute with the pink coat and leopard print shorts.

I'm obsessed with hosiery! Also love these HOH tights. What pair is your favourite? 

CELEBRITY FANS INCLUDE...

Pixie Geldof

Pixie Lott

Fearne Cotton

Agyness Deyn

Jessie J

Believe it or not, this is my third attempt at finishing this post! I have honestly been so busy with the planning and preparation for my photoshoot, that I've taken three sessions to add more to this post before finally completing it.

My photoshoot is tomorrow and I'm SO excited. It feeds towards my final grade for Fashion Communication. Check out my previous blog posts for more details, today I've decided to stray away from blogging solemnly about my course work to add some fresh posts to my page. 

Wish me luck for tomorrow's shoot, you must be able to tell that its meant a lot to me considering I've went from blogging every single day to once/twice a week. Sorry everyone, I promise I'll blog more when my photoshoot is done.

Please continue to vote for me for the Student Cosmopolitan Blog Award. I'd be so grateful if I won!

Have a lovely weekend

xoxo

COSTUME CONCEPT

Hello bloggers!

As promised, I am giving you a preview of my styling/costume ideas for my photoshoot.

I am styling and photographing a model for my Fashion Communication project. If you read my last post you will know exactly where I am at, but for those who have not, myself and the other Fashion Communication students had to devise a photoshoot inspired by song lyrics our mentor provided.

There was a selection of lyrics to choose from, but I chose "10.30 in this hotel room, you and I locked in the gloom". 

From these song lyrics, I devised an idea for my photoshoot. An upper class, fashionable and wealthy woman had been thrown out of her house by her boyfriend in the middle of the night. She has no money and needs to find somewhere to shelter for the night. She seeks protection in a run-down ex hotel and tries to get some sleep for the night.

The styling direction I'm going in is using art deco/1950's style clothing. I.e, flapper dresses, fur jackets, retro briefcases, head turbans/fedora's and oversized jewellery. 

When I came up with my 'costume concept' for the shoot, I instantly thought of the Gucci A/W 2011 show. It oozes glamour and has a vintage twist.

This look is too tailored and 'perfect' for my photoshoot. The shoot has to be shot in the style of i-D magazine, so if I were to replicate this styling flawlessly, it would look too polished for i-D. 

I also like the make up used for this show. Especially the fire engine red lip.

I went back to The Closet shop today - a vintage store in Aberdeen I blog about ALL THE TIME to ask if it would be possible to borrow some genuine vintage pieces to really communicate the 50's feel I'm after. The manager was cool with it, so I then went on to take some photographs of some garments I'd like to use.

I will show the photographs I took of garments today to my mentor at University next week to hear her feedback before I make any definite decisions on what pieces I will use.

GARMENTS

In case you are wondering why some of the clothing illustrated above is nightwear, it is because I want my model to be undressing from her glamorous flapper dresses to lingerie to sleep in for the night. I want to do this so I am photographing a range of garments that still make sense within context to the story.

Some of the garments such as the first dress pictured are torn. I much prefer this in comparison to the immaculate-looking garments as I think using clothes that are torn/stained communicates the story better. The girl may have had a physical fight with her boyfriend before she was thrown out, so the clothes are bound to look worn down. I also think photographing the torn garments reflect the i-D style better than shooting clothes that are in mint condition.

SHOES

I wish for my model to be wearing a large pair of heels. When it comes to photographing her, I'll make sure that the shoes are not being worn 'properly' i.e, she might only be wearing one or one shoe might be buckled up incorrectly. Realistically, if you were thrown out of your house abruptly, you probably wouldn't have time to buckle up a tricky pair of high heels correctly. 

HATS

To demonstrate my models wealth (I wish to communicate that the model is a rich 50's siren) I am using hats to emphasise her glamour. Hats have such an understated beauty and can look so luxe with a perfect outfit.

Reading this back, the concept sounds a little crazy, but I know the exact look I am after. I'm excited to go back to The Closet next week to do a fitting with my model and see the garments on her. 

Please continue to vote for me! I'd love to win the Cosmopolitan Blog Award. 

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/blog-awards-2011-vote

Enter your email, click student blogs then my blog name (Ashleigh Duncan)

Keep your votes coming please everyone!

xoxo