And...Action!

So I tried something new this year: videography! When my YouTuber friend, More Merrick, asked if I would be interested in shooting some footage for his latest fashion video, I was hesitant. I had absolutely zero film experience and never considered myself all that competent with a camera. But eager to learn new skills and explore other creative avenues, I agreed.

We shot two outfits over the span of two hours, but let me tell you, that time flew by! Even though the first outfit was done outside in below-zero weather, I was so preoccupied with getting a good shot I barely noticed the chill. Despite my lack of videography experience, I went in trusting my instincts. I drew on my years of exposure to fashion photography and the fact I occasionally snap photos for my blog's Facebook page to help me envision how a subject should be placed within a frame. I've always had a vividly imaginative mind, but have never been able to translate my fantastical visions into any other medium besides words. Figuring out how to manifest the sparkling images in my mind into actual video footage would be my greatest challenge. Yet even if all else failed, I knew I could at least depend on my love for fashion to capture the clothing in its best light.

Check out what became of my first-time efforts in the finished video below (I shot the first and fourth outfits):

Huge thanks to Merrick for working his editing magic to hide the flaws in my footage!  I always knew filming was a task that required considerable skill, and that day of shooting did not prove me wrong. I struggled most with getting smooth shots and ensuring the camera was always in focus. Although my myriad of flaws do not escape me while watching the finished product, I had so much fun that day I come away more inspired than discouraged.

Lately, I've found myself expanding beyond fashion and learning to appreciate other forms of art. It has only been in recent years that I have begun to really love the art of film-making and acting (so much so I even considered writing film reviews at one point). I've also gained a newfound enjoyment of visual art, theatre, orchestra, and dance. At first I felt as if I were betraying my fashion roots by electing to watch a movie over the latest runway show, but then I realized I was simply complementing my deep appreciation for talent and skill. At the heart of it all, no matter what form it takes, I adore seeing people who are good at - and passionate about - what they do. Don't worry; fashion will always be my first (and forever) love.  But with this new mindset, I see my fun little venture into videography as a natural extension of my passion for fashion and creativity. Just like the effect of putting on a fantastic outfit, everytime I yelled "action!", I was transported to a heightened reality away from the drudgery of my surroundings. In those couple of seconds the camera was on, my world existed within the frame - and there was something satisfying about that.

Nevertheless, my videography skills still need a lot of work. I've made a number of mental notes for next time I film. There's a next time, you ask? Stay tuned...

Image Source: Ask

Not Without Love

So...yes, this is shaping up to be another summer of me not blogging.  That's not to say I've forgotten about Red-Soled Fashionista; on the contrary, I've had a steady flow of inspiration these past few months, yet time is one thing I don't have.  Partially this is due to a full-time summer job I am so grateful to have landed, but also another opportunity that was miraculously offered to me back in May.

I had planned to find another easy pay-per-post fashion blogging job for some extra cash, but there were slim pickings this year in terms of companies who were hiring.  After about a month of searching, I finally found a job posting from an accessories company.  I almost didn't apply because it required a CV, and I was too lazy to create a fashion-targeted resume. Luckily, I had a niggling fear of missing out on an opportunity, and so I applied.

And thank goodness I did!  A week later, I received an email.  After a surreal phone call with the company, I realized it was my blog and my writing style, both of which I have lovingly nurtured all these years, that made me stand out among the applicants.  Now here I am, working from home as Managing Editor of an American accessories company, getting paid to do what I love.  What seemed like a distant, impossible dream a few years ago has now become a very real possibility.  So, please do forgive me if Red-Soled Fashionista becomes a little bare, but always remember that my heart and soul is in this blog and I will never, ever be without love for it.

Image Source: HeartIfb

Summer Lovin'

The night before my last exam of the school year, my mind was whirring.  Not with my course material, but with my blog.  I had been putting off my blog for the past year or so to focus on school, and had only been able to post about once a month.  The guilt began settling in, and my desire to keep my blog going for as long as possible led me to promptly set up a Facebook page for my blog the next day.  It was my first step towards rejuvenation.

Next step: blog more often.  I spent hours upon hours drafting up posts while I waited for my flight home.  This past summer, I have managed to bump up my post count to four posts a month.  Hardly close to the daily posts I used to make, but come now, I was young and naïve back then!

And finally, an idea I had toyed with about a month before summer: guest blogging.  In my stupor of studying, I discovered that there are many guest blogging opportunities out there.  Breaking out of my own little territory, introducing myself to other bloggers, and gaining exposure through other channels...I was only left pondering why I hadn't pursued guest blogging earlier!  Unexpectedly, and thrillingly, guest blogging was a huge success from the start.  I received such positive feedback from the bloggers I approached, and at one point, I even had so many guest post deadlines on my plate that I encountered major writer's block.  Here's a compilation of all the guest blogging I've done (there were many other opportunities, but one person can only write so much!):

==================================================================

Rose & Pine: Fashion's Game of Musical Chairs - I speak my mind on some of the latest designer changeovers.

Rose & Pine: The Great Gatsby: '20s Inspiration - I deliver fashion tips inspired by my most anticipated movie of the year: The Great Gatsby.

This Girl's Life: A Shady Afternoon - I pick out the season's top shades.

This Girl's Life: Floral Fanatic - I teach you how to tackle florals - from beginner to advanced.

Anni's Bubble: Midriff Mama - I try my hand at making one of the runway's most daunting trends more practical for stylish moms.

Chic and Casual: One Step Ahead - I reveal a strange new trend in footwear that has me itching to embrace modernity.

What's Hanging: Florida Florals - I get inspired by Robyn of What's Hanging's trip to Florida and cook up some outfits worthy of the beachy state.

All Things Unpredictable and Chic: I See Right Through You - I show you how to wear lucite.  Clear and simple.

Makeup by Lauren P: Top Summer 2013 Hairstyles - It's never too late to look at the season's hottest hairstyles.

==================================================================

But this isn't it.  I came across an advertisement looking for paid fashion bloggers in May, and without hesitation, sent in samples of my work.  Just like that, I was contacted and now, for the first time in my life, I'm getting paid to do something I truly love.  Here's a look at the work I've done so far:

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Only Swimsuits: Top Swimsuits for Every Body Type

Size Plus Dresses: Top Plus Size Summer Dresses

Vintage Fashion London: How Dandy: Yves Saint Laurent's Le Smoking

Dress in Style: Surviving the Summer to Autumn Transition

Lily and Coco: Top AW 2013 Hair Accessories

==================================================================

I first knew I loved fashion writing when I sifted through every occupation I could imagine and assessed whether I was willing to go through the work required for each one.  Time and time again, I came to the conclusion that a future towards any other career would be a burden.  But when I looked at the work required to get into publishing, I felt such strong conviction and excitement.  You cannot deny when you feel a feeling like this that it is your heart's true calling.  I was willing to do anything - to push myself beyond my comfort zone - to achieve my dreams.  I've started from the lowest rung in the ladder - being a nobody in the vast world of fashion - to slowly, somtimes painfully, but always happily, climbing each individual rung.  I'm not saying I've made it anywhere near the top (and I may never), but it's been a steady progression up.  Hard work pays off.  Couldn't be truer.

Looking back, I MUST thank my friends.  The feedback I've received from them has been phenomenal.  They have always, always been my biggest supporters.  I'm so grateful to have friends who never question me even when I question myself.  In those nights of laying in bed wondering whether my passion is a mere hobby, I remember my friends and it's through their confidence that I gain my own strength.  Thank you, my dear friends, for your incredible support.  This is not my accomplishment, but ours.

Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3

Summer Memories

Funny how blogging always seems to slow down during the summer months.  Outings with friends and family, sun, and lazing around tends to end up taking precedence over sitting myself down in front of the computer and attempting to hash out an inspirational post. 

But I actually have a good reason for my absence, and it's because of my internship at Stylust Magazine.  This internship has taken me through my first fashion event and my first photoshoot.  With every publication I've participated in, I've never failed to take a valuable learning experience from it. 

My first fashion event was Caitlin Power's intimate fashion presentation for our local fashion crowd.  I'll let my original post on Stylust do the talking!  Check it out here.

My first photoshoot was long (12 hours!), but thoroughly exhilarating.  One thing I admire about Stylust is their insistence on quality content.  Local designers and fashion events aren't featured just because they're local, but because they're actually good.  This high standard gave me the push I needed to reach out to local professionals in order to make my photoshoot come alive.  Seeing as this was my first photoshoot, it was a crash course in learning how things get done in the real world.  During the photoshoot, I found myself standing back and absorbing every little detail of what was going on.  Now with one professional photoshoot under my belt, I'm equipped with knowledge of how a photoshoot actually works so that next time (and I really do hope there is a next time!) I'm better prepared to actively see a photoshoot from start to finish.

Check out my first photoshoot here.

One thing I find with these small, local photoshoots is that they can sometimes look amateur - whether it be the model, the clothing, or the backdrop.  With this photoshoot, however, I was amazed at the editorial quality of our shots; these shots could truly go to print.  Our model absolutely blew us away with her natural ability to pose in front of the camera, our photographer had a keen eye for lighting and camera angles, our stylist pulled a wardrobe beyond my expectations, and our makeup/hair stylist knew exactly how to change it up between looks.  I was very lucky to have such an experienced team for my first photoshoot.  In the end, my job only consists of pulling everyone together and setting a theme.  The true talent behind the photos lies with everyone else.

Image Source: Summer, Caitlin Power

Scopic Magazine Contest Opportunity

Note: this contest is now closed.  Thanks to those who entered!

As some of you may know, I am the Fashion Editor Intern for Scopic Magazine (scopicmag.com).  Currently, Scopic is holding a contest for a winter outfit feature.  We are looking for bloggers to send us their best winter outfit (even from last year!), from which we will choose 5 winners based on audience selection and commitee review to feature in the magazine.

All photos will be uploaded to the Scopic, LLC Facebook page under the album Winter Magazine Feature Contest, where users can then vote by "liking" their favourites.

What we require:
1) Full Body Shot
2) Name / Blog Name
3) Age
4) Occupation
5) URL

Winter outfit photos can be submitted to submissions@scopicmag.com.  Deadline for submissions is November 5, and voting goes from November 6 - 11.

Contest starts now!  And look out for the next issue of Scopic Magazine, as we will be featuring Project Runway contestant, Becky Ross, and Portland Fashion Week 2011!

Edit: This contest is now open to everyone, not just bloggers! 

Top 13 Stylish Celebrities

This post, like all my other posts from the past couple months, is long overdue.  I would love to write about the latest Spring/Summer collections, but I am ashamed to say I have barely had the time to follow up on them.  Obviously there will be no Fashion Week Marathon on my blog, but I will be making a post about the collections eventually, and let me know if there are any collections you want to see reviewed!

For now, I'd like to share the last article I wrote over the summer for the youth magazine.  It was an extremely fun article to research and write, and quite ironic considering I'm not a fan of celebrity fashion.  Yet I've realized that in fashion, you can have a personal style and you can critisize certain looks (oh let's be honest here, aren't we always judging in fashion?), but you have to have a certain appreciation and acceptance of all kinds of fashion.  So that's what I did when I wrote my last article, titled Top 13 Stylish Celebrities.  And just to note, I actually personally do not like Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, or Justin Bieber, but considering the audience of my article, I decided to add them in due to popularity.

To make this article even more special, a lovely girl wrote a Letter to the Editor referencing my article.  Nothing is better than knowing people have something to say about what you've written.  Over the summer, I remember writing on my blog that my time at this youth magazine would surely not be the last, and it seems my determination has paid off, as I am now writing for more publications than I ever have before.  I'm grateful for my position at Scopic Magazine (thank you DG), as well as all the publications at school that allow me to do what I love most.

Image Source: Youthink

Summer 2011 Makeup Looks

Earlier, I posted the Summer Shoes article that I wrote for a youth magazine, and I said that it was my last article for the publication.  In a way, this is true, as my writing will no longer be published in the magazine, but what I later found out is that I can still write over the summer for their online publication.  And that's exactly what I did, as I was chosen to write an article on Summer 2011 Makeup Looks:

As much as I have a passion for fashion, makeup has never really been my forte.  I do have some beauty knowledge from reading countless fashion magazines, but I would rather talk fashion over makeup any day.  So when I took on this assignment, I was afraid I might not have what it takes to write knowledgeably about makeup.  But after a bit of research, I hope that I have written something that will at least be worthy of those makeup lovers out there.  Also, a quick thanks to my friend, a makeup maniac and follower of this blog, for giving me a simple outline of this season's biggest makeup trends (she was bang on, by the way).  She loves beauty in the same way I love fashion, and together, we could conquer any fashion magazine.  ;)

Note: One of my friends, after discovering my blog, has decided to start a blog of her own.  I am so happy for her, and I hope her blog will become as much a source of pride for her as mine has become for me.  Her blog is not a fashion blog, but you can check it out here.

Image Source: Youthink

Summer Shoes

The bulk of my final exams - the most important exams of my high school career - have gone by, with some successes and some frustrating downfalls.  I still have two more coming up, but I thought I'd take advantage of this little break to post my Summer Shoes article (I apologize for the blurry image):

While I wasn't assigned the main fashion story this time (which was Summer Dress Trends), this is my last article for the youth magazine, and I am glad that I was given a chance to write an article about shoes - my blog is, after all, called Red-Soled Fashionista.  Even though I've only written three articles for this magazine, I've learned how the journalism industry works, had my first real (slightly embarrassing) interview, and experienced the thrill that comes from seeing words that I have strung together published on paper.  I highly doubt that the thrill will ever dissipate, no matter how many more articles I write in the future, and you can bet this won't be the last publication I write for.

Image Source: Youthink

Big, Bold and Beautiful

Finally, after much waiting, the second issue of my school newspaper has come out.  Seeing as this is the March 2011 issue (it was supposed to come out in March), naturally I would write about spring trends.  Again, I surely don't expect or want you to read the entire thing, but what you can see is that I choose a look from Jil Sander to represent the trends of spring.  If you saw the article I wrote for the youth magazine, you will remember that I said it was all about being bold this spring, and I think Jil Sander got that message across loud and clear.

There have been a couple of improvements to my school newspaper this issue, such as colour photos, a more professional layout, and public viewing access.  However, as you can maybe see, they have decided to not include the writers' full names.  They merely put a first initial with a full last name.  Unfortunately, this probably has to be done in order to protect privacy now that our newspaper is open to public viewing.

Spring Trend Report 2011

As some of you know, I am a writer for a youth magazine, and my Spring 2011 Trend Report has just been published!  I have yet to grab a copy, but the online version is available.  My editor actually did quite a bit of editing on my work to make it more suitable for the online version, and I did have colour blocking as one of the trends (as you can see, the magazine decided to remove it), but the majority of writing is, of course, my own.

So I have one last chance to write an article before I can no longer be a writer for the magazine (because I'll be too old, and because I won't be living in the area anymore).  My last assignment is Summer Shoe Trends, and I've gotten a good start on the article.  It'll be published in May, so I'll be posting it then!

Image Source: Youthink

Hot Grad Trends 2011

My grad trend article has finally been posted online, and so I'm just going to give you a quick look (with a couple of things whited-out, as I would like to keep where I live private).  The layout was obviously nicer in print, but all the photos shown were the ones used in the magazine (I did not choose them, by the way).

The majority of writing is pretty much the same as what I posted earlier on this blog, but of course, it's written from a more journalistic approach.

And I just received great news today!  I have been assigned another article!  This time, I'm in charge of the Spring Trend Report.  Got any ideas for what Spring's hottest trends are?

Note: Because I have final exams this month, as well as a truckload of projects to work on, I will most likely not be blogging for the majority of January.  See you all in February! 

Image Source: Youthink

Classic Black and White

In response to dear reader E...'s question about whether or not I can post the magazine article that I wrote, I will try!  Once it becomes available online, I will take a screenshot of it (I could scan it, but it is too large for my scanner).  But what I do have is a look at a recently published article that I wrote for my school newspaper on Fall/Winter 2011 trends:

This is as large as I could get it, and so I wouldn't advise you try and read it.  But you can see that the main trend I chose to highlight for this season was the lady-like glamour of the 1950s.  I chose a look from Louis Vuitton as my photo for two reasons: it was my favourite show of the season, and it was the collection that best represented the '50s trend.  And just to let you know, I did not write the poem Ode to Winter Break, but it is in fact a wonderful poem written by my good friend.

Even though practically no one reads the school newspaper, this issue holds special meaning to me, because this was my first issue as the Arts & Entertainment Editor, a position I am overjoyed to be holding.