Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Bridal shoot boho + classic

One thing that is almost as fun as being part of a wedding is putting together a shoot. There are a handful of photographers that I've worked with but my favorite is my very own mom. She is so skilled and talented from taking beautiful headshots of an aspiring model to capturing the intimate details of a beautiful wedding. She can take something simple and make it's true beauty stand out in a photo. 
 Our next shoot is in collaboration for some spring fashion trends with Random Boutiques, an eclectic boutique that travels via a vintage airstream with it's very own dressing room to try on your hearts delight. Randoms boutique, which is owned and operated by Stacy Rodriguez here in coastal north county, she works with local vendors to bring not just fashion, but beauty and lifestyle trends through her mobile events. It's so great to see small businesses, the heart of America, banding together to create opportunity with each other!
  Here I wanted to portray the bohemian trend that is so big this year along with that we are also seeing classic styles coming back. Champagne and rust inspired shadow with a nude lip. Hair jewelry featuring her something blue. On the left is a boho fishtail but keeping the rest of her look with a throw bad to mid century styles. A tease at the crown, winged liner (stila's smudge pot gel liner) and a rich blood red matte lip from Lancôme, topped off with more hair accents. I love that brides are opting for a statement piece instead of a veil. For a while we saw a lot of brides keeping their something blue as part of their bouquet (mine was the ribbon on my couture garter) I love seeing it in hair! 

Friday, February 28, 2014

2014 hair trends

So I may love to blog and craft but my number one favorite thing to write about and my personal expertise falls in the beauty industry. I am a hairstylist and makeup artist by trade and have been the beauty industry for over a decade. 
Now that I've made myself sound old, I want readers to dust their winter hairs off since spring is right around the corner and keep your heads up for some fall trends you can ask your hairstylist or colorist about. 
This year is what I call the year of the sun. Warm tones are the trend this year. We saw a bit of it at the end of last year in darker hues, but by nature it is the most natural look because the sun will always naturally hilight hair in a warm tone. Here are some shade variations besides the big trend that the beauty gurus are calling BRONDE! 
While you can't go wrong with a beautiful cool ash hilight....it's not what's on the celeb list this year. At best you'll see honey, caramel, walnut, apricot and chocolate tones....think dessert!
BRONDE
BROWN SUGAR

Apricot
COPPER
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL
DARK CHOCOLATE

Now hopefully I've successfully made you all hungry!....keep this in mind. These colors are great examples of controlled warmth. A true colorist can find ways to achieve these looks without having to use a lightner. Try asking your stylist for subtle tones and ask them if they think using a "high lift" hilight can achieve the look you want. Whether you are incorporating it with an all over color, you'll want to include "lowlights" into your color to break up and create a transition between the lighter and darker color. This will give is a more natural look. Remember a lowlight doesn't necessarily mean dark, it means any shade that is darker than your all over level of color. It could even be slightly one shade darker to create a real catch in the eye. Same goes for a "highlight". It doesn't mean blonde, it means any shade that's generally lighter than what you currently have. The closer together the shades, the more natural your color will look. If you want more contrast go brighter and darker. 
This year I encourage you "honeys" to not be afraid of being "brassy".
If you are afraid of the maintenance or don't want to commit to an all over color, ask your stylist for a demi permanent shade close to your own. This will fade naturally, it will only blend grey as it is not permanent. But you won't have a hard re growth line to stare at everytime you look in the mirror. Still too much? Try a gloss. It's applied and processed just like a color except it adds shine, seals your cuticle and gives your natural color a very subtle pop. 
Either way,  I encourage everyone to try something new this year. Whether it be orange red lipstick, that looks good on nearly every skin tone, go BRONDE, or cut all your split ends off and try a LOB! That's a Long Bob...incase you were wondering if I just make up words baba. 2014 is supposed to be a very good year.......if you are in the North San Diego area come stop by and get a consultation by myself! Email me dandyfox@hotmail.com for any questions or if you just want to say hi! 

Monday, February 24, 2014

Mixed tape

Well today was interesting. I came across a lot of old CDs. So old and having bounced around over the last 15 years I doubt they play. But they are one of the only of concrete things that I own pre- fire. It reminds me of change. So much has changed, yet many things are steadfast. I am also listening to my music selection from my wedding which was very good and original, might I add. In 2007 I was graduating Beauty school, living it up with friends, falling in love with my now husband, and just learning how to balance life. Now 7 years later, I am still the stubborn girl I was but I'm a little harder. I am now facing a crossroad in life. Over the last two years I've been disabled by pain from degenerative back problems, which has been quoted the "mixed" blessing in itself. It has taught me how to let go. As much as our thoughts and actions affect and plant and water the seeds of our destiny, it's the faith of letting go that makes the deepest roots take. As many times as I've been brought to my knees, confused, been lucky, and very lost....I have never settled. And I have never pretended that what I do have is something that it's not. It is the most liberating feeling in the world. I trust in a greater existence to shape our path, even though I will continue to speak to my mountains and will speak of nothing but my belief in a big plan ahead of us. I have no agenda. Accept to pick up my mat, and walk. 

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Prints + Color

As I sit here with my snoring heater Memphis, I am contemplating a shoot that I am working on design + styling. I am using some of my favorite local vendors to add to the mix and capture it to bring it to the public eye and our readers, and just like a wedding, it has me excited, stressed at moments, unsure, and feeling genius all at once. 
 Over the last couple of years weddings and showers have had the same color palette that has now by 2014 become almost expected. While being forever pretty the pastel + metallic wedding mesh has officially become....meh. 
 This wedding season I'm hoping to focus in color. Our world is full of color and to simply only chose blush and mint (which of course were my colors) peach, cream, champagne and silver & gold. I really miss the rest of the rainbow. I've sent over some floral ideas to my favorite florist, Bethany at My Splendid Sentiments to help my rustic table pop. I don't want to share too much as I'm working on everything from backdrop elements to favor hugging napkin design. 2014 is definetly the shifting year in design, you will still see a lot of pastel +metallic weddings, but expect to see some color + prints and patterns and some different ideas coming to the table. 2014 is going to be a bold year. Congrats to all the 2014 brides, which happens to include a very dear friend if mine  who is lucky to have family ( as I did) that just happen to have event and design talent. Can't wait to share her day after the styled shoot is finished. Now I can get ready to focus on making some room for some organizational skills in the very long process it's been to makeover our bedroom! Stay tuned!