10/18/2013

The Stars Come Out At Night

Christmas promotional images for Bettie Wishes and Lana Pillay.
It feels utterly terrifying to even contemplate that we're hurtling towards the end of this year, but my diary and it's list of Christmas themed bookings are making me face the truth - shortly I need to start thinking about starting my Christmas shopping!

However there are lots of advantages in the run up to the festive season; mulled wine, good food and all the Christmas market hot chocolate my stomach can manage! It's also a fun time in the studio, with my regular clients feeling festive and lots of fun taking place in front of the camera.

The studio diary is beginning to fill up with clients wanting to get their festive promo shots sorted ahead of the Christmas rush, so if you have a seasonal act you need publicity stills for, or just want a nice image to send out on a card to your business associates, family, or friends, drop me a line at diana@fashionlovesphotos.com to get booked in with packages starting from just £80 for a shoot and two edited images of your choice.

(As a special early Christmas bonus, book before the end of the week and mention "sparking Christmas baubles" to get the £80 package for just £50.)

10/15/2013

The Hardest Button To Button

Birthday treats from Sugar & Vice and Tatty Devine.
It's been a busy few weeks in photography world, which has also included bouts of DJing, my birthday and a few other fun events. And fun events mean wearing my favourite outfits!
Matt & Nat Dwell Handbag from the ASOS Sale.
Now that the summer has gone on holiday, my amazing vintage green Autumn cape in full swing (literally!), I've been in need of finding a large faux-vintage handbag to match it as the cape needs a bag carried by hand, but I also needed something which could contain my tablet, camera and the other assortment of girl / photographer things to get me through the day. My bag shaped pleas were answered in the form of the Matt & Nat Dwell Handbag which to me carries like an oversized Kelly bag - my favourite type of vintage bag shape. Although it has a front flap rather than a clip, it still works in tandem with my cape and I feel like instantly put together, even on my dressed down days.

Chelsea Boots from Primark.
Ankle boots have been the bane of my existence these last few months, with the search for my perfect boot starting back in the Summer. I don't have particularly wide feet, but everything, even lace-up boots felt incredibly narrow so was over the moon to stumble across this bargain beauties. I love that they smarten up my grungy outfits and grunge up my tea dresses so I feel I can wear and accessorise them with almost anything.

Weather-proofing hair with a silk scarf and pin-curls.
One of the other key things about Autumn when you spent much of your time shooting outside on location is how to weather proof yourself. Silk scarves and pin-curls have been a life saver to ensure I can run from shoot to event with my hair brushed out into shiny waves rather than rained on frizz. Thank you vintage styling!

Max Factor's Whipped Creme Foundation and Lush's Emotional Brilliance Liquid Lipstick.

As much as I love the seasonal transition into Autumn, my skin sadly doesn't agree. All it takes is a few days of biting wind for my face to fall to pieces, but I have finally found a drugstore foundation which moisturises, evens out and makes my skin look and feel fabulous.

The foundation is Max Factor's Whipped Creme, and I've used their palest shade in Light Ivory / 40 with an angled foundation brush. One of the other things which really stuck out was that the foundation didn't leave me with a yellow cast. Most pale drugstore foundations are still too dark on my pink based complexion, and this for me was spot on. It covered any redness, evened out my skin, covered any spots and left me feeling like I wasn't wearing anything other than my usual moisturiser.

Another new purchase was my new red liquid lipstick from Lush's Emotional Brilliance make-up range. I chose Decisive which is a strong cherry red colour with a blue base - perfect for pale skin and vintage lovers. It needs a lip liner underneath or else you'll look like The Joker after one cup of tea, but a liner locks it onto lips like a magnetic force.
Flower crown by Frankii Wilde, swallow necklace by Tatty Devine.

Dress by Lady V Vintage, cardigan, belt and leggings by Yours Clothing.

The first of my favourite outfits this month is what I wore to DJ at the last Whiskey Kittens. The photos are pretty terrible and don't do either the dress of flowers justice, but I received so many compliments on both for the whole night, and even the journey to the venue!
Bubble Blower Necklace from Sugar & Vice.

Cardigan and vest from New Look, skirt from ASOS and leggings from leggings by Yours Clothing. I literally wear those boots with EVERYTHING at the moment!
I also feel like I've been really spoilt this month with some wonderful birthday gifts (and self-given-almost-birthday-gifts!)
Cat watch from the ASOS Sale.
I very rarely get called Diana these days unless it's a client, or I'm in trouble! Most of my friends call me Kitty and have done for years, so this birthday gift to me from me seemed perfect. Puuurfect even. I'd been wanting to find a cute watch for a while, and fits in perfectly with the rest of my jewellery.
Rocket Ship Necklace from Kate Rowland.
This rocket ship necklace from Kate Rowland goes with so many things in my wardrobe. It's kitsch enough that it brings a simple tea dress to life, and gives a lift (off) to a more simple outfit.

Tortoise Necklace from Tatty Devine.
Hi I'm Diana, and I'm a Tatty Devine addict! This was something I picked up on my last trip to Brighton, but it's really been this last month of Autumn colours that he's permanently lived on my finger. Sadly he's no longer in stock as he was part of Tatty Devine's seasonal collection, but this particular one is called Horrace after my childhood Carolina Box Tortoise and I always feel happy when I wear him.
La Luna Necklace from Tatty Devine.
The second I saw the larger version of this necklace on Mary Portas, I knew I had to have it. I've always had a love of the stars and night sky, and convinced myself that since Diana was the name of the "moon goddess", it was meant to be. I'm sticking to that. Yep.
Custom made necklaces from Bette Noire.
I am a sucker for handmade creations, and love this custom cuties from Bette Noire. One is a lovely heart shape with kitty ears and "Kitty" emblazoned on the scroll, whilst the glittering double hearts have the name of my club night, Whiskey Kittens.
Birthday treats from Sugar & Vice and Tatty Devine.
With my friends knowing my love of cute perspex and personalised cuteness, my darling friend Luna had this Kitty necklace made for me via Sugar and Vice. Howard also picked up on my "subtle" hints (hah!) and brought me the adorable Dog on Wheels necklace from Tatty Devine.

Aphrodite's Child Carnival Ruff from Lovechild Boudoir.
Another stunning birthday present from Howard was this incredible Ruff from Lovechild Boudoir. I had fallen in love with it when we were kindly lent some of her products for a photoshoot with Rush Hair. Although this particular piece wasn't used, it was the one which I adored the most and was so excited when I opened it up. I spent much of birthday wearing it with my pyjamas and pin curls until finally putting on real clothes and being whisked away for a birthday hot chocolate.
Birthday hot chocolate.
I've felt thoroughly spoilt the last few days, and am struggling to get my brain back out from birthday mode to work mode. It's not helping that we are celebrating this coming weekend (the half way weekend between mine and Howard's birthdays) so it feels like three weeks of cake and cuteness. Am I complaining? Nope! I love birthdays, whether they're mine or my friends. I love this time of year for the never ending supply of cake!

Until next time,
Diana xx

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