A Pink Dress and a Winter Sunset

Hello friends!

I've been so eager to do away with winter darks and get some of those happier hues into my everyday again. It's been a stop and go effort as our winter has been so very moody these past few weeks. One of my favorite new dresses is this swishy little number, a pastel pink confection in a soft (pajama worthy) satin with interesting tucks and edgy frills that add a touch of salty to the sweet. 

Dress - Zara
Boots and necklace - Besselli (GB)

A warm thank you to Carlee Secor Photography for capturing such a uniquely prickly prettiness in these shots, a beautiful juxtaposition of (winter into spring) worlds.

Pencil Skirts

Hello friends! We had a blast shooting a fashion story for YOU magazine over the weekend and I was challenged to create polished looks for the workplace, not something I really ever wear. In fact, this is the only pencil skirt I own! My wardrobe is the exact opposite of workplace chic. It's fluffy, flowy, swishy chic. So, inspired by our photo shoot, I sought out this gorgeous skirt (owned it for a few year's now) and made an outfit around it. And voila, here we go! ;) As you'll notice there are some swishes happening here despite my best efforts. I feel very "Real Housewives" when I put on a fitted skirt or dress. Feels so strange to me. So I added some layering to make it a little more ... me. 

Skirt - Zara
Blouse - Target
Sweater - Loft
Boots - Target
Necklace - Azure (GB)
Ear rings - ZuLou (GB)

A Dark Romance {for YOU magazine}

Hello friends! It's finally time to share this beautiful moody fashion shoot with you. I collaborated with the awesome Jen Gannigan of Magdalene Photography, knowing she would be absolutely perfect for capturing a darker ethereal story. I had a crazy quirky concept for this one, inspired by the endless storybook possibilities and fantasy of Halloween. It was such a blast creating these looks from some of Green Bay's local thrift and resale boutiques, and then brainstorming hair and makeup ideas with my dear friend Victoria. We had tried this glitter mask idea before but never for YOU magazine, so I was excited to have an excuse to capture it for this publication. This story is all about the beauty of eco-fashion, with every piece a second-hand or up-cycled item and all so ridiculously lovely. I've been known to be a thrift junkie so this assignment was right up my alley. Loved it so much! 

Here is the shoot in its entirety and if you pick up a copy of the mag, you'll see a small selection of photos alongside a really cool selection of "Perfectly Paired With" items, each featuring a scent, book and drink to match the look. Cool huh?! Be sure to grab a copy and get all the buying details. :)

Thank you to the incredibly talented people who brought this story to life!

Photography: Jen Gannigan with Magdalene Photography 
Creative direction and styling: Kirsty Gungor
Hair and Makeup: Victoria Stencil and Rossemary Alcantra of Salon 54
Wardrobe: Fiore (on Broadway), Bethesda Thrift Store (on Military), and The Ultimate Closet (in Bellevue), Tyler Lambert (local designer - www.tylerlambert.us) and Somewhere in Time Antiques (on Main St)
And the models who KILLED it!: Erika Bosman and Maricela Vera

Read the issue online HERE.