Mock Up

Yesterday saw me styling my best friend's mock up of a proposed cover shoot for our university fashion publication Frock Paper Scissors.

She went into the shoot with three key aesthetics for me to conjure up around the theme of vintage and second hand clothing. Firstly avant-garde, second bohemian and thirdly artistic (which we didn't get around to shooting because we ran out of light). Originally I envisioned avant-garde with lots of black, layers and a mix of textures including crepe silks, tassles and knotted roping. I saw the model domineering atop a podium in a floor length flowing skirt structured by headpieces and bustiers. Given the short timeframe I was given to prepare wardrobe (30 mins!) and set design - things came flying out of my closet and piled into boxes.

We picked up one of our models on the way to location (a cute house in the sticks) and I was pleasantly greeted with both long limbs and long locks of hair.

So without too much mucking around we started with avant-garde. I grabbed my Babysitters Club Hat (for my followers, you know which one I'm talking about), a tu-tu my mother made back in fashion school which is intended to be worn under a garment, but for the sake of underwear as outerwear I figured it would be okay. I teamed these with a Therese Rawstone black bustier and black 8 hole Dr Martens and held it all together with bullclips and pegs. Worked like a charm. With Rachel's piercing blue eyes and dark hair the milieu couldn't have been any more perfect. For the second model Erin, I paired my crisp white antique Victorian blouse with opaque stockings I had a wonderful time ripping to shreds. Very therapeutic.

After many different compositions we were running out of light so we hastily navigated to the next look. Bohemian. I threw my rabbit fur shawl and white denim shorts at Rachel and she ran! After some precise tweaking (adding a studded cuff that subsititued for my lack of a studded belt and some rolling of the shorts) she looked positively intouch with nature. Erin wore my Emma Rea dress which I had prior tied in a knot to give it texture. We had lots of fun throwing the dress around to catch the light and contrast the shadows.

We finished shooting the girls with little light left but I insisted on throwing my oversized nude blazer on Rachel to catch the last of the sun. I also put Erin in a vintage midriff blouse with intricate beading detailed on the back so I had her standing with her back to the camera (not very standardised for a cover but the detailing is just too amazing). The last few shots turned out brilliantly, along with the rest. I only have a few shots from the afternoon but I'll add more when I have time to go through and edit them all.

photography: me and georgia colclough

models: Rachel and Erin
styling: me