As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make a lemonade" came in handy when we had to stay home for more than a month to combat and battle the pandemic, Covid-19. While all of my scheduled blog shoots and filming in New York have been put to a momentary halt, I took the opportunity to fly back to Miami to lay low where the scene is less intense than The City. I was running out of creative content ideas since most of the prospective projects I have involved outdoors shootings and hence, proved to be tricky with today's social restrictions.
However, my "eureka moment" happened while I was walking my dog, Pepe, around the quiet Miami residential neighborhood where I am located. I saw some nice garden and landscape backgrounds where I can pose and shoot discretely while observing social distancing and the best part of it is that the spots were a block or two away from my place. To top it all, I even used my backyard's growing weeds and wildflowers to shoot one of the fashion edits. Luckily, one of my good friend and Kung Fu teammate, Larry, who is a Miami-based photographer was free to help me out to shoot some interesting pictures in my neighborhood. He also shot the featured blog post last November, Paris Chic. Rest assured, we practiced social distancing the whole time of the shoot and I even provided him a disposable mask and gloves to ensure both our safety and well-being.
So just like the blooming flowers of spring in hopes of bringing color to Mother Nature, these are the three colorful, playful and whimsical fashion editorials to brighten your days and give you a glimpse of something wonderful to look forward to very soon! (PS: Don't forget to click on the smaller pictures to enlarge and see the beautiful details and accessories on each edit).
METAMORPHIC MADEMOISELLE
Named after a butterfly's transformation, metamorphosis; the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages is an ode to my fashion transformation per se. I remember growing up, I have always been inclined to fashion and dressing up yet, what really made a difference in how I dress these days are the combined inspirations, experiences and taste level changes that I went through in my fashion journey. So for this specific look, I wanted to keep a very sharp, bold yet classic and chic way of dressing up for Spring. I bought this trench coat from Zara a couple of months ago thinking that it would be a perfect piece for springtime and helas, I was able to use it for this shoot. Not only the trench coat was the "eye candy" of the entire outfit, it also blended with the Bougainvillea tree that was planted on the corner street from my place. I wanted to do a color-blocking, thus selecting fuchsia and green as the color palette for the outfit. The flowy top was from Vince Camuto and the colored pants was an old pair from my closet. I made sure that the accessories were playful and creative; so I wore a green beret and pinned all the insect brooches I have and wore a floral with a drop pearl pair of earrings to showcase its details. This outfit will make you want to take a nice relaxing walk somewhere in Central Park in New York or The Tuileries Garden in Paris because this is the perfect time to stop and smell the flowers!
PRAIRIE PRINCESS
If you know Mary, Laura and Carrie then you must know why I named this fashion edit, Prairie Princess. Little House on the Prairie was an iconic show and I remember watching reruns of it when I was growing up. The flowy, "country style" clothes stuck in my thoughts and their infamous fashion styles that when I saw these matching outfit, I knew I had to get it. This modest yet classy outfit with its drawings and sketches of tree branches and birds is an understated fashion statement. And while I never really paid attention to the growing weeds and wildflowers in my backyard, I was glad that the gardener has not paid his visit yet because it proved to be a useful photoshoot backdrop. So, I took the opportunity to do a photo spread sitting just beside the weeds and wildflowers and imagine that I am in a hill in a picnic scene or just doing my "Maria moment" singing The Hills are Alive in The Sound of Music right? These matching top and skirt is from the Who What Wear Collection (and hint: they are exclusively carried and available at Target). I finished the look by wearing a black straw hat, a flower-shaped pearl ring and a pair of black and white layered shell earrings from Bauble Bar. Indeed this look is something that I would opt for a nice Sunday brunch or an afternoon teatime with my friends.
BLOSSOMING BEAUTY
Last but not the least, Blossoming Beauty-- I am pretty certain that everyone will quite understand why this fashion edit is named the way it is. Is it not obvious? The print on the dress screams blooming flowers! And I kid you not, I did not plan on looking for a specific backdrop that will match my dress' prints, it was purely coincidence that when I was walking Pepe that I saw this backdrop at a neighbor's yard and I had already purchased the dress weeks before. This layered wrap dress screams Miami too and it is from Who What Wear Collection as well. They even came with a kimono top and tailored pants version of the same print that I also had to get them (I know, please do not judge a fashionista). The heels are a pair or Maryjanes that has tropical leaves designed on it from LA Republic, the crafted handbag was from an Indian specialty store from years ago and lastly, the flower-shaped earrings were handmade from Venezuela and the head piece are pink butterflies that I bought at a costume store. Definitely this cute, flirty and alluring dress is a showstopper in all senses and it is the type of dress that could transition very well from a day to night scene.
Hoping that these three fashion edits inspired and allowed you to imagine a colorful and adventurous spring time once we are all out quarantine and stay-at-home orders. I know I am looking forward to finally dressing up and just meeting and spending quality time again with family and friends who I have not seen in quite sometime. To end this my dear readers, I hope that every one is staying safe and staying sane after weeks of being isolated because I know it is never easy but I would like to leave you an inspirational and motivational quote to remind all of us of brighter days to come; "Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on. Life will get warmer".