Mime Your Own Business

As a stylist, clothing and accessories inspire me. To me they are stand alone story tellers. When I came across this gown from the 55,000 Dress Collection I immediately started dreaming. I dreampt of Vintage Paris and Mime's. The Mime; a person who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or the acting out a story through body motions, without use of speech. In earlier times, in English, such a performer would typically be referred to as a mummer. Miming is to be distinguished from silent comedy, in which the artist is a seamless character in a film or sketch.

Mime artists Jean Soubeyran and Brigitte Soubeyran in 1950

The performance of mime originates at its earliest in Ancient Greece; the name is taken from a single masked dancer called Pantomimus, although performances were not necessarily silent. In Medieval Europe, early forms of mime such as mummer plays and later dumbshows evolved. In early nineteenth century Paris, Jean-Gaspard Deburau solidified the many attributes that have come to be known in modern times—the silent figure in whiteface." - Wiki 

I have a son who is "non-verbal" and other forms of communication fascinate me. I also love how powerful and underrated silence is. I loved the idea of a glamorous Mime, not just as a Halloween costume but beyond that. I took a series of images to tell a story through the eyes of a millennial mime in an extreme fashion setting. As always I mixed Vintage with contemporary pieces, high and low price points. 

Vintage ruffle gown (SHOP)

Red "Gelsey" Flat in Poison (Available in Black HERE & White HERE)

Vintage Gold Pyramid Necklace with Tassels (Evolution Vintage)

Vintage Men's Satin Bow Tie (Evolution Vintage)

*Available for sale upon request*

Vintage Red Tribal Bracelet (SHOP)

Vintage Black & White Gown (55,000 Dresses)

Vintage Tiger Ring (SHOP)

Vintage Earrings (Evolution Vintage)

Vintage Black Strapless Shaper (Evolution Vintage)

Top Hat (Stylist Prop - NFS)

Red Lace Robe (55,000 Dresses)

*Available for sale upon request*

 Vintage Bowler Hat (Evolution Vintage)

Vintage 80's Fingerless Gloves (Evolution Vintage)

Vintage Black Satin Skirt (55,000 Dresses)

Vintage Sequin Tube Top (Evolution Vintage)

*All items available for sale upon request*

Blue Satin Shoes - SJP Collection (Lousie Sandal)

Imagination is your only limit to your own creativity and style, the rest is up to you. As for everyone else, the critics, haters and everyone in between, they can mime their own business! 

Lisa

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All Hail ... The Queen of Hearts

A Cute Costume: Various Colored Tu Tu's & Thigh High Heart Socks - SHOP The SOCKS

Halloween is just around the corner and I know many people who are always looking for a little costume inspiration.

For a family photo shoot in the past, my character was the Queen of Hearts from Disney's Alice in Wonderland. I interpreted her costume my way and had the most amazing makeup done by my friend and MUA Hanna Fisher.

There are several ways to make the Queen Of Hearts your very own character, to reflect your own taste and maintain the spirit of the character. There are really no limits except your own imagination.

Image: Tamara Wickstrom

 I used the Disney licensed costume and styled it my way.  I wore a Vintage lace top and belted it over the costume. Fishnets, tiara and Vintage jewels.

What about using a Vintage HEART PRINT gown instead of the traditional Disney costume?

SHOP - $250

Or add a red corset to this tulle gown that's fit for a Queen

 SHOP - $150

You can splurge for an amazing Red queen corset to complete the look or spend under $25 for these option for your costume

$23

$20

Or you could dress up as the ultimate QUEEN of fashion - Carrie Bradshaw using the same look and different accessories.

Sex and the city (S6/Ep16)

Vivienne Westwood Corset

Badgley Mischka Ruffle Skirt

Makeup Inspo:

Dream Dress: Yellow

Linda Evangelista 1995 In John Galliano for DIOR

Every girl has a dream gown, or in my case dream gownS. I wanted to talk about this color of yellow in relation o the now "Vintage" John Galliano gown Supermodel Linda Evangelista wore in his S/S 1995 show and again on the cover of Harpers Bazaar. He let her keep the gown which is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

 “Oh, my God, this is a fairy-tale dress, and I get to wear it on the cover of and take it to the next level.” (as told to Bazaar)

"I couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful dress. I’m not even a yellow person, but wearing this was one of the most sensational things that has ever happened to me. I loved everything about it. It was sophisticated, it was flirty, it was fun. It was retro, it was modern. I do love a full-on gown where you get to see the ankle. It had every element for me."

Approximately 45 years earlier someone else had their yellow tulle gown moment. This piece if from the collection of collector Paul Brockmann, part of his 55,000 dress collection.

 Now you can have you 1950's Yellow tulle gown moment. Shop this amazing Vintage gown HERE

 Fashion has clear daily functionality but there is also a fantasy component that I have never been able to ignore. 

DSAM: Danny & Sandy

In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month I teamed up with my friend Nicole to do a cute themed shoot of our children Blake (6) and Amelia (4). With Halloween just around the corner we channeled one of our favorite musicals, GREASE!

There are so many misconceptions about our kids still exists in our society and it is my hope that through advocacy, education and visibility people can start to shift their focus from our children's "Disability" to their ability. Let's start celebrating differences!

Is having a child with Down Syndrome challenging, difficult and sometimes hard? YES

Is having children challenging, difficult and sometimes hard? YES

Is it worth all of the struggles, effort and challenges for our children with Down Syndrome? 1,000 X YES!

Is raising children worth all of the struggles, effort and challenges? 1,000 X YES

See where I'm going with this .....

Our two little on set diva's were challenging to wrangle and capture on camera but the results were well worth it, just like them!

Nicole, Amelia's mom said "Amelia has the same wants and needs as any other 4 year old. Being Amelia's mom has given my life a purpose and has fulfilled me in ways I didn't think possible. She is also just a kid!"

The most famous lyric in the film, "You're the one that I want" Is perfect for our children with and without Down Syndrome. Obviously a different context but I have to say nothing could be more appropriate on Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Blake is exactly the son I want and the son I never knew I needed. He has made me a better human and mother.