Fall fashion starts now! At least for me it does. I usually don’t break out my fall wardrobe pieces until after spooky season.  Now that spooky season has sadly come to an end it’s time for me to get a little bit cozier. 

I’ve been wanting to shoot this Marilyn Monroe inspired casual look for a while now and it’s the perfect outfit for a crisp fall day! If you know your Marilyn, then you’ll know this outfit was inspired by photos taken of her in Canada while filming River of No Return.  I love every version of Marilyn, but I think I love the casual carefree version of her most. 

You only need two pieces to recreate this look, a chunky sweater ( I found mine at H&M and a pair of high waisted jeans! The jeans I’m wearing in this post are 1950s western inspired from Vivien of Holloway and super similar to the ones Marilyn wore in photos. A Marilyn inspired hairstyle and a classic red lip is optional but it does complete the look! These jeans, neutrals and understated accessories have definitely become staples in what I like to call, my “Marilyn capsule wardrobe”.

Special thanks to my Mom for taking these photos. 

It’s no secret I constantly turn to Marilyn Monroe and Old Hollywood for inspiration but who’s my modern day muse??? Lady Gaga! The looks featured in this post were most definitely inspired by her role as The Countess in the AHS Hotel season.

Like Marilyn, Gaga constantly inspires me to push myself creatively. She also encourages me to keep evolving in terms of personal style. As much as I don’t want to get bored with what I’m creating, I don’t want you guys getting bored either!! I like to keep people guessing and I get that’s probably frowned upon from a marketing standpoint 🤣. 

Sometimes with blogging, I feel like it’s super easy to put yourself in a box you’re forced to stay in whether it’s pertaining to your style, image or just the overall content you’re creating. I know when I first started blogging I felt so much pressure to look and dress a certain way to be relatable and gain followers. Now, personal growth and building community is my main focus. As much as I would love to recycle photos from shoots 3+ years ago, I can’t. I’m not the same person I was when I started this journey and I’m so thankful for that. 

Friends, spooky season really is the perfect time of year to experiment with looks if you’re not quite comfortable being a style chameleon year round. This Halloween and everyday, I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and break your own mold! Those who truly appreciate what you’re doing will stick with you (and support you) no matter what! 

Black Gunne Sax Dress true vintage from Connie’s Vintage, Burgundy wiggle dress from Vixen by Mitcheline Pitt, Black faux leather opera gloves from La Femme en Noir, burgundy witch hat made by Royal House of Whimsy.

Special thanks to Sam Rivas Photography for partnering on this concept shoot. Follow her on Instagram and book your shoot today!

Over the summer I was scrolling through Pinterest and saw pinup illustrations of Disney Villains! I thought the illustrations were genius and was immediately inspired to create my own versions. Since Halloween costumes can get a little pricey and I needed three distinct looks, I took my Glitz & Glamour sequin wiggle dress from Vixen by Mitcheline Pitt and just swapped out accessories! I chose this particular dress because I’ve been dying to wear it and I thought the black sequins and bombshell silhouette would be the perfect foundation for my glamorous villains. Like absolutely everything from Vixen, this dress is amazing and will be in my closet forever. All of the accessories and headpieces I used for this shoot were purchased from Amazon and I have to say, I was surprised by the quality! These pieces definitely exceeded my expectations and can easily be reused for future shoots or any occasion that calls for a costume! 

Who’s your favorite Disney Villain?

Photography by Shauna Peniche aka Little Photo Fox ! Be sure to follow Shauna on Instagram and book your own shoot today!

MUA Madeline Qi owner of Dimension 7 Salon ! Madeline is my go to for hair and makeup! If you’re in the Portland, OR area and you’re looking for a makeup artist or hair stylist – Madeline is seriously the best!!

If there ever was a shirt to so accurately sum up my summers it’s this one.

It was 84 degrees and sunny for the majority of the summer in the Pacific Northwest and I was inside a dark house watching paranormal investigation shows. If I wasn’t watching a paranormal show or listening to a paranormal podcast, I was reading a book on hauntings.

Growing up I loved summers but when I entered “the real world,” something changed. I guess when you can’t take the entire summer off to go to the beach or the pool, summers tend to loose their luster. At least that seems to be the case for me. I’m not going to lie though, I do tend to avoid the sun for anti aging purposes too. At some point I decided to just take a tip from vampires because it seems to work from them. Haven’t you ever wondered why they always look so young?! 

 P.S. I saw a “Hot Ghoul Summer” shirt right after I ordered this “Haunt Girl Summer” shirt from Witchwood Bags….Ghoul problems….

Stay tuned because next I’ll be sharing my go to shops for spooky style wardrobe staples! Happy last day of summer!

Photography by one of my favorite ghouls, Little Photo Fox. Check out more of here work here and be sure to give her a follow!

As a lover of retro aesthetics, I was smitten the minute I saw Street and Saddle’s Summer 2021 collection! This summer I’ve really made it my mission to add more vintage casual inspired pieces to my wardrobe. Prior to even seeing Street and Saddle’s new summer collection, I was already turning to the 40s and 50s for everyday style inspiration. In terms of casual yet still put together looks, those eras did it best in my opinion. My photographer and friend, Shauna Penchie, aka Little Photo Fox, introduced me to the Vancouver BC based brand last fall and I was immediately drawn to the quality and craftsmanship of their pieces. This summer, it was most definitely an honor to be able to model so many of the pieces I fell in love with on Instagram. NOW, let’s get to know owner and designer of Street and Saddle, Katelyn Woodburn!

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My official title at S&S is Owner and Designer – but I do almost everything, from customer service and cutting/sewing (alongside our amazing sewing team) to packing orders and drafting patterns. I first fell in love with apparel design when I sewed myself a Beatrix Kiddo costume in high school (you know, the yellow pleather motorcycle suit). There was probably more hot glue gunning than sewing going on back then, but I really loved the 2D to 3D process of it, and after that I didn’t want to do anything else!

What inspired you to start your own brand?

I grew up really loving horses and literally anything that had to do with them, so that has really infiltrated the personality of S&S. But I think the main driving force behind the brand is the talented sewers and tailors who make every piece of clothing right in our studio. The more I learned about sewing and garment manufacturing, the more in awe I was of what an incredibly skilled trade it is – and how underappreciated it is as well. Working with craftswomen (it is a very female-dominated trade) who are fairly treated and compensated has been very important from the start. We also started offering custom sizing very early on – which has been so challenging and rewarding! My favourite thing to hear from client’s is “I never knew clothing could feel this good.” That means we got the fit perfect 🙂 And we’ve recently expanded our size range to include 4X and 5X. As much as I love the fabrics and the creativity, it has always been important to tackle these fundamental issues with fashion – in our own little way. 

I love your new collection and the retro vibes! Was there a specific era that inspired you most and what was most inspiring about that era? 

Equestrian apparel has a very vintage vibe to it. From cowgirls to Derby parties, polo players and dressage, the style is very classic and iconic. We start with styles inspired by the equestrian world, and layer in references from the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Our Summer collection had some strong forties hints – from the wrap dress (whose twirly skirt is a nod to Dior’s 1947 New Look), to the denim shorts (inspired by an outfit my granny wore when she was a rebellious teenager at the time). I find that from a sustainability perspective, looking to those decades is very important. Styles from that era keep coming back again and again and again, whereas a lot of modern trends are much more short-lived. 

What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your entrepreneurial footsteps? 

Make sure you love the good, the bad and the ugly of your business. Being an apparel designer is fast-paced and creative which I knew that I would love, but there’s a lot more math, finance and logistics than I anticipated. So you have to learn to like each part of the job, whether it’s sewing or spreadsheets! I would say that one thing every entrepreneurial role has in common is needing to make a huge amount of judgement calls and decisions every day. So whether that excites you or stresses you out (or both!) should be an indicator of whether that kind of life (because it does really consume your whole life) is a good fit or not.

What do you have planned in the months to come for Street and Saddle?!

Right now we are working on our Fall 2021 collection, which releases at the end of August – and it’s so gorgeous. It’s still a secret, but we went for a very 1970’s varsity vibe with the collection. So expect some tailored indigo denim, jewel toned satin jackets, and faux tortoiseshell detailing. 

Special thanks to Street and Saddle for partnering on this post! Be sure to follow Street and Saddle on Instagram and shop the complete summer collection here !

Photography by Little Photo Fox, check out more of her work here and give her a follow as well!

Swimsuits….Either you love em or hate em. Am I really wrong in thinking there’s no in between? For as long as I can remember I’ve always been self-conscious in them. It wasn’t until recently that I began wondering if the self-consciousness was simply the result of the not wearing the right one. Maybe swimsuits are a little like men, you may never find Mr. Perfect but sometimes Mr. Right is okay. Sorry, I’ve been rewatching Sex and the City for the one millionth time….

I will say I’m definitely most comfortable in retro-inspired swimwear. I find swimsuits reminiscent of yesteryear tend to cover and accentuate all the right areas. High waists and swim skirts also tend to make the act of wearing a swimsuit a bit more bearable in my mind. The swimsuit featured in this post might actually be the best swimsuit I’ve ever worn in terms of fit, style and my overall comfort level while wearing it! Although this swimsuit was gifted to me by Chicwish, I’ll probably be buying one in another color because I love it that much. It also comes with a matching kimono to complete your poolside look!

Photography by Vanessa Rosa Wolf. Be sure to check out Vanessa’s personal blog on Instagram too. If you love thrifting, vinyl and outdoor adventures, you’ll love following Vanessa!

I spend a lot of time looking at photos of Marilyn Monroe and ones that always stand out in my mind are the early photos of her lifting weights and jogging. In the 1952 photos taken by Philippe Halsman she’s wearing a terry cloth bikini style top and jeans. Today we see photos of celebrities working out all the time so to see these images of an Old Hollywood Icon working out really blew my mind!  If you’re a fan of Marilyn then you know she was open about her exercise routine and eating habits. I love this 1952 excerpt from Pageant magazine where she said: “Frankly I’ve never considered my figure so exceptional; until quite recently, I seldom gave it any thought at all. My biggest single concern used to be getting enough to eat. Now I have to worry about eating too much. I never use to bother with exercises. Now I spend at least 10 minutes each morning working out with small weights.” She goes on to say she couldn’t stand exercise if she had to feel “regimented about it.” Marilyn was a woman ahead of her time in many ways and I think her approach to fitness was definitely one of those ways! 

For the most part fitness has always been apart of my life but it wasn’t until 2009 that I really started making it a priority. It wasn’t until the last year or so that I started to view working out as an essential part of my self care routine. I can honestly say I look forward to my daily at home spin classes! Each class and instructor has something different to offer which keeps things feeling fresh interesting.

Is exercise part of your self care routine? I’d love to know how you stay active!  

Special thanks to Marilyn for inspiring this post AND shout out to my Mom who recently completed a half marathon at 60!!! 

1950s style Western Jeans from Vivien of Holloway, Nike light-support shimmer sport bra. 

Photography by Little Photo Fox.

What’s the first thing you do when you get home from vacation? If your answer is “start planning another vacation,” I like the way you think!

This shoot with Vanessa Wolf Photography actually felt like a mini vacation. Maybe it was the sun, sand and good company! When it comes to content creating, I rarely shoot on weekdays or evenings but for this shoot I did both of those things; thanks to Vanessa! I’ll be the first to admit I am very dedicated to my routine and it takes a lot of mental prep for me to break the cycle. It turns out breaking the cycle was exactly what I needed in the midst of a crazy work week and the relaxing shoot location was definitely a bonus. Maybe I’ll be breaking the cycle more often…

Real quick, what you don’t see in these pictures is me falling flat on my backside on the way to this shoot location….I was trying to get down the steep trail that led down to the beach, I slipped, regained my balance then fell SO hard. Vannessa, who was walking ahead of me at the time, looked back as soon I said “Fuuuudge!” Only I didn’t say “Fudge. I said THE word, the big one…” Followed by “yes, All Glam No Filter just dropped an F bomb and I think I broke my tail bone.” Real life and a true Ralphie moment guys, it’s never a dull moment on location 🤣!

Floral hair clip custom made by Most Everything Vintage, true vintage wrap skirt from Most Everything Vintage, white sport bra from Forever 21, vintage inspired hoop earrings from Tatyana Clothing Company (P.S. these earrings are my absolute favorite! They’re almost always sold out but you can buy a similar pair here,) lipstick is shade Red Hot Red from Beasame Cosmetics.

Growing up I loved collecting Barbies, I actually still have all of my favorite dolls unopened in their original boxes! Barbie introduced me to fashion at a very young age. She also taught me it was ok to push personal style boundaries, even if that meant “standing out.” I mean, when has Barbie ever worn anything practical🤣?

Since I most definitely have Barbie to thank for my love for fashion, I thought it would be fun to combine my love for Barbie and vintage for this shoot! I also used a few items from my childhood, the 35th Anniversary doll and the Barbie Bazaar magazines, as props which added a special touch. This shoot took months for me to plan but it was so much fun watching it all come together!

When it comes to photo shoots/content creating, I love creating images I know I’ll treasure forever more than anything! Life is short, make your dream photo shoots a reality!

Barbie replica swimsuit from Unique Vintage, True vintage pink peignoir found on Etsy, Bettie Page Lingerie retro inspired spiral bra, Vixen by Mitcheline Pitt pencil skirt (I love this skirt so much, I have it in red and leopard print), Poodle topper hair piece custom made by vintage stylist Stevie Rosalie, special thanks to Diminson 7 salon for the platinum refresh.

Photos take by Michaela H. Photography at  Cobalt Studios PDX. Book a session, maybe even your dream session, you won’t be disappointed!

”I’ve got a book of matches. I’ve got a can of kerosene. I’ve got some bad ideas involving you and me. .”-Alkaline Trio

I’ve done a lot of concept shoots but I’ve never done one inspired by a song! So when Jacob Haber of Jacob Haber Photography asked me if I wanted to do a shoot inspired by the Alkaline Trio song “This Could Be Love,” of course I said yes! Hell yes, would have been more appropriate though right? 😉

I’ve always been drawn to Alkaline Trio’s macabre yet upbeat tunes and the twisted love song that inspired this shoot is no exception. “This Could Be Love” is the first track on the band’s 2003 release titled  “Good Mourning,” and ultimately lays the foundation for the tracks to come. If you ask Jacob why he chose this particular song he’ll say, “I think it tells a really cool and interesting story. I like the way the chorus uses steps, the chorus always draws me in.”

You might not know this about me, but Alkaline Trio is one of my favorite bands! When I left North Carolina for Chicago in 2008, I did so knowing I’d probably get to see the band live a lot more often. I always love meeting other Alkaline Trio fans so getting to partner with one on a project like this was so much fun!

Special thanks to Jacob Haber for partnering on this post! Be sure to check out more of Jacob’s work on Instagram @jacobhaberphotography !