Waiting for the Ship to Come in

I am so proud of these photos because they display my boyfriend's abilities and his utter affection for me. When we started dating, I didn't have my blog yet. He didn't exactly know what he was getting himself into when he said he'd snap off some photos for me. At times I can be a very uhh... demanding and vocal "collaborator" when I ask him to take photos. But he has taken it all in stride, been so patient and a quick study (on top of being supportive). Neither of us knew the talent he had sitting under the surface. Now I just need to work on my editing skills!  

He took these pictures when we were on motorbike ride around Koh Lanta, Thailand (one of my favorite things to do on vacation) before we had our last dinner on the island. It really incorporates the romantic feel of 2 of my favorite things: long skirts and the ocean. I've been wanting to try out crop top trend and I figured a beach town was the best place to test-drive it - no one would bat an eye at showing off some extra skin. I got to say, I really loved how this outfit turned into a mix of something romantic, trendy, vintage-y, and modern all rolled into one. 

My crop top was originally one of those too-short-for-a-dress-but-too-long-for-a-shirt kinda things but the skirt part had a big hole on it. I cut it right under the elastic waist hem because I couldn't bare to throw out that beautiful lace detailing. I might eventually just cut out the lace and use it for something else. What do you think I should do with it? 

Skirt: Goodwill | Shirt: Clothing Swap | Sunglasses: H&M 

Dark Romance

I'm going to attempt to walk you through my creative process for this photo shoot but goodness knows, my process is usually full of nonsense and cheese. I had been almost ... craving... I guess craving is the right word, romantic but dark outfits. I just had this idea in my head that I wanted to create. I think I've been inspired a lot by Briar Rose Blog with her really adorable girly looks. I was also inspired by the cat fascinator that I found at Naughty Cat - I'm not the biggest on cat accessories (I know, this is sacrilege to a lot of people. Please don't hate me) but I'm not opposed to it either. But when I saw the fascinator with it's cute little ears covered in lace, I just had to have it. It went back to that craving of dark, romantic, gothic, victorian things. 

I didn't mean to take pictures in the twilight magic hour, but it was a happy happening. (sometimes good things happen when you take too long to get ready!) When I saw this abandoned lot near my house and the sun setting behind the hill, I seized the opportunity. I have also been inspired by this incredibly talented girl, Esther - From the Sticks, who shoots her own photos that are so beautiful. They're full of light and air and whimsy. 

Not only was the photo shoot so much fun to do (though a little messy, getting mud all over my heels and weeds in my hair), wearing this outfit later that night was also a blast. I wore what I call my "ninja suit" under the dress - just basic black tights and a long-sleeve black shirt. This is my canvas to keep me warm and to build the rest of my look on. It also complimented well with the dark romance I wanted to go with. Then I threw on one of my all time favorite dresses. It's this gorgeous little thing that is so flattering it doesn't need any extra bells and whistles. And I love the baby blush color, the sheer material and the butterfly sleeves. 

My boyfriend told me the other day how he had a kind of realization about me and my clothing choices. He said he is starting to realize just how much I have and want to communicate and how my clothes are a big part of me speaking to the world. He can tell what kind of mood I'm in sometimes by the choices I decide upon. I guess that goes back to the "craving" and how that word is really perfect for what I mean. I get an idea stuck in my head and I can't shake it until I can create and express it. 

Dress & Shoes: Korean Thrift Store