Do You Boudoir?

A boudoir photo shoot should be on every woman's bucket list, no matter size or shape.  You are beautiful just as you are.

I have had two opportunities to do boudoir shoots now and loved them both.

The first time, I approached my friend, Lisa, who has a company called LG Perspectives.  I fell in love with the way she saw and captured a person, family, couple and asked her to be our wedding photographer.  Since then we have become friends.  Then I approached her last fall and asked her if she would be willing to do a sexy boudoir for the hubs.  We were both a little nervous as we threw around ideas and found locations that might work.  We finally headed out to an apple orchard with an old couch I found.  I love the way she captured the shots and neither of us were nervous once we got into shooting.

My second time was this past weekend with an old friend from high school.  She just started photography and is a complete natural at it.  The way she can capture an image to show so much back story and emotion is difficult to do and she does it with ease!  Her name is Heather and her website is In His Footsteps (Photography).  She picked her name in honor of her late father, who enjoyed photography as well, passed away after a long battle with cancer.   This time Heather approached me as she wanted to get experience shooting different genres of photography.  Remembering how much fun I had last time, I readily agreed.  This time we did more of a flirty photo shoot.

A boudoir session isn't something you wake up in the morning and quick pull together.  Here's some tips on how to prepare yourself and your wardrobe for the boudoir sessions.

1.  RESEARCH!
If you are even the slightest bit nervous about doing a sexy session, look at photos and keep a record of what YOU think is sexy.  Its very important to visualize sexy over and over again so that you can mimic what you see easily.  I set up an album in Pinterest titled, POSES.  Anytime I ran across a picture where I liked the outfit, pose or just the general atmosphere of the photo, I pinned it. And I kept referring back to it.  What is it that I liked?

2.  Know your body.
Every woman is beautiful.  Take a good look at yourself in the mirror.  Only this time, don't look at the spots you don't like.  Look at the spots you DO.  Is your hair ir are your shoulders fantastic?  Play that up.  Do you have great big eyes?  Make sure to have eye contact with the camera.  Do your calves look fantastic in heels?  Put them on and ADMIRE yourself.  See your beauty, because you are incredible and sexy.  You just need to own it.

3. Take stock in what you have.
A boudoir session can get pricey.  Between paying for the photographer, finding outfits, and hiring hair and makeup artists if you aren't confident in doing your own, it can get into the hundreds before you even get proofs to look at.  A great way to lower the cost is to think outside the box.  What do you have that you might be able to use.  What about your man's dirty work boots with lace undies and a soft blanket?  Or maybe his over-sized hoodie that could show a peek of your cleavage when unzipped or slipped off your shoulder.  What about your slips, or your swimsuit with jewelry and heels?  A bath towel with pearls and a loofah.  Try undies with a fur-lined vest. Maybe your man has a work shirt you could wear with his name on it.  If he's in the military, borrow his dog tags and camo pants and pair it with a sexy bra and bare feet.  If you look, you probably have enough things in your closet (and his) to complete 3 or 4 outfits for a shoot.

4. Add accessories.
Jewelry and heels always help make it sexy too.  Pull out all your shoes and find out which ones you feel sexy in.  Think about props too.  Is there an ornate mirror you could use?  or a blanket and tea set for a wooded sexy tea party?

5. Hair and Make-up
I don't often wear make up.  It's bothersome.  Heck - I barely get out of my glasses and into a pair of contacts most days!  But make-up can transform anyone.  I look like a school librarian most days, but when I take the time to do my hair and make up, I know I can look like a knock out.  If you don't know where to start, there are awesome makeup tutorials on YouTube.  You could also become a Pinterest addict like me and pin HAIR and MAKE-UP boards like me. For hair, if you have a friend that's awesome at it, see if she'd be willing to do it for you.  A lot of times, people love to do hair just to do it (especially if it isn't what they do for a living.)  If you don't trust anyone else and don't want to pay for a salon visit, practice makes perfect and YouTube is awesome for this as well!

6. Prep your body
Before the session, listen to sexy music while your packing your stuff. (Trust me, you'll most likely need a suitcase).  R&B music can REALLY put you in the mood. (A little Justin T. or Usher anyone?).  Take a nice bubble bath to calm your nerves with some bath salts that smell nice.  (Make sure your not using some new product so that you know you won't have an allergic reaction!)  Get your body smooth and ready.  Apply some sunless tanner.  (I like Jergen's Natural Glow.  It goes on smooth and isn't oily.)

With that being said, here's some of my boudoir shots and my favorite things about each one!  Hope this helps and I sincerely hope you consider putting a boudoir on your bucket list!

Mix the unexpected,
like the motorcycle jacket with lace undies

Play peek-a-boo.
This is just a shirt dress unbuttoned.

Play with props.
The couch and the apples are the real show stoppers -
I just add the element of surprise

Use what you can find -
These apple crates were awesome for additional poses

Trust your photographer.
You never know what they are seeing behind their lens.

Play up your favorite features
I have a strong profile
(I used to hate my nose, but now I try to rock what I have)

Use what you have.

My bra and a shirt from the hub's closet

Stretch out.  

Don't let yourself get tense.  

If you feel your getting nervous, 

jump around and act goofy for a bit.  

Flirt with the camera
Think about seducing your man while the camera clicks away.

Be a bitch.
Sometimes bitchy is sexy.
We just have to own it now and then

Being sexy does not equal being naked.
I have on boots, a tank top and a jean skirt here.  

Use texture.
Even if they might not go together, (black fishnets, light pink cashmere sweater)
in black and white, texture can make a stunning picture.

Play with your hair or your necklace or your shoulder or neck...
As Lisa told me - 'we don't want them all to be armpit shots'
But its okay to touch your body.  Enjoy your sexuality

Hope this helps you find your inner vixen!

$6 dolla - make you holla

That's right!  I got a new out-on-the-town dress tonight.  It started out god-awful.  Seriously...Whoever designed this crap should have stopped watching Sound of Music.  Not every fabric that covers the wall floor to ceiling will look just as good head to toe on a body. 

Case in point.



 I'm not even tall enough to make that  dress look normal.  BUT...I loved the print.  It screamed to me from the formals at Goodwill.  And it was an easy fix to take it from '80's homecoming' to cocktail bar.

Just cut it off and hem it up!

 Ignore the fact that my tan lines are hideous and I have no idea how to stand in full length shots...

So don't pass over that hideous dress at Goodwill next time just because its a little loud.  By getting rid of some of the length, you can give an old dress a new life! 

Cheers! 

I heart cheap shirts

Even though I made all those shirt projects over a year ago, I still am finding awesome new ways to make boring old shirts cool again.

Men's thrift t-shirts are the best because
A) They are cheaper than women's
B) They are bigger so you have extra fabric to work with
C) They have cooler designs

I found this awesome shirt for 99 cents at Goodwill.

It was a medium so not as much to work with as I hoped.

Here's the steps. 

1. Put the shirt on inside out.
2. Find a ruler/measuring tape.
3. Pinch the extra fabric on the bottom of the shirt under your arm until its as tight at you want it.
4. Measure the extra fabric every 3 inches all around the underarm and down the side.  (You can throw a pin in there if you have someone to help you, but I didn't, so this is how I made it work.)
5. Mine was 2" all the way around with 2.5" at the waist.  I tapered it off at the bottom since I have a ghetto booty.
6. Take the shirt off, keeping it inside out and pin the shirt, laying it flat so there are no wrinkles.

7.  Sew your lines.
8.  Turn the shirt right side out BEFORE you cut to make sure it fits the way you want it to.

9. Take the shirt back off and trim the extra fabric. (Or redo it until it fits the way you want it to, then trim.)
10.  With the shirt right side out, mark where you want the neckline to be.  Remember to leave a 1/2" for the seam.
11.  With the shirt folded in half so the front and back have a fold line directly down the middle, cut your collar sloping it back to the original collar.  The back of your shirt will just barely have the collar cut.

12.  Turn the shirt back inside out and fold over the collar seam a 1/4" and iron.  Fold it and iron it again.  This will keep the raw edge from sneaking out while sewing the collar.
13.  Keeping the shirt inside out, sew around the folded down edge, careful to keep your hem even.

All done!  What do you think?

PSA: How to be a good customer

This really should go without saying, but alas, McDonalds did have to write on their coffee cups ::Caution: HOT!::  So I guess that means common sense, as much as we would hope it thrives in our society, is not exercised as much as it should be.

Here's some tips to help you navigate the world of public service when you are the one getting served.  There's really only one rule:

Do not be THAT person.

    You know the one.  Its the person that gets the nickname, PITA (Pain In The Ass), or douche-canoe.  The one that everyone else in the office knows as soon as you walk in or out of the door.  To prevent being 'THAT' person, don't stand out, at least not in a bad way.  How do I avoid standing out?  Well, I'm glad you asked, because here's a list of some helpful advice.

BE POLITE - although we work in public service, we are not servants or slaves or peons.  You get an attitude with me, I'm going to give it right back to you.  Ever heard of the phrase sweet as honey?  Yeah - you'll get a lot more from me if you remember your P's and Q's.

GET OFF THE PHONE - That's right, douche-canoe.  I'm talking to you.  Put the phone away and take that stupid blue tooth out of your ear.  You look like a prick and I'm going to assume it doesn't stop with the looks and that you truly are one.  Respect the fact that you need something from me, not the other way around.

REMEMBER -  YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT - Remember the phrase, the customer is always right?  Those days are gone.  Waive bye-bye to free meals for being an ass in a restaurant, to getting free paperwork from the records center, etc.  More than likely, you come in thinking you can be a dick and I'm going to charge you more, when I could have used discretion and given you the paperwork free.

STOP TALKING - We've got work to do and you are not our only client.  We do not care about the back story.  We don't want small talk, we want to finish the task at hand.  We don't care that your grandma's great uncle stole money from your cousin and since you had a joint bank account, your money is gone now too and that's why you're here.  Use as few words as possible to tell us what you need.  Even if we make it seem like we do, we don't care about the why.  Also, when you talk it makes checking what you want us to do more difficult.  Oh no! you might think.  Am I this person?  If people leave you at the counter while they go do their job or they respond with one word answers, then yes.  You are this person.  Please (I said please) shut up.

BE PREPARED - Before you call or come in, please have your information available.  We are a lot more willing to help you when we don't have to wait for you to sort through 500 pages to find your account number or a drawer full of non-working pens to find one that does.  And if you put me on hold, the connection with be 'lost'.  Remember, you called me.  I didn't call you.

Now that being said, those who are jerks get laughed about and the stories get passed around the office for years about 'Remember that A-hole awhile back?'  New people come in and we use you as an example to shock them and make them wonder why they ever thought working in customer service was a good idea.

But those of you who are kind are also remembered.  We think back on you with fond thoughts.  When you come in, we jump up so we can wait on you.  We smile when we hear your voice on the phone. You are our calm in the storm and give us a reason to take a deep breath and refocus.  We go above and beyond to help you in any way we can, sometimes breaking the rules just a little, since you weren't our typical customers. (Free drinks and desserts, anyone?)

And let me quickly touch on the subject of freebies.  Men complain that women get more free stuff than them because we have boobs.  Honey, it has nothing to do with our boobs and everything to do with a smile, a sparkle in the eye and a little harmless flirting to make the person waiting on us feel a little special for a few moments.  Give it a try.

Any tips I should be adding to this list?  Add them in the comments below!