Krista Marie::Tomboy

A new video we worked on just came out. It's the first video by new Broken Bow Records artist Krista Marie. My favorite is the white outfit on the motorcycle at the end. There was some painting with silver paint pens, oh yes. There were arts and crafts.

Another Military Jacket

On my last shopping excursion to XXI out at Opry Mills, I ran into the lovely Maisha, one of my retail friends who works at Posh, and she had this jacket in her paws. I think I successfully talked her into buying it. I mean, I couldn't believe it was at Forever 21. It perfectly embodies fall's mini-obsession with military, and it's not made of flimsy acrylic or cotton.

Someone the other day asked me what the key pieces for fall were. I think I was in a cold medicine fog and couldn't slur out an answer, but I'll tell you that clearly, I've already answered the question. A military jacket, since I'm now on my second post in a week on them. Get one. Get this one! I've seen it in person, and it's adorable.

Prop Styling?

Back when I was first getting started doing wardrobe, I would take about any job that came along. Even prop styling, which isn't really wardrobe at all, is it? I've only done it a couple of times, but it was so fun, yet so meticulous also. You can't imagine the detail that goes into getting props at just the right angle, in just the right color to make a picture look perfect. Having left my prop styling days long behind, now on videos and in shoots, I am always fascinated at the art directors working with the props and how they are able to really make a shot come to life. You don't really think about them. Here's a great example: In the Jessica Harp video where I dressed Jessica--the burned toast, the wallpaper, the kitchen appliances, the food she throws at her love interest--a prop stylist has to come up with all that.

If you read this blog regularly, you know that I love the TV show "Mad Men". The prop styling in this show is AMAZING; it's all so gorge and so perfect. Here is a great interview with the prop master on all those 60s magazines and ashtrays and even the IBM Selectrics that the secretaries use, which lo and behold, are very inaccurate to the period. Read about it and find out why.

Like props, wardrobe styling is also very fulfilling when it helps a director or photographer make their vision come to life. I worked on the new Tim McGraw video for his single "Southern Voice" a few weeks ago. Tim dressed himself, but I helped the band with their wardrobe as well as the extras. But my very particular job was to get "Dixie", the waitress serving fried chicken, to look like she was a hometown lady working at a meat and three. You could watch the whole video and never really see her, but hey, I feel good about her checked skirt from Goodwill and the nametag that Matt helped me recreate.

Tim McGraw

More CMT Music

More CMT Music Videos

BB Dakota Battalion Jacket

Here's the jacket in cream/gold on
chickdowntown.com for $79

I have found a jacket under $100 that you need to go buy. I saw it in one of my style mags last month and thought there was no way it would actually fit well, but I tried it, and it does! It is the BB Dakota Battalion Jacket. They have it in black/gold right now at Macy's in Green Hills for $79.

BB Dakota is one of those brands that for a long time had cute stuff and good prices, but a horrible fit. It seems that recently they may have done an overhaul, because I've been able to use a lot more things in shoots that actually fit. The jacket above in black is one I used yesterday. I put it on a lady in her late 30s over a simple silk blouse with jeans and platform pumps. For someone younger, you could go a little funkier underneath with a graphic tee. And for any age, a simple button-up would tame this jacket down if the military style feels a little too edgy for you.

LC Lauren Conrad

Apparently when you are semi-famous and you design something for a dept. store, it is mandatory that the name of the collection be some sort of nickname or your first name and then your full name. Mine I guess would be Ambo: Amber Lehman or just plain Amber: Amber Lehman. For those of you who watch The Hills (I'm more of a The City fan myself), you affectionately call Lauren Conrad LC. Of course her collection for Kohl's is then translated into LC Lauren Conrad. Why not? I promise this week to get out to Kohl's and give you my critique of it, but I'll tell you--the most impressive thing about it online is the intro they've filmed of her looking all cute on the website. Looks pretty boring.

I guess "LC" isn't really known for looking particularly flashy, but I thought there'd be more of a bohemian flair, more great prints. Umm, it looks like a snooze cruise. But I haven't seen it in person, so I'll reserve judgment 'til I do. I did like this little number, however. Think it would be really cute with some black flats, tights and a grey cardigan. This dress would also look good on all shapes. It's Kohl's, ladies. They have more than just 2, 4, and 6 :-).

Brandi Carlile::Give Up the Ghost

If you haven't heard of Brandi Carlile, shame on you. This woman is a tremendous musician, songwriter and an artist in the truest sense of the word. Her new album "Give Up the Ghost" is out today, and I'm excited because I can tell you about the shoot we did a few months back.

It was one of those days when everything seems to come together--hair/makeup, styling (me!), location, photographer...it was the perfect day--when you wish it weren't getting dark and you could just keep shooting new set-ups. I had so much fun with Brandi and the twins (see below--it's startling how much they look alike), and Jeremy Cowart took some of the most beautiful shots, I think, EVER. Here are some of them below. They can all be found on her website, brandicarlile.net. And you should seriously buy this album. If nothing else, download one of her big hits "The Story." You will NOT regret it.

Off to See the Wizard

From the NYDailyNews.com

The last couple weeks have been pretty busy, but SO fun. One of the most *fun* things I've worked on lately was for Julianne last week. She performed in Central Park with Jennifer Hudson to celebrate the re-release of the Wizard of Oz on September 29th. Our goal was to create a modern-day "Dorothy" outfit--something that would be reminiscent of the the famous Judy Garland character, but still fit Julianne's style. What we came up with was a dress by Betsey Johnson that we had shortened and bedazzled and the shoes are Betsey as well, with sequins added, of course. And the fab little bracelets are Tarina Tarantino from 2L (here's a great shot of them in US Weekly.) Wanna hear some of the show? Well, I found this random blog by a girl living in the City, and she has live clips from the concert! Looks like it was kind of a big deal.

And when things are a big deal, there's usually a red carpet. So, we got Julianne (and Lexi!) a dress for it. I included a few pics from Zimbio.com below because they were all so darn cute. You can check the gallery out here. The beautiful dress is by Shoshanna in their Holiday '09 collection, shoes are Julianne's own, bracelet is Winifred Grace from the Perfect Pair, ring and earrings are from Posh, belt is Manoush from Haven.