corsets

Tigz Rice, Sparklewren and Pearls & Swine

Back in late August, when it was still possible to be out in the London air without much on, I finally got around to shooting with Tigz Rice!

Well known for her beautiful portraits, particularly of performers and vintage-inspired fashion, it's crazy that we didn't join forces earlier, especially as we attended the same University, and work with so many of the same people. I very rarely model for other photographers unless I particularly like (and trust!) their work - I'm not a model, so I need to work with someone with the skills to make me look good ;)

I wanted to put together a special look that gave off a couture feel, using a colour palette that I don't often use. I've been a fan of the absolutely stunning corsets by Sparklewren for quite a while, and was so glad when she agreed to lend me one of her Mink corset-bodies! The lovely Bink at Pearls & Swine also leant me this beautiful Ship Headpiece.

The Mink corset reminded me of stone being struck by the sea; with the netting, lace and freshwater pearls, it made me think of a decadent mermaid. I took this idea through the outfit, with fringing, silver chains and pale blue hair. I used silver jewellery that featured a lot of charms and burnished metal to create a decrepit opulence. To make the cape seem more special I covered the shoulders and front with brooches and a beaded capelet.

For makeup I used silvers and blues for the eyes, leaving off eyebrows and using an unusual cut-crease to alter the shape of my eyes. I used dark purple/red lipstick with a touch of silver pigment in the center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An exciting/scary thing about the shoot was that it was going to be filmed! David McClelland of Ginx TV got in touch with Tigz to see if we would be happy to be featured on Planet Of The Apps, a prime time TV series that focuses on modern technology and gadgets. They wanted to film the entire shoot through to post-production, but it wasn't very intrusive at all. 

I haven't seen the final show but apparently it aired internationally very recently, and we should be receiving the footage soon!

Onto the wonderful photos, thanks again to Tigz Rice!


 

Photos by Paul Green

A little while ago I dragged (literally) myself out for a quick photoshoot with Paul Green while he was in London.

Paul takes portraits of interesting characters, and had previously organised a few different shoots in London before (as well as in Berlin), which I couldn't attend. As I was working this day we managed to rush to get ready and head over to his studio, and shot 3 different looks within an hour!

Here's some shots that he's just released, I love them!

 

Neckpiece and Corset by Boom Boom Baby

Kokoshnik custom made by Kezia Argue, hair by Geisha Wigs

 

Betsy Rose & Ava Corsetry: Part 1

As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently shot with Miss Betsy Rose and Bella Noell (hair/mua) for Ava Corsetry!

The last time I shot Betsy was back in 2011 for Playful Promises, so it was wonderful to work with her again. We shot so many looks that I've decided to split the images up into separate batches, and post each batch separately.

Here's the first set - I'd love to know what you think, what your favourites are! I believe all the corsets are available to order from Ava Corsetry.

 

Shooting for Orchid Corsetry

 All the way back in July I was approached by Bethan of Orchid Corsetry regarding photographing a few sets of corsets and lingerie for her brand. 

We planned and planned, choosing a studio, model (the lovely Emilia) and makeup artist (I suggested the MUA I work with a lot for Playful Promises, Cheyenne Raymond) and finally took a day to shoot in November.

It was refreshingly different shooting bespoke pieces, I'm so used to shooting vast amounts in one day and needing to work very quickly! It's sometimes nice to take more time over getting the perfect shot, and we actually ended up with a lot more that it was difficult to narrow the choices down! 

A wonderful day with a great team, and images that I'm proud of! Do let me know what you think of them!

 

We also shot some images for Lisa Nelson, of Nelson Bespoke. Lisa creates a lot of beautiful custom work for many different customers, and as part of this shoot she wanted to get some photos of an exquisite black tutu and a tailored houndstooth dress.

Etsy Dreaming

Oh how I could (and do) waste hours scouring etsy for hidden treasures!

Some of my favourite pieces have come from independent small brands and designers selling through Etsy.

As with any shopping website you can find some junk on there, but most of the time the products are good quality and unique. Plus there seems to be a thriving community of small lingerie designers, which is ALWAYS great.

These are my picks of Etsy's lingerie offerings!

 

Honey Cooler Handmade - Rox Moonshine Chemise £230.93

Way out of my budget but how adorable is this chemise!? I loved it even before I noticed the cute fox print fabric. All of Honey Cooler Handmade's items are beautiful and unlike anything I've seen before. One day maybe I'll own something from them!

 

MajoRey - Santa gold and tulle set £65.32

The great thing about Etsy is that I'm constantly findind new brands to love, and MajoRey is one of them. Handmade in Uruguay, this brand offers something for everyone: lace, floral, rompers, and bodysuits. Including me, the gold lover. I think I'm just going to HAVE to get the set above, and this bra, and this:

 

 

Sparklewren custom corset - £2,000

I'm not REALLY into corsets. I don't tend to wear them. Probably because I feel that if you are going to wear them, you better wear a good one. And thus, Sparklewren corsets make me cry. They are that beautiful.

 

Lilkitty Ko - Dark Knight Custom Bra with LED lights £56

Although I wouldn't necessarily buy this Batman one, all of this designers bras are AMAZING. Customization gone crazy, there are a few pieces that I have my eye on. At first I thought these were just altered bras, but apparently they are created from scratch!

 

 

Have you found any lingerie gems on Etsy recently?

 

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