The Window Shopper: Behind The Scenes

dreamteambts

See the original post on NWAFashionWeek.com and {click} for all the photos.

Photography:  Mallory Berry| web | fb | insta | email

Hair: Taylor & Lindsey of Guillotine Hair Lounge| [web | fb | insta | 479.582.8770

MUA: Kory Tyler Simpson @ MAC  | web | insta | email

Stylist: Payton Bridewell | web | fb | insta | email

I was incredibly lucky to find a few really talented people that all got along and liked working together. We were united by love for fashion and community. These wonderful people helped me on many of the shoots.

Mallory & Kory actually worked with me on my wedding day. I was pretty thrilled anyone that dealt with me as a bride wanted to work with me again. I literally cannot say enough about these amazing people. And yet, I don’t have the words. So very thankful.

Guillotine (Taylor + Lindsey)
Guillotine Hair Lounge had literally opened their doors a couple of weeks before we began (January 2013). The first time we worked together, Taylor said to me, “I don’t know you yet but I will love you” and the feeling was mutual. Guillotine is downtown, right by the Striped Pig. It’s easy-going and the fridge is stocked. We drank champagne and sat on the porch. I’m hooked because they fun as hell to hang out with and are also freaking good at doing hair. Lindsey was actually Taylor’s student and T handpicked her when she opened the salon.
Taylor has been doing hair for 13 years, nine of which were spent educating. She was the artistic director for wella usa as well as education leader for the Paul Mitchell school in little rock for the past five. She loved her position teaching, but desperately wanted to get back to nwa and is about to celebrate the year anniversary of being back one year.
Lindsey moved to Fayetteville less than four months ago. She recently finished her classes with imagine: a Paul Mitchell partner school in LR. She then worked at an educational focus salon in Russellville. Both Taylor and Lindsey told me how focused they are on learning, improving and education in general. And they practice that. They’re always describing the steps of what they’re doing.
Taylor told me she’d always wanted to open her own space, “I wanted it to be different from other salons. I wanted natural products but with creative license.” Guillotine carries evo care and pravana color. She wanted the salon to be as much a place to chill out, chat and have a cocktail or read a book. I can tell you that vibe is already prevalent. I’ve turned the place into my dressing room and they didn’t bat an eye. Taylor said, “I want it to be a team atmosphere. I want our clients to feel comfortable going back and forth between everybody that works there. Which is also very different from conventional salons. What this does is it allows us to focus on the client, instead of focusing on our individual paychecks. What’s not to love about that? We love doing any kind of session styling! We also do trainings on everything from extensions, to color formulations and placement, to curly girl cutting and precision cutting. We also do lots of webinars! Our passion is education, first and foremost. We are lucky to be in an industry that promotes learning and growth, why not capitalize on that?”
Kory Tyler
Kory told me his love affair with cosmetics started seven years ago. He picked up an eye shadow brush and hasn’t put it down. There is an absolute art form and an incredible amount of talent involved. The face is the makeup artists’ canvas. Kory works Mac but has been gaining momentum (and a reputation for excellence) enough to outsource / freelance. While k loves sharing a client’s vision for their look on a special occasion, he ultimately wants to create his own cosmetics line.
Interview with MGB
The Window Shopper: Tell me a lil’ about you?
Mallory: I’ve always been heavily involved in the visual arts, inspired by beauty, aesthetic, simplicity and nuance. From playing with my parents’ film cameras and polaroids when I was younger to making friends pose for me during high school, I’ve always been fascinated by the ability to preserve an instant, an expression, even a feeling. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study beneath two major photographers, Steve Newby from Dallas and Steve Nozicka in Chicago; following this I began my business, seven years ago, primarily in portraits. I try to keep my images organic and airy and I am influenced by the raw qualities of film photography. I approve neither of under-editing nor over-editing, so I strive to present images that contain a hint of ideal while maintaining their core purity and nature. But I’m also no stranger to edgier imagery with artificial lighting if I feel it’s best for the subject or message.
TWS: Why fashion week?
Mallory: In addition to a desire to support local shops and designers, I am enamored with conceptual shoots, stylized sessions, and editorial photography; I knew any involvement in fashion week would be rewarding. Northwest Arkansas has so many incredible and talented individuals, and I was excited to collaborate with some of the best! Plus I love my lil Payton doll.
Mallory, Taylor, Lindsey and Kory have worked their asses off for me and the window shop with a goal of helping people in need in our community and promoting collaboration among local businesses. There is such a wealth of talent in our area.

The Window Shopper’s Spring Must Haves

Payton Bridewell shares The Window Shopper’s must-haves for Spring with At Home in Arkansas

I had the honor of sharing my must-haves for Spring with At Home in Arkansas. Here is the post.

Payton for NWAFW-7430logo

Payton is the PR Chair of NWA Fashion Week. She is a fashion enthusiast with a corporate job in the beauty industry. She produced and styled photo shoots for the boutiques participating in NWA fashion week. She can also be found playing dress up on her blog, thewindowshopper.org or @mspayton on instagram. She’s very excited about fashion week; you can find her hosting the events on Thursday & Friday nights!

athome

1. An Earcuff: I love wearing an earcuff lately. It adds edge without an actual piercing.
Ear Cuff, $88 shopbop.com
2. A bum bag: I’ve always loved fanny packs and I’ve picked a few up at thrift shops over the years. But for those who want something a little higher end, there seem to be more options out there. This version is both convenient & chic.
Bumbag, $165 DKNY
 3. A one piece swimsuit: I wear a one piece as a leotard with jeans or high waist pants because it keeps the lines very clean. You can also hop in the pool at a moment’s notice.
Swimsuit, $59 ASOS
 4. A colorful nail color: I work for P&G and I love the new CoverGirl Nail shades, like Mint Mojito. You really don’t need a topcoat!
CoverGirl Outlast Nail, $4.94 Walmart
 5. Go with everything sandals: I gravitate toward anything clear or Lucite so I hope to pick up these Seychelles’ sandals from Maude in Fayetteville
Seychelles Heels, $89 Maude
 6. A portable iPhone speaker: I keep one in my purse for impromptu dance parties.
iHome Speaker, $19 Target
7. Insoles: I wear heels almost every day. Dr Scholl’s insoles make it possible
High Heel Insole, $7.97 Walmart

The Window Shopper Debuts a VERY Dynamic Duo: Mertin’s Eye + Lola Boutique

[CLICKABLES: see the original post + ALL the photos ]

THE WINDOW SHOPPER DEBUTS DYNAMIC DUO…. LOLA BOUTIQUE + MERTIN’S EYE 

LOCATION: VETRO 1925 | AN ABANDONED BUILDING | ARSAGA’S DOWNTOWN | CAFÉ RUE ORLEANS ROOFTOP

CLOTHING -> LOLA BOUTIQUE | web | insta | fb |email | EYEWEAR -> MERTINS | web | insta | fb |email | blog | HATS -> CHEAP THRILLS ACCESSORIES -> THE WINDOW SHOPPER

Daylight savings happened early this morning, which means MORE SUN. Fashion Week commences TOMORROW (with Shop Local NightLBD Party @ Vetro & 3W/L’Oreal are putting on a swanky affair at Ruth’s Chris in Rogers).  Mallory, who so gracefully shot these photos will be capturing “street style” Thursday-Saturday so, you know, bring you’re A-GAME.

When I started planning for Lola + Mertins, I i knew I wanted to do something different from what I had done so far. This was the last window shop we shot (although not the last post!) and so I recruited my favorite team and a new face. My friend Vanessa.

I wanted to change it up a bit this time so I asked Vanessa to ‘help me’. We’ve been posing together since church camp in 1998 (there are photos but they’re classified). Vanessa was amazing and we had a ton of fun at Vetro 1925 {will I see you there on Monday?},  Arsagas Downtown {we got a few stares + I’ll be there Monday, later} and overlooking the city on the roof of the delectable Café Rue Orleans {don’t try it at home}.

Mallory {MGB PHOTO} worked it out as always, she has mad skills with the camera. But she’s 5’nothing so she’s gotta bring her ladder {so cute}. Guillotine has literally been open two months. They have happy hour hair every Tuesday…They are freaking sick at what they do. Taylor and Lindsey tag teamed us – they gave me a faux bob which I’m going to try to get them to recreate for one of the nights I’m hostingKory could literally do makeup with his eyes closed.  *super secret tip from him – liquid brown liner on your brows I’m going to post more on my buddies who helped me next week.

My friend, Jade Terminella is both the proprietor of Lola BoutiqueAND the co-founder/fearless leader of NWAFW. Jade has always loved animals (she has three dog babies at home). Jade joined the board of Spay Arkansas in 2007 as Fundraising Chair and her first instinct was to bring awareness for their cause through fashion. The girl moves fast and 2007 was the inaugural year of Strut for a Mutt.

Although Strut was a consistent success, Jade had her eye on
the bigger picture. She and Danielle Vaughan conspired to combine all the local fashion for philanthropy events and create an all encompassing “fashion week” in NWA. She recognized that our
community has a heart for helping others and looking fabulous while doing it.

Mertins Eye has been on board since the conception of NWAFW as the official accessory sponsor. Jennifer Esty is the stylist and marketer for the offices and she contacted me about the Window Shop. I  asked her about Mertins’ involvement in NWAFW, she told me that last year they “jumped at the chance to be the official eyewear sponsor. Keeping business local, supporting local charities and doing it through fashion???  Can’t think of a better group to be involved with and cause to contribute our time and eyewear to.”

In 2006, Dr. Allyson Mertins opened Mertins Eye Care & Optical.  She recognized a need in NWA for a combination of well-appointed, unique eyewear & exceptional eye care. The store expanded to a second location in September of 2011 in the Garland Center on the University of Arkansas campus.  Dr. Mertins values impeccable service and has quite a loyal clientele. Her patients constantly compliment her on the eye exam, which is thorough and rather detailed.  She stays up to date on the latest research and findings in the optometric industry.

Mertins offers fashion forward eyewear for every budget, recognizable high-end labels {like Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford, Derek Lam, Jason Wu, etc} and exclusive independent lines –
SALT.optics and Mykita, which are handmade. Mertins knows that the sartorially inclined public of our area express their personality through eyewear as much as any other part of their ensemble. Or….perhaps more, after all you don’t change your RX frames daily, so they’re even more important to a look than clothes or jewelry.

Dr. Allyson and the staff of Mertins are thrilled to be
invited back as the official accessory sponsor for NWAFW 2013…this year they will present a runway show!!

Special Guest: Vanessa Ward Cullers | Photography:  Mallory Berry | web | fb | insta | email | Hair: Taylor & Lindsey of Guillotine Hair Lounge| [web | fb | insta | 479.582.8770 | MUA: Kory Tyler Simpson @ MAC  | web | insta | email | Styling: Payton Bridewell | web | fb | insta | email

THE
CLOTHES
THE FRAMES
On
Vanessa
LOLA {Elizabeth And James} WHITE ‘PARKER’ LAYERED BLAZER MERTINS Salt “FULCEY” RED TORTOISE
SHELL FRAMES
On Payton LOLA {French Connection} STELLA’ CREPE CLASSIC BLAZER IN CREAM MERTINS 3.1 Phillip Lim “CELIA” EGGSHELL RIMMED
CLUBMASTER (ISH) FRAMES
On Vanessa LOLA {Nicole Miller} LONG SLEEVE TUCKED DRESS BLACK MERTINS Elizabeth And James “RIVER” jackie O black
oversized sunnies with gold accent
On Payton LOLA {Graham And Spencer} 3/4 FITTED MAXI DRESS MERTINS {Elizabeth And James} “KENDALL” white square
sunnies
On Payton LOLA {Graham And Spencer} DRAPE TANK DRESS IN VANILLA MERTINS Mykita “DAISY NO 2″ BLUE
ANGULAR FRAMES
On Payton LOLA {French Connection} ALMOND STRETCH CAP SLEEVE DRESS – BLACK MERTINS Mykita “GOLDA”
black round sunnies
On Vanessa LOLA {Velvet} LEATHER SHOULDER PATCH DRESS BLACK MERTINS {Rayban} CLUBMASTER SUNNIES
On Vanessa LOLA {Alc} HARLAN JUMPSUIT
NAVY
MERTINS Salt “BRIGGS”
SQUARE GRAY FRAMES
On Payton LOLA {Riller And Fount}  RITA’ CREW NECK
MAXI IN GOLD
On Vanessa LOLA {Haute Hippie} GOLD TWIST FRONT
STRAPLESS DRESS

The Window Shopper Previews Art Amiss

[CLICKABLES! see the –> original post & –> all the photos]

I wasn’t exactly familiar with Artamiss before becoming involved with NWAFW. As I said, I had already worked with Mel @ Mayapple. We got along really well and I love the one stop shop she has going with Mayapple (hair/makeup/clothes). When she asked me to put a few of the Art Amiss designers in The Window Shop, I readily agreed. Black Cherry & Good Things were the shops that really wanted to participate. I’ve been a Black Cherry fan since Leea opened. She even put me in a unitard for her instagram recently. So I knew it would be fun to show a few things from there. I had seen Good Things and maybe popped in on my way to Dark Star but didn’t really know what it was about. I met Jessy, the owner/designer and found that she has a passion for organic fabric, processes or practices. That carries over into her boutique and the clothing she carries is either made of an organic fabric or the company employs green practices. I have to admit that, at first glance, the store didn’t carry clothes that I would normally buy. However, I quickly understood that what I could love about Good Things were the basic. Tanks, tees, yoga pants, jackets but mostly bralets. Jessy was not sure what I was going to do with the bralet I took for the shoot but as you may know, skin is in. Everything in moderation, right?

Celi is an art student that Mel asked to shoot for us (Mallory was out of town) and she was really good. It was cool to work with someone that has a different aesthetic and doesn’t know all the faces I’ve already made…At one point Celi told me to “do something with {my} hands”. We got into a friendly rapport.

Mel gave me two different hair & beauty looks. 1. Princess hair complete with a braided bun at the crown with minimal makeup and glossy lips 2. Messy side braid with giant false lashes on the bottom! Needless to say, we had fun.

Leea from Black Cherry came along for the party, she gave me some posing pointers, which I had trouble remembering. We talked about marriage and boys and how to get men to clean. Mel ordered pizza for the group, which annoyed me because I was about to pour into a leopard unitard. Anyway, we had a blast and I hope you enjoy!

I’ve gleaned more info on Art Amiss, Black Cherry, Good Things & Mayapple for your reading pleasure. These ladies will be showing on the runway Thursday but I know you can’t wait so you must try to stop by Arsagas at the Depot tonight from 7pm on. The coffee shop is hosting an artist appreciation exposition put on by Art Amiss. I’ll be heading there after I sip & see at Vetro 1925 (in my LBD, natch).

Good Things’ Jessy Lang majored in Apparel Studies at the University of Arkansas and then worked in product development at the Wal-Mart corporate office for eight years. She opened Good Things in 2008. She describes the store as an extension of her lifestyle and values. She explains, “I like simple, natural, pretty things. I wanted to support positive and good things in my business and also make it easier for others to support those things, and look our best while doing it.”

Jessy told me she is inspired by every girl with big dreams, a huge heart and a great sense of style. She admires women who are motivated to do great things for their communities & world but also look fabulous doing it.

Black Cherry Vintage opened in the summer of 2012. Leea Lee saw a need for a retro woman’s clothing store in Fayetteville and she’s been delivering ever since with feminine silhouettes, beautiful dresses, fun t-shirts and enviable separates. Somehow she finds the time to be an active roller derby girl & play with her (relatively) new hubby, Spencer.

ARTAMISS | web | fb | email |

MAYAPPLE SALON & BOUTIQUE | web | insta | fb | email |

GOOD THINGS BOUTIQUE | web | fb | insta | email |

BLACK CHERRY VINTAGE | web | fb | insta | email |

PHOTOGRAPHY: Celi Birke | web | fb | insta | email |

HAIR & MUA: Melissa Arens of Mayapple | web | insta | fb | email |

STYLING: Payton Bridewell | web | fb | insta | email |

Art Amiss is a not-for-profit art collective based in
Fayetteville, AR created with the express purpose of providing services for artists living in, working in, or from Arkansas.

The organization is composed of 5 board members. We host
semi-annual events for all medias and are interested in working in conjunction with artists all over the state to increase the artistic awareness in our local environments. More @ artamiss.org

The Window Shopper in Print!

AHHH I’m thrilled and honored and excited to share that I was featured in Citiscapes March 2013 Issue!
Click to view —>PRB in Citiscapes Magazine March 2013

Photography: Mallory Berry [web | fb | insta | email]

Hair: Taylor & Lindsey of Guillotine Hair Lounge [web | fb | insta | 479.582.8770]

MUA: Kory Tyler Simpson @ MAC  [web | insta | email]