It’s fun to look into the past era’s and the style that each has.  Looking back to the 1940’s and 1950’s is something I enjoy.   The style that the women had was impeccable, not to mention they did it on a budget.  In 1940 the “BIKINI” was introduced. However, the navel was not exposed at that time.  They were quite modest and the women looked stunning. Pageboy haircuts just past the shoulder were the hot ticket item. But always with curls.  Some of the hairstyles  were quite interesting.  The reason for the battle of the best “do” was because women couldn’t afford to buy new clothes.  With World War 2 looming on the everyday life.  Women of these era’s made Hollywood the big deal and wanted to look like Rita Hayworth, Gene Tierney and many more beauty icons of that time.  So, they made up for it with side swept curls, with big beautiful flowers.  It was their way of setting themselves apart.

In my everyday life I’m looking at friends, women at the grocery store, the barista at the local coffee shop…the beautiful faces of the EVERY day.  Meet Mindi!  She is just a doll and when I saw her,  I knew I wanted her to be my 1940’s-1950’s look.  She has the timeless beauty look of the glamorous stars of that time.   When you watch her she is this graceful, tenacious woman.  Who has a wonderful personality,  with a big heart.  Mindi is truly radiant inside and out.

For this look I was actually inspired by the movie Pearl Harbor.  You know the one with Kate Beckinsale and Ben Affleck?!  The women in that movie looked amazing.   So, I decided to put Liberty curls, with a light wave and a purple flower accent in Mindi’s hair.  With her huge beautiful eyes, simple contouring made it classic and pairing it with the red lips (yes, you know how I love the red lips =) lol) It was a put together look.

We had a lot of fun with the pictures!  Chris of  www.clsteele.com looked at poses from the time and Mindi pulled them off! They turned out great.  Mindi said during her photo shoot ” I feel like I came from this time, like I’m on the set of a movie or something!”  She actually liked her look SO much that she wore it to a family dinner!  She said everyone even her hubby (hubbah, hubbah) loved it!

Mindi it was such a pleasure being with you that day!  Thank you for coming out and being so willing to try something new.  I think you are such a fabulous person and I am happy to call you my friend.  Here are a couple photo’s from the day!

It’s a rainy cloudy day today… I’m sitting in front of my space heater listening to Ray Lamontagne-Let It Be Me.  His voice is so soothing and it helps me concentrate.  I helped my daughter style her hair this morning and she is SO beautiful to me.  I can’t believe how much she has grown up in the last year.  I still remember meeting her for the first time 9 1/2 years ago.  Such a wonderful memory of a beautiful, life changing moment.

Beautiful is,  standing on the edge of  Tanner Creek,  at the Gorge watching the Salmon spawn.  It’s a sunset,  I see out of my kitchen window on a hot summer night.  It’s the woman on the cover of the latest fashion magazine. The abandoned seashells from the ocean,  strewn across the sand.  The old lady with her lipstick outside the lines and her over the top jewelry she wears to breakfast at Shari’s.  It’s the woman with the bandana on her head, putting up a hard fight.  Beautiful comes in so many different forms, doesn’t it?  So, as I was fixing my daughter’s hair, I thought why not put this question out there, to all of you.

So, with having said that.  I want to know what beauty means to you!?  Yes, YOU what does it mean…a picture, a person, a moment?  I am going to leave this open for ONE week.  The person who submits the answer I feel is most inspirational, will win a prize!  =) This prize will be a beauty/cosmetic product, of course! =)  Now, won’t that be fun!?  I love having the chance to win a prize and what an easy way.  So, turn on one of your favorite songs, sit for a minute and think about what BEAUTIFUL is to you…then write to me about it!  Looking forward to reading your responses soon!

*hugs*

JD

I have a “thing” for RED lips!  I think they scream glamour.  Elegantly dressed up or simply dressed down,  red lips are one of those things that will never go “out” of style.  Kind of  like a beautiful string of pearls, or your favorite pair of  blue jeans.

Pictures like the one you are looking at, take time.  It’s like an awakening inside that has been stirred to create this beautiful piece of art.  Applying makeup is just like,  being a painter.  It’s an art,  the only difference is that my canvas is a face!

Jewels was my first model.  She is such a JOY to be around.  She is this totally beautiful person and such a TOMBOY at the same time.  She is the one girl that always sets the trend first!  She has this amazing unique style.  Plus, she will know any score of any basketball or football game before any of the guys! I LOVE IT!

I decided for this look to apply my first set of RED lipstick!  What do you think?!  I was pretty excited. I have learned so many things with all the girls I’ve worked with.  For this look,  it was the red lipstick! Unless you know what you are doing,  it is indeed quite a hurdle!  But one I think I executed quite well.

I wrapped her hair in cans…yes,  I know what a bold statement right?  Cans…what is this woman thinking!?  I’m sure she was thinking the same thing.  But, this girl is bold in every way.  I feel like it’s just perfect for her! The cans give it the edgy art feel I wanted. The lighting in the cans put off a nice glow,  in contrast to her beautiful brown eyes.  The shimmery, silkiness of her charcoal gray blouse ended up a perfect match.  It took the entire look , just a little more to the elegant glamour I was imagining.

During pictures Jewels looked at me and said ” I never knew I  could feel so glamorous, with CANS in my hair!”  She really enjoyed it and so did I!  I felt great because I was able to make her feel “that” beautiful!

Jewels, thank you for having faith in my idea with the CANS!  I can only imagine how that would sound to someone LOL!   I love your positive outlook and fun personality,  it’s always great to be around you.  Your personality and beautiful self made this look come together JUST the way I imagined it would. Thank you to,  Chris of  CLsteele.com for making my vision a reality!  Jewels,  I look forward to working with you in the future. 

This last week was a LONG week for me.   But,  I did  take  pleasure in knowing that Amber would be coming over on Saturday!  We had a really great time.  I’ve known Amber for some time now, we met through work.  She really is an all around amazing person. She is funny like no other,  beautiful, sweet, sincere and just easy to be around.  Amber arrived around 10:30 or so and she had a little surprise with her.  I of course thinking “Oooh yummy muffins!”  She hands over this brown grocery bag (dun, dun, dun).  I think I ran over to my fiancee Chris at that point saying something along the lines of  ” Oh my gosh Chris, look in here!”, then my daughter is saying “Whats in there!? What’s in it!?”  Yes my friends, we had a LIZARD!   It was Lizzy the Asian Water Dragon!  I have to say he was quite entertaining.   My daughter even said “I wish I had a lizard instead of two cats!”  Of course I’m thinking “Well, it’s too late for that sister!”

So,  after we got past the shock of the lizard, we went to work.   You will notice in the picture, how light blonde Amber’s hair is and her eyes are this striking blue.  I knew for quite some time what I wanted to do with Amber’s baby blues!   So we went with a dark smokey eye & boy how beautiful it turned out.  The vision in my head was EXACTLY what we put on film.  We picked a few accessories and made our way out the door.  I feel really blessed because,  I have ” my one and only” the talented Mr. Chris Steele of  www.CLsteele.com shooting my pictures for me.  He has a very creative eye for things and we work well together.  We shot around town by an old building, the dock on the Willamette and on some railroad tracks.   Amber has never modeled before (so she says)…but man she had the poses down!  So despite the natural elements bright sun, lots of wind (which equals watery eyes)!  I think we did well!

Amber, thanks for taking your morning/early afternoon to spend with me!  We really had an amazing time!  The lizard was quite the “life of the party”!  I don’t think I will ever be able to forget that one.   Here’s one of my favorite shots of the day!