 Creating for a Purpose, Not Just for Clout A question I've been getting asked more and more is if I am still modeling. Well, the answer is obviously yes, but it made me confused as to why I was getting that question. I've been booked for more paid jobs than ever, but have remained mostly off social media. I stopped doing pointless collabs with people on Instagram who don't shoot the content I'm into and I stopped taking unpaid work that wasn't in my brand. Essentially, I stopped shooting for the sole purpose of creating content and more for the purpose that I liked the photographer/team or because I had an idea and wanted to execute it. And to be honest, I've never been happier. Staying off social media and no longer feeling the pressure to post or shoot with people, means I've had more time to devote to the things that really matter in my life. I've also been able to focus on growing my relationships with the people I admire and those who I'd like to work with. In the past couple of months I've been through two major surgeries and the death of my great-grandmother, and this time not shooting for views, but for myself, has allowed me to heal and grow as a person. So yes, I am still modeling. You'll probably only see paid e-commerce work, but if you'd like to shoot, feel free to reach out. TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR YOUR FACIAL RINSE KIT:
 Edam Essentials is a new brand aimed at promoting self care for women. When I saw their company, I knew this was going to be a fun and inspiring product. Vanessa, the creator and CEO of Edam was kind enough to send me a few Facial Rinse Kits and Motivational Mirror Markers to test out and review. The Packaging, Colors and Quality: Right off the bat, I knew exactly what this package was. Their packaging came in a medium bag with their name and logo on the front. Shipping was extremely fast and came with free tracking (which I ALWAYS appreciate). When you open the package the Facial Rinse Kit comes in a clear bag (which is honestly great for traveling) with their logo, a girl washing her face and everything that comes in the kit. The colors are bright and happy and made me immediately want to rip open the packaging! It's so cute! The bright blues and yellows really added a lot of cheer and excitement for me. The quality is incredible! For $20 the cuffs are so soft and the headband is PERFECT and adorable. What Comes in the Kit?: In the kit you receive 2 drip cuffs (one in yellow and one in blue--stating "Love Yourself First"). 1 navy headband. 2 drying clips. And 1 mirror cling. Along with a tag saying "You can create anything! Go for it today." All the products are machine washable (which is great since I am constantly doing laundry and getting my towels dirty). "Rise with Less Mess": Does this product keep that promise? ABSOLUTELY! I wore the headband, wrist bands and placed the towel around the sink and it was perfect! It kept my hair clean (without being too tight) and my counter top dry and clean from my cleanser. I've been using the Facial Rinse Kit, not just for when I wash my face, but also when I wear any type of face mask! It works great to keep everything in place and off of my space. Pros:
Overall Thoughts: I'm always looking for new items to add to my skincare routine, and I am so glad that I've been able to test this product out! I make it a priority to support small/local stores and women in particular. It's a fantastic product, and the woman behind the product is equally as inspirational and sweet. I can't wait to use my new Facial Rinse Kit with every face wash and mask I do. I'm ALWAYS on the hunt for gorgeous and all-natural skincare items. When Saint Iris Adriatica sent me some of their new gorgeous items, I was surprised how quickly these products worked to make my skin glow! Vitality Spritz: This item makes your face, and your whole body, as fresh as can be. Running on your way out of the house and forgot you have a meeting? Or, if you're like me, and need something to wake you up before your morning coffee, this is the perfect item. It's a large bottle, so you get the most bang for your buck, but also is small enough to throw in a purse or take with you traveling. Purity Paste: I typically do masks every other day to keep my skin clean and hydrated. The only time I've done a body mask has been at the spa, but that has changed! Not only did the mask add a bit of color (which, being Irish and Polish, I desperately need), but it rejuvenated my skin for the whole week! Body Brush (for the Purity Paste): Okay, FIRST OF ALL, this is the cutest (and softest) brush EVER! When you first receive the brush, it comes in a soft velvet pouch, but when you open it, the black and white speckled handle is so cute and easy to hold and maneuver around your body with the Purity Paste. I couldn't recommend this brush enough. Thank you to Saint Iris Adriatica for sponsoring this post!
Music by: Apache Grosse DP: Brett Schmidt Makeup: Victoria Anne Makeup Hair: Donte Mitchell Styling: Elizabeth Margulis Actors: David, Boyang Matsapola, Anastasiya Rahinskaya, Courtney Ryan, Heady Lovell, C$ (Chris) Thank you to everyone who made this project possible! It was such an incredible project and I feel so blessed I was able to star in this video!
 In two days, it will be Valentines Day and I'm so obsessed with lingerie, but also comfort. Interview with Tiffany Le: 1. What inspired you to create your business? - I have always been creative, crafty, and independent driven. As a child, I would make doll clothing out of scraps from old clothing, curtains, pillowcases- whatever I could find. I also sold a lot of things in school, from jewelry to keychains to baked goods. As I got older, I just knew I wanted to make something and to be an entrepreneur. 2. When did you first start crocheting? - In 2011 is when I decided to teach myself crocheting. I probably didn't make anything useful until 2012...haha. Public library books helped me a lot. 3. What are your favorite types of items to crochet? - My favorite items to crochet are skirts and tops. They're so simple to construct and easy to customize, so I enjoy adding details to them. 4. Are there certain aspects of fashion that inspire you to crochet? - I'm a huge fan of minimalism. I think my use of solid colors and simple patterns really shows that I appreciate less as more, but also the idea that a whole piece is made from one material- just string- is fascinating and utilitarian in a way. 5. Do you create any other type of art, such as painting? - For years, I have painted, illustrated, amd dabbled in sculpture. Painting with acrylics on canvas is my favorite art form beyond designing clothes. 6. What is your business motto? "From my hands to the customer, may love and care show in every detail." I want customers to feel comfortable by being personable. There is a level of intimacy and trust involved with me making them something custom fit to their body/preferences, and I respect that they have faith in my hands. 7. Are there any new items that will be coming out on your shop? Or any new projects you’ll be releasing soon? Right now I am working on some new tops and dresses that I look forward to releasing this month of February. Then in spring, I'll have new beachwear.  The Art of Posing and Using Movement It's been 10 years since I've started my journey as a model and it has been a crazy ride. There have been so many different phases of my modeling, but there was one moment that COMPLETELY CHANGED MY CAREER! After modeling for a few years I shot with a model scout, who was fantastic. While shooting, he only had one major criticism: I was posing, not moving. This shook me to my core. It was the best advise I've ever received. Every shot was pose-pose-pose; I was thinking not feeling the moment. I would scour fashion magazines for poses rather than create my own. When I learned how to move, that's when my career took off and changed my life. By not thinking, just feeling the moment, I was able to create more elegant/graceful images that brought out everyone's work and made me a better model. Feeling the moment and being authentically myself suddenly gave each shoot a personal touch. Some questions I ask myself when I am on a shoot (to create movement):
Some tips for creating movement:
 Creativity and the Pursuit of Passion When I first started modeling, I fell in love with the people, images and creative nature of the business. What a lot of people don't realize (since most of you are recent followers/subscribers) is that I used to only really do art modeling (with clothes on) and creative work. I was hired to shoot some really cool pieces, but you can't stay in that realm forever, at least in my case. Recently the creativity aspect has significantly dropped off from my life. All my shoots have been corporate, my day-to-day clients have been booking me more, and I stopped doing TFP shoots for a long time. A couple of weeks ago, that changed. I saw a post Victor had shot and remembered why I loved his work. It's colorful, creative, fun and interesting while staying true to himself and the model. I reached out and asked to shoot. It's been so long since I've done something like this shoot, but man I've really missed this. This for me was really a passion shoot. It's something I never get to do, but I hope my friends/followers love seeing something new/fresh on their screens. I hope that the passion and love Victor and I have for this shoot translates. Oh yeah, and I got to bust out my gorgeous bathtub (which, yes, has jets), and obviously BUBBLES! Images by Victor Von Goethe
 If you've been seeing me all over Chicago and want to see the details, here they are! First of all, working with these people for this project has been a dream come true! I worked with people who I'm friends with and people who I've DREAMED of working with for awhile. The song is really a story of where hard work and determination will get you far in life. It depicts a strong woman who is the BOSS. Specifically this year has been such a source of growth in all the ways possible and, for me, this project is the embodiment of that hard work. ENJOY! Listen to the single out NOW! Click here! Photography: Zoe Rain
Makeup: Victoria Anne Makeup Hair: Alex Karambelas Styling: Elizabeth Margulis Artist: Apache Grosse Manager: Ben Levine  Thanksgiving is always my favorite time of the year. The holidays are in full swing and it's time to celebrate and reflect on everything you have. In honor of Thanksgiving last week, here's a quick list of things I'm thankful for along with my new morning reflection exercise. My incredible friends/family/support system. This past year has been particularly tough, but my friends and family have really been incredible! My new clients/opportunities that have opened up. 10 years into modeling and I still find myself busy as ever with work. This year has brought on new clients, more than I ever thought possible, and new opportunities to grow as a model and person through my bookings. My traveling schedule. I've been so blessed to travel to Asia the past two years along with visit various parts of the US. Experiencing other cultures, while doing what I do, is so fulfilling and humbling. I've been trying a new morning routine which includes reflecting on the every day things to be thankful for. For example, I'm thankful to wake up every morning and be healthy enough to go to work and move around comfortably throughout the day. By having a new mindset, I find myself less anxious and more prepared to take on the day!  I feel like this set perfectly sums up what I'm loving this fall and what my go-to's are. And after last week's serious blog post about e-commerce work (if you haven't read it here), I needed to blog about something light. Fall favorites (what I'm wearing, and will continue to wear this winter):
Western accessories: A serious trend everywhere is western accessories, like hats and (my favorite) belts. While I'm not the biggest hat person, except my favorite black baseball cap, I am getting so into the western belt trend. Unfortunately, I don't have any links for western belts, since I bought all mine through thrift stores. Some thrift stores that may have belts (in the Chicago area) are Lost Girls Vintage, Second Chance Thrift and Village Discount. Comfy black jeans: I'm always a fan of jeans, but when I can find a pair of sleek black jeans, I'll always choose them first. For the best jeans visit the jean queen, Catherine, at Felt. Medium crossbody bags: Crossbody bags are so convenient, they're a staple in my wardrobe. For the fall and winter, they're so important to me so I can store my hats/gloves/etc. (since Chicago weather is 20 in the morning and 40 in the afternoon). My favorite crossbody bags that you'll see me using a lot this season are my Louis Vuitton (as seen here), custom Drame Designs and my waxed canvas Bookhou bag. Booties: I love to mix up the trends in my shoes, like shearling booties and western boots, but I love anything bootie. Not only are they comfy, but also something you can wear year-round. Some cool booties are Marc Fisher, Dr. Martens and ANYTHING Archive. A QUICK HEADS UP FOR NEXT WEEK! Due to Thanksgiving there will be no blog post! I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving! Images by Trevor R. Parker
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About LaurenAs a model for almost ten years, I find myself learning new things everyday. This blog is a way to share my stories, images that may not be on my main board, and interesting things abut modeling and my life. |
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