NYC Editorial | Portrait Of A Lady

So the last of my NYC shoots was out this week in Look magazine. NYC feels like a lifetime ago as it's been so busy since getting back... so many stories to shoot before Christmas. I have to do a main fashion story nearly every week. Yikes. 

I will try and keep the blog updated with all my shoots.

So here are some of the shots from my "Portrait Of A Lady" story, an hourglass story reminiscent of a Forties screen siren, shot in an amazing apartment off Broadway. A great team of Seiji from The Wall Group (who was off to do Victoria Beckham's hair the next day), Tracy at Next on make-up and the gorgeous Andressa at Supreme modelling.

And a token horse... (YES!)

NYC editorial | The Pink Story

Every fashion editor on the planet has done a pink story for AW13. Boring, I know, but it is THE colour of the season (though not a huge fan personally, prefer black myself...) and it would be criminal to ignore. It's tricky to make yours look different from thr next so I had always planned to make this one a bit rough around the edges, a bit gritty, and shoot it on the more run-down streets of Brooklyn whilst in NYC the other week.

The story is out this week and I have to say it is one of my favourites from the trip. Such a great team and a model who was so insanely cool she just had to be herself.

So here it is, Pretty in Punk. Hair by Riad Azar, make-up by Ingeborg and model Maritza Veer at Next.

NYC | Coney Island Shoot

The first of the NYC shoots to be published came out about 5 days after it was shot - a super fast turnaround even on a weekly magazine. It was one of my first shoots whilst there and it was a location shoot on Coney Island. What a cool place.

The story was about mixing up texture and turning sparkle and shine cool, rather than glitzy.  Here are some phone snaps from the day, about 2 weeks ago now.

Our gorgeous model Kelsey

Photographer Ezra and colleague Kate

These are a few screen grabs of selects from the day (unretouched please note!) . Check out Look magazine for the full story!

WIBTW (What I Bought This Week): NYC

I've just come back from two weeks working in NYC (which you will hear a LOT about in upcoming blog posts to follow), so this week's pocket money was spent in the Big Apple. We didn't have a lot of free time but my speed-shopping skills are pretty well-honed and I managed to pick up a few gems whilst there.

I discovered J Crew big time whilst out there, as although I've heard the buzz for years I've never actually been in a store till now. So I went a little bananas. But if you are selective the prices are really good (some stuff like dresses goes up to a few hundred quid) and I got a wool jumper, cargo pants, a scarf, horse print socks (of course) and a really lovely silk print skirt for less than £200, which I think is very good.  The customer service here was amazing (Simone you rocked), as it was most places in NYC. Us Brits have a lot to learn, I hate to say.

Kate Spade was a bit exciting. I wanted a lot in here, but as my bank called me whilst I was in there to check my card hadn't been stolen, I limited myself. I needed a new wallet and I got a gorgeous patent coral red one.

The cool shops of Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg were VERY tempting, with amazing designer jewellery but a little out of my price range. However I found an amazing jewellery designers shop opposite one of our many hotels on 8th Avenue called Phoenix Roze where I bought the cutest gold necklace with 'C' charm. I wear it every day now - it replaces a similar one that I bought last time I was in NYC and recently broke. So that's allowed, right?!

Here are some snaps:

Latest Editorial | The New Colour Rules

I love nothing more than shooting in a studio on a plain white cove and letting the clothes and the girl do the talking.

This week's main fashion story for Look Magazine was just that. I got to shoot with a fantastic team who worked hard to achieve a great shoot.

Now back to prepping for a mahoosive trip to NYC in 11 days and counting! (5 days of which are Bank Hol/weekend? Eek!)

Time out @ Green Man Festival

...and BREATHE.

Fashion isn't rocket science but like most jobs you can float around in your bubble and get totally stressed out by day to day working life.

So I was happy to hit the road this weekend and swap the city and office for hills and mountains at Green Man Festival in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.

The lure was not only the music (bands I love from the US that I have never caught in London like Midlake, Band of Horses and Local Natives were on the bill) but also the setting. Nestled at the foot of the Black Mountains, this was the most beautifully set festival I've ever been to - something that all the bands pointed out too.

For a totally laid-back, family-friendly, well-organised and altogether very different festival experience I cannot recommend it more. It was, literally, a breath of fresh air.

The mighty Band of Horses 

WIBTW (What I Bought This Week) | Midi Skirts, AKA Mum Skirts

There's something quite comforting about slipping on the latest trend in midi skirts.

I get weird flashbacks to hiding behind my mums leg's aged about four, as these comfy, easy-to-wear, not-overly-flattering skirts scream 80s mum to me. But I like that. The light cotton and retro prints would have totally been a separate of choice for Mrs.Wood back in the day.

The midi trend is huge and this week I have totally emersed myself in 80s mum-ness and purchased these two lovelies from Topshop and Asos.

Leopard print midi with thigh slits, £36. Buy here.

Multi stripe midi, £36, Asos. Buy here.

Waiting for a train in the sun, wearing Office shoes.

Waiting for a train in the rain, wearing Office shoes again.