Friday Favorites, vol. 35

1. retro rollerskates





BONUS:
I can't think about rollerskates without thinking about this song:


2. my tailors
I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have a tailor that you can trust to make your clothes perfect. One of my favorite things is to find unique pieces on the cheap at thrift shops and then have them taken in here, shortened there, and in the end: poof! Magic. So thank you, Ace Custom Tailors, for all the dresses, skirts, pants, and tops I've brought to you over the years. You also earned an A+ on Nathan's suit jacket!



3. camera straps from Souldier
Nathan has several of Souldier's seatbelt camera straps in different colors, and I recently ordered this little beauty, with a gold stripe. I already love it-- it fits Stella (my D90) just perfectly.



4. pink flamingos





5. lattes in holiday flavors: pumpkin spice, eggnog, gingerbread

What to Wear: Wedding Photographers Edition

It's hard enough to find the right dress to wear to a wedding-- but what if you're shooting the wedding? This year in wedding photography has taught me a few things, friends.

The Do-Nots:
1. Do not wear white or a shade anywhere near it. I knew this rule long before we started shooting weddings and it should seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many wedding guests ignore it.
2. Do not wear anything super sparkly or super shiny. You're celebrating, but you're also on the job.
3. Do not wear anything too short. You should be able to squat, lunge and bend to get those shots and no one wants to be flashed, especially at a wedding.
4. Do not wear anything too tight. You want to be able to move comfortably.
5. Do not wear super high-heels. They sink in the grass, get stuck in mud, and get jacked when they slip through those wooden slats on decks. They're also murder on the toes after eight hours, even with the best insoles.

The Do-s:
1. Wear a dress that has pockets. They're perfect for lens caps, etc.
2. Wear a dress that is made of a mid-weight material-- like jersey. Then you can shoot in a windstorm and not worry about having a Marilyn moment. (See #3 above.)
3. Wear a dress that's sleeveless. Avoid the strappy or strapless ones. They're too high maintenance. Plus, sleeveless dresses are excellent for covering up tattoos, if you happen to have any.
4. Wear a dress that breathes. Could be eight hours, baby.
5. Wear a print so you don't risk matching the color of the wedding, thus looking like a cast-off bridesmaid. (Even when we know the colors of the wedding ahead of time, this is still just a good idea.) Floral prints can look a tad casual and/or Laura Ashley, so go for a modern, geometric print. I like chevron stripes, polka dots, etc.

Finally, wear a dress that is machine-washable. Your dry-cleaning bill will thank you.

BONUS:
Here is my newest favorite dress to shoot weddings. It fits all my rules, AND it's even on sale right now. I wear it with a skinny black belt and patent leather, pointy flats.



Are there any rules you've learned when it comes to dressing for certain occasions?

fall mixtape

Nathan and I have this thing with making mixtapes. OK, they're really mix CDs, but we like to remember the mixtapes of yesteryear. Wait a second-- did I just say "yesteryear"? Sorry bout that.



It's one of my traditions to make summer mixes and share them with friends. Nathan and I also make them every time we have a roadtrip. We like to keep our mixes a secret and then see if we repeated any songs. We usually have at least a couple songs that we both pick. For every song that we repeat, we both get to select a prize. All right, there are no prizes... but isn't that a good idea? I think I'll institute it immediately.

I give you... My fall mixtape:
1. Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer cover) - Florence + the Machine
2. Bag of Hammers - Thao (and the Get Down Stay Down)
3. Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) - Jay-Z
4. Hello Tomorrow - Karen O. and Squeak E. Clean
5. Something in the Air - Thunderclap Newman
6. Songs We Used to Sing - Edie Brickell
7. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire
8. King of Pain - The Police
9. St. Teresa - Joan Osborne
10. Seed of Wonder (acoustic) - Jesca Hoop
11. How Do You Do It - Quiet Company
12. Cherry, Cherry - Neil Diamond
13. Drumming Song - Florence + The Machine
14. World Outside - The Devlins
15. Staring at the Sun - TV on the Radio
16. Fix You - Coldplay
17. Imagine (remastered) - John Lennon
18. You! Me! Dancing - Los Campesinos!



Thanks to Grooveshark, my little dream of a mixtape club can be a reality-- and all without infringing on any copyright laws OR dealing with that pesky post office.
Listen to my fall mixtape* here on Grooveshark.
*It's missing the John Lennon song because of the Beatles and how all their songs are locked in the Disney Neverland Vault.

I would LOVE to hear a mixtape from you-- and all you have to do to share is sign up for Grooveshark and then friend me. (I'm theamyshow.)

BONUS:
You can even get my fall mixtape** from iTunes.
**It's missing the Police song and the Jesca Hoop song. Whaaa? You're dead to me, iTunes.