Just Like the Movies

You know those moments in your life where everything just falls into place in the most magical way possible? These past couple months have had a lot of those for me, and I’m so incredibly grateful for them. I’m writing things I love for publications I love, and in the next few months I’ll be published in a book, and have a very personal, special feature published in the next issue of WORN Fashion Journal, which I wrote, styled, and directed.

Every day has been a whirlwind adventure, but one of the biggest highlights without a doubt was being featured in Flare Magazine for my signature beauty look.

You’re probably wondering how such a strange and wonderful luck of the draw came to be? I was contacted by Flare in September and asked if I would be interested in participating in the shoot. They had found me through all of my work at WORN, and thought my pastel look and pink hair would be a good fit for the piece. I replied pretty quickly with an enthusiastic yes, and the rest is historically documented in this month’s magazine pages.

But seriously, the whole thing was pretty all around incredible. I was asked to send in lists of my favourite brands and photos from my own wardrobe, and a stylist compiled a collection of designer pieces that matched my real life look to be revealed to me on set. I was definitely very happy in that moment that I spend so much time on Pinterest documenting all my favourite looks.

When I arrived on set a few weeks later, it was everything I dreamed it would be. Teams of people running around, a room turned into a closet filled with gleaming designer shoes, garments and accessories, a hair and makeup stand littered with every product imaginable. The stylist showed me the pastel picks she had laid out for me: They were all Chloe. I nearly fainted.

I got to wear a gorgeous textured skirt that reminded me of a meadow filled with wildflowers, and a soft mint green silk shirt with perfect pleats. The floral jacket, a piece by a relatively small Canadian designer, was added later, arriving by courier in the middle of my shoot, and it really took the look to a more high fashion level. It was all topped off with incredible surrealist jewellery by Delfina Delettrez (drool). Next it was over to hair and makeup.

The makeup artist was lovely, entertaining me with stories of models and fashion weeks while she transformed me into a doll-like beauty. She use this incredible Chanel contouring powder that I would give my pinky finger to own, but of course it’s now discontinued, and taught me how to exfoliate my lips.

After makeup, I was passed over to the hairstylist. He seemed to know exactly how I’d want my hair, and after drilling me for a split second on my preferences, started spraying and twisting in ways I’d never seem before. He introduced me to some of my new favourite products, like Oribe dry texturizing spray (seriously, go get some) and made my hair big and beauty queen like no stylist has ever been able to before. When he was finished with me, it was time for photos.

I was pretty nervous for the photo portion. There was a big group of assistants and staffers watching my every move, and huge lights were all around me as I stood in the middle of an empty floor in front of a backdrop. Luckily, back in my tea shop days, I had made the amazing photographer Norman Wong many a green tea latte, so he was super nice and non-intimidating. He even played Mariah Carey and did a lot of weird dance moves and surpisingly strange facial expressions to get me to loosen up from my state of panic. By the end of the camera clicks, I think we’d probably taken 300 pictures.

When the November issue finally came out a few weeks back, I nearly ripped it from the shelf with such vigour that I damaged it. I had such a strong fear that somehow I would be cut, or turn out to just not take good photos, that I had barely even told anyone the feature was happening. But when I got to the beauty section, there I was. It was perfect.

If you don’t have a November issue of Flare already, go snap one up before they’re gone! It’s a great issue filled with gorgeous work, and you can wave to me on my page!