WHITE DRESS

These are part one of a shoot I did for Omaha Magazine in Spring of this year. Photos were taken by my dear friend Bill Sitzmann of Minorwhite Studios in Omaha. The purpose of the shoot/story was to give a little bit of info about me and to showcase my personal style. They ended up using this photo in their layout, but I wanted to show everyone the rest of the pictures because I love how they turned out.

In this set of photos, I am wearing a vintage dress loaned to me for the shoot by my friend Anna, whom I've written about before. The sash I'm wearing is also hers, and it's made from an old cummerbund (isn't that great? I've started buying them when I see them so I can make more). Floral printed tights are from Urban Outfitters in Omaha. The Gloves are vintage from Second Chance Antiques in Omaha (RIP yellow gloves, sacrificed in the cake fight for the Mynabirds video). Shoes are from Von Maur in Omaha and are Betsey Johnson. My giant Amy Winehouse-inspired hive (we totally took it to another level, beat that Amy!) was done by Darcy Covert of Omaha Chicago (as of this week). Always the control freak, I did my own makeup and all other props are my own.

See that teacup? My original plan was to tie it in my hair and to balance it on my head, like I was trying to balance a book. But living in Nebraska you always have to have a backup plan. It was windy that day, and my hair already emitted enough personality on it's own (really though, it was just a wee bit smaller than Marge Simpson's! Darcy shoved an entire wig in there!) so we decided that I would just throw fake snow out of it.

One of the best things about working with Bill is that he doesn't always want everything to be pretty. He always has me making the most awful, wicked witch-like faces possible.

I love this one (above). Enlarge and check out my address.

Did I mention it was windy? Oh I did? Well, did I mention that fake snow BURNS LIKE HELL when it hits your eyes?

Real tears! I'm trying to hold my eyes open here after globs of fake snow just blew into my eye. My head kind of looks over sized here...very Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland-esque, no?

So much fun. Thanks to Omaha Magazine and Bill Sitzmann of Minorwhite Studios for featuring me.

Stay tuned for part two of this shoot later this week!

Xo Rah

LET THE RECORD GO

The Mynabirds - Let The Record Go from Saddle Creek on Vimeo.

This spring I had a chance to participate in a music video with some of my loveliest friends for The Mynabirds, which is Laura Burhenn's new band (formerly of Georgie James).  "What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood" is the title of the Mynabird's first record, available now on Saddle Creek.  It was so much fun to participate, I mean really, isn't it every girl's dream to smash cake in the faces of their friends?

The whole process and styling of the video was amazing, we filmed for almost a whole day but everything was edited down to about two minutes to fit with the video's song, "Let the Record Go". This song is one of, if not my favorite song on this record. Laura's voice is so beautiful it's almost haunting.
Most of the clothing for this video was vintage and it was all our own. I showed up that morning with two giant bags and a suitcase full of clothing, shoes and accessories (gloves, furs and almost ALL of my jewelry) and the rest of the girls did the same. Hair was done by Jessica Brown of Halo Studios in Omaha. In the end a few gloves and things were sacrificed due to the nature of the video (HELLO, CAKE FIGHT) but it was so worth it.

Here are some additional photos taken by Anna, Laura and Jess between filming, enjoy!

Pre-Cake Fight

'Aint nobody here but us chickens, havin' a tea party

From the Left: Anna Rafferty, Jessica Ewald, Laura Burhenn, Susan Sanchez and Me

Isn't Susan's hat incredible? It was completely covered in feathers.

     

Stepford wives?

Can I live in this apartment please?

Post-Cake Fight

What? Do I have something on my face?!

XoXo Rah

MY BRAIN JUST EXPLODED

Jeremy Scott + Adidas Spring/Summer 2011

Ironic and hilarious, plus everything I wanted in a sneaker when I was 8.
Head over heels teddy bear sneakers, guys.

(Photos: High Snobiety, See Additional Photos HERE)

Galliano, Boy George & Dr. Seuss

Galliano for Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall 2010

This evil genius disguised as a mere designer has done it again with an unlikely show for fall 2010. Florals normally deemed only spring appropriate were pushed aside for explosive orchids, bright neons and purples that just work. Loads of '50s inspired leather accents (yellow gloves!) all topped off by updated Boy George-esque eye makeup makes everything fit for what is sure to be one of the most eye-catching collections in haute couture this fall.
Hair was done up into giant plumes taking it a step farther than the towering beehives at Prada F/2010, and actually dipping into Dr. Seuss territory. Faces and hair were partially masked with what appears to be deep magenta and purple cellophane, which is clearly referencing back to the whole floral theme.
Something about this collection is just so native. It's clearly not a collection to be ignored; The way the enlarged orchid prints peeps through the much darker gowns roughens this collection up a (needed) little bit. The orchids seem to melt into an almost dip-dyed look and work so well unexpectedly placed under the solids so greatly incorporated into this collection.

Sah-woon.

LIFE BLOOD

Miu Miu F/W 2010 Campaign Promo.

I painted my spare room in this campaign's featured shade of orange out of sheer insanity/impatience for this collection to come out.

More to come on that.

X, Rah

What's New(ish)?

This week I've had a friend message me asking where all my style related Facebook posts went, if I'd been too busy to write. Someone else asked me what "following" Fash Flood meant.

Don't be a Crybaby, allow me to clarify...

I started a Facebook group called Fash Flood to serve as an interactive extension of my blog. That makes it sounds much more complicated and high-tech than it is; Basically, I don't always feel it necessary to write about, say, a single pair of shoes that only a member of Kiss could love. I just want to post a link and discuss them with you. I also want to be able to filter some of my personal life out of this blog/Fash Flood on Facebook.

So I moved, kind of.

So, you'll still get the long version here, but for the shorter conversational-based version, join my Facebook group Fash Flood or follow me on Twitter.

I hope that explains things.  Have a great Fourth of July weekend!

Xo Rah


(Lower photo by Bill Sitzmann of Minorwhite Studios for Omaha Magazine. Hair by Darcy Covert of Claude's Beautorium)

Filed under: Weddings

Here's Zach and Lindsey's engagement photo shoot with Stan Jones Photography of Lincoln, Nebraska .

"Yes, we're from the Depression era and hanging out on a farm lookin' gorgeous, what?"

Don't have much to say other than holy shit I have some gorgeous friends.

Doesn't Lindsey look so classic in that last one? God I feel like Cher Horowitz talking about my deceased mother right now, "Wasn't my mom a total Betty?"

Lindsey you ARE a total Betty!

Among other reasons why I think these photos are so grand,  I think that the clean simplicity of their clothing makes for total perfection. The hair is right, the suspenders are right, Lindsey's shoes are so right.

Love you guys!

(Photos: Stan Jones Photography)

Make-a-Grown-(Wo)Man-Cry

Black or leopard, which do you prefer?

Senso "Wilma" Pony Hair Platform Booties/$159.95 available for pre-order at Solestruck

These are so affordable that I fear they'll be less than exquisitely made. I have awhile to decide if I want them, since there's nothing about these that says summer. Perhaps I'll just get them in black leather since pony hair doesn't really mix well with Nebraska snow and I don't really have many plain black leather shoes, if any at all.

Maybe I like them because I really wanted these from Elizabeth and James (below), but feared I wouldn't want to wear them when they arrived. Something about them seems like they would be unbearable to wear, but I don't know. Could be wrong.
And there's also a chance that I'm just channeling my desire for these from Giuseppe Zanotti (below), as I posted about on my facebook group this morning.



It's just one big funnel from what I can afford to what I really want. Le Sigh.

(Images via Solestruck.com, Zappos.com & Shopbop.com)

PRADA FLYYY EYEZ + READER REQUEST

Did I ever announce the winner of the Prada Postcards sunglasses poll?
Doesn't the way I worded that make it sound like I was GIVING something away? Welp, until I've cleared just a few more hurdles to become the next Oprah and I can tell everyone of my readers to look under their computer chairs TO FIND A PAIR OF GLAHHHH-SEEEESSSSSS!!!!!! (picture me at my desk saying "glasses" Oprah-style over and over while I type)...I'll just announce the winner here and show you a few photos of my sweet new thangs.
Thanks to everyone who voted and made this major life decision easier.

CLEAR (Biarritz) was the winner!

Anyways, I really love my new sunglasses but if I was going to whine just a little tiny bit about anything it would be that the lenses aren't very dark at all, so buyer beware. It would probably be really easy to get the lenses changed out for darker ones but I can't stand the thought of watching some barely out of their teens Optometric tech operating on precious glasses and accidentally ruining them.

Right-o, getting to the major point of this post, one of my lovely readers Jill made a request (or was it a threat...?) that I post some lipstick recommendations since she is well aware that I spend most of my big bucks (big bucks = less than a teacher makes per year) on lipsticks. MAC "Ruby Woo" is my all time favorite lipstick, but that's nothing new so without further ado, here are a few of my recent favs. I only picked four because all that trying on and wiping off of lipsticks and liners kind of turns your lips into a little bit of a wasteland for a second. So I will post part two of my favorite lipsticks another day.

Top to Bottom:
Lipstick Queen- Saints Sheer Lipstick in "Coral" glossy finish (a great neutral lipstick with a little bit of shine)
MAC- "Snob" stain finish (my friend Courtney showed me this one and people either love it or hate it)
MAC- "Morange" amplified creme finish (this lipstick is NEON orange, the photo doesn't quite do it justice)
MAC- "Russian Red" matte finish (a favorite of Dita Von Teese)

Have a good weekend everyone!
Xo Rah

LOUIS VUITTON Fall 2010 Campaign

Don't you just adore the direction fashion is heading in right now?
I feel truly inspired by the way the majority of my favorite designers (Galliano, Prada, Jacobs) are taking from the '40s through '60s for their Fall collections this year.
This ad campaign seriously makes me grin from ear to ear. It's just so right!
(click photos for better detail)

Ponytails are to-die-for.

Christy Turlington are you really wearing a full leather skirt? AMAZING!!!

The prints! The textures! Gahhhh!

(Photos: Fashion Gone Rogue taken by Steven Meisel featuring Christy Turlington, Natalia Vodianova & Karen Elson)