PANACHE Behind the Scenes: with Kyah

This week, I had a special mission: To do a photo shoot for Dustin Hillis where the images will be used for his new website, blog and new book, Navigate, that just came out (click here to get yourself a copy). The goal was to capture his positive, high-energy, professional, experienced yet youthful personality in these images.

Dustin is a sales consultant to many of the countries top executives and sales people. He literally helps turn the economy around, one consulting session at a time, by helping people to increase their bottom line through implemention of systems and strategic compensation plans. Because he deals with clients of all ages, it's important that we made sure his photos reflect his experience and his relevance in today's marketplace.

We gathered a lot of our inspiration from the graffitti-like covers of Esquire magazine and the smartly-dressed men who grace those covers combined with a corporate twist. Here is a mock up of what we intend to do in post-production with some of Dustin's photos. Of course, we will have "Navigate" as the title here, and some of Dustin's training tips in his handwriting in the background:


Head to his blog to get free tips on increasing your money-making...even in a down economy! Applicable advice for all industries....check it out: http://sellingthewaypeopleliketobuy.wordpress.com

Shot of Inspiration: Endless Fantasy

Tim Walker's imagination is so charged with beautiful and fantastic ideas, I can browse his books for endless hours. He is just a genius with creating 3 dimensional sets and I can't wait to work with a photographer who wants to experiment with creating outlandish backdrops for couture-clad models. This set just leaves me speechless.

Old is The New New: The Vintage Swim Suit

The Vintage SwimSuit 

Hello everyone.

Today we introduce our second column... "Old is the New New." The vintage world has more than taken over this year so this column will help us inspire you and teach you exactly how to mimic those sweet pieces that have come back around in 2009. 

This weeks topic: The Vintage Swimsuit.  This look is going to really make a statement this summer as we enter in to pool season.  It's pretty, flattering and finally something different than those string bikinis we have been wearing out for the past 9 years. 

 

This suit is great for all body types.  If you are curvy... great! If you don't have curves... great!  It looks good on everyone!  

I'm rocking the solid black vintage suit this summer!

Rawwrr...

Sweet and Simple

You Can find a Plethora of cute suits at your local vintage shop! The Hip Zipper (for you Nashvillians) or UrbanOutfitters.com

Shot of Inspiration: Packing for a Weekend Getaway

We are starting to focus on specific topics for our little fashion blog, and so I today I'm taking the opportunity to introduce you to the steady column we've decided to dub, "Shot of Inspiration", because just like a bad coffee addiction, sometimes we rely on a good fix for inspiration to carry us through the day.

There is a great passage in one of the Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic novels (which I highly reccommend because I have cried tears of self-recognition and hilarity!) where she is about to embark on a trip of some sort and it dawns on her that she has overlooked opportunities to experience the dizzying high of shopping for, and the aquisition of, luggage!

So, with the hot humid weekend ahead, I'm putting out my virtual packing list for a weekend getaway...which is coming up this following weekend to the lush, rain-free (at this time of year) Pacific Northwest. I'll be heading out to Portland, OR where I will be visiting family and taking a day trip to the charming little town of Cannon Beach, OR.

So here is what's in my bag for my weekend in the town and by the seaside:


So, yes, I'm taking my little Lola...I usually sneak her on in my purse and the trick is wrapping the oversized pashmina casually around my shoulders. I'm currently devouring the guilty pleasure One Fifth by Candace Bushnell which I'll finish on the plane. As far as the staples of the trip...3 sundresses that I can dress up or down with the barely there sandals or my tough platform strappy sandals, my boyfriend jeans by Rich and Skinny, a pair of skinny jeans from Forever 21, several Alternative apparel burnout tanks and a cocktail ring and floating diamond bracelet to glam up the low-key outfits. Oh, and I'll toss in a couple of vintage belts to add to the outfits if I'm feeling up to uber-accessorizing. The beauty regimen will be pared down to my Mac SPF 50 primer which evens out my skin, protects it, and moisturizes (yes I should be getting paid for this!) and my minty Origins lipgloss. I'd love to hear your tips for packing light and fashionably...Have an inspired weekend!
Kyah

It's going to be a hot one...

Sometimes it can be challenging to look your greatest when you don't want to put anything on! 

Here are a few ideas of what to wear to stay cool and still look good...

Florals are always a great way to effortlessly make an outfit look great. It brightens you up!  Be sure to wear it the right way, though.  It most likely needs to be vintage or at least look vintage. Pair any floral tank with your favorite pair of shorts and a killer pair of sandals.  Floral high waisted skirts are super fabulous as well. 

Another great way to beat the heat and look sweet...

Sundresses!

Any color, any shape... as long as they are girly.  Sundresses are great because they can be worn during the day or you can dress them up with a pair of patents at night. 

Also... Accessorize! You can throw on any boring old tank or last years shorts as long as you have a fabulous scarf tied around your neck, or perhaps a killer pair of boots. You can find many of the items above at pixiemarket.com

And then there was Nancy...

Nancy Jacobs

There are too many great things to say about this lady. Not only is she gorgeous, sweet and has the body of a 25 year old... she is also the mother of three beautiful children. 

MOMS! We understand that there is rarely enough time in the day to even get through your motherly duties, much less find the time to update your wardrobe as you should! This was the case with Nancy. She has a wonderful closet full of great pieces, again not knowing quite how to wear some of them. 

Last Friday we decided to dig in. We went through every piece in her closet throwing those ever so special pieces (the one's she held onto way too long) into a few bags to donate and started the ever so tedious process of revamping her wardrobe. During our process of going through her closet, I wrote down all of the pieces I felt like Nancy needed in order to complete her wardrobe make-over. She set her own budget,  I then went out on the town! I visited some of my favorite stores (Posh, Local Honey, Urban Outfitters, Two Elle and many more) to find the essential items to work with. I then paired each new item with an old item and formed a "story board" of ten different outfits to get her started. This way she knew exactly what to put together and exactly how to wear her new found outfits.  This also helped her get an idea of how to put those things that she never would have thought of together on her own. Now, she is happy to have a clean closet and an organized wardrobe! Don't let me forget to mention the fact that she looks smokin' hot.  

Visit us at WWW.PANACHESTYLISTS.COM and let us revamp your wardrobe!
See Jenny At Sugar to get a look like Nancy's!

Behind the scenes with Frally Hynes

I worked on a shoot yesterday for Frally Hynes with photog Heidi Ross and makeup artist and hair-chitect, Natali Hettich. It's hard to capture the mood of the day in a sentence, but as the day slipped by, as is usually the case on photo shoots, we got to know eachother better and produced better and better looks. But most of all, I enjoyed today because I was surrounded by an incredible group of creative, brilliant women. Here are a few of my cell phone pics and of course, some of our finished product!







We were channeling Greek Goddess Athena...I think we nailed it with this ethereal shoot! Thanks to all of you that participated...it was great to work with you!
Kyah

Speak Silently: snaps from Blu

Here is the first batch of crowd photo's from the Speak Silently gala, photographed by Blu who has a talent for journalistic photography. Thanks for passing on these beautiful photos!



Lead singer of Brenn, Joel Larabell

Brad and Sara Greene of The Purple Turtle



Legends
Check back for more photos from the evening as I unveil them this week!