Wardrobe Styling and Makeup for JLH Photoshoot

A few months ago, I was contacted by a very talented photographer (Malae Talley) and a very talented hair stylist (Jessica Halladay) and asked to be the wardrobe stylist and makeup artist for a photoshoot that would be used to showcase Jessica's new line of hair extensions. 

I jumped at the opportunity, and was given complete freedom in terms of how I wanted to style this shoot. Um, hello. That's a wardrobe stylists dream. So, the angle I took was to find out and study each model's personal style and vamp it up just a notch or two for the shoot. We pulled items from either the model's own closet or my own closet (in almost every case, a beautiful mixture of both!) and created looks that each model felt proud to wear, and that helped showcase Jessica's talent as a hair stylist.

It was a blast! Without further ado, here are some of the shots!

We had a very limited amount of time to get these models from bare face, sweatpants, and undone hair to dressed, styled and ready to rock the shoot. But, we made it happen!

Makeup on Miss Jocelyn!

Another shot with Jocelyn

Lips for Olivia

Poor Jocelyn-enduring the application of false lashes!

This model, Jocelyn, was just great. This dress is her own, just upped a few notches with a few pieces from my closet. Jocelyn was so easy to work with, and with someone so naturally pretty, she was so easy to style. I love Jocelyn's features and it was a blast to be able to play them up.

Jocelyn's navy blue dress really brings out her gorgeous hair and skin tone. I paired it with some light grey (almost white) textured tights from my own closet, sky high nude pumps borrowed from the photographer, a paisley scarf and turquoise jewelry both from my own closet, and when Jocelyn asked me pre-pictures if she should take off her rings, I said, "NO WAY!" 

Jocelyn's makeup consisted of a neutral eye with a pop of green in her outer "v" and lower lash line, false lashes by Ardell, a full contour and highlight with just a sweep of a berry blush and a berry lip. I absolutely adore the way that the berry lip compliments both her dress and her strawberry blonde hair. This girl is so beautiful!

This model, Julie, was an absolute pleasure to work with. Don't you love it when beautiful people are actually kind?! 

Julie's top and pumps are from her own closet and I paired them with my own lace tights, and animal print pencil skirt by Agnes and Dora. Julie wears skirts or dresses daily to work, and it was fun to add a pop of something different for her with  textured tights and an animal print. I also put Julie in one of my favorite large cocktail rings and an oversized pearl bracelet. Her makeup was very neutral on the eye with a peach blush and coral/peach lip. She pulled off that peach lip so beautifully! I added some depth to her brows and together, Julie and I conquered her fear of eyelash curlers! 

This next model, Shyanne, was fun to style. Though you can't see her whole outfit in this picture, her style is one of self proclaimed "ease, and lots of t-shirts and jeans". So, we rolled with it! I put her in a dark wash skinny jean and crisp button up and loaded her up with gold jewelry and bold makeup.

Shyanne's look was a very typical red lip, softer contour, and bold eye colors. A silver liner was used and feathered out in Shyanne's tear duct, and a very strong outer "v" and a cranberry color under her lower lash line.

Olivia was my next model and she was definitely the most daring of the group! During my initial interview with her, she told me how much she loved "different" kinds of clothing and that her style consisted of lots of texture and patterns. We originally had a different outfit for Olivia but then I asked her if she was willing to be a little bit more daring for me, and she was definitely game!

Olivia is wearing her own strappy heels (not pictured) and black top paired with my jewelry and aztec printed harem pants by Agnes and Dora. She pulls the outfit off excellently. I wanted to have Olivia intentionally overdo it with gold bangles in different textures as well as wear layers upon layers of necklaces in different metals and lengths. 

Olivia's makeup was much more dramatic than some, consisting of a sharp black crease, gold lid, and full liner. Her lip color was a mixture of a ruby red liner, Rebel lipstick by Mac (a red/berry color) and a berry gloss. I wanted harsh lines in Olivia's makeup and since we had such harsh lines in her eye look and a dark lip, I went with a very neutral peach blush.

Let me just tell you about this next model. This beauty queen shocked and amazed me when she told me she is just 14 years old! This is Paige and she was more than a pleasure to work with. Paige had beautiful skin and hardly needed a lick of makeup at all to look like a movie star.

Paige wore her own aztec top and black jeans and I put her in my accessories, scarf and boots (not pictured). I loved the floral scarf as a contrast against her aztec print in her top and added a pink pop in her earrings. Paige has phenomenally gorgeous skin and with a skin tone like hers, I wanted to let the natural glow show more than makeup. I added just a peach blush over a very thin layer of BB cream and then filled in and sculpted her brows and paired her neutral eye makeup with a darker nude lip liner. Over the liner I put a very light lavender lipstick and the combo was this perfect lip color. Paige's lip color was one of my favorite moments of this shoot!! 

And last but not least I completely enjoyed my time working with Sarah. Sarah also has gorgeous skin, and wore very little makeup in this shoot. I loved the natural look she (and Paige) brought to the shoot in contrast with the ways that the other models were very glammed up. Both concepts are equally gorgeous. It was so fun to be able to experience both in one shoot!

Sarah's top, jeans and shoes were her own and I brought her a statement necklace to help pull it all together. I loved the way Sarah's outfit looked so glam yet so wearable. She was put together without being over the top

Sarah's makeup was a darker pink blush against a smoked out eye. I used a nude lipstick and liner on her lip and topped it with a light pink gloss. I kept telling her that her look was just begging me for a nude lip! She pulled it off so well. I thinks she looks gorgeous and effortless. 

Working with these women was a pleasure. They all looked so beautiful but more than that, they all FELT so beautiful. It was an honor to be able to tap into their own personal styles and interests and add my own twist to it. Each of these ladies let me into their closets and personalities and that's not easy for everyone to do. I appreciate that they would allow me into their lives so that together we could create some incredible looks that showcased each woman's style, Jessica's skill with hair and Malae's talent behind the camera. It was my pleasure to be asked to be a part of this project and work with these beautiful women.