Expensive Taste Meets Reality

My most recent splurge: $40 black, suede boots that I didn't have money for... and when I brought them home I found they had a huge rip in them, and not only that but they give me blisters. To make things worse, you can't return things to the store I bought them from.

I am a girl who loves good deals. I bargain hunt, and you can find me at thrift stores pretty much any day of the week. I don't mind searching through hours worth of crap to find one great piece of clothing or an amazing accessory for a fair price. Although this is all very true about me, I am finding, that although I am broke, I have expensive taste. (That could be the reason why I am broke, and do not have a penny to my name right now!) Every time I see something I fall in love and feel I can't live without, but find I have to live without it.... because it's WAY to expensive.

I was going through the October Nordstrom catalogue and saw things I loved and couldn't afford...

Jessica Simpson 'Belta' embellished ballet flat in satin, eggplant: $74.95

Steve Madden Drop-waist wool blend topper with tab belt in back:

$138

Marc By Marc Jacobs 'Flight of Fancy' two sided pendant watch:

$175

Of course I don't NEED these things, but I think they are just adorable and WANT them. I could, of course, never afford these things unless I "schemed" and saved, and hoarded until I had enough money, but then a new fashion trend will have started and it will not be what I want anymore. I will have new wants, and desires. New things will be in and fall will have come and gone. I think it's funny that all this has been going on inside my head and that this weekend my youth pastor spoke on the importance of tithing. He spoke about all the things I mentioned above but in his own way. I always find it quite amusing when my pastor, Adam, talks about things that I'm struggling with in my life.

Anyway, after my boot incident I have decided that my splurging days are over, and that I should think rationally (and make sure I have money) before I buy anything. I don't need a purple set of Jessica Simpson flats, or a Marc By Marc Jacobs clock necklace, or an adorable Steve Madden coat. None of those items are practical. How many outfits do I have that go with purple ballet flats? I'm pretty sure none. Anywho there's my sh-peel on overpriced clothing, shoes, and accessories. But none of you probably give a hoot! (That was for you Ramiah)

On another topic have you noticed that furry vests are the in thing right now? Personally I find them hideous, but they are popping up everywhere! I first saw them shown in a Seventeen magazine. I ignored it, because even though I like Seventeen, I don't note them as a fashion magazine, just more of a magazine for fun tips about hair and make-up.... oh and relationships. (Gag me with a spoon!) Then I saw them pop up in a Vogue issue, I believe the September issue, the October issue of Elle, and Nordstrom's October catalogue. I then realized that it truly is in and decided that, no matter what, I would never wear one!

Love,

Cadence

Love Is In the Air

So my photoshoot from Thursday went very well. It is finally starting to look like fall in some areas, so I took my friends to one of the best places to shoot fall pictures in my area. I don't feel like writing much today so I'll just put the pictures up and get outta here! (: Enjoy!

Copyrighted 2009

Love,

Cadence

A Couple, an Actress, and Nerves

The thing that makes me the most nervous: people being upset with me/ making a mistake!

Thursday I have two photo shoots planned. I'm shooting my friends Ben & Jessi, and my other friend Bethany. Ben and Jessi are a new couple and all three of us wanted me to have a photo shoot for them. It is a free job, just so I can get some work for my portfolio. Bethany is an actress. She is signing up with an agency so she asked me to take head shots. I'm charging her a small amount to take the pictures, edit them, and shoot on location.

I'm super excited for the shoot, but very nervous. I haven't taken pictures of anyone except my siblings, and I don't want to mess up their pictures. My biggest fear right now is that I will have the shoot, I will think the pictures turned out great, and that when they get them, they will hate them. This will be good for me, but the waiting till Thursday is getting to me.

So remember that trip I went on? well here are some pictures from it! Enjoy (:

All pictures are copyrighted and belong to Cadence Meeks, © 2009

Bon marché Mode Trouve

My proudest fashion find: Juicy Couture Sweats for $30. 

In case you do not speak French, it's okay I don't either, the title of this blog is Cheap Fashion Finds. It just sounds so much classier when spoken in the French tongue, a.k.a. language. I'm obviously feeling very, what's the word, witty today. I guess that's the right word.

So for those of you who don't know I'm a girl who loves good deals! If I want designer things I  find them cheap. I love thrift stores and as I've said before Forever 21. Well two days ago I returned a dress and pearl strand to Charlotte Russe, this gave me a little extra spending cash. I went to Forever 21 and for the first time was a little disappointed with their clothes. Just when I thought that my favorite store had let me down I found the cutest accessories! When I walked out of the store I had a big smile on my face and a Forever 21 bag in hand. I left the store that night with a fetching bangle, and a very couture headband. The bangle is glass and colored blue. It has two peacock feathers painted on it and is gold on the inside. The headband has a flower made out of brown, tan, and white feathers on the side. The bangle was $5.80 and the headband was $3.50


Today I got two amazing deals. I went to a name brand thrift store that I love, and found the cutest pea coat and dress. The dress is from Forever 21. It is purple with lace in the front on the neck. It is flowy, has gathered sleeves and goes perfectly with a pair of leggings! The pea coat is red and has big black buttons down the front. It has big pockets, and ties in front. It is by Pretty Kensie. The pea coat was $12.50 and the dress was $9.50


Ahh good deals make me happy! 

Manny, Dorothea, & Scott, Oh My!

Notable photographers: Manny Berumen, Dorothea Lange, Scott Schuman, Mark Susan, KrisD Mauga, & Stacy Leson.

Manny Berumen: I met Manny through my mom. She is a make-up artist and has worked with him on several shoots. The first time I saw Manny's work I loved it! He has an amazing eye for photography and his pictures are flawless. For him photography isn't his full time job, but more of a hobby (personally I think that he is amazing and should be a photographer full time). This past May I had him shoot me and two of my friends. I was very happy with how everything turned out, and got a bunch of comments on the pictures. He is definitely one of my favorite photographers and would recommend him. 
*He doesn't have a website but he has a Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/MannyBerumen?ref=sgm 


Dorothea Lange: If you have never heard of Dorothea Lange or seen her picture "Migrant Mother", you must be living under a rock! To me Dorothea was a strong, outstanding woman. She was one of the few woman photographers in the 1940's, and saw the beauty in everyday people even in hard times. She photographed a lot of the depression era which makes me look up to her even more, because even in hard times when there was no way that she could make a living off of what she loved, she still pursued it. 
There are many websites that notice Dorothea Lange and her work. One of my favorites is 
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/lange/index.html 

Dorthea Lange

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/lange/index.html

Scott Schuman: I actually just found out about Scott today. I was looking at blogs and somehow found my way onto his blog. Just a few minutes of looking at his work and I was in love. I read about how he did a shoot for Italian Vogue Pelle's September issue. When I saw he pictures I decided right then and there that he was a photographer that had to be noted in one of my blogs. He is definitely now a favorite!
http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

Mark Susan: I also met Mark through my mommy! (: They did a lot of work together and every time the pictures were amazing!  One of his collections, Oranges, is my absolute favorite by him. My mom did the make-up for two of the ten pictures in the collection. The photographs were chosen to be placed in The Orange Table, which is located in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ, about a year ago. Every single one of his photographs are stunning; they are always clear and vibrant. His creativity and raw talent has made him one of Cookie Monster Meeks' notable photographers. Not that, that really means anything to anyone. (:
http://www.marksusan.com/

Mark Susan Photography

Orange Series 

Mark Susan Photography's Myspace

http://www.myspace.com/marksusan

KristD Mauga: I found out about KrisD through the amazing online photo editing system picnik. After reading about her and seeing some of her pictures I googled her! I couldn't help it after seeing some of her work I had to see more. I found her website and soon she became one of my biggest inspirations. Her shots are simple and show everyday people in their everyday lives, but even in the simplest there is an undeniable beauty about each photograph. That is why I love her photography. 


Stay Leson: Stacy is an amazing young women. I also found out about her through picnik and googled after reading about her. She is in tenth grade but her photography skills are far beyond her years. Every photograph is something that people look at every day but her pictures seem to put a twist on those everyday things. You can tell by looking at her pictures that she sees things differently and sees beauty in the world around her! She is definitely someone I look up to, even though we are the same age, and am inspired by. 

Hotel Breakdowns

Stacy Leson

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stacyleson/3701266849/in/photostream/

Coincidences & Inspirations

My biggest photography inspiration: Well inspiration means a divine influence and I think that other photographers influence me a lot.

So recently.... actually a few weeks ago... I decided to buy a copy of Vogue. I absolutely love looking at high fashion photography and when I saw Septembers issue of Vogue I swear it was calling my name! (: (There's a a little drama for those of you who have boring lives.) Anyway when I was going through Vogue two articles stuck out because of their amazing photographs. "Into the Woods" which was photographed by Marcus Piggott & Mert Alas, Little Red Riding Hood is Natalia Vodianova, and "In the Mood" photographed by Steven Meisel. 

"Into the Woods" is a collection of photographs that have a high fashion twist on the well-known fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood. I loved looking at these pictures and it made me feel like a real photographer who is plugged in with the fashion industry. A month and a half ago I shot my sister in a Snow White inspired photo shoot. She wore a Joy & Moon, soft cotton, t-shirt dress and I stuffed the sleeves with tulle. Her hair was curled and she wore bright red lipstick. After I got her completely ready, I shoved an apple in her face and told her to model. One thing you'll have to keep in mind about my sister, is that she is an amazing model. I am not just saying this because she is my sister, but because she truly is. I can tell her my idea and she gives me input and has ideas of her own. You don't even have to give her direction, she is just a natural. Okay, so back to what I was saying, I was very proud of my work and thought that I should do more fairytale inspired photo shoots, and was very excited to see that I was headed in the right direction as far as high fashion photography. 

 

After I was done drooling over the "Into the Woods" photographs and wiped the enormous cheesy grin off my face, I flipped to the 1940's inspired photo shoot, "In the Mood". Every page showed a different side or view of the women in the 1940's. Personally, I am in love with the fashion, the music, the way people talked, really just about everything about the 40's, so when I saw this spread my eyes twinkled and that huge cheesy smile that I had a few minutes before came back. I was inspired! A few days later I was at an antique store and found an old suitcase. I had been looking for one everywhere, and almost came out of my skin when I found it and realized it was only $6. I, of course, had to buy it, and skipped to the car merrily with it in hand. About a week later is when I arrived home from my traveling experience and told my sister we were going to have another photo shoot. I told her what I wanted to do and she was on board. For this shoot she wore a Charlotte Russe red, navy blue, & tan plaid, potato sack like dress, with a black Steve Madden pea coat, and black Walmart (yes Walmart) brand ballet flats. As for accessories she wore a H&M black and forest green feathered headband, my pearl earings, and a Charlotte Russe pearl strand. Her hair was curled and her make-up consisted of Bobby Brown & Arbonne black and gray eyeshadow, Bobby Brown black eyeliner and bright red Arbonne lipstick. I took my sister across the street where the sun was hitting a street corner just perfectly and handed her a Vogue magazine and my suitcase. She did amazing, and considering the limited space that we have to shoot, the pictures turned out quite wonderfully! 

 

 

 

 

 

Always and Forever,

Cadence

All pictures are copyrighted and all rights are reserved.

©2009

The Beauty of Life Behind a Lense

Okay.... I have now officially failed at my blog! My goal was to write one everyday... that my friends has not happened! After coming back from my trip it's been hard to get back into the swing of things, so that is part of the problem. The other part of the problem is that I have to LOVE what I'm writing about. I can write for a little while about things that I'm not passionate about, but after awhile I will get bored with it. Don't get me wrong I like writing about the crazy stories that happen in my day to day life, but sometimes I don't have anything that seems interesting enough to write about, or I just don't feel like it.

So... my solution is to write about one of the things I love the most, which is photography. I will still write about my silly stories from time to time, but I want to focus mainly on my road to being a photographer, photographers I love, and things that have inspired me. Photography is such a huge part of my life that I will always have something to tell you guys!

Love,
Cadence