Rachel Roy | CFDAs | Pop Sugar
"Something I like to say to my customers or the people that I work with is that the right garment, the right dress, can make you remember what's beautiful about life. That's the really valuable side of fashion, that feeling of confidence and happiness. We can get a bad rap in fashion for a number of things, but I've witnessed numerous times over the years pure joy on someone's face when they feel they look good."
-Rachel Roy
This past Monday, I was given the opportunity to photograph behind the scenes of fashion designer, Rachel Roy, getting ready for the CFDA awards. What a dream come true! Really.
This was a full circle moment for me. About 10 years ago I started working in the fashion industry as a product photographer. As the company I worked with grew more successful it began to expand it's brand portfolio. Enter, Rachel Roy. Her designs were fresh, accessible and well made. We were all excited to be a part of the RR Team. Most of my work was behind the scenes, photographing in a dark room, hidden by a heavy, opaque door. Gradually I moved to the role of Photo Shoot Producer, specifically for the Rachel Roy brand and had a some interaction with Rachel herself. At this point 8 years had passed and I felt invested in the brand. I watched it grow from successful start-up to a fine tuned machine and although the part I played was small, there was still a twinkle of pride in my heart.
With the birth of my son in 2013 I made the painstaking decision to leave work and stay home full-time, with high hopes of starting my own photography service, freelancing in the fashion industry "to stay relevant" and maybe blogging a little. I'm actually laughing at myself as I type this, because I had NO IDEA how hard being home full-time would be. The transition from getting nicely dressed, wearing make-up, doing my hair and packing a hot pair of heels to wear everyday to "top knot, yoga pants, coffee" clinical sleep deprivation and puke on my shirt was SHOCKING. I felt completely down in the dumps and the opposite of successful. I was JUST a stay-at-home-mom & a HOUSEWIFE! It took a whole year before I could even think about starting up my own business. "Patience truly is a virtue....practice makes perfect...good things come to those that wait." Repeat.
I've never considered myself a "fashion girl." I actually strongly dislike the term...as much as I dislike the title "housewife," but for different reasons. It feels clicky & exclusive, however I do LOVE fashion, for all the points Rachel made in the quote above: the "pure joy on someone's face when they feel they look good." There's nothing like the feeling of putting on a well made garment, getting dolled up and rocking a nice pair of shoes...well there IS the hug of a child and falling in love, but you get what I mean. I missed that. I missed being a part of it. I missed watching it all unfold before me. I missed feeling good.
Another twinkle of pride stirred within me as I listened to Rachel Roy and model Candice Huffine talk about the new curvy line available here. Bringing "on trend" items to curvy girls, average girls, non-skinny girls is considered a movement in the fashion industry, but as Rachel put it in her Pop Sugar interview "it should just be like breathing — it is what it is." Women of all sizes & shapes should be able to shop for clothing together, in the same place, and although it's a "new idea" it's really one that's long overdue. Trends are not just for "fashion girls" but for everybody.
"So if [making people feel good] is my intent, why wouldn't I include everybody?" -Rachel Roy
Both Rachel Roy and Candice Huffine were gracious, elegant and refined. They were naturally beautiful when I arrived, but when hair, make-up and tailored evening gowns were applied/put on they were the definition of glamorous. I couldn't stop clicking away. My lens was in love. "Rockin' eyes" embarrassingly escaped my lips. But really, they had such rockin" eyes!
Monday was soul satisfying. Seeing my company name under my photos on popsugar.com was validating. Could this be? Am I actually making this work? Maybe. Only time will tell.
In honor of SAHMs everywhere, see my Rachel Roy picks for staying "on trend" at home, at the park, at the grocery store. Fashion can be functional. Let's look good raising our kids!
Check out the image source...whoot!
I've recently taken on a minimalist approach to my wardrobe, only buying neutrals so that no matter what I trow on, it works together. There's almost no thought involved each day. I keep it comfortable and functional. There are a lot of "white" recommendations below, but that's staying true to my new neutral approach. Will it get stained? Probably. Will oxyclean remove these stains? Yes. Go for it!
This was my favorite of the day. Gorgeous.
