PHOTO SHOOT: Elise G. collaboration with JoAnn Larpenter-Sinclair

A Beautiful Chameleon

Believe it or not, all of these photos were from the same photo session. Elise is wearing several different looks from beginning to end. These shots were taken for a competition 

(a joint project for Bumble and Bumble and W magazine websites). 

All hair by JoAnn Larpenter-Sinclair for GSpot Hair Design, Iowa City.

JoAnn also did the makeup on Elise except for the silver swimsuit shots, when I went over the makeup with my own make-up look (which I called "private school rebel"). 

Clothes were chosen from Revival, White Rabbit and Artifacts shops by JoAnn and I collaborated in choosing how to style them. 

Notes from the hair stylist (JoAnn):

Elise
 Name of Look: Era Apparent

Inspiration:  My goal was to incorporate as many of my favorite eras for big hair into one style, while still having my look be modern and fresh. It's equal parts late-1800's Gibson Girl, 50's rockabilly, 80's prom queen, 60's beach bombshell, with a sprinkle of  late-70's Dolly Parton rolled into the mix. The look is current, elegant and feminine with an undone, slept-in edginess.

1. Shampoo and condition with the appropriate products recommended by your hairdresser. Spray Bumble and bumble Tonic allover and comb through.

2. Spray  Bb Thickening Hairspray at roots and comb through.

3. Work Bb Thickening Full Form Mousse throughout, and round brush hair until completely dry.

4. Curl Random Sections with a  curling iron and Bb Spray De Mode.  Cool for 5 minutes to set and separate and rough up the curls with a brush and your with fingers. 

5. Pin back hair on sides with Holding Spray, then backbrush rest of hair and arrange the top until you like the shape. Throw a few pins in it to secure, and finish with Bb Thickening Creme Contour and Bb Spray de Mode.

All photos copyright by Tonya Kehoe 2013
(as usual there is no post-production besides the occasional cropping)

PHOTO SHOOT: SETH

Time for some teddy boy rocker pix, amiright? Here you go then....Seth was hilarious and fun to photograph and let me dress him in denim on denim on denim (Jacket from White Rabbit).

This project was for JoAnn with Bumble and bumble. Hair by JoAnn Larpenter-Sinclair at GSpot Hair Design, Iowa City, IA.

Styling notes from JoAnn:

Look-Stray Cat

Inspired by the Teddy boys of the 50's and 90's punk style. Elvis/Stray Cats/James Dean.   This look is meant to have a flexible but strong hold, so that you can change it up throughout the day (or week, depending on how often you wash your hair) for maximum versatility.  This guy is the bad boy that your parent's warned you about.  If they could only see that he's got a heart of gold underneath that mechanic's uniform... 

1. Shampoo and condition with the appropriate products recommended by your hairdresser. Towel dry hair and apply Bumble an bumble Tonic Lotion from roots to ends.  Use Bb Thickening spray lightly  from roots to ends, and then layer that with a generous dollop of Bb Thickening Full Form Mousse ran through all of the hair.  

2. Start blow-drying the hair, balancing out growth patterns, and directing the hair where you want it to go until it is 80% dry.

3.Round brush everything that is in front of the curve of the front of the head to acheve maximum volume.  For the hair behind that, elevate it and twist is around your fingers to bring out any natural wave and volume in the hair. Dry completely.

4. Finish with a nickel size of Bb Thickening Crème Contour to bring definition to the look and add texture and shine

5.Finish with Bb Classic hairspray to make everything stay put.

SETH

  

                                                          (above with Stephanie)

All photos copyright Tonya Kehoe 2013 

PHOTO SHOOT: Winter Sweetheart (Heather)

Creamy tulle and gathered ruffles.

 Doll cheeks and thick fringe lashes; 

this is a cold January's winter sweetheart.

An original photo shoot by Tonya Kehoe-Anderson

Photos, Styling and Make-up by Tonya Kehoe-Anderson

Model/Muse: Heather Atkinson (www.heatheratkinson.com)

all images copyrighted 2013 Tonya Kehoe-Anderson

A Blogger's Delight! Jewelry from shopjami.com

 Elvie earrings & Elvie bangle bracelet with the
 Etta pendant necklace in Mint
www.shopjami.com
photo by Tonya Kehoe-Anderson


How PRETTY are these gold-plated pieces from Jami (shopjami.com)? I just love them and have been wearing them since I received them a few days ago from the designer's PR rep. This jewelry is now being featured in Lucky, InStyle and other huge popular fashion and style magazines. It was so serendipitous how I met the company rep, as he recognized me from my blog photo while my sidekick Spencer and I were picking up a little birthday cashmere cap (for moi) at Catherine's boutique (great source for cashmere!).


This classic Mint color goes beautifully with grey (my favorite combo), black and coral. It is one of those colors that just never goes out of style. Ever!
When I went to their website, I appreciated all of the color choices available and found I just have to have one of the Horn pendants as well. 

So trust me, I will get much better photos of these pieces soon. But here, below, they are as casually taken with my iPhone 4S.

Flying towards Spring! (Elvie bangle)

...the set.

Beauty Shots: Monica

Monica: B&W 

Opulent Thrift: Emily

She looks stunning in orange, peach and bronzes. On a perfect Autumn day in Iowa City.

catalogTKA and Emily make the cover of Little Village Mag!

We are excited that my photo of tender and tough Emily was used for the designer cover of  Dec 2012 Little Village Magazine! It looks super cool. White Rabbit has a great selection of authentic vintage biker jackets by the way.
They can be hard to find!

Salon Beauties

 Beauties at every turn at the Twin Image Open House last Friday night.
I was fortunate to be able to photograph many of the models and staff at the event.
Twin Image Hair Salon and Spa truly knows how to host a fabulous party with the best food and drink, products, models and people.
Packed house! ~TKA

Modern Baroque Brunette Topiary

Classic Beauty Updo

European-inspired sock bun hat with charming peekaboo auburn bangs

Romantic blonde twist with flower

Sock bun "mohawk" post-modern mane

You Can Tell A Lot About A Party By The Shoes

Today I enjoyed shooting the Twin Image Hair Salon and Spa Open House and Modeling event. While it was a long gig 3-8, I enjoyed every moment. All of the staff and talent were dressed like a million bucks and we all loved looking at everyone's pretty shoes. Here are some highlights:

Beyond Pretty!

Power Leopard booties!

Vintage Spectator-type stunners
(this actually from last week's GSpot shoot but I could't resist!)

Everyday Feminism, An Introduction of Sorts

I don’t know about you, but when I look at my closet and everything is clean and available I breathe a sigh of contentment and say to myself, “Look how great today is going to be! I have all these options and choices!” Now, we may not all be fashionistas with a shirt in every color and style out there, but you get the point: what instinctually feels better, the freedom and ability to choose or the limitation imposed by a lack of choices and options? Even if, for you, looking at my closet would be overwhelming and you prefer your own 3 or 4 standard issue costume changes, wouldn’t you rather have access to that choice than be restricted from it? This, kids, is the beating heart of feminism thinly disguised as a reason to applaud my walk-in.

Put aside all the garbage that comes to mind when you hear the word “feminism” for a moment, and journey with me to a blissful land envisioned by participants in the feminist movements of our time: a place where equality abounds for all and where we’ve wiped out the traditional heteronormative, sex-and-gender-dichotomous roadmap and set in its place every choice our imaginations could gin up… and the critical RESPECT that would make each and every one valid, celebrated and placed firmly within our reach. Harkening back to the closet (pun fully intended!), perhaps this would leave you feeling a little overwhelmed or unsure of how the world worked?  The beauty of this new world is that you can choose the traditional IF it speaks to and empowers you… you have unlimited choice.

Feminism is a four letter word in many parts of our society, long-suffering a bum rap pigeon-holing it into the camp of radical lesbianism (you know, those man-hating Feminazis you hear so much about) and mischaracterizing it as liberation for only the ladies. I’m here to tell you that when we lift damaging sex and gender stereotypes we ALL win, both women and men. Not sure I’m right? Give it some thought… how many men out there don’t fit that mold of hyper masculinity portrayed on every billboard and assaulting you on every gym advertisement? Maybe you’re rail thin and your look is more androgynous, or maybe there’s a lot of you to love and that pair of 30 inch waist jeans would comfortably hug your upper thigh at best. Maybe you weren’t blessed with an aptitude for sports, maybe you fancy the therapeutic touch of a good cry, maybe you’d rather be in the kitchen than out chopping wood? In any of these scenarios and millions more, you just don’t fit that traditional mold and it’s probably meant, at best, that life has been full of teasing and a search for community. On the flipside, maybe you’re the linebacker who took to ballet like a fish to water or the construction worker creating gorgeous furniture in your free time but afraid to ever share it. Who did those things to us? Made one narrow band of choices the only acceptable ones and left the rest of human behavior in the junk pile?

I can see lights going on over heads. This is Feminism 101, people. Society has a vested interest in us playing the roles that net forces in this world the most money and drive us the most quickly toward that all-consuming goal of populating our planet. The game is rigged that way NOT because nature provides and shows no alternative, but because it benefits someone (or those pesky corporations who now get peoplehood status, too). Why else would the color-coding start at birth (boys get blue, girls get pink… sidebar… ALSO a recent societal invention showing our gender mores DO indeed change!)? Why else would the gender norms be rigidly enforced via teasing and corrective action that alienates nonconformists? You may not fall that far outside the “norm”, but I’ll bet even you wanted a little extra latitude at some point and found instead a redirection back to your prescribed role and behavior.

Ask yourself what the harm would be in more choice and you’ve just started your own feminist debate. Welcome to the team!

Featured Hair Stylist: JoAnn LS of GSpot Hair Design, Iowa City IA

Meet JoAnn, she does hair. Great hair. And in the interest of full disclosure, she does my hair.

Last Sunday at the catalogTKA photoshoot, for Little Village Magazine, JoAnn created a series of beautiful hair creations to accompany the make up that I did on the 5 models we were working with. 

Somehow she makes it easy for me when I am styling and doing makeup to nail the exact right kind of hair look that unifies the clothes and face. 

Magic? It must be magic.
(or probably talent and ten years of experience)

JoAnn prepares Alicia's hair for her updo.

Sassy! I told JoAnn I was thinking a mix of classic and Janelle Monae. Boom!
(Photo by Heather Atkinson)

 As JoAnn was working on the models I could see that she was using many Bumble & bumble products like hair powder, hair spray and Sumo waxes. I personally love the essential oil scent of Tonic. She usually spritzes some on me before I get my hair done because it is like a mini spa moment.
And as busy as I am, I will take a millisecond of aaaaahhhhhhh whenever and wherever I can find it.