Welcome to the behind the scenes blog where I’ll tell you how it all goes down at SJ as a photoshoot coordinator! I’ll take you through my regular work week schedule (even though it feels like it’s different every week) which includes creative meetings, styling, prep, & the actual photoshoot day itself. I love the fact that every week is new & there’s always something different to create! Whether I am creating for myself or for Shelby Jewel I find it exciting & challenging (in the best way) because I can continuously learn how to get better or push the creative boundary!

MONDAY: Creative Meetings

Monday’s aren’t so bad when you have a comforting place to go to & you can make a big ole cup of coffee before the work day starts! Every Monday we have a creative meet up where we share what we have to do for the week & that includes Shelby (owner), Emma (operations manager), Ashley (marketing director), & me (photoshoot coordinator). We talk about ads, photoshoots, social media, events, editorials, operations, & anything in between! We’re also a group of goofy gals so we have a little fun & crack jokes here & there! If you ever come to the back room you’ll see us singing along while we work or maybe even catch a few tiny dance moves as we pass each other.

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY: styling, fitting, & prep days

During these two days I am either styling or fitting our model for the photoshoot that week! We have a really good system of keeping a specific styling day & photoshoot day, but that can change because… that’s life. I usually stay a week ahead (sometimes 2) when it comes to making a theme, getting a model, looking for locations, & the best times to take pictures. It can all add up really fast so I have to be ready in case something happens like it raining on photoshoot day or if times don’t work for everyone to be there. Tuesdays are reserved for styling so the model will come in & I will take her through the theme & the clothes. She’ll be fitted & I write down specifics of the outfit to create a storyline for Ashley (marketing director) so that when she creates she can envision it! We go through how to model certain outfits to show off the clothes the best & the fun little things we like to do like our cool shots. Wednesday is mainly prep day! I have to make sure all the items that are leaving the store are written down so we know what is taken from the store. I steam the clothes, tape the shoes so they don’t get messy, & make sure all the accessories are in their little bin.

THURSDAY: photoshoot day

Hello & Good Morning because photoshoot days are usually early depending on the time of year…we want to make sure the lighting is great! We like to shoot in the afternoon but the sun going down early didn’t help so we have to change it up. Early morning it is!! I have to go straight to the store to load my car up of all the products we need: clothes, accessories, shoes, rolling rack, changing tent, & wagon so we can throw everything in it. I print off the sheet of the specific outfits to make sure we get certain detailed shots for new things & cool poses. My job on photoshoot days is directing the model with poses & angles to shoot. Our fab intern will make sure she has the right clothes & accessories on while I am planning where the model can pose. Posing & locations are a whole other story because we’re picky with what we want. We make sure to be as creative as we can be but within the look of Shelby Jewel! I personally like to move fast on these days so I can keep things going & get done at a good time so we can all refuel before we go back to the shop.

FRIDAY: check in & start over

Fridays for me are nice because the photoshoot is over for the week & that means all we have to do is “clean up”. We check all the items from the photoshoot back in so we know we didn’t lose an item. We re-steam if needed & hang everything up so it can be put back. Throughout the week, when I’m not helping anyone or writing the blog, or doing the Pinterest I will already have the details for the next photoshoot ready, but in case something changes I go over it Friday & re-evaluate. I want each photoshoot to be better than the last so I have to be picky & go over that with myself! There’s always something new that I can do or improve on so it really is limitless!

For you last minute Valentine shoppers…this blog post is for you! This is for the gals who don’t have their show stopping outfits yet & still need some cool pieces to pull off your get up! Whether you’re celebrating with a date or with your gals I have 4 different fits for 4 different moods. You might be fine dining & then hitting up a show afterwards or going on an afternoon picnic. Or, you might choose to be at a concert or stay in with popcorn & movies. Whatever you choose, follow my boards to find them at shelbyjewel.com or on our Pinterest!

Fine Dining + Theatre

For a 5 star dinner & a show at the Orpheum, I recommend the prettiest red you can find, which is the Ruby Red Midi Dress! It’s the obvious answer if you want to take the classic red or pink route for the traditional Valentines gal. Itv’s still cold out here girl, so wrap up in the Monte Wool Coat in oatmeal for the prettiest combination of colors. You don’t want a coat with heavy pattern or texture because it can take away from the dress. The soft grey/white color softens the red & brings it all together. You’re going to need some strappy heels & a mini bag to keep your ruby red lipstick you’ll be wearing! Need some bling for your ears? The new Labyrinth earrings shine bright with our two or more ring!

Afternoon Picnic

If your Valentines consist of an outside gig like a picnic or a romantic walk I have the cutest & comfiest outfit for you! Since you’ll more than likely be sitting at a picnic you will need easily movable pants to feel your comfiest while still looking cute at the same time. The Kimberly Cargo Pant has a soft texture & deep pockets with a soft green hue. The pants are tapered so it’s not super tight everywhere. The Milo Collared Top is my favorite new sweater because it is light weight & easy to transition with into spring. The cream top & the sage collar really pop & stand out so it doesn’t look like any v-neck sweater. It’s very soft & can easily be worn to lounge in, but you can also dress her up. Look flawless & comfy with your date while wearing the Princess Hoops!

Concert for 2

Nothing sounds more fun like live music for your Valentines date! I don’t know about you, but at any concert I want to look sleek but comfy at the same time. There are many things to consider with this outfit because it gets hot in crowds, outside vs. inside, & what mood you’re in! Considering all these topics, wear the Bisset Satin Tank in black because black looks great on everyone! It’s a shiny & sleek halter neck so your arms are free to move around. Wear the Camilla Satin Pant to match the shiny top. The pants & top have the same texture so it’s easy to get creative with the earrings. The pants are lounge-like but you would never know because they are satin! This is the most sleek & danceable outfit. You won’t see sweat stains so dance & sing till your hearts content! Choose the fun & funky chunky tortoise hoops to add some flare!

Pizza & A Movie

For you homebodies & the people who appreciate a good date night in, this one’s for you! You want to lounge comfortably but still look like the flawless babe you are. The Jax Fur Tank & Cardigan will make you feel warm & ready to sit back & pop some corn! We’ve got several options for elevated lounge pants: French Terry Fuzzy Pants, Noa Lounge Pants, Boden Jersey Culotte, or the Merit Joggers. These pants are all great options for a fun look! My favorite option is the French Terry Fuzzy Pants because they’re fuzzy just like the Jax. If you’re going to do a fuzzy top then you might as well complete the look head to toe! Either way you’ll look cute & cuddly with your wine & candy!

One thing I learned about market is that it’s no joke when it comes to fashion… I’ve always known that but when you’re placed in a gigantic room with 15 floors of tons of booths on each floor it can be overwhelming. Good thing I don’t get stressed about much, because market is an all day analyzing event. Let me take you through our schedule & you'll also learn a few good restaurant tips!

Wednesday:

Shelby & I got up super early & headed down to Atlanta so we could get there & start the process! We had quite & interesting ride listening to nothing but pop rocks & making friends with cars driving by us!! We got to the hotel to freshen up & changed into our custom Beg & Borrow shirt dresses & walked to the apparel market building. We checked in & then started looking through all the clothes from each booth. Not trying to brag, but we got a lot of compliments on our custom shirt dresses so I highly recommend making an appointment with Beg & Borrow! At 4, we had an appointment with a showroom so we made our way up to get in early to peruse around.  A lot of great neutral color pieces were found & some unique must haves were bought!  Market starts at 9am then closes at 6pm so we stayed till closing & headed back so we could get dinner! Dinner was at a great Italian restaurant called, A Mano! I recommend  their pasta because it was *chef’s kiss* times ten!

 Thursday:

We ordered one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had which was a super savory egg white omelet with tomatoes & toast & a vanilla latte to go! Breakfast is a must before an all day shopping trip because you need energy to walk around all these booths & to stay focused on your plan! When you go into a temporary booth, it’s not in a showroom so you don’t have to have an appointment for those. There are so many clothes, & it’s like you’re shopping all day but with a plan in mind for someone else. That someone else just happens to be our amazing customers!! We look for things that fit our demographic so we get to be really really picky about what is bought. We had back to back showroom appointments, but in between we walked through the temporaries to find unique items before we had to head on to the next little adventure. We got to meet with our rep from FRNCH & Lucy Paris & Moodie & several others. We even met a fabulous fellow Memphian who helped us look through showrooms! One really cool thing is that everyone at market obviously has a love for fashion (very VERY different styles) & you get to connect by talking about something you love! We stayed as long as we possibly could until it was time to head back. We got dinner at one of the best places I’ve ever been to, Southern Belle! Southern Belle was eclectic & classy mixed together. We had a four course meal with a wine pairing that was absolutely out of this world amazing! I highly, highly recommend coming here especially for the dessert which was different pieces of chocolate cake breading & ice cream all made on a delta cart!

Friday:

It felt as if we had gone through every single floor to see every single booth! We went through racks upon racks of dresses, tops, bottoms, & even some bridal dresses & party gowns. I wish I could’ve bought most of the things we saw right then & there for myself… I can’t wait for everyone to see the new pieces because they are must haves!! We started out on a really good note with the complimentary coffee that was a m a z i n g! We went from booth to booth finding great layering pieces keeping in mind the Memphis weather & how I would style the pieces in each collection. We found a lunch place on one of the floors & had some great bbq nachos, macaroni & cheese with the richest banana pudding I’ve ever had. We stayed at market until we had gone through all of the possible clothes that would be great for the store. We made sure to find some great fall pieces as well as some little pop of color here & there ;)

Growing up I was taught a lot about a multitude of things mainly because my mom is a teacher & I think my dad is a genius, but I taught myself when it came to fashion! Just like the world changes, fashion & art & music changes so fast… there is always something new or pushing the line or breaking a barrier. I found it amazing & never ending, especially in fashion because there are so called “rules” & trends people follow. There’s always something new around the corner & I don’t always follow it. I don’t like to follow society’s fashion rules because I like to be bold & different. Someone will always try to give you tips on what to wear & what not to wear…& you don’t always have to listen. You make your own rules- be yourself in a world that tries to be the same! If there is one thing I could give you a tip on it would be to own a classic white boyfriend shirt!

White boyfriend shirts can’t be any more classic because the color can go with any style  or pop of color bottoms you decide to wear. The rule that you can’t wear white after Labor Day doesn’t really apply as much as you think. Crisp & clean, the Lauren Boyfriend Shirt from Beg & Borrow adds a refined edge to an everyday outfit. If you want to have fun with it add a pop of color pant, sneakers, gold hoops & chunky necklace with a messy bun. If you want to class it up wear leather trousers or a midi skirt, pointy heels, dangly drop earrings, a clutch, & some lipstick will do the trick!

Another pro about a boyfriend shirt is the layering! It’s still cold out there & the long sleeve might need a little more warmth so add a classic Shelby Jewel Coat like the fabulous Darcie Puffer or the new Jeanna Jacket! The material is a soft cotton & it’s not too thick to add anything on top. Some shirts gather a bunch with the sleeves because the material won’t allow the jacket on top to go over smoothly, but the Beg & Borrow Core Collection shirts are easy to work with. My favorite thing to do is add an elevated pullover or sweater on top & to let the collar pop out & fold over the top!

The boyfriend shirt from Beg & Borrow comes in white, blue denim, & black denim! If you need a classic top to put on & go out real quick these tops are perfect for you. They can be urban & rural wearing shirts because they never go out of style! For the urban girl pair the shirt with fashionable joggers, leather trousers, or flowy silk skirts. For the more rural girl imagine wearing the button down with jeans or shorts!