Rebel Without a Cause

 Head-to-toe vintage! Some of the necklaces will be listed this week on my Etsy shop.

For those of you who were wondering, I did not drop off the face of the planet, nor was I abducted by aliens. I have been utterly overwhelmed and busy, but for good reasons: I got my first apartment! I am super excited about my new space and can't wait to do some shoots there once it's all set up. In terms of decor, I am going for vintage whorehouse mixed with hints of opium den, gypsy fortuneteller caravan, and Gothic shrine. Yup, very wholesome and kid-friendly. Let me know if you have any leads regarding decor!

In the meantime, let me present you with these photos taken by the beautiful Tifani of Good Ship Photography. I'm very excited to share another set of her beautiful photos! We came up with the concept of the American bohemian rebel and stumbled upon the perfect abandoned gas station against which to shoot it. I sported my new Mongolian lamb coat, which was incidentally very practical against the biting cold weather. Not a big fan of the cigarette smoking, but hey, it looked great for pictures!

This week is filled with final research papers, but I do have a couple weeks of Christmas break before I start my last semester (!) of college. My spare time shall be used to list like a mad woman on Etsy, conduct photo shoots, and blog.

I tend to get really down on myself when I go for a long period of time without posting. My blog certainly does not define who I am, but creative expression is very important to me. Hence, I'm going to make a bigger effort to post more regularly and devote more time to my blog. I guess I've just been consumed by the worries of the adult world. Time to indulge my inner responsible child!

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela
Photos by Good Ship Photography.

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Everything is vintage!

Happy All Hallow's Eve, my pretties! I hope you are enjoying this magic-filled day---it's my favorite holiday out of the entire year. I've always adored the notion of dressing up in a ridiculous outfit (well, duh), but as I've grown older, I've come to appreciate the darker roots of Halloween. 

Every holiday has ancient roots and for me that's a huge aspect of how I personally view and celebrate that holiday. Most holidays (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving) are rooted around traditional religion and family values, but Halloween looks back to days of ancient mystery and terror. Which I find quite thrilling, actually. 

If I had a choice as to how I would spend this Halloween, it would be in a pseudo Gothic-Victorian outfit, surrounded by my closets friends, having an Old World picnic of bread, cheese, hard salami, olives, and champagne on a gravestone slab in a forsaken woodland cemetery. With candles. At midnight.

Special thanks to Tifani Ennis of Good Ship Photography for making these beautiful pictures happen. She is a ray of light in my world, and plays the part of a Heaven-sent angel in my previously-mentioned style evolution. Thank you for collaborating with me, and I can't wait to see what more magic we will make together in the near future!
Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela 

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Reviving Ophelia

Vintage cuff bracelet available at my Etsy shop; vintage dress, belt, earrings, and headpiece from my personal collection; self-made wreath.

Happy October! As you have probably realized due to my lack of posting, my life the past few weeks has been overwhelming. Etsy and school sure are a way to keep a girl busy! 

With the change in weather, comes a change in my style perspective. I've been feeling a sudden urge to wholeheartedly embrace 1970s fashion: flowing maxi dresses, leather and fur coats, wooden beads, and tribal jewelry. Additionally, my love for otherworldly fantasy has been rekindled: anything ethereal, Goth-inspired, romantic grunge, and I'm all set.

In the spring of 2011, I had the sudden notion to take an interest in 1940s-1950s pinup modeling. Although I can stand back and admire those who emulate such looks themselves, I've come to realize that that time period just isn't for me. Mid-century fashion is so iconic that it's hard not to go for a head-to-toe pinup look, which (for me personally) stifles my artistic creativity and limits outfit possibilities. Although I do love a classic 1950s ensemble every once in a while, my heart typically beats faster to the tune of a burnout velvet kimono, killer statement jewelry, and Renaissance-inspired Gunne Sax dresses.  

Another element that has factored into my recent style evolution is my own age and personal growth. I'm still a teenager, but my days as that bubbly little college student who loved floral rompers and hot pink tights are long gone and out the window. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to turn into one of those snobby "elitists" who refuse to wear anything but black! I still love color, just in more tasteful doses and proportions. 

What you wear also determines how you will be viewed by others. As I reach the threshold of my 20th birthday this winter, what I need is respect, not patronization. Back in my floral romper days, I get the feeling that a lot of people thought I was "cute". At the time, I thought that was great, but I've come to realize that I'd like to project and promote a slightly more mature version of myself. A bright floral mini dress complete with neon tights, haphazard jewelry, and a zany hat evokes the image of "cute and creative teenager". A floor length maxi dress with a few well-chosen accessories and flowing hair begs the title of "mysterious powerful bohemian witch", garnering artistic admiration as well as awe and respect.

These Ophelia-inspired photos were taken quite some time ago this past summer, but I think they fit in very well with my style transition. I hope you enjoy watching my change in fashion as much as I will enjoy doing it myself. Stay tuned for more updates, and soak in all the beauty of fall, most magical time of the year!

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Photos by William Haubert as Red Stockman Photography. 

A Kitchen Mishap

Dress, apron, hat, and glasses are vintage from Atomic Warehouse; earrings and petticoat were lent my moi; shoes and stockings are model's own.

I hope you're all enjoying the delightfully-crisp fall weather! I know I am. It's time for a new outdoor photo shooting season, and I have a number of wicked plans up my sleeve...mwahahaha!

I collaborated with trusty photographer friend Nikki A. Johnson and my friend Michelle on these pictures, back in the heat of summer when indoor shooting is a definite preference. My boss kindly let us shoot at Atomic Warehouse, and we made full use of the kitchen space for our 1950s pinup shoot. It was Michelle's first time modeling, and she did an absolutely fantastic job!
I'm crazy busy the next couple of weeks with classes (I feel like spontaneously writing a poem entitled "Ode to a Research Paper") and family visits, so I apologize in advance if my posting and interaction with the blogsphere is a bit haphazard. At least it's better to be busy than lazy!

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Photos by Nikki. A Johnson.

Hair/makeup/wardrobe styling by Hope Adela Pasztor.

Model: Michelle Light.

Aqua Vida

 

Shoes are Charlotte Russe. Everything else is vintage!

Sometimes a phrase, no matter how perfectly random, makes a deep and lasting impression in your mind. Aqua Vida. This phrase, spoken by the roguishly charming Captain Jack Sparrow in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, sent chills up my spine and has popped into my head on various occasions since. It's ironic how such two simple words can open up a magical world in the ceiling of a cave within which flows the legendary Fountain of Youth. 

Coupled with a hint of Rococo-era romance, such was my inspiration for my recent shoot with William Haubert. I decided to forgo my usual conglomeration of jewelry and accessories and let the focus instead rest up the elegant black and gold color scheme and breathtaking location.

Hope you're all having a great Labor Day weekend! Personally, I think Federal holidays are a bit lame: "Ohh yay! I have a day off! Let's go shopping! Ohh wait. Everything is closed because it's a dumb Federal holiday that NOBODY cares about."

Going to spend this week doing lots of extra school work (don't you love those big research papers?) and listing on Etsy!
Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Photos by William Haubert as Red Stockman Photography. 

Le Pirates de Penzance

 Lily's wardrobe is head-to-toe Hinesite Vintage. I'm wearing a dress from Atomic Warehouse, Forever21 earrings, and Charlotte Russe shoes. Accessories are from my personal vintage collection. 

Earlier this month, I met up with local artistic beauties Lily and Leah to collaborate on a much-anticipated photo shoot. I met Lily through Hinesite Vintage and we immediately bonded over one another's eclectic tastes in fashion. It turns out that Lily is friends with amazing photographer Leah Kolakowski; setting up a photo shoot between the three of us was inevitable. Decked out in vintage (kindly lent by our respective bosses!), we traipsed along the Susquehanna River, role-playing as bonny pirate queens. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous shooting with film (as opposed to digital), but I couldn't be more elated with these photos! Thank you, Lily and Leah----I can't wait to work with you both again!

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Bohemian Rhapsody

Everything is vintage! Hat loaned by Josephine Love.

Here are the second set of pictures I styled this past summer. You can check out my previous blog post for the first set. There were so many images of the outfit in this post that I knew I just had to showcase them all! I went for a slightly Renaissance-inspired look and put Laura in a corseted jumpsuit, complete with an ivory fringe piano shawl and tribal jewelry. Isn't her hair just amazing? And it's au natural.

I've got so many creative conceptual ideas going on in my head, and can't wait to help make them into a reality in the next couple of weeks. However, I must now morph out of the blogging world and get to work on one of my literature classes this evening. Until we meet again!

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Photos by IndigoLOVE. 
Hair and makeup by Josephine Love. 
Wardrobe by Hope Adela Pasztor. 
Model: Laura New Myers.

Moulin Rouge

Charlotte Russe shoes; tights from Ross; everything else is vintage!

I love the movie Moulin Rouge. The music, the glitter, the luxury, and the love---it's a truly beautiful and fascinating work of on-screen art! Defiantly an excellent source of fashion inspiration, as seen in these photos. Here, I've tried to recapture some of the magical fantasy of that wondrously risque French establishment. Special thanks to the talented William Haubert for his great photographic skills. I look forward to working with you again this month!

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Photos by William Haubert as RedStockman Photography.

China Roses

Shop Akira kimono robe; Atomic Warehouse hat; vintage dress and jewelry.

Happy Monday! I can't make this post very long, but I would like to go into detail concerning a very special piece in my outfit. Shop Akira was kind enough to send me this beautiful rose-printed fringe kimono. It's such a beautiful and feminine piece, and completely up my fashion alley. It looks great with an all-noir ensemble, but I decided to get creative and pair it with a burnt orange dress and bright turquoise jewelry. I'm already dreaming up new ways to wear this magical robe! 

From Doc Martens to Jeffrey Campbell, from Jessica Simpson to Dolce Vita, Shop Akira has a wide variety of high fashion brands and designers under one website "roof". Their prices are also affordable---you can buy lots of adorable items for less than $20. If you're not familiar with Shop Akira, then I would highly recommend checking them out! 

Also, be sure to take a look at my Etsy shop today. I listed over 25 new items this past week. Lots of incredible vintage designer jewelry. I'm having a big shoot this week, so lots of lovely clothes will soon be up for sale. Be sure to use the coupon code "BLOGREADER" for 10% off your total purchase!

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela 

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Photos by Nikki A. Johnson Photography.

At the Bottom of the Garden

Wardrobe is all vintage. PINK CHAMPAGNE FASHION green velvet dress. 
Last month, I joined up with some local talent for a portfolio building session. Instead of undertaking my usual role as a model, I utilized my styling skills in the wardrobe department. Our shoot took place at a beautiful private residence, at the bottom of the garden.

There's something magical about the phrase "at the bottom of the garden". Uncommon in American dialect, this is a fairly common term in 19th and 20th century British literature. In my experience, this phrase is most often used in correlation with the presence of Faeries or other magical beings. Google these six words, and you'll be given a list of fantasy-related results. 

Growing up in a late 19th century house, I can personally testify to the quiet solitude and mysterious beauty of the bottom of a garden. Although my family lived downtown, we were fortunate to have a beautiful stretch of backyard at the back of the house. Up towards the house, one felt the vibe of civilized natural beauty, but further out, at the bottom of a small hill, things felt more wild and mysterious. If Faeries did happen to live in my backyard, they'd certainly prefer some peace and silence away from our rambunctious household. 

Given the setting of these photos, complete with the eclectic wardrobe and beauty of the models, it's fairly easy to imagine these damsels as fashion-minded Faerie Folk.

Mwah! Mwah!

~Hope Adela

Don't forget to "like" PINK CHAMPAGNE on Facebook, shop on Etsy, and follow on Twitter!

Photos by IndigoLOVE. 
Hair and makeup by Josephine Love. 
Wardrobe by Hope Adela Pasztor. 
Models: Olya Fomina and Laura New Myers.