between the lines

ashleigh wilson-clarke

I always love doing creative projects that feel like a challenge. last month, I collaborated with a ballerina named ashleigh that I met through my dance photography workshop and we decided to work with a film projector. I have always liked the concept of a film projector, but I wasn't quite sure how to utilize it. together, we both decided on a circular linear background just because we thought it would make for something cinematic. and because there are so many lines going on, we decided that for her outfit, a tan bodysuit would be best. I have no idea what we exactly conceived, but I just liked how free ashleigh was with her body and I just thought if I captured a moment in between that, it would look interesting. I tried to cover her face too with the circular lines to create something dramatic with silhouettes. in the end, this was one of my favorite projects of 2018. I think sometimes when you just go into something not knowing what will happen that will make for something unique and special. ashleigh and I worked with other backgrounds with the film projector, but this one was my favorite because I think with those lines, the mystery of her face, and the way she undulates her body it somehow all blended so perfectly. I must thank ashleigh for this inspiring day and how lucky I was this year to work with some really amazing ballerinas......more to come in 2019.

observe & reflect

photo by my sister

it has become a yearly thing to celebrate black friday here on sisters in black frocks. I must admit I have not been very consistent with writing and posting my photo projects lately. I can't say that I have not been doing anything, but this year I have had some setbacks both creatively and personally. I really enjoy feeling inspired and for some reason this year I didn't feel it so much. I don't want to complain that nothing great happened this year because that actually is not true. I had some really beautiful moments in new mexico and some of my own personal projects, but I felt like it was dramatically less than what it has been in the past, but as I have mentioned before in previous posts its all about quality over quantity and as I get older I really want to create imagery that's both thought provoking, but still enriched with style. personally, as well, I have been dealing with some other internal issues that I think has affected me a little. I know with time I will feel better, but I think we all go through inner battles sometimes where things feel dark and empty. I know with time it will lead to some unique breakthrough, but for now I have to get through some struggles in my head and then manifest it into something dynamic. nonetheless, it hasn't stopped my love for all things noir chic and since its black friday I thought about one of my favorite black dress moments of this year. in august, I went with my sister to new york city. we spent the day at the met museum too see the fashion and the catholic imagination exhibit. it was really magnificent seeing all the alexander mcqueen and dolce & gabbana sicilian widow dresses. I've always loved the connection between religion and fashion, so this was really something too marvel at. at the museum I wore my helmut lang asymmetrical black dress and my sister snapped this pic of me in the egyptian part of the museum. I guess what I love most about this photo is my reflection and my body language. my sister captured it perfectly and I think it sort of reflects the mood I am in now, which is a little bit introspective, yet still noir chic. perhaps, maybe its not just a mood, but forever my look.

best in black

photo by cuneyt akeroglu

I love that feeling I get when I see an editorial that makes me do a double take....with this image I did just that. let's just get right to the details, the dress is by armani and I think it fits her body to perfection. the photo itself, is also very cinematic and I love how she is positioned in front of that tree. the beautiful mirror reflection of her dress adds a little something extra, too. this image comes from the upcoming december issue of vogue russia. I rarely am so taken by fashion photography, but her gown and the composition of this photo is truly amazing and for some reason it reminded me of what my sister took of me at the met museum in august. I always love making connections between my life and what I see in magazines, so this was just a mere coincidence. its funny how art and life work. on a side note, I have noticed for spring 2019 there were some really beautiful black dresses to grace the runways. this armani is just one of them....tom ford, valentino, and max mara all showcased some unique black frocks that sort of made me feel excited for fashion again....I haven't been able too say that in awhile.

the dance photography workshop

ashleigh wilson

I have been quite busy this summer with work, life, travelling, and trying to squeeze in photo projects when I can. I always try to push myself creatively. sometimes, things work out and sometimes they don't. I don't really mind if I fail because as I get older I think its all about testing things out and seeing what happens. for about a year now, I have been eager to photograph ballerinas. I have been fortunate to work with some amazing dancers that I have met through my own dance classes, but I still have been longing for something more. somehow, I stumbled upon an interesting site online called the dance photography workshop. it is run by a beautiful ballerina named ashleigh wilson who gathers photographers from all over the world and we just get together to photograph ballerinas and dancers in interesting locations and spaces. I felt a bit nervous taking part with this group because everyone seemed very professional with their cameras and I didn't really know if I even fit in this group. for the most part, I tried not to focus too much on my level and just do my thing. I can't say I am a professional photographer by any means, but I can certainly find moments with people and that is really my entire aim with anything I photograph. my favorite part of the workshop was when the ballerinas took to the street and we all just snapped away. I did enjoy photographing the ballerinas in the studio, but I felt more comfortable photographing in the street....especially this alley way we found somewhere in silverlake. ashleigh has such grace and elegance and I love how she contrasts with this not so glamorous side street. we really see the tone of her leg muscles and her overall strength. I knew going into this workshop that I didn't want to do cliché ballet photos, I just wanted to capture moments that felt very real and honest.....much like this image! I am going to be doing some more workshops in the future and I very much enjoyed learning from the dancers and the other photographers. at this stage in my life, it just feels really good to try new things and to surround myself with other people who love dance and photographing it as much as I do....so much creation on all levels that I certainly can't get enough of.

the hat of the season

since this is the start of summer I thought I would share what is perhaps my favorite hat of the season. I stumbled upon this hat in a store in the beginning of may and I immediately knew that this was not only a beautiful accessory, but also a piece of art. the hat is designed by jacquemus and I remember seeing it as part of his la bomba spring/summer 2018 collection. when I viewed it on the runway I thought it was such a whimsical hat and also that maybe it was just for show and not available in real life. sometimes, designers do this, but I guess I was wrong. when I tried it on in the store I knew that this hat had to be mine. yes, its oversized and not just a regular style hat, but its designed so delicately and I love how you can angle it, as well. in these two photos you can definitely see how it fits. in the first one, I actually placed a black headband under the hat to give it a more spanish style feeling to it and angled it more to one side. the second photo you can certainly see how much sun protection you can get from not only the front, but also the back. both images were shot by a lake and I just thought I would simply pair it with an asymmetrical dkny bathing suit. I really didn't do much styling with it, but I don't think you really need much with this hat. I must thank my sister for capturing these two moments. this hat has truly inspired me for the past 2 months and I am wearing it as much as I can lately because I think its an accessory that needs to be seen and it certainy is a statement piece. jacquemus is a designer that I have had my eye on for awhile and I am very much admiring his design aesthetic and all these amazing hats he is creating. there is one from his le souk fall 2108 collection that I also can't wait to try on. at any rate, for now this jacquemus hat is the perfect way to celebrate the start of summer. if you aren't familiar with this designer he is definitely one to watch and get inspired by!



photos by my sister

taking it to the streets

photo by ivana profeta

street photography has been something I really enjoy doing in my free time. I guess what I like about it is how unplanned it all is. you can't necessarily predict what is going to happen and that is the reason I find it all so interesting. I must say there are many times when I wander on the street and I find absolutely nothing and then there are other times when many intriguing moments cross my path. as of now, I don't feel like I am having the best of luck, which got me thinking that I should create my own street moments. so with that in mind I decided to collaborate with my friend ivana on a street series, in which we wandered the streets of hollywood blvd looking noir chic. we had a lot of photographers and designers in mind before we started shooting. we thought about helmut newton, 80's thierry mugler, and vivian maier. for this photo, in particular, that ivana took of me, vivian maier was very much the influence. we thought about this photo (below) of the man sleeping in his newsstand and felt that we should do something loosely inspired by this. so, as we were walking we stumbled upon a strip mall and located in the center was a cigarettes and snacks stand. we thought right away there was something cinematic and film noir about it and we also found the guy working there a bit fascinating so we decided to incorporate him in our photo. I told him to just be himself and I tried to be natural, as well. I think in the end it does look like a vivian maier moment, but also very editorial as well. I don't even know if you can see the connection between these two photographs, but I just appreciate how casual and cool this looks. it is fashion, but it also feels like everyday life and that is lately what I feel inspired by, the most. yes, clothes can sometimes be fantasy, but it also should feel realistic, too and I enjoy combining the two. I must thank my friend ivana for capturing this moment and to this man at the cigarette and snacks stand. together, it all magically worked together....who knew that we could somehow create our own kind of street scene?!!!


photo by vivian maier

white sands, new mexico

dress by rachel pally



dress by bcbg



red dress by coldesina

for a couple of years now, I have been dreaming about visiting the white sands of new mexico. I don't know why I became so fascinated by the white sands, but I think it started after I visited santa fe, new mexico back in 2014. that was probably one of the most inspiring trips I have ever been on. I guess it had something to do with the look and style of the city and all the interesting people I met along the way. whatever it was, it got me obsessed with going to the white sands and finally this year I got to make this dream a reality. the white sands is actually not close at all to santa fe its closer more to el paso, texas, which made for an interesting journey to the white sands.

so how can I describe the white sands.....I guess the word ethereal comes to mind. the day I went it was cold, but sunny and it felt so nice to put my feet in that white sand. I especially loved looking at the foot tracks on the sands. for some reason, I found that really alluring to stare at the trail of footmarks left behind in the sand. its also so very spacious there. as someone who lives in a big city it was so nice too see all that open space. it really just felt like another world there, that I couldn't get enough of.

naturally, in planning for the trip I thought I should bring some outfits. I had three outfits in mind because I wanted to embody different moods and colors. in the first photo, I am wearing a flowy kaftan striped dress by rachel pally. I also brought a piece of chiffon fabric and decided to wrap it around as a head scarf. what I loved most about the white sands was all that heavy wind there.....it really added something cinematic to every photo and in this one you can really see that wind flow with that chiffon. I once saw an image of sophia loren wrapped in a head scarf similar to this in a desert and I think subconsciously I might of had that pic of her in mind when my sister took this photo.

for the next photo, I thought about how the white sands could almost feel like walking on the moon. there is so much emptiness there, which made me think about life in outer space. so I wanted to do a photo that felt like being on another planet. naturally, this one had to be noir chic, so I put on an old black dress I got from bcbg and just wandered around the sand. my brother in law captured this random moment of myself in motion and I think it feels like I am running on the moon.....perhaps I should call it noir moon.

for my last white sands moment, I thought about how beautiful the color red would look with that textured white sand. recently, I bought this silky red dress by coldesina and knew I had to wear this there, no matter how cold it might be. the dress is asymmetrical and drapes beautifully. I didn't really want to do a photo that looked too posed and somehow my sister caught this of me walking through the sand. I think you can really see just how vibrant that red really is.

of course, I took many photos myself of the white sands, but these three were definite style moments and I must thank my amazing sister and brother-in-love for capturing these and for going with me on this journey into the white sands. they made this trip so magical and I am so lucky to have them in my life. at any rate, if you are thinking you need to escape for a couple of days to somewhere desolate and inspiring I highly suggest visiting the white sands of new mexico....or better yet anywhere in new mexico....lots to see and discover in this state.

darkling

coleman dobson

a couple of weeks ago, my friend coleman was telling me about this new velvet cape she purchased...so automatically, I thought we should do a photo project with it. I had some ideas flowing in my head, but I didn't know if it would work out exactly. sometimes, ideas don't translate and the day we got together we decided to take a grueling hike to a mountain top and of course I got lost trying to find this exact spot which lead to a mini creative breakdown. its interesting how all this comes into place. in los angeles, there is a hiking area I frequently go to called fryman canyon and what I love about this area, is that it can go from looking like a forest to an isolated desert, perhaps that is due to the recent fires and how dry california can be. either way, I eventually found the spot I was looking for and she just gave me a side profile view with her sunglasses and cape hood on and I just captured it. luckily, we also had a little bit of wind so the cape had a little bit of drapery. seeing her in this cape reminded me a little bit of ingmar bergman's 1957 film the seventh seal and even a little bit of harry potter. I know the two are strange comparisons, but there definitely is a little bit of both in it. whatever it may look like to you, I was really content with what we manifested, not only was it noir chic fashion, but there's also some photographic elements with that shadow and sky. I must thank coleman again for this moment and for all that we unexpectedly create....cinematic always!

cape town

photo by nathaniel goldberg

oddly enough, a month before I took that photo of my friend coleman I was looking through the december 2017 issue of vogue spain and came across this image of a model in dramatic black cape. I am not really sure where this was shot...maybe scotland or ireland? wherever it is, I just love the fluidity and movement of that cape and the way it contrasts with those stones in that wall. it conveys so much even though you can't see her face. the detail of the fabric of that cape is so eye catching and when I was hiking through fryman canyon I definitely had this in mind. you can do so much with a cape whether on a mountain top or a stone wall. this was certainly a major influence and if you haven't seen this nathaniel goldberg editorial for vogue spain I highly suggest looking through it. I rarely see layouts that resonate in my mind lately, but this one still catches my attention....have a look if you like ethereal drama!

year nine

black dress by l'agence

it feels almost unreal too say this, but today marks the nine year anniversary of sisters in black frocks. I remember when I first started this blog I had no idea about what I was doing....I simply would just post images of what I was inspired by, but not really knowing what to do with them. I think it was through studying all this imagery that this blog has grown into my own personal style journey. sisters in black frocks has become a place where I can share my new outfits, talk about interesting films, and most importantly a place where I can share my photography. as much as I love sharing what I am wearing I think I enjoy being behind the scenes more and taking photos of interesting style moments, much like this one. I actually took this photo awhile back, but when I was thinking about the nine years of sisters in black this photo came to mind. first of all, the dress just screams noir chic and I love the body language that my friend katrina is expressing with that pose. there is something sort of flamenco about this moment, but it also evokes something very minimal and makes me reminiscent of 90s herb ritts. whatever it may be, this dress by l'agence is the perfect look to celebrate nine years. I must thank all my friends, family, the magazines, films, that have somehow continued my curiosity for all things style. on a side note, I don't think I will ever have a huge blog following and personally I don't really care just as long as I have a place where I can divulge my creative thoughts and share my photography....its really those little things that make my life more interesting and also just knowing that I have a place I can come to when I want to share. thanks again to all our readers and here's to more inspiring years ahead!

flamenco feeling

photo by ruven afanador

even though I think there is a clear herb ritts influence with that photo of katrina in her black dress by l'agence...I think I was more so inspired by ruven afanador and his mil besos book. there is something quite beautiful about this gothic flamenco look. somehow, I had these silhouettes in mind when I took that photo of katrina. the way their dresses undulate somehow infiltrated my mind and I wanted to do something like that. I know my image is not really like this, but I can see some underlying connections. I love their shared pony tail and the pain their bodies are both going through. its such a bizarre image full of suffering, laughter, but still lets not forget how noir chic it all really is. only ruven afanador can do this kind of spanish-goth style so well and I must applaud him for that. if you have not seen this book I highly suggest checking out...very sisters in black frocks approved.

outside the lines

photo by my sister

its a new year which has got me thinking about taking some new risks....fashion wise, but perhaps in real life, too. in 2017, I thought I made some interesting choices by wearing more color, but still not giving up on my love for all things black. so in 2018, I am thinking my new fashion resolution is to wear more pattern. I have some interesting dresses to showcase for future posts, but for now I am gonna start with this new striped dress that I recently purchased from masaki matsuka. as you know this has become my favorite store...and it has caught me by surprise by how much I am so inspired by many of the looks, when I visit the shop. as you can see, from this photo, the dress is very form fitting on the bodice, but it also is pleated at the bottom, so it moves with my body in a very comfortable, yet flowy way. recently, I decided to wear this dress to a craft fair somewhere in goleta, california and I happened to notice an abandoned greenhouse out in a field at the event. somehow, I thought with the architectural lines on the greenhouse it would somehow correspond with the lines on my dress. so with that, my sister somehow caught this. I think you can see the liner aspect of it all, if you examine this image more closely. I am not really sure how this all managed to work together, but it did and I must thank my sister for capturing the moment. with all that said, I am starting off the year with a new fondness for prints, but still keeping my signature noir chic!