My Summer in Film + Life Update

Hello everyone! It’s me again, and I’m here today with a post that has been a long time coming, literally. As you probably noticed, I went on a bit of a hiatus after graduating from college. Truth be told its been a rough couple of months. With the holidays and New Years just around the corner, the pressure to meet my goals and be successful is higher than ever. But life just kind of sucks right now, and I feel like I am no where closer to being where I want to be in life. The break has been much needed, and although I can’t promise that I’m back for good, I can say that I am focusing a lot more of my attention on blogging again. That’s because blogging and creating fashion related content brings me joy, and going into the New Year, I want to focus on things that bring me joy.

Speaking of things that bring me joy, I wanted to share with you some photos I took over the summer with my vintage film camera. I just got the negatives and scans back, and I can’t wait to show them to you. I must admit, when it comes to photography, I am pretty mediocre. But nevertheless these pictures take me back to fun memories made with my family. And I love that.

My extended family, uncle, aunt, and cousins, came to visit us this summer. It was a really great time full of quality family time, which was much needed considering we only get to see them once a year. My cousin Abbi helped me start my first roll of film, because she has been taking pictures on 35mm film for a while now (thanks Abbi!) So I started out by taking pictures of things around the house, to help get an idea of how it works. As you can see, I still haven’t really gotten the hang of it since most of these pictures are out of focus or dimly lit.

After the first couple of “test shots” for lack of a better word, I started taking my camera everywhere with me in case inspiration struck. I am by no means a professional photographer, so I mostly used this roll of film to capture memories, whether they were aesthetically pleasing or not. To me, taking pictures on film is very similar to taking pictures on your phone, but in a much more tangible way.

A lot of these pictures are from a trip to Crystal Bridges, an art museum in Arkansas, with the family. If you are a long time fan of the blog you may remember our last time going there. It is one of my favorite museums (I love museums!) and I wanted to take pictures of everything.

This picture of my brother is the last one on my roll of film. It was taken the day we moved him into his college dorm, and it signified the end of summer for our family. I miss him all the time, and he is one of my closest friends. I can’t wait to see him for the holidays! He also got into film photography this summer, and he has much more of an artistic eye than I do!

These final two pictures were taken by my cousin Abbi, who is definitely more experienced than I am. Also they make me look cute.

To me, film photography was such a unique experience. In a world where we can take out our phones and take pictures whenever we want to, it was nice to actually take the time to choose what I wanted to immortalize in my limited shots on my roll of film. There was a bit of pressure in making sure each shot was perfect, but the fact that I couldn’t tell if it came out the way I wanted until I got it developed made it so much more fun. If you ever have the chance to work with film, I highly recommend it. It can be so exciting, and the results will leave you so proud of yourself.

I know this post was a little different than usual today, but I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you have ever worked with film before, or if you want to try it someday!

See ya next time!

Love, Kendall

Today’s Look: Waiting for Spring

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; I’m ready for spring. I know it feels like it’s right around the corner, and technically it is because the spring equinox is next week. But some days are still too cold to whip out the floral dresses and sandals. If you are like me, and you just can’t wait until it stays warm so you can start wearing dresses and skirts then look no further. Today’s look is about just that; how to wear a dress or skirt in early spring.

Photo Feb 16, 2 04 13 PM

Sweater: Old Navy (old)(similar here and here)  Skirt: TJ Maxx (similar here and here) Bag: Vintage  Belt: Ann Klein

For this outfit, I wore this amazing, brightly striped sweater that has been on repeat since I got it. The colors in this sweater make it the perfect piece to wear in the fall and winter, but also in early spring. Now when the whole midi length trend started I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but now I am a full supporter. This long, flowy skirt style is very flattering and girly. It honestly makes me feel like a princess. My inner child comes out, and I just want to twirl all day. While the thin material of the skirt doesn’t offer much protection from the cold winds, the thick knit sweater definitely helps balance it out. You could also add some tights or leggings under the skirt, or even a pair of tall boots; I love the 70s vibes of that look!Photo Feb 16, 1 39 01 PMPhoto Feb 16, 1 56 52 PMPhoto Feb 16, 1 39 57 PM

Because the sweater is such a bold print and color, I toned it down by taking one of the neutral colors in the stripes and used that for the color of my skirt. I thought about wearing this skirt with the sweater untucked, which is a huge trend right now, but decided that it didn’t look very flattering on me. So I resorted to tucking the sweater into the skirt and belting it to further emphasize my waist. I thought the brown in the belt really complimented the rich tones in the sweater, and pulled the whole look together. Honestly, if you only listen to one clothing recommendation from me, please get yourself a sweater like this that can be worn almost all year round. Add some color, or keep it neutral, but definitely pick one that reflects your style and is versatile!

(Side note: we took some of these pictures inside the cutest little mansion in my home town. It was built in the early 1900’s and is now a museum/restaurant. How adorable is this bathroom!?)

Photo Feb 16, 12 51 50 PMPhoto Feb 16, 1 42 07 PMPhoto Feb 16, 1 39 48 PM

Finally, to enhance the spring vibes of the outfit I wore these blush pink, tassel earrings which also pull out the pink stripes in the sweater. Because the sweater is so bold, I only wore a simple and delicate necklace with a hexagonal charm. I completed the look with this vintage, straw bag to add some texture, interest, and vintage charm. I know that straw bags were a huge trend all last spring and summer, and I doubt they will be going away anytime soon. If you are still on the hunt for one I would definitely check out Etsy. They have a ton of unique and cheaper alternatives. I stole this one from my mom who got it at a flea market, and it has quickly become my spring staple bag (sorry not sorry, mom!). If you do happen to get your hands on a straw bag, especially if it is vintage, keep in mind that they aren’t the most durable. But if you take care of them, they can last you a lifetime.

Photo Feb 16, 1 57 24 PMPhoto Feb 16, 1 40 59 PMPhoto Feb 16, 1 54 45 PM

That’s all I have for this week, guys! Also, my Spring Break starts this weekend so if you want to keep up on all the adventures be sure to follow me on Instagram (@kendallshea22). My roommate and I are planning on going to Orlando for Universal Studios and Disney World. We couldn’t be more excited!

What are your plans for Spring Break? Are you just as excited for spring as me? Let me know in the comments down below.

Until next week!

Love, Kendall

Photo Feb 16, 2 04 07 PM