Floral Edge

Red roses have always been my least favorite flower. For most men, they are the obvious choice to give to women for Valentine's Day and special occasions. I love the unexpected and because red roses are so common they feel a bit cheesy. Until now...

Pair red roses with a muscle t-shirt, a black lace bra and sequins...That's anything but cheesy to me. Can I get an amen?!

Alejandra called me up randomly just before the new year and asked if I wanted to style something for fun. Stephanie, our mutual goddess- friend and makeup artist go-to, was going to model and be Ale's muse. All Ale told me was that she wanted to use some colored film she had left and photograph a graphic t-shirt and a floral crown together.

The hard and soft juxtaposition does it again! All I could think about was a black lace bra underneath a graphic muscle t, and sure enough Steph had found the perfect one at Nordstroms. Pair that with a sequin skirt also found and Nordstrom's and BAM! Magic!

I also brought a lace kimono and a black lace bralette to the location. Steph has impeccable style and just happened to have the perfect floral pencil skirt and leather pants to complete two other looks. The kicker though was the red floral crown that Ale just happened to have lying in her closet. The red flowers paired with Steph's perfect red lip was perfection!

Sometimes the best stuff just happens on the fly. This project had to have been the easiest styling gig I've ever had and one of the most fun sessions I've ever been a part of. Three girls, all friends, ooo-ing and ahh-ing over creating beautiful imagery. It can't get any better!

To see a glimpse of this shoot in motion head on over to my Instagram, click here.

Photos by Ale Vidal Hair, makeup and modeling by Stephanie Neiheisel Styling by Alex Evjen

KT Jean Designs Styled

blog

Whimsical, warm, beautiful, natural...These are the words that I would use to describe Katie Jean's Spring 2014 collection of dresses, separates and robes. If you love metallics, lace and chiffon you HAVE to check out her shop!

Katie recently moved from Phoenix, AZ to Brooklyn, NY, but just as she was driving to her new home she had Kym Ventola photograph her spring collection. You would never be able to tell that this was shot in the fall. It always feels like spring in AZ as soon as the weather cools down. I love the warm tones of the beautiful sunset mixed with the light, airiness of the collection.

blog2

I had the chance to style and accessorize her dresses with lovely pieces from Anthropologie. It was as if I was playing dress up with dolls again. Meilan Mizell from FORD did an amazing job modeling. Her joyful spirit and sweet heart is so evident in these images.

blog6

Her hair and makeup was done to perfection by Paige Ashcroft. I got to work with Paige on Frances' lookbook, and I was so glad to work with her again. Katie's sister, Amy Hanen, is not only is my babysitter but a brilliant photographer in her own right and assistant to Kym Ventola. She made sure that everything was what her sister would want since Katie was on her way to NY when the shoot took place.

blog8

It makes me love my job even more when I get to work with such wonderful people. Go check out Katie's shop, and start dreaming of spring!

blog7

I Love Lucy & 1950s

Growing up, Ali, was an endearing name that only my mom called me. Hearing it takes me back to the days of being tickled on my parents bed, always listening to the oldies station and begging to stay up late to watch another episode of I Love Lucy. I've seen every single episode of I Love Lucy out there. I think I've also seen every Bewitched, I Dream of Genie and Mary Tyler Moore too. My mom and I loved spending time together that way, and I think that's how I developed a love of the 50's and early 60's.

aliweb1

In junior high my favorite movie was Grease. I even got to play the role of Marty in my church play (PG version). After that I was a pink lady for Halloween two years in a row. When it was time for my senior prom my mom let me design my own prom dress. I designed a knee length, dress strapless dress with a full skirt that had powder blue tulle.

I love to dance, and in college I took a dance class almost every semester. My sophomore year I decided to take swing dancing lessons. I not only got an A in my class, but I walked away with a boy friend who is now my husband. =)

My love for the 50's has served me well, and I don't think I'll ever stop loving that era. Is there a time period that you most relate to?

View More: http://ginameola.pass.us/avestyles

Photo by Gina Meola, hair by Kim Cornwell, makeup by Stephanie Neiheisel. Skirt from ShopRuche.com.

La Rousse Styled

I love doing style consultations for photo sessions, and recently I got to consult virtually for Kate Doherty. She is a wedding and portrait photographer who asked Ale Vidal to capture her beautiful face and style for her new website.

Kate has impeccable personal style, and after hearing her vision for the session and more about her personality, I knew that a printed kimono was the perfect choice for photos in the desert. It would blow in the wind and provide a bohemian quality that Kate related to. Her hair is bright red and her skin pale white, so vibrant jewel tones were a great match.

To balance the volume of the garment I recommended something form fitting and shorter. I love the ivory camisole and skirt combination. And, of course, desert boots were the perfect shoe for the desert.

Her hair and makeup were done to perfection by Jessica Fierro, and the photographs by Ale took were nothing short of gorgeous. I look forward to consulting on more creative projects and sharing them with you.

To get Kate's kimono jacket shop Urban Outfitters, Free People, Nasty Gal  and Lulu*s

Photography by Imaginale Design Makeup and hair by Jessica Fierro Style Consultation by AVE Styles Modeling by Kate Doherty

Alexandra the Beautiful

Rarely do I hear or say my name, Alexandra, but I've always loved it. It's a very Greek name that has been passed down for generations in my family. When I just think about the name, I picture a beautiful and elegant woman that walks with confidence and grace. But, is that me?

I don't know if I am the most graceful, and I'm not sure how I feel about the description of "elegant," but I do know that I am beautiful and I am glad that I have found confidence. However, my journey to be able to say that I am beautiful has been a long one and there are still some days where my mind battles to believe that truth.

I've always been told that I have a lot of unique features. Unique is not a word that girls like during high school. Instead, girls want to fit in and look like famous models and actors. When I was only 14 I begged for a nose job and made an appointment with a plastic surgeon. I never noticed my nose was any different until kids starting pointing it out in school. They would ask how I broke it or say that I had a witch's nose...really mean things that still sting when I think about them. I ended up not getting a nose job more because I was afraid of anesthesia, but I'm really glad that I didn't.

There was also a day, and sadly, many days where I binged on food and then purged thinking that my curves weren't beautiful. Many tears have been shed over wishing my body looked different - even days where I didn't leave the house because nothing fit the way I thought it should. Terrible thoughts have plagued my mind and forced my eyes to stare at my stomach every time a mirror presented itself to check if it had gotten bigger or smaller. I would often put myself to sleep recounting what I ate and wake up planning my calories for the next.

Picking myself apart every day all while loving the fashion industry was very hard. It, honestly, was a big reason why I discouraged myself from pursuing fashion. You want to know something really interesting though? It was after I made the choice to become a stylist and really let myself be who I have been created to be that I found more self-confidence and appreciation for my body. It has ultimately been seeking the Truth in who I am and who I have been created to be that I have found freedom. Truth does set you free, and the truth is that I am beautifully made.

I love my curls, my hands, my lips, my teeth, my nose, my stomach, my mind, my creativity, my loyalty, my loud voice...I love everything. And, you know what my friends? I love my body even more after having a child.

I hope sharing my story helps and encourages you today. I've never publicly shared it before, and I guess it's in cyber space forever now, but I'm okay with that. There's power in sharing your life experiences. So, if you have any questions about my struggle with body image, please email me.

Photos by Gina Meola, makeup by Stephanie Neiheisel, hair by Kim Cornwell. Sequin skirt and shoes from Lulus.com.