Last year I got an awesome idea for a mermaid costume. I am not sure why this became an obsession but whatever I had to do to make this costume happen, I was going to do it. I grew up sewing and designing my own clothes, and had applied to FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York before discovering I was pregnant with my first child. I'm glad I chose the path of makeup artist but I sometimes find myself in a dual role of makeup artist and creative director or art director, so having some knowledge of other things that go into taking a photo shoot to the next level is really helpful.
Every makeup artist (and probably ever creative person) loves Halloween. I always try to do something cool but this is probably my favorite costume I've made. After it was done I wore it and did a simple photo shoot with it, but I wanted to see it and have it shot on an actual model. Katrina and I met last year when she was the model for my team's presentation for Aveda Catwalk for Water 2016 (I'll post about this sometime in the future, it was a great time and we became personal friends). She saw the costume in my house when I had a party and was excited to do a shoot with it.
This was my first shoot working with photographer Emma Wondra, whom I have worked with multiple times since. She knew a great location and we all gelled really well together.
The headpiece is a model pirate ship from a hobby store that was spray painted, decorated with a cameo, lace and ribbon, and attached to a headband with screws. The seashell bra is embellished with real sea shells, crystals and glitter fabric spray paint. Not shown well in the photos is the gold-embellished waist trainer with lock-and-key closures. Katrina provided the jacket which was made by a designer in 1905 and was donated to a second-hand store she worked in after being told it was too fragile to consign.
I always include a behind-the-scenes photo when possible so here is Katrina and me touching up during the shoot. Afterward I took her to a Mexican fast-food restaurant for churros and everybody was loving her outfit! It's not every day you see a crazy mermaid pirate lady at Taco Johns.
This is beautiful!
Ahhh, so wonderful! I had a mermaid tail blanket for Christmas- maybe I need a shell top to go with it?
YES! That would be so cute. I saw some crocheted and knitted mermaid tail blankets and fell in love with them.
Haha that's an awesome hat... or headpiece as you call it when part of it comes from a hobby store.
Yeah. A hat covers your head. A headpiece is a piece on your head. It's not pretentious nomenclature, that's literally what it is.
:P