THE EDGE
Writing by Lisa Doan. Lisa Doan & Carmen Ly photographed by Maron Amitay.
It isn't always easy to find something to do in a small town. Sometimes, the most fun is found after dark.
"Modeling" is something I never seriously considered doing.
As an avid magazine reader and loyal fan of the Victoria Secret Fashion Show every year, I never saw myself as 'model' pretty. And by that I mean I'm not Brazilian nor do I have cheek bones that can open cans.
But due to my tall height and slim body frame, I frequently got comments like 'You should model!' Sure, most of them came from relatives or family friends but they still count right?
Once again, I never took them seriously.
Prior to the photoshoot, I felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. Nervous because this is probably the closest thing to a real photoshoot I will ever be apart of.
It's funny how sometimes putting a label on things make them seem so much scarier.
On the other hand, I was still super excited. As a product of this generation, being in front of a camera isn't so unfamiliar. Also, the task of creating a style concept and carrying it out in a photoshoot - it's like America's Next Top Model but with me as a contestant (and I'm safe from getting eliminated in the end).
For me, this is 'THE DREAM'. If I can get paid to do something I enjoy, THIS would be it.
Add in the opportunity to do all of this with my roommate and one of my best friends? There was really no valid excuse to not do it.
The experience was really something different.
First off, Carmen (pictured left) had to change into her outfit in the town's Starbucks.
The idea was two girls in a small town, heading out for the night.The overall look can be described as 'preppy with an edge" - which explains the mixture of plaid, crosses, and acid-wash denim shorts. Bright magenta and red lipstick and fierce leather and studded boots were added to complete the look.
UNDRESSING
THE LOOK
You often hear stories about how unglamourous the fashion industry is - I felt like this was one of those moments. The restroom was tiny - two stalls and one sink. There were no hooks to hold all the stuff so things were tossed on the floor and we had to share the small mirror above the only sink to do our make-up.
Even funnier, she wasn't just putting on one outfit - she tried on three different ones! The female customers of Starbucks kept walking in to use the restroom and would stumble in on us three going "No, no, try this shirt with the shorts" or "Hike your dress up a little!"
When we were finally ready and hit the streets, it felt like we were terrorizing the town. Everyone was just going about their evening, enjoying their dinner or dessert, when the sound of our heels hitting pavement and laughter caused them to stop and stare. I think they could tell we were on a mission.
While we were posing, people would look on. One Starbucks worker tried to get our attention through the window and a passerby even took a photo of us... taking photos (photo inception?).
While it was a little awkward at the beginning, the whole experience wasn't as awkward as I expected it to be.
In fact, it was liberating. Seeing people staring and actually not giving a damn - it was exhilerating.
Perhaps we really lost ourselves in the characters we were playing; we were a couple of girls just out looking for fun.
And that was exactly what we found.
LD
Shirt, Garage $20
Shorts, Bluenotes $15
Boots, Spring $70
Lipstick, "Heroine" by MAC $25
Dress, Zara $20
Boots, Spring $50
Lipstick, "Lasting Finish" by Kate Liptick Rimmel London, $7
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It was mid-afternoon. The sun was still high up in the sky, an advantage selfishly possessed by summer. The weather was comfortable for early July and the open windows of the vehicle ushered in a nice breeze. The drive was fueled by their excitement. They were heading to Unionville, an intimate village located north of Toronto, admired for its picturesque landscape and a popular spot for tourists.
The drive took over a half an hour. By the time they arrived and found a parking spot, the sun had lowered significantly and the town was bustling with people searching for a place to settle down and eat. While everyone else was waiting to get seated, three girls had another idea in mind.