DENIM

i never imagined that it would take me this long to find a good denim shirt. you'd think that a denim shirt would be easy to find at a thrift store, right? i've scoured racks and racks at dozens of thrift stores, but the ones i found were either too big or too 90's (in a bad way). and of course, my search ended at h&m. i fell in love with the color of this shirt. seriously, though. it was the last one left. we were meant to be together.

IT'S A MAN'S WORLD

although fashion week has been over for quite some time, i appreciate that the creative minds in MSP has been producing some shows to feed our fashion appetites. men's fashion seems to come as an afterthought, but after this show, i'm excited to see the future of menswear shows here in the twin cities. last saturday's "it's a man's world fashion event" was a men's only presentation, bringing local and national designers together in one event, as well as national retailers. and the men who attended the event? some of them were just as inspiring as the looks that walked down the runway. the non-traditional venue for a runway event was interesting and refreshing - a great way of thinking outside of the box. models walked down a staircase and a small runway, an aisle with chairs lined on both sides. the one thing i would've liked to see in the venue was more lighting - it was difficult to see and shoot some of the looks once models stepped off the staircase. with shows that rely on styling, i like to see some looks that are both wearable and some that break the rules. some sections seemed a little off - an accessory that didn't make sense, a shirt that wasn't tucked in, shoes that didn't match the look. styling shows isn't easy... i've experienced this first hand. styling menswear and womenswear is very different, but the key to a great look is to make sure it fits properly. menswear isn't easy, but i applaud the ladies of secrets fashion agency for taking a chance and presenting a good-looking show.

SILVER + GOLD

confession: i lose things... all the time. the worst things are rings and necklaces. and then i just stopped buying jewelry altogether because i felt like i was throwing money away. i thought that buying $10 necklaces was okay - not that it's wrong, but when i'd lose a necklace, i wasn't worried since i'd only spent $10. we all know that quality does not come with the price. rings tarnish, necklaces break, and then i cry because i'm thinking that i wasted yet another $60 on cheap jewelry.
buying my first "expensive" necklace changed things - an iosselliani necklace. i realized that i would feel more responsible for keeping track of something i'd spent more than $100 on. twisted logic, right? i should just be more organized, but hey, i'm taking baby steps. last night, i was talking with kara about how terrible i am at accessorizing my outfits now. so i'm going to try to invest in a few simple yet versatile pieces. the hardest part about this is figuring out WHICH pieces and where. consider this as a research post. and then help me if you have suggestions.

• tom binns 

• maison martin margiela

LA MUSÉE

who knew that art galleries could host such interesting & inspiring fashion shows? these two events last week showcased the brilliant creative minds in minneapolis, both new and experienced talent.

at weisman art museum last thursday, the no white fashion show presented 16 finalists from a design competition who created looks that depicted the dark side behind fairy tales. take a look at the no white lookbook for each designer's story behind their look and their sketches. each design incorporated an upcycled element such as reusing scrapped fabric from previous projects, dying thrift store drapes for a dress, and finding old jewelry to sew onto a jacket. another challenge designers had to face: these designs had to be wearable. a few of the designs really stood out - and the judges seemed to agree. i managed to snap a few pictures of my favorite designs during the show.

mai yang

giselle yuer wei

mary ellen berglund

kayna hobbs

jessa manthe

last thursday, the minneapolis institute of arts held "flowers after hours: haute-house garden" in conjunction with a new exhibit running throughout the museum, "art in bloom." the runway showcased beautiful collaborations in design while incorporating floral elements: hand-painted florals, floral arrangements, and floral appliqués.

nicole larson x bastian+skoog

christopher straub x patrick kemal pryor

MARCHING THROUGH APRIL

dresses, dancing, art shows, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, wildfox... instagramming through april. it's a shame i haven't posted since the beginning of the month, but since then, i've snagged a freelance photo gig for the next few months on top of working on some badass photoshoots. i can't share any of these projects yet but you can bet i'll post them when they publish. i'm rushing through these photo edits from this past week's events: no white fashion at weisman art museum and flowers after hours at the minneapolis institute of arts. they'll be posted soon!

LBD

who knew that wearing a simple black dress would warrant a drive-by "i love you!" while grabbing coffee?

thanks to the instagram android release today, you can follow me on instagram - @flashrevolutions.
prepare yourself for photos of cats, food, and clothes.

IT'll GROW BACK

i'm having a little bit of hair anxiety. i've had a long affair with my long hair and if it wasn't so dead and full of split ends, i'm not sure i would cut it off. i've been thinking about getting bangs again, but i haven't had them since high school, and i wound up cutting them myself - not a good look. in attempts to cope with the loss of my long hair, i've been looking at pictures of hot girls with short hair.

TRANS

the weather's finally warming up to a point where i can safely make the decision to stow away my winter coats and sweaters for the year. so what have i been up to in the past few weeks? mostly work, but a little bit of play - i've been working on some special photo projects that i'm really excited to release when the time comes. i haven't done as much thrifting as i'd like to, but i did pick up these earrings from hunt & gather not too long ago. they remind me of when i used to sneak into my mom's closet and try on her jewelry. and the tom ford? i just told myself that i needed it.

these days, change is in the air. things here in the scene are shifting. a few friends are moving away from the city. kara and i are planning on giving our apartment a makeover... sure, that's not quite as life changing. next week, i'm going to my very first hair appointment for a cut. i'm scared, but i'm ready to embrace change. change is good.