Miss Wrigleyville USA 2014

Exciting news!!!

I am officially running for the job of Miss Illinois USA again and I have officially been given my title of Miss Wrigleyville USA!

I am honored to be able to compete again this year and am ready to take on the title of Miss Illinois USA 2015 this year! Follow my blog to keep up on updates of my preparation, tips, modeling jobs, and appearances! This is going to be a fun summer of prepping to win the crown!

Bridal Season is Here!

It is wedding season so enjoy some teasers from the shoot :) 

                                           

With all my friends that are getting engaged and getting married in the coming months, I feel that this post is appropriate. Lately I have been getting asked to do a lot of bridal shoots and shows. This is strange to me because I am only 22 years old...but then again that is the age some girls start to think about getting married.

Modeling is all about looking the part. I may be young and feel like I am nowhere close to ready to be married but dressing up in amazing gowns that I would dream to be like mine one day...that is another story. Playing bride for a day was actually really fun! Bridal shoots are all about making it look realistic to the women who are planning their weddings. The makeup is so clean, the jewelry compliments each garment and the models have to look excited like it is their wedding day!

Here are some images from my most recent bridal shoot that was done with David Stephens Photography. This team was amazing! The models are Gabriella Roth and myself. The makeup artist was my girl Karla Mendez. We had a Creative Set Designer, Candice Dora and Jewelry was provided by Xochitl Ramirez Onohan. The beautiful gowns were made by designer Marina Krissanov.

xoxo

MIA

Hey followers!!

Sorry I have been MIA for the past few weeks. I have a bunch of posts that I will be posting over the next few days. Sometimes my busy schedule gets the best of me and I forget to post to this. I have some exciting shoots to give you sneak peaks into and some really awesome tips that I learned over the past few weeks.

Excited to also announce that I am looking to take my career permanently to NYC, LA, or London. I have not decided on where yet. If anyone has a preference on one of these cities please comment which one below :)

It's time for this model to take on the world outside of Chicago!

xoxo

Spring Is In The Air!

Since it is so nice outside today in Chicago I feel like some images from my shoot this weekend with David Stephens Photography would be the perfect blog post!

This shoot was a spin off of some images I came across on pinterest and we did more with the ideas then I could have ever imagined. 

When collaborating with a group in the industry sometimes the concept is not fully grasped but whenever I work with David and Karla, we are always on the same wavelength and it makes my job that much more fun.

 Modeling is something that I have grown up doing. I have been doing it since I was 7 days old...to see how much I have grown in the industry is amazing! Meeting the people I have met the past 2 years and the experiences I have been blessed with in the last year has really helped me grow in my career.

I always have a blast shooting with David and Karla and this just proves that! Collaborating with fun and talented people always makes my job even more fun. David and Karla always push me to get to that next level and that is what a great team should be doing!

I can't wait to start shooting outside and have fun shooting in the sun :)

xoxo

Woman Crush Wednesday

A model is nothing without her Hair and Makeup Artist :)

 

Karla Mendez Artistry has been the HMUA I have used since August 2013. She is the most professional women I have worked with in the beauty industry. Karla has been in the industry for over 8 years working  in Chicago, NW Indiana and surrounding areas. She was also the Lead Hair stylist used for NYFW in 2013.

Karla has been there supporting me since she met me! She has helped me with shoots, pageants, and just life advice. Her charisma on set is contagious and I am always more then pleased with the looks she does for me!

As her bio states:

"Karla is currently doing hair and makeup for special events like quinceneras, weddings, videos and more as well! Whether her jobs take her to high fashion photo shoots, fashion shows, a television studio, or a music video set, Karla displays her mastery for creating the look of the day in a matter of minutes. Karla is available to travel on location, teach lessons, and encourages you to take a look at her portfolio, you won’t be disappointed."

A model is nothing without her HMUA and I am so lucky to have such an amazing one in my life! She is my woman crush Wednesday and I can't wait to bring her with me on future shoots :)

Check out her website :)                   http://www.karlamendez.com/

xoxo

Up & Coming Chicago Designer

The lovely dress you see me wearing on the right is designed and made by new Chicago Designer Nichole Lee Garlough. I met this designer at a shoot in August of 2013 and have kept a close relationship with her since.

She sponsored me for Miss Illinois USA 2014 and the dress above is what she made specially for me. The requirements for the dress were just to be a black cocktail dress. This would be the dressed used for the opening dance number for the pageant. I told Nichole that I wanted it to represent my personality a little so making it sexy and sassy was a must. She really nailed it! I got more compliments on that dress then I could keep track of!

If you are looking for a designer who really tends to the needs of the client then Nicholalee is the girl for you! Check out more of her designs on her website below!

Nicholalee Fashion

This designer is going nowhere but up in her designs! Can't wait to see what she does next :)

xoxo

International Tips

Sorry to have been MIA from the blogger world for the past 10 days! I was on vacation and took a break from blogging! Today's post will be about shooting Internationally, in honor of me coming back to the U.S. from Aruba.

I was privileged to have been chosen to shoot in Barbados for an international campaign and absolutely love the experience. Island beaches are always so much different and the water is always so clear! Some pointers for shooting internationally? Well I am still learning myself but what I learned is:

1. Over packing is a good thing! Sometimes the designers and the clients like what you have from home more then what they originally picked

2. Once work is over it is exhausting to do anything else! But....always stay an extra day to have some fun!

3. Shooting in warm weather NEVER gets old!

I love what I do and would love to shoot internationally more often :) Ideas and auditions in the works! Never give up on a dream because once the ball starts rolling in the right direction...it only gets bigger and better!

xoxo

Behind the Scenes...Weekend Shooting

 I recently got to shoot with photographer Tony Marquez this past weekend at the Intercontinental Hotel. This is my second time working with Tony and this location was one of the best ones yet! Shooting by the fountains and stairwells of this hotel makes it appear like we were in Europe somewhere.

                                                                                                           To the right is a behind the scenes shot. The look we were going for was Calvin Klein...a more clean look that is also fashionable. Music blasting and scouting for cool secret places to shoot in the hotel is what makes location shoots so much more fun!









The image to the left is a picture of the fountain we shot at. I loved it because it looks like something you would find in Italy or Greece. The arcitecture for this pool area was amazing and gave the shoot a whole new vibe. I cant wait to share the images with you and the rest of my fans! Stay tuned for more <3








xoxo

A Taste of Lace

My obsession with adding lace to all parts of my wardrobe has gone a little over the top lately. There just is something about lace that makes an outfit that much more sexy. Who doesn't want to look and feel sexy? 

From dresses to shirts to skirts to the trim on any outfit, lace is the newest fad that makes every outfit sexy and it is perfect for all occasions! You can wear lace when going out with the girls or wear it to a cocktail party. Lace is in now ladies and all the stores are having trouble keeping anything lace on the shelves. 

It just takes a little lace to give your outfit that extra something you need!

xoxo

Fashion Week in the City of Love

Paris Fashion week is going on as we speak and since I cannot be there I am bringing it here via the web. The #HMStudioAW14 show is moments away from happening. H&M is a store that I often forget about but they have some great pieces. 

Looking at their new lines for the year, I am actually impressed. Most people are caught up right now on the Beckham line...and...I mean...who wouldn't be with the campaigns he has released for H&M? On the ladies side, H&M seems to have picked up on the floral pattern that is popular for spring right now. 

I am excited to see what their Paris show includes...who knows maybe next year I will be rockin' the runway in H&M's newest designs ;)

xoxo

Spring Is In The Air

Spring Break is approaching and what better way to get in the spring spirit then shopping for spring break swimsuits and spring dresses. Stores are gearing up and getting ready for the spring season here in Chicago. 

I started getting ready for spring back in November by booking my Spring Break trip to Aruba and then getting two new swimsuits for the trip! 

Akira and Victoria's Secret are two of my favorite stores and they both have geared up with some amazing new Spring 2014 styles. The new dresses Akira has are colorful and classy! The new suits that VS has are also popping with color! I can't wait to show off my new spring purchases in the coming months. 

Take a break from the busy work days and get ready for spring! It's coming and it's coming quickly. Are you ready????

xoxo

Go USA Hockey!!!

In honor of the Olympic hockey game that is starting in about an hour....Go USA! Reppin' the hawks players that are in SOCHI right now playing as USA players while I'm at work today! 

Hockey is my second love...modeling being my first of course ;) This years Olympic games have been a challenge for many reasons but the support this country is showing their athletes competing this year is still strong. Go USA and beat Canada! <3

This model will be cheering on the USA hockey team while at work today...you should too! Forever a PuckBunny

xoxo

#TBT

Throwing it back to when I was in my high school modeling days. This shoot was the first "high fashion" shoot I ever did. I absolutely loved the experience! I learned so much from the team I worked with, a lot of the tips I still use at shoots today.

In these photos the aim was to be high fashion and sexy...I had no idea how much red lipstick would help to create this look! 

The stylist was a blast to work with and she hit the idea the photographer had right on the nose. I learned a little trick too from the team: use olive oil and put it on your body, this is how they created the "shiney/club" look the team was looking for. 

Gotta love Throwback Thursdays! Practice makes perfect and it is crazy to see how far I have come since these high school shoots!

xoxo

#WCW

Women Crush Wednesday is the latest hashtag on social media. My women crush wednesday goes out to super model Cara Delevingne.

Cara is a model that I look up to because of her facial expressions and how different she looks in each of her campaigns. She is, what we like to call in the biz, a cameleon. Always changing her looks and never looking like herself. That is what makes a model a super model.

I strive to be like her and one day hope to work with her. Cara, I will model with you one day and it will be soon! Determination is key. Maybe she will share some of her model secrets :) 

xoxo

Internationally Stunned!!

**Published in Vanity Fair Magazine**

When at my hair appointment yesterday I was tagged in a photo from my stylist in Barbados. I didn't think anything of it but when I opened the image...BAM there is a full page spread of me in Vanity Fair.

It is moments like these that make me more motivated to keep doing what I am doing. This business is hard to break into but once you do...the sky is the limit.

The above photo was shot in Barbados by photographer Bob Kiss. Virgo Communications and their team booked me, styled me, and housed me for an entire week to get this project done. I loved being part of such an amazing team and loved being able to shoot at the GORGEOUS One Sandy Lane. If you haven't seen One Sandy Lane you should go look at their website because it is amazing.

Being flown to international countries as a model is the most amazing experience I have ever had and I am blessed to have had the experience and exposure this ad has now brought for me. Models....don't give up on your dreams because once the dream starts to become a reality....there is no feeling that is better!

xoxo

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

In honor of all the snow that is falling while I am stuck in DC, I figured a shot from my snow shoot this year would be appropriate.

 Shooting in the snow and in a swimsuit is one of the crazier things I have done on a shoot. These shots were taken in January and this was my first shoot in 2014.

 Models shoot in all types of weather conditions and no it is not always warm and sunny. The shoots do vary but photographers and clients do a great job to keep us warm when we are off set. They also try to get the shot as quickly as possible.

 It is best to be on your A-game when you are shooting in extreme weather conditions because the sooner they get their shot...the sooner you can get off set and in a warm set of clothes.

Brrr, that was a cold shoot in Chicago but it was a lot of fun. Tip: just think you are in a warm place...sometimes that helps :)

Modeling is not all glam. It can be a tough game to play in and the touch weather and stunts we sometimes have to perform are more difficult then people seem to think. Sometimes, stunts are photographed as looking easy...in the end they are far from. The shots that look cool...they are NEVER comfortable :)

xoxo

Pageant Weekend Comes to an End

Pageant Weekend is over! 

I had a great experience at the Miss Chicago/Windy City/ Gold Coast pageant this past weekend. It is always such an amazing experience and love the friends that I have made through this pageant. Our new Miss Windy City happens to be a new friend of mine...Top photo, left girl (yellow swimsuit). The Fab Four will reunite soon :)

Every time I step on the stage and do these pageants I grow so much and learn so much. Though this is only my second pageant, hearing from my directors that I have so much potential and that I am one step away from my own title is just as rewarding to me as actually winning. I will try again sometime soon and use the guidance of my directors to get me there. The pageant world has not seen its last with me and I will be sure to show Illinois what I am capable of. I am ready to use my modeling skills and my people skills to make a difference in the world. 

Love this girl more than anything. Getting to know a girl from my former agency was amazing!! And of course we had to take a picture with our little Pre-teen girls :) The one in the back row farthest to the left is the Miss Chicago Pre-teen this year :) They are too adorable!

Eat. Sleep. Pageant.

Pageants are something new to me but I am preparing for my second pageant ever this coming Sunday. I have been busy prepping for its this weekend so my posts may not be as consistent for the next week or so.

Why would a model do pageants? It is great exposure, especially for someone who has other goals in life then just being a model. I love what I do and networking with new photographers is another reason I decided to get involved in pageants.

Pageants are a great way to meet girls who have similar life ambitions as yourself and meet incredible people who want to make a difference. I am extremely excited to be running for Miss Chicago on Sunday and hope to bring something new to the pageant world if I win :)

xoxo

Miss Chicago Fundraiser

For A GREAT Cause!!!

As some of you already know, I’m very involved with the Miss America Organization but you probably didn’t know that one of the exciting opportunities this organization offers is the chance to raise funds for local children’s hospitals through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The money I raise will help save children’s lives, and a portion will also go to support the Miss America Scholarship Fund.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals makes sure that donated funds stay local which means that your donation helps kids and families right here in our community. I invite you to join me in touching the lives of sick and injured children today, by clicking the "Donate Now" button to make a secure donation. You can also see the impact of your donation by clicking here to view some of the incredible miracle stories from kids we've helped. These are just a few stories out of millions of kids treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals each year.

Thank you so much for your support and for helping me make miracles happen!

**Click the Link Below before its too late!! Closes February 1st at 11:59pm!!**

http://www.missamericaforkids.org/Donate/misschicago

xoxo

Photo of the Day

* Photo from Designer MISOVA shoot *

My photo of the day is a shot taken by photographer Levannart for my shoot in my Miss Illinois USA 2014 dress. The designer of my dress is the talented MISOVA. I had done a shoot of her designs in the past and she then jumped when I asked her to custom design my dress for the Miss Illinois USA pageant this past November. 

The image behind the dress does come partly from the ever so famous Hunger Games. This collaboration was a blast and I loved the work that came from it. MISOVA is the perfect designer to use if you want to stand out from the crowd. I can say that my dress in the pageant stood out because it was made for me. 

Check out her work at https://www.facebook.com/MISOVAvb

Love what you do and never give up on your dreams. 

xoxo

Model Monday

Model Gisele Bundchen is one of my idols when it comes to the model world. The photo above is one of many images she has that shows exactly how modeling is an art and it does require skill. A lot of models are ballet dancers as well because the poses used in ballet are ones that photograph nicely. I myself have even taken up ballet to learn these techniques.

Gisele is one model I aspire to be like and hopefully I will be a great of a model as her one day soon. There is always room for improvement int this field of work and that is what makes this job awesome. It is an art that requires more then just a pretty face. I would recommend that all models at least try one class of ballet because I promise you it will do wonders for your poses and stimulate a lot of creatives ideas while on set that you may not have thought of before!

Happy Model Monday :) 

xoxo

Eva by Evelyn Swimwear

               * This is a photo of me wearing my Eva by Evelyn Swimsuit for Miss Illinois USA Pageant

****Click the link and Like! Eva-by-Evelyn-Swimwear****

I recently was given the opportunity to compete as a finalist in the Miss Illinois USA Pageant this year and the swimsuit you see above was designed by one of my friends/designers.

Evelyn has been designing swimsuits for her new line for the past year and they are absolutely stunning and unique. Her Latina background is what gives her swimsuits that unique and SEXY flare that everyone wants when they are looking for that perfect swimsuit to wear for spring break or summer, but that is my opinion. Her company description is: 

Eva by Evelyn swimwear is ideal for today's woman who wants to be comfortable, fashionable, always chic, and the most important very feminine. While on vacation, at the pool or simply in summer Eva by Evelyn Swimwear is a must have in your closet. 

She is completely correct with her company description. Want to look great on the beach for spring break? Ready for swimsuit season ladies? Why not get a custom designed swimsuit that is affordable and comfortable and unique to wear on the beach or at the pool. I can't think of a better way to show off my New Year, in-shape body with a new swimsuit. If you like her page and comment that you liked it you enter to possibly win a free swimsuit! So click the link above and like the page for your chances to win! You only have until Feb. 2nd to do this so don't wait any longer! Click Like!

Fashion and Modeling and Tips Oh My!

*Behind the scenes from wet hair shoot in Milwaukee with photographer Crystal Schneider

This is my first post for this blog. Modeling is something that I have done my entire life so I wanted to create a blog that explained what life is actually like as an international model. I will try to post everyday but when on set it is a little more difficult. This blog will talk about fashion, photo-shoots, tips that I find helpful on and off set, and personal opinions about the modeling industry as I experience more and more of it. 

I love what I do and think that the beauty of the industry gets lost in the reality TV shows that have made being a model seem like a burden. Don't get me wrong...it can be an ugly world to be a part of, but most of the time it is the complete opposite. My goal is to give you my personal take on the Chicago fashion industry and an insiders scoop on the jobs I do all over the world!

Enjoy <3

xoxo