To say that things have been a little busy would be the understatement of the year! This past month alone, we have 12 boudoir babes on the calendar all the while still juggling social media, headshots, and branding clients, as well as planning for our trip to Greece!
You’ve seen the finished product, but today we’re taking you behind the scenes! Shooting days are extensive and exciting! We want you to see all that goes into the production of our beautiful images.
Let’s be real… it’s been a crazy year for all of us! Now is the perfect opportunity to unwind, recenter yourself, and start 2021 with an experience that will leave you beaming and celebrating all that you are!
This was Miss G’s second Fearlessly Feminine session. This woman is a smart, sexy, badass babe! She’s out there kicking ass as a mom, student, employee, and feminist! And I adore her. As we got rolling, the nerves melted, and we captured fabulous images. Miss G just recently had her THIRD session and can’t wait to share those images as well!
Miss L, what can we say? You’re a total babe. This session was all about self love and Steph and I were here for it! This girl went with a beautiful 12x12 album and gorgeous print for her wall. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to print your images! Almost all of our FF client end up taking home an album that makes them feel decadent. I’m totally for having a gorgeous album to look through periodically that reminds you of what an incredible, beautiful, badass you are!
Miss L, The Fearlessly Feminine Team had a phenomenal time working with you! We can’t get enough of your energy or these images!
Happy Fearlessly Feminine Friday ladies! Today I'm celebrating all the Fearlessly Feminine babes that dare to share their hearts! Keep on doing you!
Miss S, thank you for letting me share your images! You're the heart of STB. I'm proud and inspired by your dedication to your brand. I love the way you empower other women with your openness!
This post is whole heartedly and hopelessly devoted to Galentine's Day. What is Galentine's Day you ask? Well it's the other half of Valentine's Day of course! On February 13th it's about celebrating your love for your tribe of ladies! (my personal favorite holiday!)
Today, I want to essay my love for all my fearlessly feminine babes and all the women who follow along with me in this journey! You are phenomenal and i'm so thankful for your support!
I want to encourage you during this lovely season of sister-land affection to celebrate! Celebrate your girls and celebrate yourself!! Treat yourself to something fabulous! Do the things you love! Buy yourself a present! Because Galentine's day is all about exceptional gifts and dance parties! Dance parties are ALWAYS a MUST on Galentine's Day.
1. A DANCE PARTY tribute to your favorite Lady Bosses! I recommend Selena, Taylor and Beyonce to start you off right! (told you, dance parties are a must!)
This video is the product of a really fun day getting facials and celebrating at The Beauty Room with my team! We danced, we played and we applauded what it means to be fearlessly feminine!
2. Buy yourself something that sparkles! Every girl deserves to have something fancy that she purchased herself! The Diamond Galleria has tons of options starting at $125 and I want them all!
3. Chocolate covered Oreos from Pactre. No milk required! Buy a dozen and split them with your favorite pal!
4. Shop Single Thread Boutique's amazing bralettes. The deep v straps make me feel totally fierce. I shamelessly purchased all three colors!!
5. Relax in the bathtub with a lush bath bomb. I promise you wont be sorry. Lush is my jam. The company markets straight to me. A deliciously smelling macaroon shaped bath bomb that turns my bathtub into a pink glittery dream? Sign me up!!
6. Do something healthy and try a pink drink from sunshine juice. Not only is it pretty and tasty its good for your insides!
7, Speaking of the pink drink... treat yourself to a pink drink facial at The Beauty Room. The dreamy atmosphere is so relaxing and after Kana works her magic I always feel rejuvenated. And guess what? The pink drink facial is $15 this month! SCORE! Set up a date with your bestie!
8. Book yourself a Fearlessly Feminine session and light the world on fire with your irrepressible confidence!!
9. Pass out sweet and sassy Galentine's to all your ladies!
Follow the link to witty Galentine's cards! Send them to your ladies on instagram and tag @fearlesslyfemininephoto and #ffgalentinesday for a chance to win a $10 STB giftcard!!
10. Try a zumba class. Nothing gets me pepped up for the day like a dance party! And ladies, when the instructor offers to let you borrow one of her belly dancer belts... you say yes!!
Happy New Year Fearlessly Feminine babes! Life is all about living a life you love. Head into this year with an open heart and a lot of spirit! Be furiously intense in the direction of your dreams!
What are your goals for the year? Tell me all about them!
Mine you ask?
Personally, to travel... I'm so excited to get to take a long vacation with my main man and see some great new countries!
Professionally, to keep up on this blog consistently and share my work more! I love photographing and sharing all your incredible stories!
“We teach girls to shrink themselves
To make themselves smaller
We say to girls
You can have ambition
But not too much
You should aim to be successful
But not too successful
Otherwise you will threaten the man
Because I am female
I am expected to aspire to marriage
I am expected to make my life choices
Always keeping in mind that
Marriage is the most important
Now marriage can be a source of
Joy and love and mutual support
But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage
And we don’t teach boys the same?
We raise girls to view each other as competitors
Not for jobs or for accomplishments
Which I think can be a good thing
But for the attention of men
We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings
In the way that boys are"
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
For my birthday I decided I really wanted to understand how it felt to be in my clients shoes. I always encourage my clients to feel confident in their skin and I thought who better to have this experience with than my best friend! Big thanks to Ingenue Boudoir who captured our Chicago adventure so perfectly. Also big thanks to my friend Sara for inspiring me with the quote at the beginning and to my friend and personal trainer, Sarah, (who also writes Fearlessly Fit) for getting my body ready for this shoot.
Dress: Paparazzi Glamour and Gowns
I’ve been in the dark, been damaged
Thought I’d never feel passion again
But haven’t we all
I was searching for perfection then
For a worth or love that was definite
Less vulnerable than it is to validate yourself
A coward to redemption
Now I feel I am bearing witness to a whole gender
Finding no fault in their own skin
I want to walk beside beauty discovering itself
I want to ache with humanness
To feel insignificant
I want to feel only water clinging to me and
Make my peace with all the ripples in it
My reflection as a conduit
One has to nearly drown to gain the boldness to be raw
The most saturated beauty emerges in the wake of
One learning to love themselves fiercely
-Madison
One of my favorite things about my new brand is being able to empower the women, whether its showing them an beautiful image of themselves or in this case encouraging someone to use this platform to speak out about something they believe in! I'm so excited to introduce you to my first ever guest blogger, Karen! She's a great writer with an amazing message.
Women are amazing creatures. Our bodies are superhero-cape worthy vessels. Seriously- the female body can create life, make food, heal small wounds with a simple kiss, ease troubles with its embrace, and walk in high heels for hours without keeling over in excruciating pain! My female friends are as diverse in their personalities as they are in body shape, and they are all absolutely impressive human beings. Unfortunately one thing we all have in common is a negative body image. I asked some women to recall some of their most memorable body comments and here are a few they came up with:
• “… that If I didn't stop eating (I'd had a salad) that I would end up being "shaped just like your Aunt - Tall and fat, built like a man" -Jessica
• When I was 12-- TWELVE-- and wanted braces to correct my crooked teeth (still uncorrected to this day) "Braces would only be cosmetic for you, and you have bigger problems there than just your teeth." -Em
• “My boobs would make the next guy run because they were that hideous!!” -Abigail
• Your ass is too big. -Liz
• “If you don’t eat today, you are one day closer to being less disgusting.” –Karen
I would love to say I was shocked and amazed, but I wasn’t. The most troublesome feeling was that this is normal. This is every day, no big deal “girl” talk. These are the voices of our family and friends. The first comment was from Jessica’s grandmother. The second was from Em’s dentist. The third was made by Abigail’s (now ex) boyfriend. The forth was from Liz’s female friend. The last one was what I used to tell the mirror. One of my closest and most respected friends recalled how her dad and brother used to tell her how fat and ugly she was until she would leave the dinner table. This is a woman I view as nothing less than amazing. She is generous, hilarious, and when I imagine where I’d be today without her support, my stomach turns. So why is this happening? What’s the solution? Should we all just try harder be Barbie doll copies or idealistic fashion models?
Almost two years ago I met a girl at a Christmas party. The minute I saw her I knew I didn’t like her. She was absolutely gorgeous. She was blonde and perky, with a perfect body and a radiance that lit up the room. She didn’t even have to try. She was the embodiment of every popular girl in high school that was mean to me, every girl a boyfriend had left me for, and everything I was not. My mother raised me to be polite, so I was. We talked as our significant others left us to fend for ourselves. Her stunning façade crumbled as our conversation carried on effortlessly. She morphed from a beautiful girl I was sure I didn’t like to an incredible woman with amazing talent I couldn’t wait to get to know better. I know her better now, and I love her. Oh yes, and, side note- she’s still just as beautiful. Her contribution surprised me only because I was ashamed to have not realized how hypocritical women (I) can be.
• “You’re cute, good thing because it’s the only thing about you worth noticing.” –Alisha
It seems that no woman can escape. That's what years of dating the wrong guys taught Alisha. No wonder we struggle so much just trying to get comfortable in our own skin. It’s inexplicably ridiculous how we can look at our female friends and see beauty that they cannot see in themselves. We see the exact qualities in our friends that we fail to recognize in ourselves. We protect our close friends like a lioness protecting her cubs. No one messes with our girls. But in walks a new girl and the claws come out. We make the same snap judgments we have defended ourselves from. She’s gorgeous with big boobs so she’s a bitch. She’s fat so she must be lazy. She’s thin so she must be anorexic. She is wearing that she must be a slut. Sometimes these judgments stay locked in our brains, waiting for proof before the verdict escape our mouths, but not often enough.
Our negativity towards any female’s body for whatever reason only breeds sickness and shame. It infects our mothers and sisters, our friends and enemies, and most tragically the little girls who know we are beautiful. If you have a daughter, great, if not it’s never too late for a little imagination- I have a challenge for you. Let your “daughter” be your conscience. Before you say anything about another woman, ask yourself- would I say this to/about my daughter? When you look in the mirror and that nagging voice chatters on about your insecurity ask- Do I want my daughter to think these things?
For the sake of your fellow women, please put on your superhero cape and rock it with confidence. Show everyone how you translate “beauty” and let’s rebuild our gender. We are strong as individuals, but unstoppable as friends. Tell yourself what you love about you. Tell your friends why you’re lucky to have them. Give a woman you “don’t like” a chance to be your friend. And don’t stop there.
Tell me why you’re beautiful.
-Karen
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