The Lady is a Vamp

Remember that vampire-themed photoshoot I mentioned a few days ago? Well, it's here. And it's hilarious. It was a really recession-friendly photoshoot (AKA we shopped our closets), Maud's friend Matt took the photos, and I did the makeup. We ended up shooting at a cemetary, a church, and this wildernessy area nearby.

Why did we choose vampires? First, they're very on-trend. I blame Twilight. Second, we both a have a long-running obsession with vampires (Dracula, Interview with a Vampire, Lost Boys, the Historian, etc.), and they're crazy fun to dress up as.

So the story for this shoot was two girls who get turned into vampires in the early 1800's, and end up wandering the country as nomads, picking up clothes as they go. I wanted there to be a progression in the outfits, from rougher to more polished as they approach more modern times, but I also wanted there to be a disconnect between them and their environment; something that shows the distances between these girls and the real world.

Without further ado, here's "The Lady is a Vamp." Yes, we really are that cheesy. And if you want to see larger images of the photos, just click on them and it will open up in the window.







Clothes: All the jewelry is vintage. Sorry guys.
First row: Maud: Rodarte for Target tee, Target tank top, vintage skirt and belt. Megan: vintage knit leather top (very Rodarte, no?), vintage dress, Coach belt. Second row: Maud: vintage. Maud & Megan: Rodarte for Target dresses, Coach belts. Third row: Megan: vintage lace dress, vintage slip, vintage stole. Maud: American Apparel skirt, Forever 21 Tops, C Luce Ink Trench. Fourth row: Maud: vintage lace cardigan, Forever 21 tank, Rodarte for Target skirt. Maud: C Luce Ink trench, American Apparel skirt, Forever 21 tops. Megan: vintage Ann Taylor leotard, Forever 21 skirt, vintage stole. Fifth row: Megan: vintage Ann Taylor leotard, Forever 21 skirt, vintage stole. Maud: vintage lace cardigan, Forever 21 tank, Rodarte for Target skirt. Megan: vintage lace dress, vintage slip, vintage stole.

As for the makeup, we just did a really blank, neutral face. No bronzer, no blush, etc, to keep the eyes as the focal point. Then I used Urban Decay Primer Potion across the lid, followed by Benefit Creaseless Shadow in Birthday Suit, MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl, and Ulta shadow in Sandstone. I know that seems like a lot of light bases/shadows, but I really wanted a pale, sparkly base to brighten up all the darker colors I was going to use next and to keep the eye from looking small. I dusted MAC Shale across the lid and smudged it into the lower lashline, and then blended MAC Satin Taupe into the crease--extending it beyond the crease towards the nose on the inside and out beyond the outer corner of the eye in a triangle shape. Then I took the Sonia Kashuk shadow in Night, a matte dark grey, and blended it lightly over where I'd just put Satin Taupe for extra definition and deadness. I followed that with a few coats of mascara (Maxx Factor's Volume Couture), and smudged MAC Eye Kohl in Blooz (navy blue) into the upper and lower lashlines and the water line. The key to this look is extending the shadow beyond the outer corners of the eye in a pointed, triangle shape. It's very on-trend, and has a feline quality that really tied into the vampire thing.

Gucci, Versace, both Fall 2010: Here's a clearer example of the winged shadow thing I was talking about. It's like a smokey eye on crack.


Image Sources:
Gucci: style.com, Versace: style.com.