“I like to retouch as if I am painting, with short or long brush strokes depending on the part of the image.”
-Erin Corbett

Erin Corbett is one of the first friends I made here upon arriving in Pittsburgh. We immediately bonded over our mutual love of photography and beauty. Together we have successfully collaborated on photo shoots and other projects, including an entire identity redesign for Bloom Organic Skincare Parlor. This talented lady is currently looking to buy a home with her husband, Dan, and is the proud mother of two border terriers, Remy and Gemma.

Name: Erin Corbett
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Occupation: Digital Photo Retoucher

At this very moment, what are you doing?
Making a blog post at Digital Makeover, my retouching blog.

Where are you from?

Originally from Louisville, KY, but spent many years in Cincinnati and Athens, OH.

How did your interest in photography begin?
It began in a high school photography class. I didn’t want to take advanced math, so I had an extra course to fill. I chose photography! I thought it would be fun.

Why did you decide to go to school for photography?
I wanted to travel the world as a photojournalist. I had a passion for writing and journalism, but I wanted to express myself visually as well. When I found out about the School of Visual Communication at Ohio University, I jumped at the opportunity to apply to their renowned photojournalism program. After a year of majoring in photojournalism, I decided to switch to the commercial photography track.

Alex MacPherson

Where did your interest in retouching come from?
My interest in retouching came from Sarah Silver, a fashion photographer I interned with while in college.

How did you learn about it?
Sarah encouraged me to do an internship with her retoucher, Puspa Lohmeyer of Tweak West. Puspa really ignited my passion for retouching beauty and fashion images. She is truly an amazing artist. Her skill for retouching skin, while maintaining texture and believability, is incredible. She taught me as much as she could in a couple of weeks, and when I returned to my final quarter in college I practiced retouching daily on my fellow classmates’ images.

Do you have a secret technique?
I like to retouch as if I am painting, with short or long brush strokes depending on the part of the image. I also spend a lot of time dodging and burning to give the skin a smooth, polished look without appearing over-retouched.

Benefit Cosmetics

What is your opinion on the current trends of retouching?
It depends on the image. I don’t like the look of plastic skin in any situation, but I think it’s extremely important to consider the client when retouching. There are times when it is appropriate to take an image to an elevated level, as with beauty and fashion, but I get really annoyed when I see overly-retouched portraits. That’s what usually upsets people about retouching, and it’s what I think ultimately causes such a backlash against retouchers.

Do you have a favorite image that you’ve retouched?
It would probably be this one, photographed by Sarah Amato. I love the texture of the paint on her cheek.

What are your inspirations?
Being outside on a beautiful day.

Tell me three of your favorite songs or bands.
“Venus” by Air, “No One’s Gonna Love You” by Band of Horses, and “Stranger” by Dr. Dog

Where do you want to go from here?
I’d like to work more one-on-one with photographers who create avant-garde images.

Any advice for other people who want to make retouching their career?
Study images that you love and try to discover what draws you to them. Study people and light; try to understand the way shadows and highlights naturally fall on the human figure and face. Offer your retouching services to as many new photographers as you can, and practice as much as possible! It may mean doing tests for people for a while, but as with any art-related profession, it’s most important to have a solid portfolio.

Erin Corbett’s Portfolio
Digital Makeover

Cloth Logic (Tulle’s menswear line) had a big sale this month, and being that I’m never opposed to any opportunity to amplify my resemblance to Link Wray in this photo, I purchased, at a deep discount, the classic, black canvas trench I’m wearing in the photos below. Unfortunately, like the image of Link Wray on the beach, I’m standing amidst a blanket of frigid snow.

I’ve kinda got this thing for flashy shoes. Since most of my wardrobe is made up of neutrals, especially black, I like to give my outfits a pop of pizzaz with a bold pair of boots. A few weeks back, I decided to treat myself to a new pair since my grey cowboy kicks with the fancy silver toe and heel rands are about to kick the bucket. After searching the internet far and wide, I landed on the Giorgio Brutini website and purchased these slinky, snakeskin ankle boots.

I’m fortunate to be in a loving relationship with a lady who knows my style well. Part of my Valentine’s Day gift this year was this silver-chained, trinket necklace from Heresy Designs on Etsy that features an antler tip (don’t worry, dear animal-loving friends, I believe it’s faux), a crucifix, and a Mother Mary medallion. It’s a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll. Just like me, I guess.

In the photo above, I’m also wearing a new black button down from H&M. It’s constructed of this very smooth, cotton-stretch material, and the buttons are concealed behind a subtly sleek, ribbon placket.

As a side note, I’d like to say that even though H&M is quite hit-or-miss as far as their inventory goes, I find their sizing to be reliably consistent, and that’s comforting. We were in a kind of rush to get out of the store, and this svelte shirt just kind of popped out at me on the rack as we made our way to the checkout counter. I grabbed the first small I saw, confident that trying it on was unnecessary. When I got home and buttoned it up, I discovered how right I was. Fits like a glove!

And finally, a couple of weeks ago, Kristin hepped me the blog of clothing retailer, 80’s Purple. In a recent entry, they featured a hair grooming product called “Grant’s Golden Brand Pomade.” I have been using pomade to style my hair since I can remember and have always been frustrated by either a deficiency in hold, a lack of luster, a greasiness that gunks up both pillowcases and pores alike, or the fact that it just plain won’t wash out. But this company boasts its hair treatment as having the tenacity it takes to keep up a coiffure, the ability to be re-styled for hours, and a water-based formula that washes out in the shower.

Well, two out of three ain’t bad. It sure does style and hold my hair well and washes out easily with water. But the claim that it allows re-styling is a load of crap. After a few minutes of saturation in my hair, it stiffens up as though I’ve applied hairspray. And unless you’re a masochist, trying to comb through that would not be fun. Now, I’d generally be willing to overlook this mild inconvenience, but at nearly $30 per 4 oz. container (including shipping), a product better deliver everything my ‘do demands!

That’s it for now, but keep your eyes peeled for a post about the very handsome, handmade, detective-style wallet holster Kristin gave me for Christmas (if we can ever figure out how to get a handle on the unctuousness of the leather – more to come about that). Stay warm!

“Believe that you can do it, even if it is ‘a dream job’. Someone has to do it, so it might as well be you!”
-Leanne Ford

Name: Leanne Ford
Location: Nashville TN! . .. .and NY . . .and LA. . .. and Pittsburgh
Occupation: Wardrobe Stylist

Ten things that describe who you are.
Creative, A good time, Kind, Carefree, Gypsy, Open, Loving, Tomato-lover, Dance maniac, Sing-a-longer.

Tell me about your personal style.
Fashionably Scrubby? If grandma used to be a hippie rocker chick, I am the grandma.

Do you have a favorite artist? Photographer?
Hmm, I have favorite writers: Dorothy Parker, Jack Kerouac, CS Lewis. I really love photography, but not the kind I am involved in. I love documentary photography, getting life and people and places and showing them beautifully without changing anything about what you are shooting. And I love love love music! All kinds, but to sum up my style of music, I would say anything from Lost Highway Records.

When did you realize that styling could be a viable career choice?
It was pretty much a fluke. I realized I could and should be a stylist when people started calling me and asking me to style for them! I was working in PR for Roxy, and the VP of Design and I had a mutual admiration club going, so she would ask me to come on the shoots and style. I was so excited because it was in Palm Desert, which is so fun. Then, a magazine in California, FOAM, that I worked with called and asked me if I was interested in being their Fashion Editor. So for two years I conceptualized, produced, and styled three shoots an issue. When I moved back to New York, I realized I had a huge portfolio of work and could style full time. It really worked out perfectly for me.

When did you decide to become a freelancer?
When I realized I could! It is perfect for me. I am able to be where I want, when I want. I do not have to call off for my two weeks vacation, and I can make a nice amount of money to have a nice life. And the sky is the limit, the options are totally open. Those are all great things for me as a person.

What inspires you?
OH! Roadtrips! Cowboys! Indians! The South! Old Things! Vintage shops! People watching! Colors! My parents’ old picture albums! White washed wood! Schillers in LES! Flea Markets! Music that makes me want to cry! There are so many things I see and hear that make me want to create something!

Photographer Courtney Brooke Hall’s Tumbler, which is full of vintage tinted inspiration, diamonds, beautiful women, and more.

LouLou Loves You is having an exclusive holiday sale! Type in ‘CHRISTMASLOVE’ at the checkout to receive 15% off your order. Check out her new lace collars!

The song “Pretty Girl” by Canadian band The White Wires. “Pretty girrrrrrl, baby baby be mineeeeee.” Just enough pop to get me through a grey Pittsburgh day.

30% off Friends & Family event from Urban Decay! One of my beauty secrets is their primer potion. If you have ever had problems with eyeshadow creasing, use this magical potion and it will never happen again.

Drooling over pretty shoes like these studded Jeffrey Campbells from ModCloth. Daydreaming about my first Pittsburgh photo shoot, which will be a collaboration with stylist Leanne Ford, check out her work, she is amazing.

There is a new gorgeous typeface on the scene, check out Aphrodite Slim. Isn’t it lovely? This just in from the 1890s, a great NY Times article on how victorian inspired fashion is making it’s appearance in menswear.

Tell me what is making you happy these days.

“Evoking is the really hard part, though. That got better for me once I learned ease and trust. The camera has a unique ability to capture your thoughts.”
-Ellen Hancock

Name: Ellen Hancock
Location: Sort of all over Northern California at the moment.
Occupation: Model/Actress

Ellen Hancock, the model and lady, is a dream to work with: she is punctual, friendly, gorgeous and knows how to move in front of a lens. She is a chameleon, able to portray natural beauty, glamor, innocence, or even rock and roll. Ellen has made her career out of modeling, and I wanted to know how she did it!

Were you discovered? Tell me how your career in modeling started.
When I was in high school, a lady from Wilhelmina stopped me on the street and asked me to come to an open call they were having, but my mom wouldn’t let me go at the time. So I didn’t actually start modeling until I was 18 – by just meeting some photographers and shooting around for fun. It grew from there into a passion and career pursuit.

Do you have a personal style? Describe it for me.
That’s a REALLY tough question. I feel like I am very precise about what I like, and yet I wear all sorts of different looks. Sometimes I’m lazy and wear completely torn up jeans and a comfy t-shirt. Or, if I’m having fun with it, I guess I turn out most often as chic hippie – sleek shapes with an element of nature in them. My guy recently remarked that some of my clothes have a real art deco feel to them, too. Hmm, yeah I don’t know. It really depends on my mood. I feel like if you change your clothes, your inspiration for life changes. So I like to explore different personas of myself.

Tell me your favorite modeling experience. Any horror stories?
I think my best memories are really based on the amazing personalities I get to work with. I get to be around fascinating, creative people. It’s really more play-time than work (though it can be VERY tiring). Photography is always trying to capture surreal moments, too, so you can imagine what it’s like on set. Amazing locations, having someone coif your hair to perfection, makeup, and so on. I always just try to savor the grandeur of it. The horror stories are pretty few; but back before I was with an agency, I had one photographer ask me and another model to take a picture of him naked. He was definitely a perv! Eww.

What inspires you?
While shooting it’s a shared vision. You pull a mood from the wardrobe, the lighting, the makeup – every aspect. Beyond that, in my personal life, just a strong sense of independence, mother nature, and the few amazing things or people in life that make you question what you think you know.

Does posing come naturally to you? Or is it something that has gotten better with time?
Posing is a skill I just eventually got a bit of muscle-memory for. You want to have freedom of movement without, for example, giving constant up-the-nose shots. Evoking is the really hard part, though. That got better for me once I learned ease and trust. The camera has a unique ability capture your thoughts. I actually used to be dreadfully shy and was on anti-anxiety medications for about five years in my early teens (which was NOT helpful, I must say). So loosening up in front of the camera took a while for me.

Favorite photographers? Models?
Ellen Von Unwerth is my favorite photographer. I feel like she lets women simultaneously own their sexuality and their innocence – a sort of playfulness. Her work feels very empowering to me. I think my favorite model is Karen Elson. But, then, there are so many beauties, it’s hard to choose!

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Down in L.A. focusing on my acting career and a few other projects (but those are just starting to take shape and I won’t jinx them by spilling my beans!).

Advice for other women pursuing modeling as their career?
Keep in mind that there are so many reasons you will hear the words, “No, thank you.” You can’t take it personally. You will hear it a lot. If you can’t look past that and have a good time, it’s not for you. If you are serious about a career, GO TO OPEN CALLS. GO TO EVERY GOOD AGENCY. Don’t putter around and pretend like you are going to do it – get your butt in there. If they say no, go again in six months. For a few people it just happens, but for most people – even if you have what it takes – you have to work REALLY REALLY hard and be persistent. Also keep in mind that no one wants to work around an egomaniac. Be humble, be helpful, be professional.

See more photos of the talented and gorgeous Ellen Hancock at her portfolio website.

It has been over 10 years that I have searched far and wide for the best products and gadgets that the beauty world has to offer. Though this search has been full of burns, breakouts, embarrassing pictures, and financial strife, it has been a lot of fun finding my favorites.

If I could marry Shu Uemura Purifying Oils, I would, but its illegal, so I’ll just use it instead. It sounds counter intuitive, but oil dissolves oil, and my clear, even skin proves that it means business.

My fine, not so long lashes look like falsies whenever I use Bourjois Yes to Volume No to Clumps Mascara. That little comb looks wimpy, but it packs fine lashes with volume and come hither batting potential. Combine that with some Latisse (by Rx only), and you might kill people with them!

So you don’t believe that the Shu Uemura oils will clear your skin, your Clearasil continues to not work, and you need something to make your skin look good. Use Armani Designer Shaping Cream Foundation. It is REALLY heavy, so make sure you wash it off at night. Seriously, what flaws?

Want to take that Armani Foundation to the next level? Put some on The Beauty Blender and bounce it over your face for an airbrushed finish. You’ll never use those annoying (and not so green) triangle sponges again!

Cancer doesn’t look good on anyone. To keep my porcelain skin safe, I use antioxidant rich Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream. It not only has the highest protection against UVA and UVB rays (SPF 55 and PA+++), but it is so waterproof, I have to wash my hands 4 times after I apply it. Once again, wash it off at night. The Shu Uemura Oils take it off with the greatest of ease.

So you shaved. ahem, down there for your hot date, but you are now covered in painful ingrown hairs. While it might keep you from making a regrettable decision after a few Kir Royals, you still should have used Tend Skin. Yes it stinks, and it hurts like the dickens, but you will NOT get any ingrown hairs if you use it. You can handle it.

So I have secretly always wished I was Japanese. The next best thing? I colored my hair black and use the Croc Flat Iron, which gets up to 450 degrees of straightening inferno madness. I might not be Japanese, but my hair could definitely pass!

Nail polish top coats are some of the most frustrating products out there. Is it so hard to find a topcoat that is super shiny and won’t chip for at least a week? Well, not for you, now that I’m telling you about Healthy Hoof’s Hoof Lacquer. Dries in a jiffy.

Retin-A does wonders to clear skin, but did you know that it also wreaks havoc on fine lines? The more you use it, the better the results. But please remember to slather on the sunscreen while using it!

As a makeup artist, I have hundreds of lip products, yet I always seem to fall back on the same one. MAC’s Viva Glam VI Special Edition is a mauve-y pink hue that looks good on everyone. I’ve used it in editorials, weddings, on myself, and would buy every woman, and womanly man a tube if I could afford it. It comes in gloss and lipstick, and I can’t get enough.

So there they are, in no particular order, the ten products I cannot live without. Happy beautifying!
xoxo Emery of The Emory Board!

You can see more here!

I’ve had some fashionable fortunes recently, due mostly to my lovely ladyfriend’s thoughtfulness and to her internet shopping savvy.

This first photo features two of the gems with which Kristin has graced my wardrobe. On my finger, from the “Curio Cabinet” of Etsy seller, Iciernia, is a handsome gold and onyx signet ring, which reminds me of something you might see Elvis Presley – or his descendant of dapper, Nick Cave – donning on any number of his digits. Also note, just above my breast pocket, from the same Etsy seller, the stately and sleek, true-vintage Victorian mourning brooch. The way I wear it nods to a military-inspired approach – a kind of sartorial insignia, if you will.

I think we all know by now that my closet is stuffed full of western gear; but for a long time it has been void of a proper, period-appropriate tie. No longer! My sweetheart found a clip-on ribbon tie for me on e-Bay, and it is the huckleberry to any Doc Holliday-esque ensemble I may put together.

On my darling dear’s recent trip to visit me in the G-20 city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we stopped at a boutique called Pavement, in the Lawrenceville section of my home metropolis. While she networked with the shop’s owner, I took a gander at some unisex accessories and procured this piece – a vintage black tie with toffee-colored detailing re-fashioned into a bracelet with a pearlized snap reminiscent of the enclosures found fastening my western shirts.

And finally, this past weekend, my best friend, Tiffany, and I took a trip to the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh, where there resides a buy/sell/trade clothing store by the name of Avalon Exchange. This place is generally hit-or-miss when it comes to men’s clothing, but I tend to have good luck finding footwear here (during a previous visit, I walked out with a beautiful pair of authentic lizard skin cowboy boots). This trip was no exception, as I became the new owner of this pair of caramel-colored, crocodile print loafers for a mere $12.50!

Any of you other fashionable fellows score any good finds lately? Care to share?

Photo by Carla Francis, in Bows and Arrows, 2009

“Really, just getting dressed every morning to live my life is an art form. It is the piece of art that I make every day: Me.”
-Olivia Coelho

Name: Olivia Coelho
Location: Sacramento, California
Occupation: Co-owner, Bows & Arrows Vintage Boutique

Olivia Coelho is an amazing woman and is very dear to my heart. Without her love and support, I would not be the graphic designer and photographer that I am today. Back in 2003, right after graduating from college, she found my work on the internet and contacted me to ask if I would like to design a flyer for her tri-monthly sale event, Sellout/Buyout, in exchange for garments from her vintage store, Olipom. To a vintage clothing-loving 22 year old who was fresh out of school and eager to gain creative experience, this was a dream come true. And so our friendship began.

Over the last several years, I’ve had the privilege of working with and getting to know this woman through countless photo shoots (my favorite one involving twenty ceramic rabbits) and by frequenting her stores (her first store, Olipom, and now her new store, Bows and Arrows). It was an honor when she asked me to design her wedding invitations and photograph the event too, which I did with zeal. I have spent countless nights at her house and enjoyed our long, insightful conversations in the morning over her delicious french press coffee, and I am absolutely enamored with her Pomeranian. Olivia is a warm, intelligent, inspiring woman, and I’m proud to call her my friend.

When did you know that you wanted your own business? Tell me how it all started!
It was a series of walking through open doors and settling in. It sounds simplistic but there was a lot of hard work, too. I just kept being in these situations where I would think, “Someone should open a store like this,” or, “Someone should start a fashion bazaar that would run like this .” I am also naturally frugal, and I always squirrel money away, so when it was time to start Olipom (my first boutique), I had enough money to go ahead when a good cheap lease opened up. I am not a gambler. I wait until the perfect moment, and then I pounce.

What are you wearing as you respond to these interview questions? Tell me about your personal style!
Electric Blue swishy harem pants circa 1989 rolled up to my knees, a tie-dyed and hand screened tee that artist Daniel White made me, Sam Edelman brown leather sandals I found super cheap at Marshall’s, a big tiered wooden necklace, and a vintage silver and abalone cuff. I always wear my wedding band and a silver winding snake ring. I have this really pretty patchwork leather purse with me, too. It is large and the colors are muted turquoise, mauve, mustard, burgundy, navy – really all the best colors.

I am really open-minded about fashion. To me, it is okay to try things that are new, but I will always have a little hippie in me, no matter what. I love my bell sleeve sweaters! I love eclectic jewelry, and you know I have my ridiculously long brown hair. I just enjoy being pretty natural. I have a garden, I shop at the farmer’s market, I ride my bike, I grew up with parents who were loving and healthy and open-minded. The textures of things are important to me. I am always drawn to silk, wood, silver, well worn cotton, 70’s denim, leather, and early 90’s rayon.

Life as your own boss?
Well I am in a partnership right now and I love it. I found my business soulmate in Trisha Rhomberg. We have known each other for years. She used to sell her line, Pretty Trashy, at Olipom. We started talking two years ago about how fun it would be to open a large buy/sell/trade vintage store. Then, next thing you know, we found a building, signed a lease, and opened up shop. It took like three months from our first conversation to our opening day. It has been almost two years and we couldn’t be happier! We both put Bows first. We want to be successful, and we are always working, thinking of how we can make it better. She is the only person I have met that has the same drive that I do. We really keep each other motivated and excited about what’s next.

Favorite/worst things about having your own business?
Well the best thing is living up to your potential. You really get to see how hard you can work and what you can get when you work hard. For us, our income is directly proportionate to how hard we work. That can get obsessive. We are trying now to rely more on interns and to form new business relationships with mutual gratification. I mean, sometimes it is just nice to have a real day off to go jump in the river and read a book.

You have a passion for vintage. Tell me about it.
I love it on so many different levels. I love the thrill of the hunt. I love the search, the score. I love the affordability and the idea of re-using and recycling and, most of all, I love respecting the makers of things and the journey of the things themselves. In ancient cultures, it was called Animism. It is basically a belief that things have their own life force and soul. Some people hate the idea of “used” things, which I think is basically the most spoiled bullshit. You have got to live in a pretty privileged world to believe that something is gross if it has come in contact with another human being before you.

You are also a talented artist and painter. Tell me what inspires you.
Hot Babes. Does that sound shallow? I just love beautiful women, and they inspire me in my artwork. I have a great appreciation for the female form. That is part of what drew me to fashion and my love of fashion photography. I love that line between being ravishing or alluring and being sleazy. My paintings are very Guy Bourdin meets Botticelli meets Nagel. My mother is an amazing sculptor and painter, and I grew up with nudity in artwork all around me, mainly classical realism, Baroque and Byzantine classics. I am so grateful for that because I don’t have any hang ups about nudity. Art was always respected in my home. I got my bachelor’s of Fine Art at UCSC, and that was an amazing experience. I think in college they want you to be more cognitive, have more meaning, and be more political in your art, but my art is about beauty. I don’t think of it as being political, but with the conservative religious movement, I guess it is. I haven’t been painting as much, but I have been having so much fun styling and taking photos and sewing that I feel really artistically fulfilled. Really just getting dressed every morning to live my life is an art form. It is the piece of art that I make every day: Me.

What are your three current favorite songs?
“This is my Love” by Hercules & Love Affair
“Red Hot Drops” by Chad Vangaalen
“Leaders of Men” by Joy Division

Do you have a favorite vintage item that you own?
Oh god, I could never pick just one. I have two 70s shirts that belonged to my best friend’s mother. They are thin polyester disco shirts, but they are really delicate. One has nature scenes on it, and the other has a bunch of flappers at a soiree in neutral tones, mauve, tan, burgundy, and slate grey. She gave them to me when I was fifteen, and I have worn them about twice a month ever since. I love that she wore them when she was a disco fox in the 70s, and I am still wearing them now. Some things cycle out of my life really quickly and other things just always work. I also have a small destroyed Fendi purse that I wear almost everyday. Nice vintage pieces are so sturdy.

What are your customers wearing?
We have so many different kinds of customers. We’ve got a lot of off the wall party kids that love all the wild gear: the neon, the acid wash, the bandage dresses. There are a lot of natural beauties who like the flowy floral dresses and well worn leather bags. Then we have a bunch of professional ladies and gents who like the slim 40s dresses, and the 80’s silk tops,  blazers, and the slim button ups. It is all about having the right balance of flair and basics. I am just happy that our regular customers are so varied, and that they can all find something that was meant for them, every time they come in. I want the pieces in our store to carry on their journey and go to the next loving home.

I’ve known you for a long time, and you have been wearing pantsuits way before the pantsuit trend started. How do you feel about it? Do you still want to wear them now that everyone is?
Jumpsuits just make my ass look great. Nothing can stop that. Every awesome period had a pantsuit associated with it. There were the high-powered “Dynasty” 80s pantsuits, 90s “Fly Girl” stretch pantsuits, 70s slinky Studio 54 pantsuits, 60s beehive cocktail queen pantsuits. I ain’t skerrrd.

Personally, I am not terribly concerned with what is trendy. Style is about longevity. Sometimes I put stuff in the back of the closet and give it a break when it gets too popular, but anything really amazing will resurface. I do have fun with fashion, though. I like to see all the new lines by the big designers and I love tearing through the fashion mags as they come out. The new trends are always easy to piece with vintage, or you can even find vintage versions of them. So much of fashion is just a reference to the past. People can be such sticks in the mud – “I’m not wearing that! I will not wear harem pants, or high-waisted denim, or crop tops, or skinny jeans, or over-sized.” I just think it is fun to try it all out and have fun with all sorts of styles. Some people are just going to wear the same shit year after year. I like to be adventurous.

Tell me about the future of Bows and Arrows?
Bows & Arrows is just exploding right now. We have such an awesome store jam-packed with radness. We have a good team of interns. Trisha and I have an amazing relationship. We have our new partnership with on eBay with HOLD MY GOLD, which is awesome. Erica has such a great eye for choosing pieces and styling them. Trisha and I have a sewing station set up in the store, and that is where you will most likely find us. We have been sewing so much that we are about to launch our house brand MISS CHIEF OF CALIFORNIA, exclusively for Bows & Arrows. We make our clothes from vintage fabrics. Each piece is one of a kind. We are always trying to plan fun parties, fashion shows, art shows, and sales. There are just never enough hours in the day!

Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
I say go for it! Just don’t risk more money than you would comfortably burn in a pit. Take a risk! It is the same for investing money. You are betting on yourself and your dreams, so make it happen! If you fail, then so what? It is not a big deal, you just move on to what is next and learn from it. I don’t think being an entrepreneur is for everyone. You may just learn that you don’t like working for yourself, and then you can stop fantasizing about it. I don’t take out loans and I don’t gamble, so if I have real money that I am going to put down for start up costs, you better believe I am going to do everything in my power to make it work. You’ve got to always remember that business is about selling a product for money. It has to make sense financially. You may have some radical ideas, but if you’re not making money, it is a hobby, not a business.

Olivia has agreed to give-away the above gorgeous Miss Chief of California skirt! Please submit a comment here by Friday 9/4 at midnight and we will choose a winner at random. The winner will be notified by email!

Note from Olivia: It is a size small, but the elastic waist should fit an XS/M!

Links:
Hold My Gold
Bows and Arrows Vintage
Bows and Arrows Blog