OTHER.MAG

 Many moons ago I met a beautiful soul named Michelle Athena. At the time I was working at Aldo Shoes in Manchester, NH and my manager was off on pregnancy leave. Because of this the company was utilizing many different Key Holders and managers from other local locations in order to cover the store. Miss Michelle was sent to my location one night to close the store with me as her closing associate.

In life I truly believe people are brought to you for a reason, and a lot of the time it is crazy who is meant to be in your life and why. You see at the time I had no idea what life was going to bring either of us especially with my personal journey. That is how life works, though, it brings you people and a lot of time it’s before you know or understand the bigger picture! I now know that I was supposed to know Michelle to be inspired by her talents as well as sing her praises for her accomplishments.

That night Michelle and I instantly bonded over life having very similar interests in many different things. Little did I know then how beautiful her success would prove to be and how far she would truly come! Michelle is now a published author of the book Charlotte and the Wooden Castle, and now founder, editor, and chief of Other.mag. She lives in Florida with her boyfriend and two pups and lives a life of inspiration & destination.

After that night I never really saw Michelle in person again, but we stayed in touch via social media. Michelle is truly an inspiration and I don’t think she even knows how much her posts have influenced and inspired me for many years now. I wish very much that we lived closer as her magazine is truly art and I wish very desperately to help with it one day. For now I can be a fan and reader and share how incredible her magazine truly is so let’s begin:

The magazine is broken up into five different chapters so how I want to go about this post is to give you a glimpse of each chapter by a quote from each.

Lilith.

“When you built me in the womb, was I not to delight in the way it mimics the moon? Was I not to seek her companionship, as we wax and wane in tandem?" 

  Undine.

“She must exist within our world without becoming consumed by it. All the emotions we feel for being what we are, that is what floods in for her, because she is no longer creature or monster; she is a soul within, looking out.” 

Wicked.

“Nine ounces an eternity in the making you are stardust. You are volcanic ash and you landed on the eyelashes of your great, great grandmother’s great, great grandmother and that night she dreamnt of your smile my girl.”

Banshee.

 “I saw it in her eyes. Like a sunrise in the forest, she moved through the trees slowly, greeting each like a solider coming home from war.”

Crone.

“I simply lie with my eye on the door, pulse rushing and heartbeat quaking. Those are the nights that follow me to my waking existence; that leave me glancing at moving shadows in empty corridors.”

I have always had a love and passion for magic. My imagination has always been my refuge. I use fashion to execute my need to express and create something all of my own. After reading OTHER.Mag I have found myself in awe of its beauty and pure poetry. Michelle and her team have created a world all of their own by representing different interpretations of the mythological world. I think my favorite part of the magazine (other than everything) was simply reading Bree Hays talk about the journey they took to creating OTHER.Mag.

People forget how important it is to listen to the voice in your stomach (your gut) that tells you what your true purpose is. Society has a compelling way of whispering doubt into our minds convincing us not to fulfill our dreams. I for many years listened to that voice and did not pursue the path that I am on today. Now I am not afraid to use my intuition to guide me towards my bigger purpose, and it is so beautiful to see many “OTHER.s” following their true paths.

Michelle was kind enough to answer a few questions I came across after reading each chapter. I asked her a series of three questions that I think will inspire you to enter the beautiful world she has represented and created through OTHER.

“What made you choose each chapter’s subject? Was it due to simply historic symbolism or was it slightly personal?”

Michelle: “That’s a great question. It was a mixture of the two. Each member of our creative team expressed what they were drawn to, focusing on the misinterpretations and stigmas associated with female ‘monsters’ or figures in folklore. All embody this quality of the Antagonist, which I find, on a personal level, is often associated with anything ‘Other.’ So, I think it was a combination of both the knowledge and closeness in choosing features. Making connections with the modern feminine experience was fairly easy once we began developing each character.”

“Since you are the face of ‘Wicked’ is that because you feel as if this is a pure representation of you? Or do you feel as I do that a piece of you is represented in each chapter?”

“It’s funny you mention the feeling that each section represents an aspect of yourself. After production, I came to the realization that this is the journey of one woman. Each is a stage of the feminine experience and development, and even though this wasn’t intentional, I believe it was subconsciously motivated as I constructed the projects and designed the layout. My part in Wicked was a mutually agreed upon character between the visual director, Alex and myself.

I do feel a visceral connection with all these characters. On set I was responsible for conveying the narrative and directing each model to become their assigned persona. So, in a way I was conveying a part of myself in how I am a piece of a greater feminine being by being a woman.”

“When coming up with the link between our modern day understanding of ‘magical’ and tales of history & culture what brought you to ‘OTHER.’ as the link between the two worlds?”

“The concept of ‘OTHER’ originated from the medieval era illuminated manuscripts that spoke of the creatures and entities that existed on the precipice of human perception/borders both physically and spiritually. I have a strong connection to that era in my education; I focused my art history and literature curriculum on this timeframe and because of this, it has greatly influenced my creative endeavors, including my second novel which I have yet to release.   

I arrived that Otherness being a facet of the human mind as it bridges from spiritual to physical; in how we relate ourselves to the unknown, usually emphasizing our oddities and how uniqueness in turn relates us to our fellow human. It is all very complex and holds beautiful meaning for me, and the entire mission of the magazine is wholly born by the value I hold on Otherness.”

If you would like to purchase and subscribe to the OTHER.Mag, purchase Michelle’s novel, or her personal blog check out the links below! NEW ISSUE OUT NOW!!!! 

v  OTHER.Mag- https://www.othermag.co/shop 

v  Charlotte and the Wooden Castle- https://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-Wooden-Castle-Michelle-Athena/dp/1522776389

v  Archaic Malady- https://belleathena.com/

The King of Captivation: Zack Stone

Lately I am sure you all have noticed I haven’t been blogging often. This is because some changes in my life: I got my first very own apartment, I am creating my own Etsy.com company, and I am expanding my brand to be something powerful and hopefully meaningful. All these things take time, preparation, and focus, so I have been putting effort in time spent alone and with friends to make these dreams come true. I have always been a big dreamer, but haven’t always been able to find purpose for all my dreams.

This year I have learned that what I was meant to do wasn’t just one thing, but a series of goals that all collaborate into one big one. I am creating more things than I ever have both physically and metaphorically. I have some really exciting things to share with you all, both projects I have been creating and making, as well as business plans I am going to be implementing soon.

On another note I have not only been focusing on my goals, but also meeting more talented artists who have skills I do not. One in particular is an extremely talented photographer Zack Stone. His pictures are captivating, breath taking, romantic, mythical, exotic, and other worldly. He has a way of taking a moment and making it a masterpiece.

I have worked with a good amount of photographers and I find that working with Zack is really a rewarding collaboration for many reasons. A lot of the time when you go into a photoshoot you are only to go off of the moves and angles that you know. What I love about working with Zack is his ability to make you a piece of art by guiding you and directing you into this unbelievable moment. His small or even dramatic guidance puts you in a certain mood when he photographs you.

Now that we have done a couple shoots together I have started to learn the mood he likes to capture, so it has become such a fun process of knowing the direction he gives and now the guidance I have completely implemented into my modeling. I think he has made me a better model, simply by helping me feel a mood when taking a photo, but also by learning new ways to hold myself in order to capture something beautiful.

When I first received the photos I was astonished at how gorgeous they were and it was not because of me by any means, but by his ability to take such a powerful photo. I will let his words through some questions I asked him and the pictures he has taken of me speak for themselves, as his pictures speak way more than 1,000 words.

When in your life did you first realize photography was something that would forever be your ultimate passion? Was it a series of events, or was it something you always knew?

Well, I’ve always struggled to have hobbies because most of them that I tried required me to have others to do it with, so most other things prior to photography I gave up because people didn’t get into it as much as I did. Photography is different because I can go out and take photos of whatever by myself. I have a tendency to go all out when I’m into something. It’s something that’s in my personality; I’m very hot and cold about things, which can be a determent sometimes. I made it an almost daily routine to grab my camera after work and just take photos of everything, I really enjoyed it. It also provides a nice buffer between my personal issues and me. It wraps me up in a positive place that I always want to go back to.

What inspires your photos now to have both the mood and look that you aim for, and do you think the mood you have now is consistent with when you first started avidly pursuing photography?

I’ve always been obsessed with depth of field; I just love the look of it. I struggle to describe my artistic vision because it seems like a certainty that I’ll come across as pretentious. I think a lot of what I try to go for comes from a love of fantasy, a bit of idealism and also a sense of sadness at times. I grew up watching, reading and playing games that revolved around fantasy. I think photography allows me to put my own spin on the world.

How would you describe your art if you had to describe it instead of letting it speak for itself?

I’d like to think of it as emotive, moody, and dreamy. People often tell me my photos look “soft” I think that’s a desirable adjective. I’m a pretty emotional person myself, who thinks a lot; I’m also pretty existential so that may also reflect in my work. I’d also say it’s simple I don’t like photos where there is a lot of crazy posing, and cheesy gimmicks. I like the “less is more” approach.

When you pursue models and looks what usually inspires that? Is it organic or do you feel as if it is something you plan out before implementing?

I find a lot of different models photogenic for different reasons. I think a lot of it may be a subconscious processing that I’m not completely aware of. Some of them have an “agency” look and some have that girl next door look as well. There are women who are certainly more apt for certain genres more than others just based on appearance. Sometimes, models can do a lot of different things but that’s rarer. I’d also like to stress that it’s not enough to just be an attractive person, it helps but there has to be a connection between the model and subjects who will be looking at her photo. I find a really great model is someone who can basically just look at you with minimal body language and hook you in.

What is your favorite thing about being behind the camera lens? Is it almost like looking through your real eyes or do you feel like you see the world in photographs now?

The camera gives me the ability to transform the world into the way I envision it in my head. I preconceive my photos a lot, especially landscapes, but I do for portraiture as well. This is also where I’d like to dispel the mantra of gear doesn’t matter, it does. I couldn’t do portraits the way I’d want to without a fast aperture. As I said earlier, I’m pretty obsessed with a thin depth of field. Photography in general has really opened up my social life as well. I can incorporate my photography into everything I spend my time doing. And I’ve made some wonderful friends who I never would have met otherwise.

What does your logo SlamzeeNY stand for and why did it become your brand?

Oh god, haha. It’s actually a self-parody that just stuck with me since I was 14. The story is, I was listening to Eminem’s “My Name is” and during the chorus I thought Slim Shady was Slamzeeny, my friends took note of my mistake and I decided to make it a joke because I thought it was amusing. It’s also unique in its own way as well.

If you would like to see more of Zack’s work and I urge you to do so, please visit his Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/slamzeeny/ 

My Valentine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have taken some time of absence from my blog because I got my very own apartment! I will be showing you some things I have been creating, some things I will be selling on Etsy.com, and some DIY projects I have been working on. For today though, I wanted to share with you something personal and real.

No matter what a person portrays on the outside you have to know that is not always what is truly going on in their life. My life recently has been a series of traumas that has brought me to a very sad state. I have had a hard time being myself, and taking care of myself. This has led me to a very interesting realization.

We now live in a world where it is very easy to “love yourself” aka take selfies, “feel yourself,” etc. but what isn’t easy is taking care of yourself and respecting yourself. I have a very hard time taking care of myself because I am a giver who wants to take care of other people, but what I have found throughout time is that taking care of yourself by putting your needs first is more important than loving yourself.

We are a culture of false images where we portray our lives to be a perfect façade, but that is a dangerous game because it does tend to make us focused on the wrong lifestyle. As today is the day of love I urge you to do as I have done and take a step back to reevaluate the way you treat yourself with your relationships and your life. Do you think you live a life that is fair to your needs? Do you take care of your emotions and wants? Do you feel as if you are on the life path that brings you the most joy possible, and has helped you achieve and/or follow your dreams?

If you, like me said no to any of these questions it is time to change that! Use this Valentine’s Day as a new door of life to walk into to really make sure the people in your life treat you the right way, and give you the love you deserve. We can only control ourselves and I can tell you from many different experiences I have encountered, if something isn’t working your gut is telling you the truth… it is not ever going to change.

As humans we are so desperate for companionship and love that we tend to sacrifice a lot of things we need in order to get what we crave, but the problem with that is that we then in the end live a life of disappointment. I think it is important to know what you need to be happy and make sure that not just the people you date, but each relationship in your life satisfies the needs you were born to have. It is not a bad thing to be a certain way and require a certain kind of love.

I have felt for a long time that I needed to sacrificed a lot of my needs to help the other people in my life, but that has not given me the strength to truly take care of myself (since I am too busy taking care of others). I watch a lot of people in my personal circle and in general do this very thing also, and it has brought me to a sad state where I realized we are not a culture that takes care of ourselves. Instead we focus on the outward image and go along with a lifestyle that does not satisfy.

If there is anything in your life making you feel like you cannot take care of yourself such as: communicate your feelings and be genuinely received, feel as if the people you surround yourself with truly appreciate you and either show you or tell you, have positive people in general around you, do the occasional things like buy yourself something you have been really wanting, and take pride in not just what you look like, but who you are. If you feel as if these things or one of these things are lacking make sure you take this Valentine’s Day or any day to try and change this.

It is important to be in a positive place in your life, and even if you think that is impossible I promise it is not! Love yourself because everyone deserves love, but most important take care of yourself, because you deserve a life of positivity and satisfaction. 

xoxo

Chelsea Nine 

Taking A Leap of Fashion

Fashion. A word that scares so many of us and yet dictates so much of our society. Why are we so afraid of this industry, though? In my personal opinion it is due to the pressure of our culture. The unrealistic norms that we see on the cover of magazines… or maybe it’s the definition we give ourselves that cripples us from true self-expression?

This is my main goal of blogging: to release those who are afraid of fashion into a realization that style is your ability to define both yourself and your take on the industry. Meaning you can be whoever you want to be! You can look however you want to look!

In my past posts I talk about color history and how we were once a society dictated by fashion. How once upon a time there were rules and regulations that made each human bound to one way of self-expression. I don’t think people realize that we now live in an era where we have total rights over our day to day image, and how much of history was not given these same rights.

Because of this we should all embrace our freedom and express ourselves in whatever way we want! I know I seem overly enthusiastic, but my hope is that I can send some of it your way so you can feel comfortable taking advantage of self-expression too.

Now I do understand that fashion and style can be intimidating to a lot of people and it is hard to take “fashion risks” without feeling like the people who know us are going to “judge us.” That being said I have a solution to this said problem! This is typically the time of year for traveling as it is when the winter breaks kick in and those of us trapped in the cold venture off to warmer pastures.

If you are feeling adventurous why not be adventurous with your personal style as well? Vacation is a perfect time to take risks in your wardrobe for you are not going to be seen by anyone you know. Therefor you are relieving a lot of that nervous energy since there is no reason to be nervous at all! No one will judge you and honestly people who take a leap of fashion get more praise than you realize.

So think for a second… what is that one thing you love but our afraid to wear due to feeling as if it is “not your style” or “it’s just too flashy” and forget your limitations just wear it! See how you feel and wear it with confidence! Even if you feel like it isn’t your style if you are drawn to it that kind of means it is your style. Style is simply an interpretation of ongoing trends and fashions that can be both current and/or vintage.

I went to visit my family in South Carolina for Christmas this year, and had a lot of fun wearing different crazy outfits such as all olive green ensembles, and my burgundy look you see above. Wearing my fur scarf I got for Christmas definitely made me stick out in a place that typically stays fairly warm, but I didn’t care at all!

None of those people will ever see me again so that made it the perfect opportunity to be bold, and have fun finding different outfits to pair my new scarf with! Even if people weren’t used to the faux fur look it didn’t matter because I felt confident and had fun! Sometimes fashion is simply about taking a leap. If you have ever watched those style shows such as: What Not To Wear you see how hesitant people are to change their ways then end up realizing it was so rewarding!

Think of these upcoming vacations as a chance to reinvent your look. Maybe it is a big floppy hat such as the one Audrey Hepburn usually sports, maybe it is a funky pair of sunglasses, maybe it is simply a pair of shoes you don’t typically wear… whatever it is embrace it, try it, and feel good knowing you are pushing yourself! That is the best way to figure out what looks good on you, what compliments you, or just what you feel good in! A lot of times you will find that people notice a little risk and really respond to it!

You should never base your style on others, but it is a nice reassurance when you hear praises for taking a leap of fashion! You never know until you try! Very cliché but very true, and if you have been feeling recently like you need a little boost... start with your wardrobe! You can’t control everything in this world, but now in today’s culture we are lucky enough to be able to control what we wear & how we wear it!

Love & Lights

 

As the snowflakes begin to trickle from the sky, the fires start to burn, and our noses start to freeze we know it is that time of year again where “the world falls in love.” Christmas, New Years, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah whatever holiday you celebrate seems to bring people into a state of excitement, love, and enthusiasm. It is when people cherish what they are blessed with or whom they are blessed with and get excited for the new beginnings to come.

For me holidays are an excuse to cuddle and think about what I have accomplished, and what I want to accomplish. This year was very hard for me, as I am sure I have mentioned in previous posts. That being said I tend to hold dear to the ones I love endlessly and cherish most of all. As you can see in my pictures I am holding a tiny kitty. This for those of you who do not know is my darling baby Eliza Jane.

These holidays are the perfect excuse to appreciate the ones we love. To realize we are blessed to have pets, and friends, family, and loved ones to be surrounded by in a this time of lights & love. I don’t want to write too much for the holidays, as I think it is a time that speaks for itself! But I wanted to wish you all Merry Christmas (or any of the other holidays I mentioned above) & a Happy New Year! I hope you all were all able to be smothered in love, presents, and joy.

Merry Christmas Love,

Chelsea Nine

The Art of Layering

All my life I have been one of those people who runs extremely cold. No matter what time of year or season it is I seem to always be freezing, because of this (and the fact that I live in New England) I have had to perfect the art of layering. Layering is a really important skill to learn no matter where you live. It can completely transform an outfit or just make your day a lot more comfortable. It can also be very helpful when you find yourself having to jump from one activity to another.

I love wearing layers, it is a sense of comfort that I don’t really get to experience as much during the summer. In the colder seasons, however, I truly love how many outfit options layering provides. For example taking a simple sweater and leather leggings then changing the vest, the shoes, the scarf, or the coat can take an outfit in so many different directions. I could go from trendy and chic, to comfy and casual, or festive and fun all with simple layering tweaks!

It is a little more fun to express yourself when you have fewer limitations such as having to wear lighter or less clothing in order to stay cool. In the summer I tend to show off my figure, but in the winter it is my chance to hide my curves, something I love to do. It is fun to be a little mysterious and leave your outfit and personal style to do the talking. Plus it is always nice to throw on a sweater and feel like you aren’t completely leaving your bed in the morning.

I put together three different looks that show how you can take the same piece and with the art of layering can completely transform your look. It is so easy to take a simple sweater and change things such as your shoes, your jacket, etc. and mix and match to create versatility in your wardrobe. What makes layering so difficult for people is typically during your shopping experience… for example people don’t seem to think of their wardrobes as a whole so when they go out and shop they forget to match items they love!

Are you one of these people? An important question to ask yourself…. if you are no worries you just need a small change of mindset. Next time you are out shopping maybe take pictures of your favorite sweater and jeans or your favorite long-sleeved shirt and leggings. Bring those pictures with you to match with the items you fall in love with in the store. Then when you see a really cute vest that will be both comfortable and stylish you can look back to your sweater collection and see if anything you own will pair well with your new buy.

In the three looks I created I wanted to represent three different styles, people, and ways you can layer in order to properly show how powerful a proper layer can be! It’s not really hard if you live in New England or anywhere cold really, but how do we juggle our five to ten (depending on if you are a sweater collector or simply a lover) different sweaters? Well the answer is simple…. Layering! Buy different scarves for cheap or invest in a couple faux fur vests, dusters (see previous post), or simply light cardigans to layer on top of a chunky knit!

I hope with my visuals and advice you feel a little more confident about the art of layering, especially since this time of year it is important to stay warm! If you want to look into some posts I wrote in the past on layering check out: Style Session: The Duster & Got a Love Like Denim.