Long overdue

Yes, I realize it's been an entire 11 months and 11 days since these photos were taken, but this post had to be made sometime. This being said, I remember the very first time I browsed the intimidating multitude of archives belonging to The Sartorialist, wishing I had just half as much of Scott Schuman's incredibly baller persona. It simply amazed me how one individual could possess this level of confidence and spontaneity, traits that are almost prerequisites to photographing well-dressed strangers in the name of fashion and not feeling awkward about it during and after the first introduction.

Anastasia

Los Angeles International Airport
March 14, 2009

March 14th, 2009 was my first-ever encounter with a subject to photograph for my blog. Her name was Anastasia and I met her in LAX waiting on my return flight to Philadelphia after Spring Break. Dressed in a lot of comfy vintage finds, she divulged to me her love for Philly thrift-store shopping and learning new languages. It may have been a coincidence with how the photos turned out, but her oversized Kanye-esque shades seemed to complement her mahogany lace-up Oxford flats perfectly. Anastasia definitely stuck out to me among the rest of the young travelers in the typical college hoodie and jeans look, proving that airport garb does not equate to dull uniformity. Her outfit intrigued me from head to toe; she was able to pull off a completely monochromatic base without looking one-dimensional or blendy- an extreme accomplishment in my eyes. The skinny scarf, chunky ring and shoes just added an unexpected dimension to her look, taking it from good to great. So maybe this is why I need to learn to accessorize... but I digress.

In short, the mini-photoshoot I had with my dinky pink Olympus digital camera was not the most earth-shattering event to happen in the world of fashion, but it did open up doors for me and allowed me to understand that in order to be more comfortable with myself and my interests, I would have to do things like this to grow. I carried this confidence over with me to London, photographing a total of forty locals for my two blogs collectively over an entire semester. Giving a nod to my OCD and severe need for anything and everything to flow in chronological order, I can now start posting the rest I've photographed over the past year. A step up, I must say.