Who's that girl?

It is no secret that Maddy and I have a penchant for 'New Girl'. Since she introduced me to the quirky American sitcom, many lazy evenings have been spent on the sofa together, following the mad and dysfunctional lives of Jess and her kooky flatmates, Nick, Schmidt and Winston. As housemates ourselves, I guess we could relate to the hilarious storylines and enthralling character dynamics. (Or perhaps we just love watching Zooey Deschanel prancing around in cute dresses.) Maddy naturally found an affinity with Jess - and not just because they are telepathically connected by the same fringe.

If you were to go looking in Maddy's wardrobe, you might just have a Narnia moment and fall into Apartment 4d. Pretty dresses, polka dots and patterned jumpers are aplenty. We had often mused about having a New Girl themed photo shoot, and with Zalando having compiled their own New Girl fashion edit, we couldn't help feeling inspired to finally give it a go. I can only suspect Maddy has given up trying to shake off her repute as a real-life Jess, because she won't live it down after today!

Girls Who Read

You may remember I was involved in the production of a Roundhouse-funded short film called 'Girls Who Read', directed by a former BAMMJ student, Guy Larsen. The film was released last Friday, and it has been an overwhelming success. In less than a week, 'Girls Who Read' made the front pages of Reddit and BuzzFeed, and it had received more than 2,000,000 views on YouTube. Suffice it to say, I am immensely proud to have been part of such an amazing project.

'Girls Who Read' is based on the namesake poem by Mark Grist, who stars as the narrator. The film truly brings his poem to life in a beautiful way, and I cannot offer more praise to Guy Larsen, producer Mike Histon, editor Martyn Graham, the wonderful actress Amy Burrows, and the many talented individuals who made the film happen. Full credits can be found on the Roundhouse website.

Debenhams AW13 menswear challenge

I love autumn. I love the rich hues in the trees, especially on sunny mornings. And though the air may be sharp with the tell-tale signs of winter's approach, I love the excuse to pull on a pair of boots and wrap myself up in a stripy scarf.

Whitmoor Common in nearby Worplesdon, Surrey, is rather spectacular at this time of the year. The woodland has transformed to orange and brown, and the open marshland is a picture-perfect landscape. But I cannot take credit for these photographs. These shots are the eye and handiwork of Guildford based fashion photographer Saskia Lawson, who I previously interviewed in 2012. I do not often have the privilege of a guest photographer, and Saskia was a delight to collaborate with for this style feature.

The challenge set by Debenhams was to style three key pieces from their AW13 designer collections. I decided on an autumnal colour palette of blue and brown, for which I chose Ben Sherman teal trousers, Loake tan boots, and a John Rocha stripy scarf. These were teamed with a staple white shirt to accentuate the colours. The look was completed with a brown belt and two of my favourite accessories - a Daniel Wellington wristwatch and my new Osiris glasses from Specsavers.

Massive thanks to the talented Saskia Lawson for shooting these photos. I hope this is not the only time I get to work with her. Go 'like' her Facebook page and visit her website to see some of her amazing images, including a couple of shoots for Pebble Zine. If you are also a photographer and fancy collaborating with me on a personal style feature, I would love to hear from you. Send me an e-mail: unlimitedbyjk@yahoo.co.uk

Girls Who Read: Part II

Girls Who Read: Part I

"I want a girl who reads, who feeds her addiction for fiction with unusual poems and plays, that she hunts out in crooked bookshops for days and days and days," says Mark Grist in his quirky poem, which is being adapted into a short film. A friend and former BAMMJ, Guy Larsen, invited me to shoot stills and behind-the-scenes photos during the project, which has received funding from Roundhouse.

But wait, there's more! See my behind-the-scenes photos from the final day of filming.

Pebble Zine: Lucy Cait

These photos are from a casual shoot with musician Lucy Cait, following her interview with Pebble Zine's music editor, Sally Rose McCormack. You can read the full feature on pages 80-81. This has been my final edition of the magazine as deputy editor, however I am certain I will continue to contribute where I can.

VIDEO: What Alice Found x ASOS Marketplace

'What Alice Found' has relaunched its ASOS Marketplace boutique, featuring a brand new look book and themed photo shoot. Nicki kindly invited me to film behind-the-scenes at the beautiful Shelley Theatre in Boscombe, where the characters of Alice in Wonderland were brought to life in vintage attire.

What Alice Found vintage boutique can be found at 805 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset. Nicki Grainger is available as a freelance stylist, having worked on numerous shoots and theatre productions. See more at: www.whatalicefound.co.uk.

Ruby and the Rib Cage

This has to be my favourite photo from my shoot with Ruby, lead singer of 'Ruby and the Rib Cage'. I had planned on publishing a selection of photographs, but this particular image - taken at St Leonard's Church, Shoreditch - appears so beautifully by itself. You can see more photos from the shoot on Facebook.

Sneak peek: Ruby and the Rib Cage

Following her interview in the most recent edition of Pebble Zine, Ruby of the namesake 'Ruby and the Rib Cage' kindly asked we could arrange a photo shoot together. Braving a chilly afternoon in Shoreditch, we came away with some lovely shots from Wilkes Street and St Leonard's church, a taster of which is below.

The photo shoot was also a chance to take the Canon 5D MkII for a pre-LFW adventure. While my Sony α 290 has proven itself capable, the Canon 5D is arguably superior in quality and efficiency. Sadly, the camera is only on loan, but if I had a couple of thousand pounds to spare, I would have my own in an instant.

Hilary Rushford, Brooklyn beauty in London

Sneak peek: Hilary Rushford photo shoot

Below is a teaser from my street style shoot with Dean Street Society's Hilary Rushford. The New York personal stylist was an absolute pleasure to photograph, and I hope my final selection of photos will reflect her charming personality.

Hilary even kindly permitted me to interview her to camera at her London home, which you will have a chance to see in early January. She was an exceptionally confident and friendly person to speak to, and I am delighted to have made her acquaintance.

(You can learn more about Hilary at www.deanstreetsociety.com)

Pebble Zine natural beauty shoot

The final photo shoot of Pebble Zine's October/November issue maintains a focus on natural beauty. Black and white photographs draw attention to the finer details of each individual's face, such as freckles, facial hair and jawline. The following portraits are my personal cut from the full shoot. The published editorial can be found on pages 220-231.

Leanne vs. Motel Rocks

This was a casual shoot with my younger sister, Leanne, behind our house in Woking.
She has recently acquired a number of stylish garments, including these stripy skinny jeans from Motel Rocks (which I love, by the way). If she took photos herself, her keen eye for zany yet super-chic clothes and accessories could potentially be of envy of many personal style bloggers. There is no doubt you will see her on my blog again.

"CMYK"

"CMYK" 

Model: Charlotte Gay

Photographer: Joseph Kent 

Location: Bournemouth University 

Inspiration: Pop Art 

(If you have enquiries about collaborations or shoots, 

please do not hesitate to contact me.)

Behind the scenes ~ AUCB fashion shoot: Part 2

Here is a further look behind the scenes of the Graduate Fashion Week photo shoot for the Arts University College Bournemouth. Headed by second-year fashion students, the shoot is part of an overall branding project for this year's GFW exhibition stand.

The location for the shoot was the downstairs bedroom of a Charminster student house, temporarily transformed into a makeshift studio. Upstairs, calico outfits were prepared by the stylists; their favourites captured on Polaroid film. The shoot itself went on into the early evening, but the photographic results were worth that time spent.

A job well done by photographer Tim Durkin, director Victoria Child, and everyone involved. I look forward to seeing the final product in print come Monday 11th June, when I will be seated for AUCB's Graduate Fashion Week showcase.

(Previous behind-the-scenes photos can be found here. Please visit the GFW website
to buy tickets for the AUCB catwalk show, 16:00, Monday 11th June, Earls Court 2.)

Behind the scenes ~ AUCB fashion shoot: Part 1

These are the first behind-the-scenes photos from yesterday's shoot in preparation for AUCB's Graduate Fashion Week showcase. In order of appearance below, models were Josh Paul, Charlotte Rogers, Kerrie Lobb and Olivia Huntingford; make-up and hair styled by Amy George. More behind-the-scenes photos to feature soon.