Neuter This

I can’t believe that I am saying this, but I just booked a photography session for my son to get his senior pictures taken! What the means is that he will be a senior this fall. I can’t believe how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday he was learning to walk and now he will be walking around as a senior in high school. Before I know it he will be off to college and then on his own. Though it makes a little sad, at least I have another year before he moves out.

And I will have some great pictures from a professional photography studio. I am really excited about these pictures and he hasn’t even had them taken yet! I suppose the reason is that I had my pictures taken by the same photography place and I loved them. I can’t believe they are still around over twenty years later, but that must mean that they are really good at what they do. Hopefully he will want to do some of the same poses that I did when I was a senior, but I doubt it!

One thing that will really neat is that we will be getting some family pictures taken as well by this photography studio. It has been a while since we had any done so I thought it was about time. I can’t wait to have his senior pictures and our family pictures hanging up on the wall at home! Photos are an easy way to preserve your memories and display them for all your guests to enjoy.

Fashion is amazing to watch and keep track of. The ever changing styles always seem to make a come back, even those tight roll jeans of yester year. Of course I love that everyone has his or her own sense of style. Yes, I may have seen someone with the ever popular 90’s tight rolled ankle, it may not be a trending fashion for the main stream but it is fashion forward for this old gal I saw and that’s a o.k.

Color trends come and go but fashion styles will always be making comebacks with just a little modification. Skinny jeans with bows and zippers at the ankles were hot when I was in high school. I haven’t seen them in over fifteen years but last winter what did I see? Yep… skinny’s with zippered ankles and bows. While I rocked the look in high school, my mama body doesn’t like the skinny jean quite so much. It took a little work, but with a blousy shirt and tall boots I can pull it off.

Even big hair is back, maybe not as stringy as it was in the 80’s but big, full hairstyles are all the rage. This is a good thing for southern girls like me! My hair is otherwise stuck flat to my head and I like a little volume. Here in the south, we like to say, “The bigger the hair, the closer to God.”

To be up to date in the fashion world could cost an arm and a leg but you can pull off the same styles with different names on the tags and a few less numbers on the price tag. I love to shop at TJ Maxx and Ross, but I’ve always wanted to make my own clothing too. If I only wore dresses I could possibly pull that off but seeing as how I’ve not sewn a dress before I should probably start with a simple tunic style or maxi dress first before I deck my entire wardrobe out in one of a kind handmade garments.

Is today’s fashion a deja vu or what? I am seeing neon, high tops, and I really think I might have seen some parachute pants the other day. Don’t hold me to that last one though. Isn’t it strange how things come back around? The cutoff jeans with tights, I’m telling you that is straight out of the early 90’s. Some of these flashbacks are from the late 80’s. I’m in my late twenties, and I just wasn’t ready for this new/old transition. I teach teenagers, and for the most part my kids are pretty up on the newest fashion. I suppose it’s the oldest fashion.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, oh no, it’s not overalls!!! Yep, even the oh-so-grungy overalls are making a comeback. The grunge look, much like it did in the 90’s is only plaguing a few kids, while other more fashion savvy kids seem to be immune to its wiles. And what would grunge be without some plaid flannel? Oh yes, just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, bib overalls, plaid flannel overshirt, and wait for it…a bucket hat! I kid you not, I totally saw one of my teenagers wearing this ensemble just this week.

Shuddering away from the grunge look is the look that won’t die. I’m talking of course about the preppy look. Boat shoes, Bermuda short, and a polo with a Lacrosse emblem. While I’m not sure this style ever went out, I am certainly seeing a revival now. What’s that about? I wonder how the kids would react if they saw all of their teachers wearing the same clothes they are wearing, only twenty years ago?

Every year a few styles are introduced which set the tone for the entire year. 2012 won’t be any different. There are some things you should get used to seeing this year.

Color will be a really big deal. Instead of achieving a bright look from layering clothing, this year you can expect to see a lot of color on a single garment. The style is called color blocking. The great thing about color blocking will be that you can wear some colors you normal can’t get away with, as long as that block of unflattering color isn’t near your face. Another perk of color blocking will be the ability to use the blocks of brilliant color to hide some of your flaws. Choose garments that don’t have more than three colors.

You won’t have to worry about looking silly this year when it rains. Several of the top fashion designers have taken advantage anoraks and turned them into something that won’t just keep your dry, but will also turn heads. You should expect to see some really sport looking anoraks being worn in all types of weather. The trick when choosing an anorak is to find one that fits really well, has a belt, and is in a neutral tone that can be worn with lots of different colors.

Plan on wearing some orange in 2012. This year fashion designers seem to be pulled towards all varieties of the colors. When choosing clothing in orange remember that different people will look better in different shades of the color so choose the shade that flatters your coloring. You also need to remember that a little orange goes a long way, so don’t overdo it.

If you thought that cameo only came in earth tones and was only worn in the woods, this year’s fashion designers aim to prove your wrong. They’ve taken and old thing, cameo, and given it a new twist, bright colors. Colored cameo does an excellent job highlighting curves and softening points, creating a lovely hourglass figure.

Photography has become a very popular hobby. There are many professional photography classes offered at colleges now and some people are finding their calling behind the lens. Photography can be a side job or a full time job for many. With cameras now being digital, the expense is not as great as it once was with film and processing.

You don’t need a professional setup to process your film and thanks to digital cameras, you don’t have to be an expert on the inner workings of film at all! If you are an amateur photographer, getting the hang of a few basic tricks can make your photos stand out from the crowd. Try these little tricks for a more professional photo the next time you are snapping shots with your camera.

First, choose your background with care. The background should never take over the people in the picture. Instead, you want it to emphasize the individuals. Think of the background as a way to create a story for the picture. A background can also give the picture more depth and color.

Second, learn how to work with shadowing. Many people love pictures of their shadow on the side of building or a shadow of their children walking together down a path. This is a different kind of effect but can be a great new way to add some different views in a picture profile.

Finally, consider adding some quirky touches to your photographs. Instead of centering your subject, angle the camera so that they appear on the side of the shot. Use an extreme zoom or shoot from a far distance. Going beyond the typical portrait studio style of photography can really take a bland portrait setting and turn it into something truly stunning.