Fashion through the generations

Since 2013, my friend Shannon and I have been collaborating on fun shoots. Both creative humans, we share a love for fashion and artistic collaboration. Last summer, over a long overdue coffee chat, she mentioned she had recently inherited clothing from her grandmother-in-law. I knew we had to do a shoot.

I love photographing beautiful clothes but what I love more is telling a story through fashion. A shoot with Shannon wearing these heritage pieces would honor their previous owner and give these family heirlooms a new life in the modern day. In a world inundated by fast fashion, bringing classic vintage items into our everyday wardrobe is truly authentic and one-of-a-kind.

We ventured out to shoot at a variety of locations within the UCLA campus, where Shannon’s grandmother-in-law used to work.

Old money tomboy

A vintage Ralph Lauren blazer, varsity sweater vest, and leather bag ensemble (all pieces from her grandmother-in-law) styled with casual Chuck Taylors (Shannon’s) contrasts an old money country club aesthetic with contemporary street style. I love the added sophistication of the gold details of the handbag clasp and as well as the antique Lord Elgin wristwatch, which was actually Grandma's 16th birthday gift from her dad (!) I chose a collegiate red brick location to complement this Ivy League look. A funky beret tops off the look, adding European flair.

An artist at work

A linen matching set (Grandma’s) paired with a sports bra top (Shannon’s) makes the perfect artist uniform. Breezy, comfortable, and functional with a hint of sporty. Accessorize with a cotton handkerchief (Grandma’s) and a vintage camera. I chose this garden setting to ground the outfit in nature and earthy tones. Georgia O’Keeffe vibes for days.

Old school glam

The linen blouse (Grandma’s) was one-of-a-kind, but with the oversized fit, we wanted something constrasting and fitted to complete the outfit. We chose to dress it up with a leather skirt (actually a hand-me-down from Shannon’s mother) and contemporary heeled sandals (Shannon’s). A handkerchief-turned-belt (Grandma’s) and a sleek ponytail adds a final layer of polish to finish off the look. I did my best to scout out a modern backdrop, and settled on this concrete walkway with a sleek iron railing.

Flower Child

Last but not least, another matching set (Grandma’s), but featuring floral patterns. The cut of the blouse feels masculine, so we added a belt to define the waist and create a bit of structure within the oversized shirt and pants. We also found a perfect match between material of the leather belt (Grandma’s) and the crossbody clutch (Shannon’s), and created a faux belt bag combination that adds to a bit of bling to the otherwise casual outfit. A pair of fun sunglasses (from Sunski, an SF-based sustainable glasses company) and a natural background perfectly complements the colors and themes of the outfit.

And that’s it — four looks shot in two hours. Even though it’s been a decade of growing up and becoming adults, we realized we can’t resist getting to play dress up. I love experimenting with fashion photography, in which a hairstyle, a color, a fabric, or a certain setting can evoke different styles, trends, and decades. What a fun day. :)

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Model: Shannon Kim

Photography: Me

Styling: Shannon and me

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