SEA-TAC AIRPORT, EARLY MORNING

This post is a day or two late, but all weekend was taken up with a theatre show that I produced. Here's this past weekend's post. 

Around the middle of October I took a business trip to the other Washington (DC). Flying from the West Coast to the East Coast always means losing 3 hours, so flights tend to leave early in the morning. My flight was delayed (aren’t most of them?) and I had time to wander around the airport taking photos. People in general were pleasant and agreeable, maybe too sleepy to really care one way or the other.

The exception was a woman who signed a release and let me take her picture, then 15 minutes later came storming back to ask me to return her release form and delete her photo. She tore up her form, accusing me of trying to “scam” her. People, please be aware that any time a photo of an individual is displayed on a public venue (blog, print publication, etc), it should be with the subject’s written permission and a statement that it may only be used for the specified purpose (i.e., posting on this blog). Photo releases are standard procedure, and not in any way harmful. In fact, they are for your own protection as well as mine.

I was originally planning to take another set of photos in the Washington National Airport, but it was a Friday afternoon, the place was extremely crowded, people were all stressed and grumpy, and the subtle smell of paranoia permeated the air. I am finding that there are optimal conditions for taking photos, and have learned to avoid places with dense crowds, loud music, and a high proportion of people over 50 and/or with young children. These people are part of the real world, but tend to be very suspicious of someone wanting to take their photo, so I just have to accept the fact that they will be under-represented here.

Thanks to everyone in the Seattle-Tacoma airport who agreed to participate! Here you are:

You gotta love a "Tough Alaska Chick!

Enjoli is wearing "Burberry" perfume.

October was still shorts weather. People in the airport like to pose as couples or groups. 

Not wearing fragrance. 

October is also boots and scarf weather, depending on where you're going. 

Samantha Ashton is wearing bath & Body Works "Vanilla". 

Plenty of bags for the trip!

Wearing "Sunflower"

Here's a happy trio on their way to Disneyland! Appropriately dressed, of course. 

No fragrance(s) reported. 

A brightly patterned scarf makes the turquoise really pop out. 

Wearing scented deodorant, no details reported. 

Utilitarian dress for the trip!

Wearing scented deodorant, no details reported. 

Orange and white stripes!

No fragrance reported.

At the airport massage station. 

Wearing "Axe.

The tenth photo is missing, so use your imagination. 

[Interior photo of Reagan National Airport in Washington DC on a good day is from Wikimedia]

THERE ARE STILL BOOK SHOPS

Week before last I was traveling, and this past week was tech week for a theatre show that I’m producing, so didn’t get around to publishing anything here. At least I survived.  My apologies to anyone who has been searching for their photo and not finding anything.

It’s good to know that the Seattle metro area still has a few real bookshops, one of which I usually pass by on my way to and from my job at the university. I stopped by the book shop on a gorgeous October afternoon, the sort of early fall day when the sky is bright blue and the trees are just starting to take on yellows and reds.

This was my third time out taking photos, and it went a lot more smoothly than before. I had everything organized in advance, and was getting better at approaching people. I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly everyone in the bookstore was. They all seemed relaxed and happy, so there must be something magical in those books!

It was a perfect day to sit outside in shorts and sandals.

No fragrance reported.

A lot of people wear name tags at work. That doesn't keep them from looking great!

No fragrance reported.

Everyone in the bookstore looks casual, comfortable and happy.

No fragrance reported.

James E opted for shorts and sandals on this warm October day. 

No fragrance reported.

Simply dressed in black t-shirt and jeans, reading a recommended book, Pie School by Kate Lebo (@mizkatelebo on Twitter).  

No fragrance reported. 

A bright sweater-tunic to go with the fall colors. 

Wearing aromatherapy scent Doterra - Intune

Carolyn in basic black-brown accented with silver jewelry. 

Wearing scented lotion, unnamed.

A pink scarf balances all that blue. 

No fragrance reported.

Nicely accessorized jeans and leather combo.

Wearing Axe, unsure of scent. 

The blue bag goes perfectly with the gray combo. 

Wearing Chanel Gardenia.

Left: Anastasia (Annie) C wearing her cool beanie; Right: showing off what she calls her "baby monkey head", the result of radiation therapy 6 years ago for an intracranial tumor. The good news - she's cured!

And that's it, folks. Many thanks to everyone who agreed to be photographed for this post. The thing I'm starting to love about this blog is that I get to meet and talk to so many interesting people. 

TRANSITION TIME AT UNIVERSITY VILLAGE

There’s always a lot of talk about “transitional” clothing for spring and fall, but in Seattle, every day of every month calls for transitional wear. If you bundle up for a cold, overcast morning, you may be sweating when the sun comes out in the middle of the day and shivering again when it disappears in the evening. Rain can appear out of nowhere, and so can sun breaks.

The Friday before classes started at the University of Washington, on the first day of autumn, I visited University Village, an upscale strip mall a few blocks downhill from campus. There seemed to be quite a few beginning or returning students, some with their friends or parents. Interestingly, none of the men I approached would agree to be photographed. Maybe they didn’t want anyone to know that they were shopping on a weekday afternoon.

This second time out was a learning experience. I discovered that I really need to number my release forms ahead of time so that I can get the right ID with each photo. Doing it on the fly doesn’t work very well. It’s important to know who is who because I always send the full set of high-resolution photos to the person who was photographed. The second thing I learned was that I need to keep my camera out all the time instead of putting it back in its case between photo sessions. Having the camera ready makes the transitions between subjects much smoother.

This set of photos is a wonderful illustration of transitional clothing on one of those days when you’re never sure whether it’s warm or cold. In Seattle, the only way to go is layers. 

Question(s) of the week (leave a comment!)

Last week’s question: What fragrance would you wear with sunglasses?

This week’s question: What fragrance would you wear on the first day of class? 

A turquoise-colored jacket will brighten up all those gray days!

Fragrance: Scented deodorant

A sweatshirt and scarf work perfectly as layering items.

Fragrance: Scented deodorant

Aubrey knows that a sweater is a good idea, even with a summer dress.

Fragrance: none reported

And a football shirt works for Julie Siegfried! Does that say "Packers"? What about the Seahawks?

Fragrance: Scented deodorant Dove "Cucumber Melon"

A puffy vest is practically a necessity in Seattle, year-round. 

Fragrance: scented deodorant

So is a good, warm jacket. 

Fragrance: Scented deodorant

Boots work almost any time of year in Seattle. 

Fragrance: Donna Karan "Bliss"

Sunglasses, because you never know ... maybe the sun will make a guest appearance

Fragrance: "Juicy"

That zippered jacket is ready for any kind of weather!

Fragrance: Perfume, name not reported

The way to look summery while staying warm!

Fragrance: none reported

THE INAUGURAL POST: LABOR DAY AT THE BALLARD LOCKS

This blog is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. I like fashion, I like nice clothes, I like perfume and make-up, and I like to get dressed up from time to time. I also like to look at fashion online, but often get frustrated because the designer shows include so many things that range from over-the-top Halloween costumes to dowdy garments that look like a badly botched project from an elementary school sewing class. Even if the clothing looks wearable, the cost would likely be prohibitive (or a foolish extravagance) for anyone who’s not in the wealthiest one percent.

The “street style blogs” often concentrate on showing models, fashion editors, celebrities (and wannabe versions of all of the above) hanging around outside the fashion shows, hoping to have their photos taken. Others show only those people who are sporting the latest designer styles, along with a list of the expensive brands they’re wearing. As far as I know, there’s no style blog that also reports on the fragrances that the people in the photos are wearing.

My goal in this blog is to provide a realistic look at what people on the streets of an ordinary US city wear in everyday life, without promoting any brand of clothing. To do this, I originally set out to photograph the first 10 people I encountered, but that turned out to be somewhat unrealistic. I was surprised to find that many people are adamant about refusing to be photographed. Some seem to be afraid that they won’t “look good”, others seem frightened that they will be stalked, made fun of by their friends or relatives, or they suffer from some other unnamed fear. Some people simply don’t understand what a blog is. Other people seem to think that I want to sell them something, and that when they sign the photo release form they will be bombarded with spam. Others see my clipboard (for photo releases) and think I’m trying to get them to sign a petition.

The unexpected bottom line is that the people who appear in the blog are a self-selected, somewhat non-representative population. There’s nothing I can do about it. So far I’m finding that people who agree to be photographed are mostly females of all ages, but skewing young. The males who agree to be photographed are (so far) all young. After two forays to photograph subjects, I have to say that I’m extremely grateful to those who are willing to take 5 minutes out of their life to stand in front of the camera and tell me which fragrance(s), if any, they are wearing that day.

A heartfelt thank you to you all!!!!

The Ballard Locks is the site where boats transition from Lake Washington (fresh water) to Puget Sound (salt water). There's an elevation difference at this point, so boats are raised or lowered by the locks. The locks are not only a functional installation, they're surrounded by a gorgeous national park complete with salmon ladder. On Labor Day, September 1, there were lots of locals, tourists, and concert-goers in the park. Here are the first ones who agreed to be photographed, more than 10, a bumper crop my first time out. Enjoy!

Basic black is good any time, even when the sun is shining!

No reported fragrance

Bright colors are good, too, and so are sunglasses. 

No reported fragrance

Love that green!

Fragrance: "Daisy" by Marc Jacobs

Back to the sunglasses.

Aromatherapy fragrance" "Healing Garden"

A pink pleated skirt is just right for the sunshine.

Fragrance: Beyonce "Heat"

Simplicity is always in style.

"Flower Bomb"

That pendant really makes the outfit stand out.

Fragrance: "Pomegranate Noir" Jo Malone

Nice pants!

Fragrance: "Aqua di Parma"

Scented Lotion: Jo Malone 

T-shirt and shorts are perfect for a warm day.

No reported fragrance

A long skirt is perfect, too!

No reported fragrance

Tie-dye was big among the concert crowd.

No reported fragrance

And more tie-dye!

No reported fragrance

Orange is almost as good as tie-dye. 

No reported fragrance

Thank you for reading, if you got this far. My plan is to post every weekend, but it remains to be seen whether that will work out.