#i tonya collage | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

brainrattlers · 8 years

Text

I Hope I Can Handle It (Part 6/?)

Summary: Sequel to “Think You Can Handle It?” - Reader is in a long-distance relationship, and is traveling for the holidays to see her man.

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x reader

Words: 3284

Warnings: Fluff. Little bit of language. A hint of depression sneaking out, but we’re in a good place, I promise.

A/N: This man did a lot during his winter break. I’m stretching this thing out, so I hope everyone is enjoying the ride! Tags are at the bottom, and are still open if anyone wants in that isn’t already. If I somehow missed you, please message me or let me know so I can get you added!

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5)

It was indeed a long night, but one that was filled with kisses, laughs, touches, and inevitably, falling asleep tangled up in each other.

This also meant waking up in awkward positions and trying to figure out why different muscles were a little achy as you rolled out of Sebastian’s death-grip. Or, at least, TRIED to roll out of it. As you moved, he mumbled, trying to pull you closer still. You finally gave up the fight, although it was to the point that Sebastian’s skin was like a blast furnace against yours. Uncovering a leg from the blankets, at least part of you cooled off.

A few moments later, you realized it was pretty important you get free as your bladder was telling you to get up. Finally wriggling free, you padded to the bathroom and shut the door lightly. Never in a million years did you expect to be waking up on Christmas Eve, away from family and friends you typically saw. Instead you said you’d have a get together with them after the beginning of the year, after you had returned. But this year was going to be different, making new friends and meeting someone else’s family.

A knot formed in your stomach at the thought. After finishing up in the bathroom, you grabbed Sebastian’s hoodie, throwing it over your pajamas, and snagged a notebook and pen, your phone and headphones from your bag. Tiptoe-ing around the kitchen, you grabbed a glass of orange juice from the fridge and headed to the living room, plopping down in an overstuffed chair. Headphones in, you opened up a language app and began practicing silently to yourself. Still dark outside, you watched the city wake up from the windows as you mouthed words, taking notes occasionally. Through all this, your eyes felt heavy and you fell asleep, curled up in the chair, the warmth of Sebastian’s hoodie surrounding you.

Your eyes snapped open, sitting upright, not remembering you fell asleep in the living room. The scent of something other than chicken and veggies filled the air, leading you to the kitchen. Clad in pajama pants and an old tshirt, you spied Sebastian cooking eggs and bacon. Rubbing your eyes, you sat down at the table, admiring the view of a gorgeous man, making breakfast.

“Hey sleepyhead, stop stealing my hoodies, I was looking for that this morning,” Sebastian chuckled as you rubbed your eyes.

“Sorry.. I..” you yawned, “I woke up and got a little cold. Yours are way warmer than mine. Sorry if I woke you up. What time is it?” You noticed the sunlight streaming in the windows as you rubbed your eyes and attempted to straighten your mussed hair.

“Just about 9:30. How long were you out there? I woke up all alone and cold,” Sebastian’s eyes went all puppy-dog and his chin quivered before breaking into a full-on laugh. You hopped up out of your chair and hugged him from behind. He wriggled his arms out from under your grasp to stir the eggs. You appreciated the warmth he put out this time around, continuing to lean into him.

“It was still dark out.. maybe 4:45? I remembered I needed to work on something, I must have fallen back asleep,” It finally clicked in your head (again) and you questioned breakfast. “Baby? You know that bacon isn’t chicken, right? What’s up?”

“Wanted to make my baby girl a good Christmas Eve breakfast. You ready for the next few days? It is going to get crazy busy.”

You stole a piece of bacon from the plate. “How could I not be energized at the sight of my man making breakfast? A girl could get used to this.”

Sebastian smiled, as you grabbed plates and silverware, and set the table for two. He served up some scrambled eggs and bacon onto the plates, and pulled waffles out of the toaster, tossing them between his hands as they were still quite warm, and plopped them onto the plates. He turned around quickly to grab a bottle of syrup from the pantry. Sebastian sighed contently as he sat down finally, joining you at the small table. His eyes closed for a moment, his brow slightly furrowed, before meeting your eyes again.

“Baby, whats wrong?”

“I was just thinking about how much I forgot, that it is so nice to be able to cook for someone, have someone to take care of. Someone to come home to at night. But…” Sebastian paused, and a look of concern fell over your own face. “I keep forgetting that between the two of us, you’re leaving in a few days, and for that matter, I am too. I head to Atlanta after the start of the year to start filming I,Tonya…” he drifted off for a moment.

“Hey,” you tapped his foot under the table to get his attention. “I’m still here for another week and change. And you aren’t getting rid of me that easily. I’m not leaving forever, you know!” You took a bite of some eggs. “Especially if you cook me breakfast every once in awhile. And… that explains that mustache you’re working on, doesn’t it?” You smiled, and Sebastian’s demeanor changed a bit too, although not completely letting go of the worry.

“I know, but.. Ugh. I just am afraid that things are going too well, that it is all just going to be a dream and I wake up without you,” You frown at his choice of words and the coincidence that you were asleep in the living room this morning. “Fuck, I’m sorry baby girl, that isn’t what I meant, I know I can be needy, but…” You interrupted him as he started to look down, picking at the food on his plate with his fork.

“Babe, I’m not going anywhere until I absolutely have to. And even then, I’m not gone forever. You know I’m just a text, phone call, Skype call away. Worst case, there are these things called airplanes.” You placed your foot on top of his. “I didn’t know quite what I was signing up for when we started this. It hasn’t always been the most easy, and the time apart sucks, but if it is meant to be, I’m willing to work. I wasn’t sure at the time, but now I’m pretty sure I think I can handle it. And if that means I need to hop a flight to see you, I will make it happen. ” You slid your foot across Sebastian’s again, garnering a small smile from him.

He truly felt lucky to have you. You were right, it wasn’t always going to be easy. He had not only forgotten what it is like to have someone at home to cook for, but he also forgot what it was like for that person to be a civilian in comparison to his life. It didn’t even occur to him how hard it might be for you. If you were strong enough to handle it, he could be too.

“Okay, yeah, enough woe is me. You’re right. I didn’t mean to get down like that. I admire you for your strength, even when you’re in a situation where you are in unfamiliar territory. You just handle it. I wish I was more like you in that respect. And I’m going to change the subject before I get all mushy and end up having to call my therapist because I’m overwhelmed with my feelings.” Sebastian grinned sheepishly.

“And I admire you for being strong enough to know when you need to ask for help. That is something I wish I was better at. And you’re right, new topic before I get all mushy too. So what is the plan for today? I know you said there was the party tonight… but what before that?”

That sheepish grin of Sebastian’s got bigger, and his eyes crinkled with excitement. “Can’t tell you baby girl, but it’ll be classic NYC Christmas. Probably should get ready if we want to get all of it done before we need to head out for the party tonight… I still need a shower. You know you’re welcome to join me…” Sebastian wiggled his eyebrows up and down at you.

“Always the charmer, aren’t you Seb?”

He quickly cleared the plates from the table as you made a mad dash for the bathroom to get ready, with him hot on your heels.

After a somewhat extended shower, at least this time the hot water not running out, you got dressed for the day’s adventure. At the advisement of Sebastian, you wore layers to stay warm, bringing your backpack to carry things if you got too warm.

Catching the train, you found yourself at Bryant Park for a bit, lacing up ice skates and attempting to skate around the rink for a bit. Next stop was taking a selfie in front of the giant tree at Rockefeller Center. And a few more selfies at other famous stops in the area. After a late lunch, and a few souvenir purchases, Sebastian noticed the time and wrangled you back to a subway stop and a short while later, found yourself back home.

Sebastian kicked his feet up on the ottoman, letting you get ready for the evening first. Putting your hair up a bit, and glamming up the make up, you coupled it with a soft sweater and khakis. Sebastian snuck in to start getting ready as well - who knew it would take him longer to perfect the amount of stubble he had growing, and to tame that head of hair? Finally getting dressed, he found you laying on the sofa, editing some photos you shot while sightseeing earlier in the day.

“That one.” Sebastian pointed at your collage of photos. “That one is my favorite.” He smiled looking at all of them, but kept returning to that one. He distinctly remembered the moment it was taken. Awkwardly enough, instead of a fan asking for a selfie, Sebastian asked a random tourist to snap the photo of the two of you in front of a decked out window. You’re smiling great big, and the photo was snapped just as Sebastian planted a big, wet kiss on your cheek. The stranger commented how cute the two of you were, and that she could tell you were meant to be.

You uploaded the collage to Instagram, with a simple title of Christmas Eve, 2016. Immediately, Y/F/N liked the photo. And soon after, you had to shut the notifications off on your phone as a slew of likes and comments came rolling in. As Sebastian went to get his jacket, you emailed the photo to a new acquaintance you made the night before with a few instructions. It wasn’t suspicious looking at all when you snapped your laptop shut as Sebastian came back into the room.

“Ready to go, baby girl? Just got a text that people are arriving, so we won’t be the first ones there at least.”

“Should we be bringing anything? Wine? A host gift?”

“Nah, everything is taken care of. I was told all I need to bring is, and I quote, ‘the wonderful woman that has been stealing you away from us, we need to meet her!’”

You blushed, looking down shyly. “I don’t mean to keep you from your friends.”

Sebastian’s finger hooked your chin, pulling it upward.

“If anything has been stolen, it is my heart. But you can keep it.” Your lips connected with a giggle, until you felt the phone in his pocket buzz. Upon grabbing it, the notification popped up saying your ride was there. Rushing downstairs, you hopped in the car, and headed off to a modern looking apartment home of one of Sebastian’s close friends. There were only a handful of people at this one, so you felt relieved and almost a little more stressed at the same time. They all already seemed to know you, you were having to learn names.

But much like the night before, everyone seemed to be genuinely kind. This felt even more real as it was more comfortable in someone’s home, it wasn’t at a stuffy event space with fancy dress. Everyone was gathered around the table, or in the kitchen, getting drinks or snacks before dinner. Introductions were made, jokes were shared, and you realized that Sebastian must have an old soul, albeit child-like, soul that connected with all sorts of other beautiful souls. Artists, writers, fellow actors, and generally smart and funny good people. You quickly felt at ease with this group of people, laughing and joining in on conversations.

Before dinner, everyone gathered around the table, and although it wasn’t Thanksgiving, people went around the table and gave one reason they were happy this season. Phrases like “friends and family” were tossed around liberally. Happiness for successes throughout the year. Things they were looking forward to in the coming year. It finally came to your turn.

“I feel so fortunate that my life took a completely unexpected turn in the past few months. I have met so many new, wonderful people, I have been able to see a lot of new things. So I guess I’m really thankful for Y/F/N, she’s the one that talked me into taking a job spur of the moment. It literally is what started off the whole chain of events. And I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like had I not, so it has been a super exciting year.” You smiled, looking over to Sebastian, who was smiling with his whole face.

Sebastian went next.

“What she said.”

“Sebastian, that’s cheating,” the host of the party declared.

Sebastian laughed. “She just said it so eloquently. I’m glad that every day is a new adventure. I get the opportunity to do something I love. I get to explore different sides to me through my work. And I’m blessed that Y/N is in my life. I don’t want to imagine what life would be like without her.” He pulled you in for a side hug, kissing the top of your head.

You blushed, feeling the warmth of his cheek still on the top of your head, and hearing the “aww”s and “You’re so cute together”s that followed his little speech.

The rest of the group gave their thanks, and everyone dug into the massive dishes of food on the table. It really was like a family dinner, just with less drama. There weren’t arguments. People were genuinely happy to be hanging out together, sharing stories and making for a pleasant night. After a huge meal, and tons of desserts, card games and other silliness ensued. Your phone buzzed as a photo of Sebastian and yourself was tagged on Instagram from one of the hosts of the party, showing you playing adult-themed charades together. Luckily for you, you were the one doing the guessing. (It was awkward, but at least the photo didn’t show just HOW awkward it was for him. But of course he gave it his all and laughed the whole time.)

As it got later in the night, the realization that tomorrow would be Christmas was settling in, and party-goers slowly made their way to the door. You thanked the hosts profusely for a wonderful evening, and gave them your word that you’d come visit the next time you were in the area.

The ride home was quick, and Sebastian was even more quick to strip down to his boxers and crawl into bed. You asked if the light of your phone screen would keep him up, but before he even had a chance to answer, he was curled up with the body pillow, mumbling something and was out. You took the opportunity to put in your headphones and grab your notepad again, studying in your language app. You focused on a few key phrases, trying to expand your skill set. Eventually your eyelids got heavy again, and you closed your notebook of scribbles and took out your headphones before curling up on the other side of the body pillow. You were out light a light.

Sebastian’s alarm went off pretty early, and at least was back into somewhat of a routine with the chicken and veggies, although it was going to be thrown off as soon as the two of you headed to his mom’s home. You fell back asleep as he cooked his first meal of the day, awoken to the sound of him washing dishes. Dragging yourself to the shower, you found it odd that you weren’t more excited/nervous than you were, it was Christmas after all, but the previous night’s activities/beverages wore you out. After the hot shower, you felt a little more human and joined him in the kitchen, making an egg and some toast for yourself. You felt a little guilty for not sharing in his diet, but Sebastian insisted you eat what you wanted.

You offered to do the dishes as he went to get a shower and get dressed. You also started gathering packages up, and packed up your backpack with a few items, as there was a bit of a tradition at Sebastian’s mom’s that you’d be spending the night. You got changed into another soft sweater and a pair of jeans, hoping it would be dressy enough. Fears were eased when Sebastian came out of the bedroom in a similar fashion, maybe even a little less dressy, but you felt fine with it. You wanted to impress his mom, even though Mama J’s advice rang in your ears - to just be yourself, everyone will love you.

With that, you texted Mama J to have a Merry Christmas, and to tell her you missed her and would be home soon enough to have the delayed holiday meal.

“Don’t you worry about me, child. I’ve got some family and friends over to keep me busy today. You focus on making his family fall in love with you! You’ve got this. Merry Christmas! Xo”

You sent the photo of the two of you from the previous morning with a caption of “Lots of fun in the Big Apple!”

“Give that man of yours a hug for me! See you soon!”

Sebastian got your attention, as your ride was there to make the trek to his mother’s home. Sebastian fell asleep once in the car, so you took the opportunity to dig out your phone and work with your app one last time. It was difficult to focus on the app while looking out the window at all the sights and the mild weather for December, but you got a few last practices in before the car pulled to a stop outside.

Hopping out of the car and helping unload items to the front door, Sebastian handed you the bag of items he was carrying to knock on the door before opening it and going inside. His mother was quick to come to the door to greet her son and yourself. She had a big, bright smile, much like Sebastian’s, and hugged you tight, kissing your cheeks.

“I’m breaking a rule of my home, but, it is nice to meet you, Y/N! Sebastian knows the rules, no English unless necessary.”

“Oh, my, well, it is nice to mee you as well, Mrs. Stan,” you hoped you weren’t about to stumble on the words you had been planning to come out of your mouth. “Crăciun fericit!”

Mrs. Stan looked at Sebastian quickly, and Sebastian stared at you, mouth agape.

“Oh no, did I say something wrong? I was afraid I’d mess this up.”

PART 7

TAGS: @dawn121, @sceaterian, @pennyroyalcreep, @karollbey, @discophony, @imamoose, @skatinginpr0gress, @bluebrrn, @goldwanderer

#sebastian stan x reader #IHICHI #christmas eve

13 notes · View notes

sebastianstanzone-blog · 8 years

Photo

Sebastian Stan News!

Sebastian Stan-round social media roundup - Instagram

Let’s go Sebastian Stan-ing..round the world on Social Media! He hasn’t been active on his personal account but tagged on others. Check them out below! 3.06.17 Sebastian’s costar on I,Tonya, Paul Walter Hauser (IG-pwhauser) posted this photo collage with: Missing this cast...

#2017 #Candids #I Tonya #Instagram #Margot Robbie #Photos #Pictures #Sebastian Stan

14 notes · View notes

animanotii-den · 7 years

Text

Quick drabble about a drug dealers life p1

(this was a five minute thing for class so it’s pretty short and bad, might not even post the rest)

I was in Kentucky on a collage scholarship, long far gone was the cities and outlaws my father told me about. It was safer here. Slowly I got settled into collage and parties that the frat boys threw, making friends, drinking, drugging. Anything to fit in and make friends in a new place. After a while parties turned stale and I became immune the small doses of drugs I took. My medical degree was nothing to me but a tool to rake in cash. I dropped out of collage after my first term was up to go and enjoy the nightlife. The clubs in Ashland weren’t much, if at all, any. Everyone in the the middle of nowhere on the “scene” had a drug dealer. Mine was I friend I made in my collage days. Tonya wasn’t anything like my father warned me about on the hardened streets of Boston. She was just like any other random girl, she just happened to sell drugs with a smile to make some cash for her kids. Slowly me and the bubbly girl ruled a small section of our towns clubs through the trade. We had rivals in our business who often came into our territory and picked fights.

I remember the day it life went from borderline bad to hell. A pack of fresh meat had walked into the club, it’s obvious one of them turned the legal age for alcohol and it looked like they were already boozed out of their mind. Few in the pack were eyeing up Tonya like mad, staved dogs. Tonya danced uncaringly made her way to the group with our complimentary set for birthday party goers.

#Mod Tal #Short story #Don't do drugs #Writing #Sorry I'm not around often #Life is a manic fickle creature

0 notes

wallpaperpainting · 4 years

Text

Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set

After three years of operating her own arcade for the aboriginal time in city Nevada City, accomplished artisan LeeAnn Brook has confused her arcade and broadcast into a amplitude bifold the size, and imilate Broad Street.

Denise’s Earth Friendly Da Vinci Watercolor Palette! – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

LeeAnn Brook Accomplished Art will abide the archetypal of the aboriginal gallery, featuring Brook’s on-site flat area barter can appearance paintings in progress. The new arcade is amid at 231 Broad St. and will be accessible circadian from apex to 5 p.m.

The gallery’s Grand Aperture will be during the Nevada City Aboriginal Friday Artwalk from 5-9 p.m. Friday featuring the music of Yuba Rio.

Amazon.com – Da Vinci Series 20 20 Brush Mahogany Box Watercolor .. | da vinci watercolor set

The aperture accession will affection a appearance alleged “Origins,” which will advertise Brook’s new alternation of alloyed media paintings aggressive by the Southwest, as able-bodied as a new alternation of Norfolk Pine copse argosy and alive bend slab tables by arcade artisan Mike Snegg.

Donate

Da Vinci : Watercolour Sample Set : 20 Colours – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

In addition, the arcade will host a appearance of watercolors by new arcade artisan Richard Swayze.

Brook’s curated appearance alleged “Origins” was created from the belief abaft how art emerges.

Danny Gregory, An Ilrated Journey – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

In Brook’s case, her alloyed media paintings are layered with hand-altered collage abstracts and acrylic, absorption the layers of civilizations that she saw in the mesas of the Southwest. The striations of acreage with affluent textures and blush imilation pushed Brook to ignment on a new alternation of paintings this accomplished winter.

Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set – da vinci watercolor set | Allowed to be able to my blog, in this particular occasion I will explain to you with regards to keyword. Now, this is actually the first photograph:

Denise’s Earth Friendly Da Vinci Watercolor Palette! – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Why not consider image preceding? is in which awesome???. if you feel consequently, I’l m explain to you a few image all over again under:

So, if you would like secure all of these magnificent pictures related to (Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set), click save button to save the images for your personal pc. They’re available for down load, if you love and wish to have it, just click save badge on the article, and it will be directly downloaded to your laptop.} At last if you want to find unique and the latest image related to (Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set), please follow us on google plus or book mark the site, we try our best to provide daily update with fresh and new pics. We do hope you love keeping right here. For many updates and recent information about (Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set) shots, please kindly follow us on tweets, path, Instagram and google plus, or you mark this page on book mark area, We attempt to provide you with update regularly with fresh and new pictures, enjoy your surfing, and find the ideal for you.

Here you are at our site, contentabove (Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set) published . Today we’re excited to declare we have found an awfullyinteresting contentto be reviewed, namely (Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set) Many people attempting to find info about(Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set) and of course one of them is you, is not it?

Review: #20 brush da Vinci Watercolor Series 20 — MeganMWagner | da vinci watercolor set

Da Vinci Artists’ Permanent Watercolors | BLICK Art Materials – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Da Vinci Cosmotop Watercolor Brushes – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Da Vinci Nova Series 20 Watercolour Brushes – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

da Vinci Watercolour Brush Set in Light Wooden Box – Ken .. | da vinci watercolor set

da Vinci Watercolour Brush Sets – The Paint Spot – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Shire Horse – Zensations Technical Pen, DV Tonya’s Nature Trio Watercolor on Hahnemühle Watercolor Postcard-rough – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Комплект синтетических кистей для акварели DaVinci brush set for Watercolor. 20 шт | da vinci watercolor set

Travel Kit – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Can’t Miss Bargains on Da Vinci Watercolor Series 20 Ekkehardt .. | da vinci watercolor set

Da Vinci Brush & Schmincke Watercolour Gift Set – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Da Vinci Watercolor Mixing Set In Travel Tin – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Da Vinci Paints Artists’ Watercolor Paint Set – Walmart | da vinci watercolor set

Cowling & Wilcox Exclusive Red Sable Brush Set (Made By Da Vinci) – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

Sets Archives – WaterColourHoarder – da vinci watercolor set | da vinci watercolor set

The post Five Things To Know About Da Vinci Watercolor Set | Da Vinci Watercolor Set appeared first on Wallpaper Painting.

from Wallpaper Painting https://www.bleumultimedia.com/five-things-to-know-about-da-vinci-watercolor-set-da-vinci-watercolor-set/

#Watercolor Painting #da vinci watercolor brush set #da vinci watercolor mixing set in travel tin #da

0 notes

biofunmy · 5 years

Text

The Last Five Glamour Shots Locations in the United States

EL PASO — Glamour Shots was once the coolest store in every mall. Boomer mothers and Gen-X teens and 20-somethings paid $29.95 for makeovers and photography sessions defined by big hair, white satin gloves, heavy eye shadow and contemplative poses, in an era when pictures were taken for special occasions and not just to commemorate every brunch.

At its mid-90s peak, Glamour Shots had more than 350 stores, with licensees in Venezuela, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Now, in 2019, just five stores remain — although there were seven stores last month. Most of these scant survivors have adapted with the times. What they have in common is that each is steered by devoted, longtime owners who have embraced a more natural look and whose business and photography skills were enough to persuade families, professionals and high school kids that a glamour shot could be taken for work, special occasions and graduations — not merely for entertainment.

Two stores remain at malls in Bridgewater and Freehold, N.J. The secret to their endurance? “We’re in New Jersey,” said Cliff Eng, the owner of both. “We got malls everywhere.” Another Glamour Shots store owned by Mr. Eng in Rockaway, N.J., closed just last week. Mr. Eng said the mall ownership was not being flexible on rent. But he’s still optimistic about Glamour Shots — Mr. Eng is already evaluating options for a new Glamour Shots at malls in Paramus and Cherry Hill.

But at nearly the same time, a Glamour Shots in Ellicott City, Md. also closed and was disappeared from the Glamour Shots website.

And the fifth remaining Glamour Shots is in El Paso — the last location west of the Mississippi.

El Paso is the only city in the world where it’s likely that a majority of millennials have a glamour shot.

✿

A glamour shot was not subtle. The makeovers were about big hair, doused in spray, and heavy amounts of foundation, powder and blush intended to make the customers, almost always women, feel like they were preparing for the runway. Staff at a Cincinnati Glamour Shots once boasted they could turn any customer into Cindy Crawford. They’d even paint on a mole.

For the photos, women picked four outfits from an assortment of jackets, wraps, furs, bustiers and dresses. Sequins were practically mandatory.

The photographers shot only from the waist up. They used camera filters that smoothed out wrinkles and blemishes. After the photo session, customers viewed their pictures on a video screen — immediately, thanks to proprietary technology — and selected their favorite looks. Jack Counts Jr., the Oklahoma City entrepreneur who started the company, described the filtering and makeover method that allowed customers to see a touched-up version of themselves as a precursor to Instagram but “in a real way.”

Mr. Counts was already owner of a photo finishing business called Candid Color Systems in 1988 when he learned of a store in Hawaii that offered a makeover with a photo session. His original location in Oklahoma City had the name Fantasy Faces. The company didn’t take off until he opened a store in Dallas that went by Glamour Shots.

Ads with before-and-after photos landed in almost every local newspaper. Olympic figure skater and ’90s icon Tonya Harding visited a studio in her Oregon hometown multiple times, according to The Vancouver Columbian.

In 1996, Glamour Shots was seeing $100 million in sales and had 6,000 employees, according to estimates from The Wall Street Journal and The Oklahoman at the time.

But the brand was based on a fashion trend that had already crested. By the late ’90s, said Jimmy Paul, a well-known hair stylist, grunge had gone mainstream, and looks shaped by Helmut Lange and Prada ushered in the minimalist era. “Makeup and hair got very stripped down,” he said. “It became about flat irons and straightening.”

While the portrait studio business overall remained stable — census figures showed modest growth in the industry from the late ’90s until the 2008 recession — many of the 350 Glamour Shots stores folded by the end of the 20th century, unable to escape their association with the outdated style.

“It just became passé,” said Bob Eveleth, the first Glamour Shots licensee and owner of nearly 50 stores at the company’s peak. “We did one focus group in North Carolina. One of the guys was talking about giving Glamour Shots gift certificates as a joke. And I thought we kind of crossed that threshold.” (Mr. Eveleth is doing fine.)

The remaining stores wilted in failing malls that charged steep rents. Then Apple and Samsung equipped every cellphone with a quality camera. About five years ago, with 30 to 40 stores left, a popular Groupon promotion provided a fleeting burst of new customers before technology almost completely wiped out Glamour Shots altogether.

Mr. Eng, the owner of the two remaining New Jersey locations, was the go-to guy for Glamour Shots modernization in the early 2000s. He traveled all over the country, advising stores to ditch the old wardrobes, offer boudoir sessions and business headshots, take full-body photos and emphasize a more luxurious, more expensive spa experience. The average sale at his stores is around $500, compared to $100 for typical stores in the ’90s. The high prices are the only way for Mr. Eng to cover his $12,000-and-up monthly rents, which he said he was currently trying to negotiate down.

Ms. Lovello, 32, started working at Mr. Eng’s Bridgewater store when she was 16. She doesn’t remember the big hair days of Glamour Shots and mostly keeps a no-90s policy at her store in Staten Island. “You’re not going to bring a boa in here,” Ms. Lovello said. “Let’s be real.”

People walking by the New Jersey stores now see giant photo collages of customers who have gone the natural route. Mr. Eng needs them to know Glamour Shots has changed.

✿

But in El Paso, Leonora Campbell pivoted faster and more furiously than everyone else. She has defied major shifts in technology and fashion to sustain her business for nearly three full decades. Now 65, she opened her Glamour Shots in 1991.

Ms. Campbell moved to the U.S. from Antigua, Guatemala, on a student visa at age 16, and spent her first night on a restroom bench at the Houston airport after missing a flight connection. She received a business administration degree, had a daughter, and once worked at a grand department store in El Paso called The White House. That’s where Ms. Campbell met a man she said was a former Calvin Klein model. They would marry but he also introduced her to Glamour Shots, a more enduring relationship.

She studied photography for a year before opening the store. When she did, she set up video screens that were visible from the outside, and mall visitors gathered on benches to see which portraits customers would choose.

In 1997, ahead of the curve, Ms. Campbell moved her store out of the mall to a strip center about eight miles east of downtown. Other Glamour Shots owners told her she would fail.

But the strip center location better accommodated her mostly Spanish-speaking clientele. The larger store has room for the extended families she previously needed to turn away. Teams of young women in escaramuza charra uniforms can bring their horses to the studio’s back parking lot for team portraits. Without needing to keep mall hours, Ms. Campbell can also venture out to shoot quinceañeras.

And, when the Americas High School opened at around the same time, it offered her a contract to be the exclusive student photographer. With an endless stream of customers, Ms. Campbell wasn’t that interested — but she accepted, figuring she could cancel if it didn’t work out.

Now she and her staff have contracts with 20 area high schools.

In Ms. Campbell’s Honda Odyssey (with nearly 200,000 miles on it), she and the team travel to photograph the underclassmen for yearbook photos. Seniors, accustomed to seeing the Glamour Shots logo on the staff’s black polo shirts, also come down to the studio for their senior portraits.

The consistent churn of high schoolers from the last two decades means that, while Ms. Campbell’s revenue isn’t quite what it was in the mid-90s, now she knows or has shot almost everyone in El Paso, including superintendents, firefighters, workers in Beto O’Rourke’s congressional office and the singer Khalid, of “American Teen” fame.

“We kind of call her our mother,” said Ashley Diaz, 31, a high school teacher who works frequently with Ms. Campbell. “She has our back.”

She and her ex-husband divorced amicably not long before she moved her store to the strip mall. “I knew your baby was Glamour Shots,” Ms. Campbell remembers him telling her. It is: A trip home to Antigua this year for Holy Week marked Ms. Campbell’s first vacation in nine years.

✿

In Staten Island, friends routinely ask Ms. Lovello why she doesn’t ditch the Glamour Shots title. She works with “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” LaValle on a monthly basis, filming her YouTube channel, and snapped a holiday card for Melissa Gorga of “Real Housewives.”

“There’s still like some kind of security,” she said, “about having the large, branded name Glamour Shots.”

The name does have a currency. When Mary Swope, 53, first went in 1994, she chose a look — curled hair, bangs, hoop earrings and a black jacket — that was “completely out of my comfort zone,” she said.

“They really went overboard,” she said. “They really made you feel like a model.”

And, 23 years later, Ms. Swope, while taking care of her ailing mother, realized she wanted a quality photo of herself to later pass down to her children and grandchildren. Her memory from Glamour Shots inspired her to drive two and a half hours from Lancaster, Pa., to the nearest store, in Bridgewater.

Sonia Frontera, an attorney and author in Lambertville, N.J., also recently went to the Bridgewater Glamour Shots, but for a LinkedIn profile picture. She remembered a friend who spoke highly of the chain during their law school days in the 1990s. After she saw how good she looked in the recent photos, Ms. Frontera signed up for boudoir shots.

“I find my glamour shots to be very empowering,” she said.

The experience still had friendly reminders of the Glamour Shots of Gen X yore. The makeup artist didn’t assume Ms. Frontera would prefer a natural, modern look, for example. About to apply foundation, she asked: “Do you want it dramatic?” Ms. Frontera did not.

In the back of Ms. Campbell’s El Paso store, next to a set of graduation gowns, she keeps pink and white feather boas for the rare customer who desires some retro style.

“Those are my 1991 boas,” Ms. Campbell said. “I take care of them very well.”

Sahred From Source link Fashion and Style

from WordPress http://bit.ly/2PVeKjc via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress

0 notes