Flatlay Fever

Flatlays are the ultimate must-have accessories to every modern-day blogger's Instagram feed. A well placed and professional layout of products - flatlays are the latest strategic marketing tool being used by bloggers and fashion companies alike to subtly promote their product to a wide spread social media audience. If you're an aspiring fashion creative looking to break into this tough industry, having the ability to produce a high-quality flatlay is a great attribute to have and adds one more element to your resume to help you get noticed.

Because of the rising popularity of flatlays (and because I consider myself pretty alright at producing a decent flatlay) I thought it would be a great time for me to share my tips and trick on how to create an eye-catching and professional fashion flatlay.

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USE NATURAL LIGHTING

My first tip is to always use natural light. Natural light is the most flattering you can capture therefore is the most complimentary to produce a good photo. Personally I take my images on the ground in front of a big window but you could shoot on a table, your bed, anywhere as long as its stable and close to a large amount of natural light. I've found you get the best images when you shoot mid-morning or in the middle of the day as this is when the light is at its brightest. Understandably though, us busy fashionistas are constantly working and it can be difficult to find a time, during daylight, to shoot an array of flatlay photos. My suggestion for overcoming this is to dedicate some time on the weekend to put together your images. For example spend your Sunday morning shooting 3-4 flatlays, bank them up on your phone and your Instagram feed is sweet for the next week.

ALWAYS HAVE A WHITE BACKGROUND

If you are really looking to capture a professional and high-end aesthetic in your flatlays its crucial to use a white background. Using white allows the focus to be solely on your products and your well thought out placement. It ensures the products and their labels aren't washed out by a background of similar colours and captures the true shapes of the products used. White also creates a flattering contrast and allows the vibrancy of your products to shine. To create a white background use a piece of white cardboard, a white bedspread, sheets or if you're lucky enough to have access to a studio you could use a studio paper roll.

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CREATE A THEME/MOOD

Creating a mood or theme for your flatlay gives you a concept or idea to work with when compiling products to feature in your flatlay. A theme could be anything from "current fashion favourites" or "Mercedes Benz Fashion Week" to "fitness" or "travel". It can be broad or it can be extremely niche, its entirely up to you, as long as you have an idea to work with you will be able to find and put together an array of products that compliment each other. It is important to keep in mind that you don't have to strictly use products that instantly scream the words of your theme. Be creative and think outside of the box - using products that still have a slight attachment to the key words but are not something you would instantly think of. For example when putting together a flatlay for "fitness" you don't necessarily have to include a plate of salad or a photo of your gym membership. Think beyond these generic items and include your new pair of Nikes, your workout gear or magazine images of fitness gurus who are your ultimate inspiration.

SHOWCASE AN ARRAY OF PRODUCTS

Flatlays aren't all about fashion or beauty products, its an opportunity to share your all-time favourite purchases or products of the moment with your viewers and showcase a variety of different brands. Its important to use an array of items to create a mood and showcase your personality through your images. You can use anything you like in your flatlays from clothing to beauty items, accessories, food, travel items etc. The key is that you place the items you choose strategically and use the products to tell a story. To add depth and personality to your image its important to place your products in different and intriguing ways. For example some bloggers strictly place their products symmetrically and in-line with each other while others will always have their products on a diagonal. Personally I like to use a combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical lines to place my products and create interest at a number of different points throughout the image.

CAPTURE WITH A GOOD CAMERA

Using a good camera is a crucial element in capturing a professional flatlay image. Taking your photos with a clear and advanced camera will enhance the quality and resolution of your images as well as allow the true colours and shapes of your featured products to shine through. Personally the term "good camera" I consider as either a professional DSLR such as a Nikon of Canon or the camera in-built to one of the latest models of a smart phone e.g the iPhone 6 or the latest Samsung. Its also important to note that you should never use flash. In the past I have only found flash to create more shadows to your flatlays and take away the raw and natural element we create with natural light.

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TAKE TIME TO EDIT IMAGES

 Lastly but probably the most importantly it is essential to edit your flatlay photos before upload. Editing flatlays should only be used to enhance the colour and light captured during your shoot and intensify the quality of the image. I also use this editing time to crop my photos. Personally I think flatlays are the most flattering when cropped to a square as it allows the whole image to be filled with product and the labels to be read clearly. It also increases the professionalism of the image. You can achieve a square flatlay by either cropping the photo taken with your DSLR camera or you could simply take a square image of your flatlay with your smart phone. When editing the elements of a flatlay I always like to enhance the contrast and brightness to create the illusion the background is a very stark white and sometimes, depending on the image,  I will enhance the saturation and sharpness to emphasise the vibrancy of colours and reveal the true and raw shapes of the featured products.

High Fashion: Fashion Flatlays - all images used are my own.

So there you have it, those are my top tips and tricks to producing a professional and high-quality fashion flatlay. Getting it right the first time can be a little tricky and sometimes frustrating when the images don't come out how you want them to, but just take your time and strategically edit and the final product will come together. 

For more fashion flatlay inspo head over to Instagram and follow @flatlaystyle and @flatlays for some amazingly creative images.

sol sana

High quality, superb leather. That's what every girl wants in life right!?

 Well I certainly know its all I dream about. A good pair of timeless leather boots, or an edgy pair of unique metallic sandals. Its what every fashion-junkie lusts for but something that none of us actually know how to obtain or where to find. Emerging designer and entrepreneur Sara Caverley saw this gap in the footwear market 5 years ago. A gap that was screaming for higher-end designs, fabrics and styles at an attainable price. 

This is when the Australia based footwear label Sol Sana was born.

Sourcing inspiration from the industry's hottest runways and high-end design, the brand promises to bring to life high-fashion, stylish footwear that's wearable, comfortable and retailed at an affordable price. They use the most exquisite materials including luscious leathers and an array of fine materials and trims that give an expensive aesthetic to each and every design.

They're a diverse brand who are fun, bold and imaginative, fast becoming an innovative muse to the creative trendsetters of today. They expose super edgy traits that feed the cravings of the youth-driven markets, whilst also providing sophisticated pieces to the more business savvy, feminine woman. And although they've always bought something a little different to the table, their latest campaign really up-ed their game and captured the cultural edge they have over their competitors. The campaign took their images and promotional material from generic, good quality images to a raw, alternate and youthful frame. One that honestly expresses the connection they have with the pop-culture and current trends of modern society.

They've also recently started designing clutches and bags to go alongside their footwear. These accessories exude the same quality and appeal as the shoes and use similar materials to create that luxe vibe. They are the perfect addition to compliment their range and a great starting point to begin expanding their product offering. Sol Sana are continuing to expose their brand to a wide audience which is evident through their impressive lists of recognisable and diverse stockists including the likes of Urban Outfitters, Gypsy Warrior, General Pants, The Iconic and David Jones. 

This past weekend they also showcased their products and ran a pop-up store at one of Sydney's most exciting fashion events, Fashion Weekend. Held at the Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park, the event brings an impressive list of Australian brands and designers together under one roof to showcase their collections and offer their products to the public for a heavily discounted price. This year Sol Sana sat pretty alongside the likes of By Johnny, Bec and Bridge and C/MEO Collective just to name a few and put loads of happy smiles of the faces on fashion-crazed Aussies who got the chance to snag a bargain piece.

A brand of diversity and immense creativity, Sol Sana are an incredibly inspiring and innovative company. Their designs continue to evolve and surpass my expectations with every collection they put out and I'm always in awe of each and every piece. As they continue to be a standout in the footwear field and reach a broad range of consumers, I'll be keeping watch to see them rise to the top and become one of the leading footwear labels Australia has to offer.

For more information about Sol Sana and where you can find their product near you head to
www.sol-sana.com

festival essentials.

Attending music festivals is definitely one of my favourite summer activities with my obsession for these events starting with my love affair with electronic music. I enjoy music festivals so much because its a place I can go to solely enjoy good music, good people and good vibes. When I'm in the atmosphere I can easily have no care in the world and forget about any insecurities or problems I may have in my life. Attending Stereosonic is a must on my yearly calender but with only having attended 2 other festivals I'm itching to grow my experience and venture into the more chilled out festival scene and explore the international festival atmosphere. 

So with Laneway taking place over the past weekend, the Tomorrowland lineup being announced and Groovin the Moo tickets going on sale today I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share my festival essentials. 

I'm a minimal festival girl and I certainly don't carry around a backpack full of first aid kits, makeup and snacks for all my friends, I much prefer taking a simple over the shoulder bag that I can only fit the bare essentials in and I can keep close to me throughout the day without it getting in the way of my killer dance moves or the view of fellow festival attendees.

WATER

First up and the most obvious and important product that you've gotta have to get through the shortest of music festivals is water. With alcoholic drinks flowing and moshing to your favourite peformer amongst a hot and sweaty crowd (especially at an inside stage) its easy to become dehydrated within a blink of an eye. Having water on your the entire time is essential in keeping your body healthy and allows you to enjoy the day without having to take a trip to the first aid tent. I like to buy a bottle as soon as a get through the gates and refill it throughout the day whenever I come across a bubbler or refill station.

MONEY & PHONE

Having money and your phone on you is definitely the second most important thing to have on you at a music festival. I like to have my cash already withdrawn and on me when I arrive so that I don't have to wait in the RIDICULOUS line for the ATM before I have to wait in the RIDICULOUS line again for food and drink. It is also important to have just in-case myself or someone in my group starts to feel sick as it allows someone to be able to quickly go grab them something or help them get a cab home. Personally I take about $50 and it seems to cover me for something to eat, a bottle of water and about 2-4 drinks depending on what I have (FYI drinks are expensive). 

Your phone is also essential to have because what if you lose your friends? or your friends lose you. Its important to be able to contact them or anyone, especially if an emergency situation arises. 

Alot of festivals also create apps to keep you up-to-date with the days proceedings and set-times for artists performing. I also like to keep my phone handy just in-case of the off chance I run into my current Instagram crush and to take photos of the memories created on the day.

FESTIVAL TIP - create a meeting point with your friends so that if someone does get lost you have a mutual and common place to find them again.

SUNGLASSES, SUNSCREEN AND A HAT.

Most music festivals across the world occur in the summer when the sun is shining and everyone is keen to come out and play so it is important that you protect yourself from those nasty rays. 

Sunscreen is pretty much a given when it comes to sun protection and its a great idea to keep a small roll on bottle in your bag so you can reapply during the day. However if you don't have your own bottle of sunscreen it is usually provided at various points around the venue.

Sunnies and a hat are also a great way to protect you from the sun and the best part is you can incorporare them into your outfit in a fashionable way. Sunglasses come in so many shapes and sizes that you will easily be able to find something to suit your style and the look you are trying to achieve. Hats are also super on trend right now with big floppy hats and bucket hats being seen on the regular at festivals around the world. My favourites are these awesome blue reflector aviators from Sportsgirl and my super rad printed bucket hat from streetwear brand (and my pals) over at Ratlife. 

ENCLOSED SHOES.

Lets be realistic for a second, when you're attending a festival there's alot people, alot of jumping around in the mosh pit and alot of open drinks flowing therefore wearing open toe sandals or thongs is not exactly the smartest idea. Majority of festival goers wear sand shoes such as vans, converses or cheap pairs that they can happily see get ruined however I always opt for combat boots or lately (because im short) my favourite platform boots from Lipstik shoes. I just find these so easy to run about in, I can wear them all day long and they go with every outfit I choose. They are also great at keeping my feet dry and clean from sticky, alcoholic substances, rain and mud.

TAN & BRONZER.

As a beauty lover typically I enjoy fake tanning and looking bronzed, especially for special occasions so having a freshly applied tan and glowing bronzed skin is a personal essential for me. I just think a tan adds to the overall summer lifestyle and makes you not only look slimmer than you already are but makes the colours of your clothes become more vibrant and noticeable 

My all-time favourite tan is the Bondi Sands tanning mousse in medium/dark which I like to apply the night before a festival so its as dark as it can possibly be for the fun day ahead. To ensure my legs are looking super glowy and dark I also like to add a layer of Sugar Baby Bronze Radiance Cream before I leave the house.

 If you are lucky enough to have naturally tanned skin then obviously this doesn't apply to you but personally I love a good tan and believe it adds to creating the ultimate festival look.

ACCESSORIES!

Last but certainly not the least are accessories.

Accessories, in my opinion are the funniest and most exciting essential for festival attending. Flower crowns, flash tattoos and bohemian crystals and gems are trending like crazy at music festivals at the moment and can transform your outfit from simple festival attire to fashion statement mayhem. Now *guilty admission* I'm one of those girls that has their outfit planned out at least 2 weeks before the festival takes place. I like being prepared and not having to stress for hours before about what I'm going to wear. Whilst outfit planning, I like to keep in mind fashionability and functionality and if I'm finding an outfit is looking a bit casual or plain I simply add a belt to my shorts or a flower crown to my hair and I instantly get a festival vibe. 

My favoruite gems at the moment are the two crystal beauties on the right from Shantique Designs. This online store offers a huge variety of unique crystal creations that I constantly get compliments on and is the perfect place to shop for on-trend bohemian jewellery.

For those of you attending Future Music Festival in just a few weeks, I hope my festival essentials has helped you prepare and get excited for the fun-filled, free-spirited day ahead.