Heart of Haute Blog

Meet Ruby Roxx! A simply stunning internationally published model, who's just so talented and a real sweetie! Aside from modeling for 7 years, Ruby is also the editor in chief of Beauty Mark Magazine - a brand new body positive publication. This curvy, Canadian cutie models for many pinup and alternative clothing and lingerie companies, and luckily she modeled a few of our favorite frocks as well!

Suzy Starliner has been an avid HoH shopper for a while now. We ADORE her in all the pinup shoots she does in our dresses, we just had to share!!!    

We've teamed up with popular fashion blogger & model Amy Roiland to shoot our long awaited 'It's Raining Cats' line by Mandie Bee. We just thought with her gorgeous look & adorable haircut that she'd be perfect for these vintage inspired pieces! Ruby This is the Ella Top, Pinup Couture Bow Handbag in Red, and Sassy Skirt. Photographed by Mandie Bee / Makeup and Hair by Lara Kay at www.SimplyVanity.com Amy is a classic beauty who can pull off any style. She updates her blog A Fashion Nerd every single day, making her a fans very very happy!  Her style ranges from vintage, gypsy, grunge, mod, and some things in between - making her blog a first stop destination for fashion inspiration.  She mixes vintage pieces with new ones to create completely unique looks we envy! The Matey Dress in It's Raining Cats // Hats by NastyGal Aside from blogging for a living, Amy spends her days acting, modeling, and designing.  She also designs her own jewelry line - A Tiny Touch where she re-purposes found objects into unique vintage styled pieces. I mean... is there anything she can't do? Amy wearing the Ella Top in Black and the Moxie Skirt in It's Raining Cats - Available at Heart of Haute. Mandie Bee also shot Amy in her classic Ruby Dress in Mini Daisy. This talented LA native certainly has a spectacular fashion sense, keep your eye on her!  We heart Amy, we hope to collaborate again soon! Can't get enough Amy? Follow her on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter -- just search for @AFashionNerd ! <3 Ali for HoH <3

 

Just who is this stunning lady?  You may recognize her as one of the models on our website!  This is Teer Wayde - plus size model, fashion blogger, and body positivity advocate.  Teer's aim is to help ladies of all sizes dress for their bodies and be comfortable with who they are.  In her blog, Curves To Kill, she reviews clothing from companies near and far, showing them off with her modeling skills.  She gives an honest opinion on each piece and styles them with accessories and some awesome shoe finds!  Teer has been published several times and is a part of the real size model movement.

 Teer in the Maxine Dress in Rosa Even though Miss Wayde is all the way in Melbourne, Australia, we manage to join forces and get her expert opinion on many of our garments.  She and our founder Mandie Bee even got to meet and shoot together last year when Teer came to the US for Viva Las Vegas!  Here's just a few of the shots she's done in Heart of Haute pieces.

The Jolene Dress in On the Dot Most recently, Teer and Katherine Davis Photography braved the heat of the Australian summer and took a drive out to a gorgeous backdrop to shoot in some of her favorite Heart of Haute frocks. And don't we just adore the results!  You can read all of her reviews on her blog. The Etta Dress in Blue Anchors Teer started pinup modeling as a hobby, and since then her career has taken off.  She loves pinup fashion and all things vintage inspired. This fashionista is an expert at picking a wardrobe that fits her body type perfectly, and is well known and loved for her work.

The Monique Dress in Amber Rose There are definitely still not enough body positive images in the media today.  We're sick of the skinny vs. plus size debate. All sizes are beautiful, and we're all for happy, healthy models! Teer is a role model for gals of all shapes and sizes who want to change the definition of beauty in the fashion world today.  

The Super Spy Dress in Navy Before we changed our name from Heartbreaker Fashion to Heart of Haute, Teer reviewed quite a few of our dresses and separates.  Read Teer's previous blog post where she reviews the Hilary Dress, Tara Top, Beverly Dress & Monte Carlo Dress. Also read Teer's first blog post featuring Heart of Haute where she reviews the Marilyn Tee, Vogue Pencil Skirt, & Super Spy Dress.

The Monte Carlo Dress in Lake Want more Teer?  Follow her on Facebook, Tumblr, &  Twitter, Teer Wayde is represented by Bella Models, and can be contacted at her official website  www.TeerWayde.com <3 Ali for HoH <3

Hello! Katrina Marie here! (How's it going?) I don't normally like to get too serious, or post entries that can read like a novel, but I really wanted to take a moment to bring up a topic that happens to be very near and dear to my own heart: body positivity (YAY!) I know from my own experience that there seems to be a lot of confusion regarding what body positivity actually is. Some have even dared to argue that body positivity promotes unhealthy lifestyles and obesity (Nope! Keep reading, please.)   Body positivity focuses on self-love, and learning to be comfortable in your own skin, regardless of what number the scale happens to hit.  It's also about educating people (including yourself) about body autonomy by helping others realize that no one really has the right to comment on or judge someone else's body.  Unfortunately, the media has an idea of what beauty should look like, and they have no qualms constantly reminding us that we, the every day Janes of the world, do not fit their mold.  We're constantly shown images of women in their photoshopped “perfection,” and then we're told what steps to take in order to achieve said “perfection.”  This is not only damaging to women (for obvious reasons,) but men are affected as well.  We live in a society where women everywhere are kind of tricked into working to achieve some spoon-fed notion of what beauty is, and men are holding women to the same, unrealistic standards.  This doesn't just apply to overweight women of today.  Back in the 1950s, women were often criticized for being underweight, and for bodies lacking in curves (wait, what?!)

 Vintage weight gain ads.

Let's take a moment to break down what that tells us:  The media has been dictating to women how we should look, and teaching men what they should find attractive in a woman's physical appearance for decades! Let that sink in just for a second. I don't know about you, but realizing that alone, was enough for a lightbulb to go off inside my ever-analytical brain.  I thought, “No amount of energy I spend trying to make others happy with my body image will do, because there will always be someone who will object. You can't make everyone happy. So, why not focus on making sure you're happy with yourself?” Now, I'm not saying I've managed to get to that point of ultimate and complete self-love.  In all honesty, it will likely be a lifelong fight. What I have learned so far, is that once you get to the point where you can accept your body for all its perfect imperfection (see what I did there?), then other people's opinions don't matter so much. If it doesn't bother you, other people can't use it against you. This is why I look up to the women (and men) that constantly defy and rebel against the media to remind us that beauty truly does come in all shapes and sizes.  Mindy Kaling, Tess Munster, and Christina Hendricks are just a few that come to mind.

Mindy Kaling, Tess Munster, Christina Hendricks

  While it's awesome that celebrities, and others in the public eye, make a point to take a stand for body positivity, it's just as important for us to take a stand to make a difference in our everyday lives. (This is the part where I tie everything together, I promise!) One of my favorite things about pinup culture, is that pinups are known to have voluptuous, hourglass curves.  (Of course, this may have been indicative of what the media's idea of beauty was at the time, but that's another point for a different day.) This aesthetic has managed to withstand the test of time, and is seen in modern pinup culture today. That being said, the difference is that with modern pinup culture, even women with less than hourglass curves can dip their pointed toes into the “pinup world” by picking out their favorite vintage inspired looks (Heart of Haute dresses included, of course!) and booking a pinup photo shoot with a local photographer. We've had the pleasure of working with Miss Tara of Tara O. Photos. While Tara is a talented photographer all around, she specializes in pinup photography, and always proclaims that ANY woman can try pinup modeling (and she's right!)   While plus size fashion seems to have really only adopted contemporary trends in more recent years, it's still an area of fashion that I believe is often overlooked. Luckily, it's really caught on that “the chubby girls” have as much fashion sense as anyone else. So, plus-size girls (myself included) are starting to have more options when it comes to self-expression through clothing. Heart of Haute is proud to offer several styles in our plus-sizes (1XL and 2XL.) We're also proud to feature plus-size models who are not only rocking our clothing and working it in front of a camera, but who are also doing really awesome things to makes waves in the industry and beyond it.     Miss Shana Nicole hails from Houston, Texas. In addition to the numerous pinup magazine covers on which she's been featured, she is also the Owner and Editor-in-Chief of Atomic Bombshells Magazine. She's also proud to be a founding member of Benefit Betties, a Houston based, non-profit pin-up charity group.  You can even catch this bombshell as a guest performer for the Houston Burlesque Revue.

Shana Nicole in the Diner Dress in Black (Photo Credit: Paper Moon Photography by Charlie Girl)

Shana Nicole in the Sailor Dress in Navy (Photo Credit: Paper Moon Photography by Charlie Girl)

Shana Nicole in the Beverly Dress in Black Gingham (Photo Credit: Paper Moon Photography by Charlie Girl)

    Miss Teer Wayde is a freckled beauty from down under, Melbourne, Australia. She is a fashion and editorial model signed with Bella Model Management in Australia, and she also runs the popular fashion blog Curves to Kill. You may remember her from an interview with Mandie Bee that was featured here on our blog in the past.

Teer Wayde in the Hillary Dress in Black Dot (Photo Credit: Nic Doncon)

Teer Wayde in the Monte Carlo Dress in Lake (Photo Credit: Nic Doncon)

Teer Wayde in the Marilyn Top in Stripey & the Vogue Pencil Skirt in Black (Photo Credit: Nic Doncon)

Teer Wayde in the Marleen Dress in Black (Photo Credit: Tara O. Photos)

  Two different ladies on opposite ends of the globe with at least one very important thing in common (aside from their killer fashion sense, of course): they know they're beautiful (inside and out) and they know that no one's opinion of them will change that.  So the next time you look at yourself in the mirror (whether you've decided to strut your stuff in Heart of Haute that day or not,) take a moment to remember that you are wonderfully unique, and your perfectly imperfect awesome self is top notch, Heart of Haute loveliness!  You go, girl! ;)     With Love & No Regrets, Katrina Marie   **Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Heart of Haute or any of its other employees.**

With September not too far off, we'll soon be saying “So long!” to Sweet Summer.  Warm nights will turn into crisp evenings as Autumn makes its way in.  To ease the transition into the next season, add a bit of fashion heaven to your wardrobe with our Angelica Collection.   Summer doesn't officially end until the Autumnal Equinox on September 22^nd, so there's still plenty of time to take advantage of “bare shoulder weather.”  The Sweetie Dress, in Angelica Purple (top) and Angelica Pink (bottom) is perfect for enjoying the still warm evenings at the end of summer.  Show of your tanned shoulders with this halter dress which has princess seams and ties in the back for a great fit.     Though our Sweetie Dress is one of our best-selling styles.  Don't worry, we have other styles to choose from!  The Hillary Dress in Angelica Pink also has princess seams and ties in the back.  This dress also has an empire waist (for an even better fit) and a bow tie at the collar for a finishing touch (I don't know about you, but I LOVE bows!)   Not a fan of an empire waist?  Or maybe you're looking for a more simple silhouette?  The Monique Dress in Angelica Turquoise might be more to your liking.  This dress has a bateau neckline with an A-line skirt – simple, but equally as flattering.  It even comes with a matching belt!     Once the summer heat starts to fade, the cooler air might have you wanting a bit more coverage.  Pairing these dresses with a cute cardigan usually does the trick, or you might opt for a style that will cover your shoulders.  The Beverly Dress in Angelica Purple has those same features for a great fit – princess seams, ties in the back, and an empire waist – all in one fantastic dress (with sleeves!)  Another one of our best-sellers, this dress also has a rounded collar with a cute self tie.     Want even more coverage? Then the Mallory Dress in Angelica Turquoise is the dress for you. This dress has a full skirt, empire waist, and ties to cinch in the middle. Its overlapping V-neckline is also great for Haute Honeys with a more voluptuous figure. It even has cute little bows at the sleeves for an added detail (more bows!)   My favorite part about this line, is that the fabric itself has a subtle metallic detail that shimmers in the light.  Whether it reflects the sunlight during summer when the days are longer, or glows under the moonlight in the crisp fall air, the Angelica Collection will have you looking heavenly.     With Love & No Regrets, Katrina Marie

Model, Stephanie Jay from the United Kingdom, wears our infamous Diner Dress in Olive on the cover of Delicious Dolls magazine!

Summer's in full swing, Heart of Haute-lovers, and we have great new styles perfect for all the fun in the sun you'll be having! To help you stay true to your style, and stay cool in the heat, take a peek at our new Sugar Stripes Collection.  

The Maybeline Dress (shown below in Purple Stripe and Blue Stripe) is the perfect dress for your next BBQ, beach party, or even a night out at the local county fair. This sleeveless dress, with adjustable straps, is perfect for those hot summer days and warm summer nights. The Maybeline Dress even has pockets (and who doesn't love a dress with pockets?!)

Model: Stephanie Weber

Summertime is known for concert season! Headed to go see your favorite artist or band? Whether you're off to see a hot act at the Hollywood Bowl, or the LA Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Hall, you'll be a show stopper wearing the Regina Dress (shown below in Purple Sugar Stripe.) It's just casual enough to be comfortable, but dressy enough for any special occasion. (If you're anything like me, fantastic live music is always a special occasion!) For a fancier venue, dress it up with your favorite pumps, or keep it simple, and more on the casual side, with a cute pair of ballet flats.

Model: Dollie Deville (www.therockabillysocialite.com)

  My favorite part about summer is that it stays light out later into the evening. Take advantage of the extra sunshine and show off the Vee Dress. Reflect the blue summer skies in the Blue Sugar Stripe fabric (shown below.) This dress has pockets, also! (Have I sold you on the pockets yet, ladies?)

Model: Dollie Deville (www.therockabillysocialite.com)

    Step into the sunshine and off to your next adventure while showing off your fabulous sense of style with our new Stripes Collection.  Don't forget the sunscreen!

Models: Stephanie Weber (left,) Dollie Deville (right, www.therockabillysocialite.com)

    With Love & No Regrets, Katrina Marie =^.^=      

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to shoot Miss Dinah DeRosa  in my home for Heart of Haute. I've recently had to take photography into my own hands for our company and I'm learning more and more as I go along.  It's a lot of fun, creative, and also a ton of work. I have a GREAT appreciation for photographers as well as models. I've been on both sides of the camera and I know how much work goes into a shoot for both parties. *whew* Dinah has been modeling since she was 17 and she's a natural. In addition to modeling, you can find her managing the Unique Vintage store in Huntington Beach or dancing on stage for The Hula Girls.  To be graced with Dinah's presence, you'll find yourself not only looking at a very attractive lady, but a very attractive soul. This girl is one of my favorite models to work with for a reason. Very genuine, kind and just a really cool chick! Here's just a few shots from our photo shoot...       With Love & No Regrets, Mandie Bee!