Fashion Meditation II

March 23, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

San Francisco is such a rich and full city. Even though I've now been there twice I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface. I'm not even taking into account Oakland and Berkley which only deepen the Bay Area's culture and history. I'm not worried though because I will be living in LA eventually and I will be able to take in the beauty of the Bay Area whenever I want!

This dress was made by this amazing women in DC. You find her stall in Eastern Market on the weekends. I borrowed the Sunglasses from Valerie when we had our photoshoot in Bernal Heights.

Grinnell is still foundational to my fashion and style. Not only was it the place where I decided to start the process of living my life on my own terms I still have so many great pieces that I found in the thrift stores surrounding the college. One of those great finds is the silky blouse I'm wearing under the cape. It's a bold look from far away but up close you see that the spaces in between the black lines are filled with an intricate flower design. I paired it with my purple Timberlands and forrest green lipstick as I explored the alleyways of Chinatown.

I wore this look on one of my last days in San Francisco when I visited Dolores Park. The denim dress is from Asos and the African print jacket is one of my favorite pieces. You will see it a lot when I'm in Japan it's just such a versatile piece. Sadly, for all of you it's thrifted from my days in Grinnell. The beads are from Jamaica and a gift from a dear friend. The sunglasses were thrifted from Beatnix in Chicago.

SF/ Chinatown

March 19, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

The streets were slick with rain but they didn’t stop us or the umbrella’d masses from exploring San Francisco's Chinatown. Which makes sense considering it is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia as well as the oldest in North America.

After a quick bite of a clay pot dish we went looking for the Peace Heart Doctor Banksy artwork that lines the walls of one of the many alleyways in Chinatown. We couldn’t find it, the address is 720 Grant Ave, but what we did stumble across was a fortune cookie factory.

Now as someone who can’t stand the taste of fortune cookies I have to say that fresh cookies taste infinitely better than the ones that you receive in a restaurant.

For 50 cents we were allowed to snap photos inside the factory.

Despite my new appreciation for the creation of these cookies I'm still traumatized by the last fortune I got which told me I was not being paranoid enough.

We kept exploring down the maze of alleyways and discovered another cool handmade desert by the name of Dragon's Hair. Think of it as the Chinese take on cotton candy.

This delicious desert can be ordered at Dragon Papa 752 Grant Ave.

I exited Chinatown and made my way to Oakland wondering what other cool foods I would discover during my travels.

Bernal Heights

February 27, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

Five and a half years ago, Valerie and I ran away from the tour guide on the military island of Pompus in the Netherlands. We noticed a room with the perfect aesthetics for a photo shoot. Valerie laid down on a reflective surface as metal rods hung from the ceiling; I snapped a few pictures before we swapped places.

Never content with the ordinary, we became fast friends in Amsterdam. Wherever we explored need to look like the inner pages of a fashion magazine. We’d prep outfits together in our dorm before biking off to some new location. Our time creating art (her painting, my photography) paved the road for my love of urban photography with a fashion twist.

Valerie and I were reunited on the corner of 25th and Mission. The last time we saw each other it was too cold for us to engage in our ritual of photography. Thankfully, winter in the Bay gives you plenty of nice sunny days. We made our way to the top of Bernal Heights and were both astounded by the size of this hill and the grand views it gives of the city.

Unlike LA I wasn’t going into San Francisco blind. I spent a few weeks in San Francisco two years ago. There is something very interesting about the first two times you visit a city. The first time you are overloaded by the information you are receiving. Everything is so new and fresh. I find the second trip to a city reveals so much more about the energy and tone of a place. What shined brightly on the first trip might be duller upon a closer viewing.

The sun was setting fast and in our attempt at chase after we ran off the hill and explored more of the neighbor behind the behemoth. Valerie and I found steep hills and gorgeous houses to photograph as we continued our urban exploration.

If you are looking for things to do after a fun day exploring Bernal Heights I suggest going to this amazing bar Old Devin Moon right down the street on Mission. And if you want a bite to eat then please go to Culture of Nepal which happens to be right next door!

As I'm typing this I realize I only have two more weeks until I move to Tokyo. Friendships like the one I have with Valerie allow me to go to Japan with comfort because I have been able to make life long friendships with people in foreign countries over a shared love of art and fashion. Make sure you subscribe below and follow me on Instagram and Facebook so you don't miss a thing!

Fashion Meditation

February 10, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

My fashion journey began in the maternity section of a Goodwill. Track Suits used to adorn my body before I fell in love with scarves and bright lipsticks. The only thing the stopped me was the belief that I needed to be skinny to dress nicely.

No longer a slave to an illusion of future perfection I began the daily practice of loving myself. Fashion became an avenue to reclaim my identity. In the outfit above I'm wearing a pair of my favorite sun glasses from Witch World Wide. A velvet cape gifted to me by my bestie Winsome. Finally, one of my greatest thrift finds a vintage Ralph Lauren Polo shirt. The greenery in Echo Park was a perfect backdrop for this outfit.

In Venice Beach I wore a thrifted grey trench coat. A scarf I got from a thrift store in Grinnell Iowa. Wrangler jeans, a button down from TopMan and some thrifted loafers from Beatnix an iconic store in Boystown Chicago.

I'm so happy that Brooke took me to her company office party in the Hollywood Hills. Because it allowed me to wear my Eloquii sleeveless cape gown. This dress always makes me feel like a movie star. I paired it with a dark grey lipstick from Pretty Zombie Cosmetics called Tombstone. The look was brightened with gold accents: a necklace from The Opulent Hippo and a vintage gold clutch.

The looks I served in LA are a small part of what I've learned on my fashion journey. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss my next Fashion Meditation.

Echo Park

February 3, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

The Sun decided to say hello just as the photo shoot started. A previously overcast day was now bright with colors; Amhari’s highlight shone like gold. We had just met the week before.

When I travel I believe the universe will provide what I need. As a photographer, specifically interested in using the genre of fashion photography to tell the stories of the marginalized, I can’t hone my talent without people. While in L.A. I really wanted to push myself to find a model for my project Black Femme Magic. I haven’t had much luck with model mayhem so I was hoping that while I was out on the town I would meet someone willing to be photographed by me.

I sat down on the bench outside of a party- legs tired from dancing to a nudisco song I couldn’t have Shazamed if I wanted to. On my right was Brooke just as tired as me and on the right was a person I didn’t know. In the spirit of being friendly, I said hello. Fast forward and I was now photographing this person.

What started as a drinking reservoir in 1870 became a park in 1892. Amhari had suggested it because she was from eastern part of L.A. I spent most of my time on the west side of the city so I rejoiced at the ability to go east.

After the photoshoot Amhari took me to one of her favorite little pizza places in the neighborhood.

L.A. Museums

January 31, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

The soft echo of footsteps bounce off the walls of the museum- a sound I know all too well. Being from DC, museums are everywhere and I have come to enjoy the world-class art my city has to offer. Museums can tell you a lot about a city as long as you ask the right questions. Where are the museums located? Are they free? Whose stories are being told? In DC most of the museums are free. However, in LA almost all of the museums having some kind of fee, which I found to be surprising. Check out http://www.welikela.com/ for their monthly list of free museum days, so you can be sure to see great art on a budget.

The first free museum day took me to The Getty. High on a hill, overlooking the rest of the city is where this mammoth art center lies. A graceful tram carries you from the parking lot around the hill to a stunning view of the city. LA fell below me just as rush hour was in full swing.

I wasn't prepared for how large The Getty's campus was there is a sculpture and rose garden in addition to the five main buildings.

My favorite exhibit was Latent Exposures. This photography exhibition showcased multipart photographic works. I was particularly enamored with the photography of William Leavitt seen below, and Liza Ryan.

The next museum I ended up at was the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA. An iconic museum known for its insta worthy Urban Light installation. LACMA struck me by how tactile the museum was. There were so many ways you could physically interact with the space. One of their exhibitions was an exploration of Native Art through Mexico and South America. The standard white box gallery space was shaped to look like red and tan rocks undulating in a cabin.

The final museum was The Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA. It was a rainy day in LA and I was not in the mood. The spell was immediately lifted in Mickalene Thomas’s exhibit Do I Look Like a Lady. Two large screens grabbed my attention, they played on a loop, images of black female performers the audio and visuals no longer in sync. I became joyous seeing the visuals of Josephine Baker with the comedy of Mo'Nique. The setting was similar to my grandmothers living room. Rugs decorated the floor; comfy chairs lounged against a wall; books were scattered across the room. Mickalene’s work centers a complex meditation on black female identity and how they are represented in the media. Something that I am trying to do in my photography project BlackFemmeMagic.

While I do believe D.C. has some of the best museums in this country, I have to say LA has a great scene. The most ludicrous part was that I didn’t even make it to some of the other institutions like the Broad. No trip to LA is complete without viewing the abundant and enriching museum scene.