Portfolio | Behind the Seams of a Styled Engagement Session

For today's post, I thought it would be fun to share some of the "behind the scenes" of our work, because let's face it, fashion styling is a big part of the business-end of Merci New York.
While the end result is meant to look effortless, each time Merci New York is commissioned to style a project, {whether it's an editorial, engagement shoot, or a special event}, we do a whole lot of homework to make sure the fashion is top notch...
Earlier this summer, we had the pleasure of styling the NYC photographer workshops for the lovely Jen Huang Photography. The first day was "engagement" photos, so we prepped the couples in colorful and versatile outfits that popped in Jen's oh-so-pretty photos down in South Street Seaport. Our style boards {above and below} show versatile, attainable and colorful outfits for each of the girls... Our goal was to find pieces that are editorial, yet cost efficient. {For a complete list of resources, see below}.
In the top photos, you'll notice we went with a pretty direct translation of the style board, but for the second model {below}, the look was more loosely interpreted. The flowing blue wardrobe and neutral shoe remained a constant {the dress was the model's own}, but the show stealer here was one standout piece: a killer jeweled bib necklace from Dannijo, which Merci New York pulled from our amazing friends at Rent the Runway.

No matter how fashion-conscious you may be, hiring a stylist for your engagement session assures that an expert set of style-loving eyes are attending to your every need {who wouldn't love that?!}. Whether it's wardrobing, accessorizing or personal shopping, Merci New York brings a slew of untapped resources to the table... And when it comes to the day of the shoot, sometimes there's nothing better that some on-set stylist love to make sure you are perfectly pressed, pinned and posed to perfection.
xx,









Resources: {Top}: Dress, Zara; Yellow python clutch, Madame Mathilde; Zebra ring, H&M; Drop earrings, Miriam Haskell; Embedded pearl cuff, Ciner via RTR; scarf and alternative dress, both Zara. {Bottom}: Yellow linen shirt, striped shirt dress and gold belt, all J. Crew; Romper, Zara; Gold cuffs, H&M; Navajo bib necklace, Dannijo; Shoes from Merci New York styling kit: Yellow bow peep toes from Hollywould and pink booties from Kate Spade; Blue dress, Topshop.

All photos courtesy of Jen Huang Photography; styling by Merci New York, makeup by Kerri Crawford.