How I Became A Model / GLW Muse

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NOTE: This is an older post that was once combined with my Guide to Beginning Modeling, but I have decided to separate them for the sake of my Q&A Video. If you want to read the first half of the original post, you can find it here:
How to Be A Model
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My Story: How I Became a GLW Muse

Many moons ago, a happy & bouncy man by the name of Chris Van Atta came into a smoothie shop that I worked at. He turned out to be one of the best local photographers in eastern North Carolina. We got to chattin' and he found out that I had an interest in photography. So, our friendship blossomed, and we agreed that he would teach me photography if I would jump in front of his camera even though I didn't have a clue what I was doing. Here is my first photoshoot ever:

I thought I would hate it. I wanted to be a photographer, not a model. I'm shy and weird and awkward as hell. But... I. freaking. loved. it. We ended up shooting a few more times before he (or I? I can't remember) moved away and we couldn't play very often anymore.

More CVA photos from the following months:

We even ended up going to the Bahamas together (to shoot a wedding), and you better believe that we took advantage of that killer scenery and did a little shoot of our own while we were there!!

Fast forward.

A few years ago, I was clicking around Model Mayhem and stumbled upon DayJaVUE Photography. Her work was unbelievable! I was so impressed. We set up a shoot. I got to the shoot a bit early and met Linden Valentine for the first time, who was just wrapping up a shoot with DayJaVUE. At the time, I had no idea who Linden was & I went about my shoot and thought nothing of it. It's not really relevant to my story, just a funny coincidence that we crossed paths so early on & now we have been muses together for years. :3

Here was my first shoot with DayJaVUE Photography & fellow Studio 51 photographer Linda Packard:

We were both so stoked about the results of the shoot that we set up another shoot. On the day of the second shoot, DayJaVUE had just gotten a shipment of wigs in from Gothic Lolita Wigs. You may recognize her name if you are a GLW fan because she has been one of their best photographers for a very long time. I had never heard of GLW, but begged her to shoot me in this amazing wig! 

After this shoot, I just HAD to buy one of their wigs. Once it arrived, I shot it with Sweet Trade Photography (who I also met on Model Mayhem & who became one of my besties 4ever).

These photos caught the eye of GLW designer Charles Reger right around the time they were looking to get an alternative model to represent the company. Somewhere between having great timing, a great photographer, and a great wig, one thing led to another, and I've been a muse for GLW ever since. :') *happy tears for memory lane*

For more of my updated work, follow me on Facebook for regular updates:
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:')

Anime Matsuri 2014 Recap

Hi everyone!!! I hope you're ready for a photo-filled recap of ANIME MATSURI 2014!!

 Last year, I attended Anime Matsuri in Houston, TX for the product launch of Dolluxe lashes. Can you believe that Dolluxe has only been around for a year?? I'm not even sure how I lived the kawaii life before Dolluxe.... Anyway, last year, Dolluxe brought the packaging models down to Houston to celebrate the big launch at Anime Matsuri. Believe it or not, that was my first convention EVERRR. You can check out all of my 2013 Anime Matsuri adventures here~ AM 2013

Now let's fast forward a year~

Having the amazing honor of being a muse for Gothic Lolita Wigs, I was offered the chance to attend one of the largest anime conventions in Texas again for the second year in a row. Of course, how could I pass it up? Not only is it always rad to see the GLW crew, the other muses, and the Houston lolitas, but I am also always eager to meet and chat with fans. I was excited about this trip for MONTHS!!

Let's goooo!

Thursday

Thursday was my travel day to Houston & rehearsals for the J-Fashion show. Somehow I got put on the earliest flight in the entire world and had to get up at 4 in the morning. Considering I'm the worst last minute packer, this put me at about 2 hrs of sleep. @.@

Pretty much the only cool thing about flying before the world is awake is that you get to watch the sunrise from the sky.

Oooh pretty! \(OvO)/

When I finally arrived in Houston, I was delighted to find myself being picked up at the airport by none other than this little cutie:

Ooohhh my goodness. THIS IS A REAL DOG! How so small!?? O.O The world may never know.

So, my plans until rehearsal were pretty much just to love on this little pup all day long.

Mission accomplished.

By the time rehearsal rolled around, I was soooooooooooo tired. Just sooo tired. @.@ I was too tired to really interact with anyone or love on the Houston lolitas, so I ninja-slept the whole time with my eyes open because x.x

Also, we weren't allowed to take pictures during rehearsal (for obvious reasons), so that about wraps up Thursday!

Friday

Day 1 of Anime Matsuri!!! AHHHHH!!!

Since Thursday was dedicated exclusively to dog loving and ninja sleeping, I hadn't unpacked yet... oops. So I spent the morning unpacking a bit & getting ready to hit the dealers room.  My roommates for the convention were Linden Valentine and his fiance Katie Avalanche. SCORE. These two cuties are some of my favorite people in the world.

This is Sheepla. Sheepla is our room mascot. Sheepla is a Link cosplayer.

Because Friday was only a half day for me in the dealers room because of the fashion show, I decided to wear a kawaii fairy kei outfit instead of one of my cosplays. 

Yayyyy!!

Like this outfit? Join in here~

Post by Alexa Poletti.

I had sooo much fun bouncing around the dealers room for a few hours with all the GLW cuties!

This is Bethany. She is the GLW Customer Service queen and wig selling extraordinaire. We were (coincidentally) so coordinated with each other that we had to take a picture together! I wish you could see that she also has a sleeve on her left arm. ;o; Tattooed kawaii monsters unite!

MINT. Oh, Mint. I just love her so much.

I'm not sure how it is possible to be as cute as Mint, so if you find out, please report back.

After a few hours of frolicking around at the Gothic Lolita Wigs booth, Mint and I headed off to prepare for the Anime Matsuri J-Fashion Show.

The J-Fashion Show this year was MUCH different than the show last year. It had singing, violin, acting, a story, and an aerial performance by Mai Yamamoto! Not to mention, three amazing Japanese brands:

P U T U M A Y O

Alice and the Pirates

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

As we prepared for the show, I was sooooo blown away by how incredibly gorgeous my dress was. I have never loved a lolita dress more. I still feel so lucky that I was chosen to wear it. So many happy memories..... :')

I was wearing Baby's mon petit chouchou in sax. ♡♡♡♡

(Keep in mind, these pictures are from my phone. Official photos will be out later.)

Every detail was perfect. ;u;

Now... get ready for backstage fashion show spammmmmm~

Mint ♡♡

Mint with my bear hehehe *u*

Mint & I with Yanise, the winner of the GLW Muse for a Weekend Contest!

Rehearsals (& AKIRA!)

Meci, Carol, Kat, Mint, Katie, & the Houston Lolita Community (HLC)!

As for the show, I think it went pretty well. I think? It's hard to say because I didn't get to watch it hehehe.... I had a lot of fun being a part of the Baby group, but I do wish the Baby girls had more time to practice. :'( PUTUMAYO & Alice got to practice so much... I hope the Baby girls didn't look as clueless as we felt. :T Other than that & the sound issues, I think it went pretty well. I sooooo wish you guys got to hear the violinist kill it. She was soooooo amazing in rehearsals!! I hate that I didn't catch her name... HLC, help me out?

Photo by Melissa Brown Photography

(I'll add more pics of the show as they appear on the interwebz)

After the show, we celebrated with HLC hugs and selfies with the guests hehehehe :')

Midori x AKIRA

*swoon*

Misako x Midori ♡♡♡

Yui ☺☺

Masumi - BtSSB designer

She is soooo sweet!~

No photo with Reika :(

Thank you J-Fashion show crew!

& a hugeeeeeee selfie:

Did you like the fashion show? Let me know what you thought here:

Post by Alexa Poletti.

Saturday

LINK COSPLAY. LINK COSPLAY. LINK COSPLAY. LINK COSPLAY.

That about sums up Saturday.

Just kidding. But really.

I was sooooo so so soooooooooooooooooooooooooo fortunate to have Meschantes Corsetry make me this custom cosplay to debut at Anime Matsuri this year. They are seriously the besttttttt ever. Email them for quotes for your custom cosplay or anything you can dream of!

There are so many Link cosplayers out there that I was determined to be the best. >:D Thank you again to Meschantes for helping me be the best Link everrrrrr :')

Heading to the con... Elevator selfie with Grell >:D

Met this guy. He knows the struggle.

Posed for a few (thousand) photos, like this one by Christopher Day. ^u^

Found (and was overtaken by) Linden.

Pondered the power of Linden vs Alexa.

Put this green wig on Booth Boy Ross.

Attended All Hail the Glow Cloud: a Celebration of Night Vale panel.

What do you think of my Link cosplay? Join in here:

Post by Alexa Poletti.

Changed into Hermione cosplay.

Elevator selfies minus Link plus Hermione plus Linden plus Linden's gun.

Mint attacking me with my own wand.... But.. how... darn her cuteness. >.<

Tin Tin collage!!!! *u*

Ran into Ann on our way to dinner!! :D :D :D What a cute girl!

Sunday Funday

MISTY COSPLAY. This was such a fun cosplay because I didn't tell anyone I was doing it. I had been hyping Link for a week or so, but... BAM! Misty, too!

^^ I love all of these people so much!!!!

Misty with the sweet lolitas, Bethany & Mint :D 

A kiss for you :-*

Dance party with Jenn and Tin Tin!!!!

What do you think of my Misty cosplay? Tell me here:

Post by Alexa Poletti.

Wheewwww what a day!!! What a weekend! 

After the convention, we all took naps in preparation for Jennifer's birthday party! ^u^

Linden, Kate, and I all went in kodona. Kodona is one of my favorite Japanese styles. :D

Just a couple of Princes. :D

^^ I'm not sure what's happening here, but I don't think I approve.

The party was very fun!! We were all so tired from a crazy weekend that we came back to the hotel early and packed up for our journey home the next day.

Monday

Goodbye, Houston!!! Thank you for everything! Thank you to all the sweet fans who came and found me, to the people who wanted photos and autographs, to GLW for bringing me back to AM this year, to BtSSB for having me in their show, and to all the muses for being the most badass group of people I know. 

I LOVE YOU ALL. xoxooxoxoxooxo