Thanks for all of your birthday wishes as Mirror80 celebrated 5 years in the blogosphere this past weekend! It’s been an amazing run, so I took the opportunity to comb the Mirror80 archives and pick out my favorite 10 posts of all time. I’m happy to say that my camera skills have greatly improved since the blog began, but they’ve still got a long way to go. I hope to continue growing as a blogger—photos, text and all! Keep reading for links to my very favorite posts, and if you’re new to the blog, this will definitely give you an idea of what Mirror80 is all about…
IMAGE SOURCES (Clockwise from the left):
’80s Glam Vanity Style. Mirror80’s first semi-decent photo shoot! I staged an ’80s vanity setup, complete with a crystal swan. If you like this post, check out my take on the ’80s teen vanity.
Why ’80s Music Videos Are so Dreamy. I’ve written MANY music video posts in the last 5 years, but this little piece is my fave, as it tries to capture a bit of ’80s music video magic. I was ecstatic when I tweeted at legendary MTV VJ Martha Quinn and she tweeted back that she really enjoyed the post! And yes, that’s a screen shot from Duran Duran’s “Rio”. In terms of favorites, it was a toss-up between this one and my post on the best ’80s video hairstyles.
An ’80s Interior Design Comeback? This was only my second post for Mirror80, and I was so excited to photograph my first ’80s Goodwill find in front of a teal backdrop. I interviewed local Austin retro furniture dealer Bill Goodpasture, who talked about why it’s sometimes difficult to find pieces from the 1980s.
Memphis Design Meets Haute Couture. This was the first time I attempted a quality montage/match-up of photos, and thanks to Memphis-Milano expert Dennis Zanone, I had access to an amazing collection of pics that helped illustrate the inspiration behind Christian Dior’s Fall/Winter Collection back in 2011.
Wasn’t that old school Mirror80? Ready for more favorites to move us into the present?…
IMAGE SOURCES (Top cluster, clockwise from the left):
DIY Modern Blocks. This is one of my all-time favorite Mirror80 DIY projects, and the photo shoot was heavily inspired by the current still life movement. See more Mirror80 DIY projects here.
An Interview with Halt and Catch Fire Set Decorator Lance Totten. To say I was thrilled to get an interview with Lance Totten (from my favorite ’80s period drama Halt and Catch Fire) is an understatement. He shared SO much design-fabulous information about recreating the ’80s in the modern age. Don’t forget to check out Part 2 of the interview as well.
Dead Malls, Childhood Memories and ’80s Style. One of my childhood malls closed this spring, and on the very last day it was open to the public, I took my camera and snapped a slew of photos. Lots of tile, palm trees and neon!
IMAGE SOURCES (Bottom cluster, clockwise from the top left):
An ’80s Fashion Photo Shoot! This was my first collaboration, and I was pumped to join forces with my dear friend, photographer Peter Tung. With model Sarah Gardner and a team that included a stylist, makeup artist and more, we hit a local office park to create some pretty rad ’80s-style photos. Don’t forget to check out Part 1 of the fashion shoot collaboration as well!
A Colorful Summer Party. I enjoy designing tablescapes for Mirror80’s Retro Foodie series, and for this colorful party concept based on an ’80s design motif, everything beautifully came together. I love when a photo shoot is stress-free and the sun creates an ideal lighting situation!
’80s Hotel Lobby Love. If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you know that I’m obsessed with lobbies. I’m trying to get out and about more when it comes to snapping photos for the blog, so I couldn’t help but head to Austin’s Renaissance Hotel and take some pictures of their amazing marble lobby filled with plants and brass details.
Thank you for joining me for a bit of reminiscing! Here’s to the next 5 years…
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