Devon Kenny

 by Devon Kenny

Fabulous Target Find|San Jose Boudoir Photography

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photography

Ladies, today we’re talking underwear!

You know how they (whoever they are?) always say that you should get rid of anything in your closet that you haven’t worn in over a year? Well, I’ve been really trying to abide by that lately, and it’s definitely a challenge. Even though the walk-in closet I share with my husband is big enough to be a small bedroom in Manhattan, it’s pretty small by California standards, and I’ve filled it up rather quickly.

I’ve also been trying to apply the same rules to my bureau. The other day I decided to dump out my lingerie/underwear drawer and tossed all of the items that needed to be retired. When all was said and done, I realized I needed to buy some new underwear, so off to Target I went!

I guess you’re probably starting to wonder where I’m going with this, but I just like to provide a little back story. It adds color. The fun part is coming up!

When you’re preparing for a boudoir photo session, or looking to buy something a little more exciting than a four-pack of Hanes, Target might not be the first store to come to mind, but they have some really pretty lingerie.

I was mostly in the market for every-day practical panties, but when I found this Gilligan & O’Malley thong, I had to throw in something special. Turns out, not only is it super cute, but also might just be comfortable enough for every-day practical too.

 

target find

 

The material is extremely soft and the lace details make it super feminine. Check out how the lace goes all the way across the top of the back. Gorgeous! And the best part? These underwear are only $5 each, or five for $20. I just got the purple color on the bottom left, but at that price, I might have to go back and get some more.

Are you brave enough to rock this feminine and sexy thong for a tushy shot? Give us a call today for a complimentray consultation in our San Jose studio.

bcoterie@sbcglobal.net or 408.460.1855

Nicole

 

 

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 by Devon Kenny

The Many Benefits of Bridal Boudoir – Part 2|San Jose Boudoir Photograper

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photographyA few weeks ago I posted Part I of Benefits of Bridal Boudoir, and If you don’t already have enough reasons to get your engaged self in front of the camera, here are a few more!

4. Mastering Makeup

If you’re not used to wearing much makeup, but are planning to on your wedding day, having your makeup done for your boudoir shoot is good practice. I hadn’t spent much time wearing false eyelashes, but was planning to wear them for my wedding, so it was nice to get used to them during my boudoir shoot. Also, while my boudoir makeup was a bit too dramatic for my wedding day, I loved how it was done and shared some photos with my wedding makeup artist for inspiration. It was great to have an idea of what works well with my features.

 

 

San Jose Bay Area Boudoir Coterie

 

5. Major Confidence Boost

Okay, so this was the biggest one for me. During the process of planning my wedding, I tried as hard as possible to remain cool, calm and collected. While I felt like I nailed that for the most part, there was one area that drove me crazy — my appearance. I dwelled on every little thing. I feared fat rolls showing through my dress and obsessed over the perfect shade of lipstick (just ask the sales lady at the MAC counter). I spent days agonizing about picking the right sparkly sash to go with my dress and I nearly had a panic attack when I realized the top of my dress was too big and not much could be done about it. Needless to say, I was obsessed with my appearance. While I don’t think I’m normally much more critical of myself than the average woman, something about being a bride seriously heightened my self doubt.

Going into my  session, I had no idea how much it would help my self esteem, but seeing my fabulous photos changed everything. I realized that if I could look beautiful in my underwear, I would look absolutely stunning in my wedding dress. Suddenly all of the little appearance details I was stressing about didn’t matter any more.

And last, but not least…

Sexy bride Boudoir Coterie

 

6. Your Partner’s Reaction

There are so many awesome reasons to have a bridal boudoir photo shoot, with this one being the most obvious. I saved it for last so that you could really focus on what you might not have already known, but this is a biggie too!

My husband had absolutely no idea what I was up to and his reaction to my album was truly priceless! I chose to give him his album during our “first look” before the ceremony and I had my photographer close by for the big reveal. I have to admit, the photos of his reaction are some of my favorites from the wedding. I also really loved being able to give him something that was so unique and personal. I don’t think my husband even knew boudoir photography was a “thing” before, so it was the ultimate surprise.
A016
There you have it – six fabulous reasons to sign up for a bridal boudoir session today. Convinced? Give us a call today to set up a boudoir session in our San Jose studio.

bcoterie@sbcglobal.net or 408.460.1855

Nicole

 

 

 

 

in Boudoir Sessions / Just Because / Main / News / What To Wear 0 comments
 by Devon Kenny

Vacation Must Haves|San Jose Boudoir Photography

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photography

 You’re probably familiar with those women’s magazine features that show what’s inside of a certain celebrity’s purse, beach bag, etc. While I think those are fun to read, as a former PR girl (and a bit of a cynic), I’m always wondering how much (if not all) of that is product placement. Wouldn’t you like to really see what’s inside someone’s bag?

Well, I’m heading to Hawaii with my husband in a few weeks, and since that’s all I can think about right now, I thought I’d give you a little insight into what I’m packing.

I know I’m not a celebrity, but I am actually bringing all of these items on my trip, and no one is paying me to say so (but if anyone wants to I can tell you where to send a check). I might not be as interesting as Jennifer Lawrence or Miley Cyrus, but I scored some awesome deals on fun stuff for this trip, so I thought I’d share. Who doesn’t love to be a little bit voyeuristic? Here you go:

vacation favorites

1. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to resist buying new bathing suits for vacation. I bought two for my honeymoon this spring, but they were both lighter colors and already look dingy. This time, I decided to go for a darker more classic color. Most stores don’t have bathing suits now since it’s technically Fall, but I found this great navy blue Merona bikini online at Target (top & bottom). I really love this classic silhouette, which is sexy without being too skimpy. It’s a little more expensive than some other Target suits, but way less than what you’d pay elsewhere for something of similar quality–  and it looks expensive!

2. I pretty much don’t go anywhere without these at least one of these Mossimo Boyfriend Tees from Target. They’re comfy and cute, and go with pretty much anything. They’re great for vacation because you can keep them casual or dress them up with a fun statement necklace.

3. & 4. I like to keep my daytime makeup routine pretty simple on vacation, but mascara is a must-have, and this one from Cover Girl is my favorite. I’ve tried numerous samples of more expensive mascaras from Sephora, but I go back to this one every time. I also love MAC’s Viva Glam VI Lip Glass. I originally purchased this to touch up my lips for my wedding, but it has become a staple for me now. This gloss is a soft and pretty pink, which adds just the right amount of color for a neutral look.

5. I’ve been eyeing this J.Crew Whisper Gauze Beach Tunic since it came out early this summer, but I just couldn’t swallow the $72 price tag. You can only imagine how excited I was to score it for about $15 when they were offering an extra 40% off summer clearance. It’s extremely comfortable and actually offers pretty good coverage considering that it’s somewhat sheer. I can’t wait to wear this to the beach!

6. I initially bought these Nike sneakers at DSW to wear on my honeymoon. I figured I’d want something comfortable for all of that touring we’d be doing, but wanted something cuter and less bulky than my running shoes. Ha! We ended up not leaving our resort once during the trip, but they will be perfect for Hawaii. We’re already signed up for a food tour and a photography tour, so I’ll definitely be wearing these (because food touring is tough on the feet, right?).

7. These chino shorts were also another J.Crew summer clearance steal. I actually got them in navy blue, but that color is sold out now. I love this purple too, but really wanted something neutral since I already have a pair of hot pink shorts I bought this summer. I’m not normally a huge fan of shorts, but I feel like they’re a necessity on vacation. These are just the right length for me and also go with pretty much anything.

8. My husband and I took very few pictures on our honeymoon because we spent most of it at the beach, and I didn’t really feel safe bringing my “nice camera” there too much. I wasn’t going to let that happen again, so I set out to find an inexpensive waterproof camera . I was really happy when I found a brand-new Olympus Stylus Tough on eBay and ended up with the winning bid (which I made when there were 20 seconds left in the auction). Not only did I score a super fun camera, but I got it for $50 off of the retail price. While I’d still be sad to loose this camera, the price tag and durability make me feel a lot more comfortable bringing it with me everywhere on vacation.

These are just a few of the items I’ll be packing for Hawaii. It seems I’ll never learn to pack light. What are some of your vacation must haves?

Nicole

in Beauty/Glamour / Just Because / Main / What To Wear 3 comments
 by Devon Kenny

Favorites from the San Francisco Ultimate Women’s Expo

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photographyIn case you missed it, the Boudoir Coterie team spent last weekend at the San Francisco Ultimate Women’s Expo in San Mateo. We had a gorgeous booth, which was expertly appointed by Danea and her husband, and included lots sexy photography and plenty of plush carpeting (my feet are saying thank you!). Seriously, I might be biased, but several people stopped by to let us know we had the best looking booth, and I have to agree.

Boudoir Coterie Photographer booth

Though the end of each day required a nap and foot massage (thanks to my awesome hubby), it was a truly awesome weekend. We met so many beautiful women and are really looking forward to having some of them in the studio.

While we weren’t chatting with potential clients, making new friends, or watching Danea dance to Lorde’s “Royals” in the booth (it’s so catchy isn’t it?), we did have some time to check out the expo ourselves. There were all kinds of neat vendors selling lots of clever products, so I thought I’d do a quick round-up of some of our favorites. With the exception of one, these are all things that we actually bought at the expo.

1. Dang Coconut Chips

These were delicious! I didn’t personally buy any, but I sampled more than a few. The only reason I didn’t buy any myself was because I couldn’t be trusted not to eat them all in one sitting. These crunchy chips are lightly sweet and very satisfying. Someone on our team may or may not have purchased a whole case, but I’ll let them remain nameless;-)

photo courtesy of dangfoods.com

2. Spot It

This memory game by Blue Orange was a bit hit with Danea’s kids. There’s an all-picture version for little ones, and reading ones for the big kids. They come in a cute little round tin so that you don’t have to worry about keeping a rubber band around the deck or having a cardboard box fall apart.

photo courtesy of amazon.com

3. ChocolatRouge

Three words. Chocolate. Red. Wine. I’ve seen a few different versions of chocolate wine in stores and have been very curious. I sampled all three varieties of ChocolatRouge and loved them all. The chocolate flavor was very subtle and delicious. They weren’t actually selling it at the show (I’m guessing they weren’t allowed to due to permits?), but I’d like to buy some. Their website said my local Nob Hill would have it, but they did not. I ended up buying a different brand and it was not as good, so I’ll be hunting for this now.

photo courtesy of chocolatrougewine.com

4. Wozzy Slipper Blanket

Danea debated this one for a while, and finally bought it right before the end of the show. Cutely named “Lola-Bye,” this cozy blanket comes with built in slippers to keep your tootsies warm on cold nights. Just be warned – you should not walk in your slipper blanket. Seems like another great excuse to have the hubby fetch you another glass of ChocolatRouge.

photo courtesy of wozzyshop.com

All in all it was a great weekend! Did you make it to the Ultimate Women’s Expo? If so, what was your favorite vendor or product? (Besides Boudoir Coterie of course!)

Nicole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

in Just Because / Main / News 0 comments
 by Devon Kenny

Falling for Navy|San Jose Boudoir Photography

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photographyI love Fall. It’s one of the few things I truly miss about the East Coast, and I get a little nostalgic each year when it rolls around. Thankfully these feelings quickly fade as soon as my hometown gets it’s first snowfall and it’s still sunny and 70 degrees here in San Jose. In the meantime, I’m getting my pumpkin spice lattes early in the morning while it’s still crisp and cool outside and reminiscent of the Fall weather I’m used to. It’s the small things.

Aside from the crisp cool days, and everything pumpkin flavored, I also really love all of the gorgeous Fall colors. I might not get to enjoy the beautiful foliage in California, but there’s always fashion!

The deeply saturated colors are so pretty, classic, and flattering to many skin tones. As a matter-of-fact, when I got married in April, I bypassed all of the typical Spring colors and chose “spiced wine” bridesmaid dresses from J.Crew. This gorgeous, deep reddish-purple color looked fabulous on all of my bridesmaids and I was able to make it more “Spring-like” with bright purple and green accents. As an added bonus, they can all wear their dresses again this Fall too (isn’t that what all brides like to think?).

Anyway, this Fall I’m really loving navy blue. Back when I lived in New York City, like most New Yorkers, black was a staple in my closet. While I still think black is quite chic, I love how much softer navy can be. It pairs great with browns and creams and is very flattering. I’ve been seeing a lot of great navy lingerie online lately, which I think would be perfect for a boudoir photo session. Here are some of my favorites from around the web (including a few really affordable ones from H&M):

falling for navy

I really like the idea of pairing these pieces with a soft cream cardigan or wrap and cozying up with a cup of coffee for a more casual look. Of course, you could also add a hot pair of heels for something a little more vixen-ish too;-)

What’s your favorite Fall color? Ready to rock it in a boudoir session this Fall (hint, hint – now is the time to book your holiday sessions!)? Give us a call or shoot us an email to set up a free consultation in our San Jose studio!

bcoterie@sbcglobal.net or 408.460.1855

Nicole

in Beauty/Glamour / Boudoir Must Haves / Boudoir Sessions / Main / Sheer & Sexy / What To Wear 0 comments
 by Devon Kenny

The Mighty Dolman Tee|San Jose Boudoir Photography

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photographyIt’s no secret that we at Boudoir Coterie are big fans of the “sexy-casual” look for photo sessions. It makes for a great warm-up outfit before moving on to the more risque stuff (if that’s in your cards) and most often results in some playful, fun and sexy photos. What’s not to love?

As I mentioned in my recent post about more modest boudoir outfit ideas, I did a sexy-casual set and wore a super cute, heather gray dolman-sleeve top with soft blue boy shorts on the bottom. While I love all of my photos, this set is absolutely my favorite, and what’s even better is that although I bought this shirt specifically for my session, I still wear it ALL the time!

In case you’re wondering exactly what a dolman sleeve shirt is, it typically has looser arm holes with sleeves that are tighter at the wrists, though the name is used rather loosely. These shirts often have larger neck openings and are sometimes short and boxy (which is why I usually layer mine over a tank when I wear it in public).

Personally, I love having multi functional pieces in my wardrobe, and this shirt is a great one. Here’s me wearing my shirt for my boudoir session and at the beach on my honeymoon.

San Jose bay Area sexy t-shirt bridal boudoir

If you’re planning a boudoir session and want to invest in items that you’ll wear again, I highly recommend getting this type of shirt. Here are a few ways I wear mine:

1. Layered over a tank, with yoga pants and flip-flops when I’m running errands (or actually on my way to and from yoga)

2. With jeans instead of yoga pants, a tank top, statement necklace and casual wedges for a more polished casual look

3. Lounging around the house with pajama shorts (sometimes I even sleep in it)

4. Over a swimsuit and shorts as a beach cover-up

The shirt I have is from Macy’s and I can’t find the exact style anymore, but I scoured the internet to find some other options that might pique your fancy. What’s even better is that these are all on sale, so get them quick before they’re gone!

1. Victoria’s Secret – High-Low Dolman Tee

2. Anthropologie – Frankie Dolman

3. Ideology – Dolman-Sleeve Striped Banded Pullover (This is the same brand as mine but the style looks a little different)

4. AE – Brunch Tee

Here are a few varying sleeve styles…

Dolman Tee

Caslon slouchy tee / Rachel Rachel Roy dolman sleeve t shirt / RVCA t shirt

If those aren’t enough reasons to run out and get one of these t-shirts right now, they’re also incredibly comfortable and extremely forgiving on days when you’re feeling a little less fabulous (I don’t like to use that three letter “F” word”).

Already own a dolman tee? Let us know how you like to wear yours in the comments. And if you’re ready to wear it for a boudoir photo session in our San Jose studio, please give us a call!

bcoterie@sbcglobal.net or 408.460.1855

Nicole

in Boudoir Must Haves / Sheer & Sexy / What To Wear 0 comments
 by Devon Kenny

The Many Benefits of Bridal Boudoir – Part 1|San Jose Boudoir Photographer

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photographyWhen I began planning my wedding, I never imagined having a bridal boudoir photo shoot would be part of those plans. As a matter of fact, it’s not something I even knew existed at the time.

Thanks to tons of gorgeous shots on Pinterest, and many deals on Groupon and Living Social, I quickly became aware and was definitely intrigued. Before I knew it, I was interviewing potential photographers and setting up my shoot.

My main goal with the photo-shoot was to have a unique and special gift for my husband-to-be. I had no idea there would be so many other benefits, but now that I know, I’d like to share them with you.

1. Stress-Free Pampering

No matter the scale of your wedding, planning can be extremely stressful. While many people will try to fool you into thinking that weddings are all about the bride, it’s often really about the bride trying to make sure everyone else is happy. Having a day that’s truly all about you is a great way to de-stress and recharge. From having your hair and makeup professionally done, to parading around in sexy lingerie (or whatever you choose to wear), you’ll get some much needed “me time.”

San Jose Bay Area sexy boudoir looks

2. Awesome Lingerie Wardrobe

While buying new stuff to wear is totally not required for a photo shoot, Boudoir Coterie includes a wardrobe consultation with every package. I chose to have mine at Besos lingerie shop in Los Gatos, and I definitely recommend doing the same if you can. Sure, shopping for skivvies with a stranger might seem slightly awkward at first, but when else do you get the opportunity to have a personal shopper for a few hours? Another great benefit is that you end up with some cute professionally-selected pieces to wear on your honeymoon too.

Boudoir Coterie Sexy pictures

3. Posing Practice

My husband-to-be and I had an engagement photo session with our wedding photographer roughly six months before our wedding. While this was great for getting comfortable with our photographer, it wasn’t until my boudoir shoot that I started feeling really comfortable in front of the camera. While any good wedding photographer will be able to help you pose and take photos from flattering angles, there’s so much else going on that day that it’s good to have some more extensive practice beforehand. Granted you probably won’t be arching your back and sticking out your booty while laying on a sheepskin rug on your wedding day (or maybe you will?), having extra camera confidence and practicing your best angles will be super beneficial in the long run. If you can take great photos while wearing next to nothing, imagine how you’ll look in your gorgeous white gown (or whatever else you choose to wear).

Those are just a few of the extra benefits of bridal boudoir. Please stay tuned for part two in the coming weeks — and if you’re thinking about having a bridal boudoir photo shoot in our San Jose studio, feel free to drop us a line!

408.460.1855 or bcoterie@sbcglobal.net

Nicole

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