What do a hair salon in Farmington, a small town girl from Sedgewickville, a makeup artist from Cape, an online clothing store owner from St. Louis, a jewelry maker from Ste. Genevieve, and a photo stylist from Park Hills have in common? Talent and dreams!
Just an everyday, small town girl with a good attitude.
Not long ago, we did a model search for a fall sweater story. We posted a simple message on our Facebook page looking for a tall girl, age 14 to 18, to model the fall clothes. Like everything else about the region, there was great enthusiasm. I was surprised how many talented girls submitted their bios and pics. After cutting through hundreds of submissions, the art director settled on a 14-year-old from Sedgewickville, Missouri, population 180. She has never had any modeling experience and didn’t even think of herself as model material. Just an everyday, small town girl with a good attitude.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Tatum Bollinger...
Any first professional photo shoot can be extremely intimidating, but our professional crew knew just how to keep things flowing and how to keep Tatum at ease.
You could only imagine what was going through this girl’s head when she walked up to the shoot location to be introduced to a hairdresser, makeup artist, wardrobe stylist, art director, and photographer. Even though you know she must have been shaking in her shoes, Tatum kept clam, listened, and took direction well. Any first professional photo shoot can be extremely intimidating, but our professional crew knew just how to keep things flowing and how to keep Tatum at ease. I love nothing better than shooting non-professional models. Tatum caught on quickly, and the shoot went without a hitch.
My name is Tatum Sky Bollinger.
I love the color orange. Sometimes I wake up early and climb a tree to watch the sunrise. On one occasion, I became so content that I fell asleep in the tree. Sedgewickville, where I live, is a small town near Cape Girardeau. Because of the town’s size, I know most everyone there. My mother was a single parent until she met the love of her life. We have had a full family since 2005 with my mom, Cassi, brother Chase (12), sister Hallie (9), step-dad John, step-brother Josh (16), and step-sister Lindsey (13). We are a happy bunch. I love playing volleyball; my favorite part is serving. My favorite sport is softball. I go to Meadow Heights High, where I’m a freshman. To say that my friends and I are close is an understatement.
I never even thought about being a model before; I’m just a normal girl.
I plan to go to college at WASU and study performing arts. I might want to become an actress, so when my mom told me she submitted my name for a photo shoot with the 573, I got very excited. I never even thought about being a model before; I’m just a normal girl. I do admit it was all like a dream. I never thought I would ever do anything like this. To be pampered and treated like a star was amazing. I am so thankful that 573 gave me this opportunity.
They make the materials, spin the wool, dye the yarn, and knit the sweaters.
The clothing in the photo shoot came from Skif International. All of their clothes are made in the Skif studio St. Louis. Every piece is made to order. Most sweaters take three to six weeks to complete. They make the materials, spin the wool, dye the yarn, and knit the sweaters. Skif pieces are carried in over 100 specialty boutiques nationwide.
From happy sheep to the talented hands that make the clothes, Skif is a very interesting concept.
The other cool thing about Skif is that they also encourage people to stop by their studio to watch them work...
In addition to knitted garments, Skif has a wide selection of items that include a line of ready-to-wear pants, shirts, and dresses made from materials like Bemberg rayon, cotton, linen, and silk. Skif also creates accessories like one-of-a-kind scarves, hats, and seasonal hand/arm/leg warmers. From happy sheep to the talented hands that make the clothes, Skif is a very interesting concept. Even though their wares are sold all over the country, they still encourage local boutiques to sample their products. The other cool thing about Skif is that they also encourage people to stop by their studio to watch them work and see what’s new. You can view and buy their products at skifo.com.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW DIGITAL EDITION WITH PHOTO SPREAD AND VIDEO. (Nov 2014 ISSUE)