A Day in the Life of Al Tidwell

How goes your day, Mr. Tidwell?

Kate Allen Stukenberg
Posted:
May 07, 2012

10 am: Stayed up late watching Melancholia, so I slept in. I love waking up in our hand-carved mahogany bed from Indonesia. I was dreaming I was in Hawaii, with the doors open to the lanai. Can’t get enough of the Hawaiian weather here in Dallas lately.

10:25 am: Checking e-mails on my red BlackBerry Curve, which also conveniently serves as my phone, computer and music system. (I refuse to touchscreen.) Streaming Claudine Longet on Pandora.


11 am: Brush my teeth with my Preserve sustainable toothbrush. Slather on sun salve — pure herbal comfort infused with love. Light a stick of Juniper Ridge wild-harvested Sweetgrass incense. Get dressed for a long day in black Levi’s 510 jeans that I bleached on purpose; B. Son San Francisco T-shirt that I picked up from Centre; vintage shiny black Members Only knockoff jacket from Sears; a black silk Dries Van Noten scarf. I slip on my acid-washed Toms shoes, and a buffalo-nickel concho belt completes my look.

11:23 am: Korean-taco withdrawal kicking in, so my partner, Jamaal Cockerham, and I Volvo-it crosstown to Goghee To Go. We order three tacos, three ways: Tejano, Mexicano and Korean. We dine alfresco.

12:14 am: Stop by V.O.D. to see if Jackie got in more scarves like the brown and blue vintage YSL tribal one I found there last season to add to my 30+ collection, or a new LowLuv ring by Erin Wasson.

1 pm: I arrive at the faux-French country castle off Midway. Erin Faison is shooting a new men’s skincare line for BeautiControl. I give our model some L’Occitane en Provence hand cream for his hands, which gives anyone an instant manicure, and then I butter him up in jasmine-scented Almond Glow. Someone has to do it!


3 pm: We are shooting for JCP on the rooftop of The Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa. Sophia Loren would live here. Orange peasant blouse, check! Loose, yet controlled chignon, check! White capris, check! It’s a pretend dinner party on the terrace overlooking downtown. Wait, what are we selling? Oh … the patio furniture!


4:15 pm: I hitch a ride to Dear Clark salon to talk Kevin Murphy hair products with Kaycee Clark for the DIFFA extravaganza. Kaycee is working with me on the quick-hair-change strategies for the show. While I’m there, I pick up a bottle of Kevin Murphy Fresh.Hair dry-cleaning spray — it’s great for adding volume.

5 pm: For a full dose of vitamin D, I hit my backyard for some sun yoga, wearing my green sandals from The Piper Sandal Company, then I kick back with a Rangpur martini with Sunflower Farmers Market’s black-pepper kettle chips. Paradise.


6:30 pm: I meet up with photographer Ann He for a photo test. They are recreating iconic photographer Paolo Roversi’s iconic light painting from the ’80s and Wallflower’s “face of the moment,” Abby, is our model. I use Nars Illuminator in Copacabana and Burt’s Bees pomegranate lip balm for the look. 


8:30 pm: Tonight is the DIFFA “Le Smoking Haute” Show. I’ve conjured up some big Texas Tom Ford hair, geometric ponytails, and tortured ’20s bobs. On the same models. In the same show. Only for Jan!


10:16 pm: I’m back home for an organic salad from Urban Acres market, then a soak in a bath of Palm Island black lava sea salt.

10:40 pm: Curl up in bed to watch some Rhoda. How does she tie that scarf?

11:15 pm: Can’t sleep yet! I reorganize my kit for tomorrow’s jcp.com women’s fashion photo shoot. We’re going to keep the look natural.

Midnight: The BlackBerry automatically shuts down, and so do I. Aloha!



IMAGE: Al Tiwell. Photo by Maxine Helfman.

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