When you go ALL out for your first boudoir shoot and book it in PARIS. If you’ve been on the fence about a boudoir shoot, and want to make sure it’s epic? Go ahead and shoot us an email about GREECE! (Click here for more info!)

I can’t get enough of this girl, so often my boudoir babes turn into friends and it’s one of the best parts of my job. Miss T loves to travel and is a total girl boss!! She wanted her images to be classy and a perfect reflection of HER. I can see her looking back with pride when she’s 80 of the delicious life she created. I mean these images are total perfection and remind me of the Paris we all imagine in our minds. 

This is what Miss T had to say about her shoot:

Why did you choose to book a Destination Fearlessly Feminine session? And what convinced you to say “Yes!” to this experience?

Alisha and the Fearlessly Feminine team were offering destination shoots in Paris and that was the push I needed to say “Yes!” I’ve been following Alisha’s work for years and always knew I wanted to do a boudoir shoot but was always waiting for a special moment. At the time I booked the session, I just turned 29 and I knew I wanted to do something special to celebrate the end of my 20’s (and to celebrate turning 30 – which I’ve always been excited for!) Paris has always held a special place in my heart (I’m part French!) and it was so sweet to book my third trip to my favorite city!

What was your favorite part of your session?

I loved getting GLAM for the shoot – Kana Brown knocked it out of the park with my hair and make-up and it was SO fun shooting in Paris. Just being in front of the Eiffel Tower was so special – I felt like a model shooting on location! I also love that Alisha shoots with a second shooter – who for my shoot used a different type of lens. We were able to get some of my favorite shots on the second camera that came out with more of a vintage feel. Plus, the wine and champagne never stopped flowing and Alisha and her team are the ultimate hype girls and that was an awesome experience!

Where did you shop for your outfits?

I was super surprised that I did not spend a ton on my wardrobe! At the time I started shopping for clothes – I had actually just quit my job and moved back home to get licensed for my profession! That said, I was on a super tight budget so it was all about making the most of what I had or buying from low-cost retailers. Some of my favorite shots were in my lace Blue Bella bodysuit paired with this sheer robe that I actually ended up getting for free! Then I bought a white button shirt from H&M and paired with some Brazilian cut lingerie from Victoria’s Secret. The rest were items I already owned and dug out of the closet – get creative with what you have!

How long did you prepare for your travels to Europe?

I booked the FF shoot in February of 2019, booked my flights to Paris/Switzerland in June 2019 and had the shoot in September 2019. It didn’t take much planning for me because I’ve been to these locations before – at most 2 months!

How did you feel about the shooting location?

Alisha and her team scoped out the hotel for the shoot in advance (I think the year before) and I’m so glad they landed on this particular location. It was so dreamy! I loved the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower – my favorite shots were on that balcony. On top of that, I loved the French architecture that served as small, but meaningful details for my photos – the iron detail of the balcony, the french windows, the spiral staircases. I had a specific vibe I wanted to capture – Parisian elegance with a touch of vintage romance. The composition of the photos, the location, the carefully selected outfits and the poses allowed us to achieve exactly what I was envisioning.

Did you book your trip through a travel agent or on your own?

I booked it on my own.

How did it feel for you to be photographed in front of the Eiffel tower?

It felt so empowering! I’m Asian-American but have French roots – it was incredible to be able to embrace my heritage while celebrating my femininity. Plus there’s just something so special about the Eiffel Tower – it itself is an icon which in turn made ME feel incredibly iconic (and blessed!) for this opportunity.

What would you do differently next time in planning your travels abroad?

I would not plan anything differently aside from spending more time abroad – but that’s always the wish! We were there for about 10 days

What did you do to prepare for your destination boudoir session?

I immediately started pinning pictures that I loved. The FF team does a great job of sending out the Boudoir guides that help you prepare for your shoot (e.g. recommendations of where to shop, styling tips, beauty tips, etc.) and I basically followed those guides to a T. Because we were going to Paris, I had a certain vision that I wanted to capture and made sure I pinned those photos and communicated with Alisha beforehand. I was very impressed that the team had my “must-have” poses that I pinned pulled up the day off so we made sure we didn’t miss any of my favorite poses! But then when we got rolling, we found inspiration in being on location as well – I was so happy to have the best of both worlds! So on the one hand it’s great to prepare, but even if you didn’t, you’ll find inspiration wherever you are and the FF team are SO experienced they’ll be there to guide you every step (and arched back, pointed toe and booty pop!) of the way 🙂

What was your biggest takeaway from the entire experience?

My biggest takeaway is that you should always prioritize self love – after this trip, my motto became, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” The years leading up to my 30th birthday, I basically ran on fumes trying to be everything for everyone and I forgot the importance of taking care of myself. I was so excited to prepare for this shoot that I started eating better, working out more, took better care of my skin and really made sure to focus on my mental fitness. I started to unplug from work and spent more time with my family. I also started manifesting – which is the practice of writing down your goals framed in a way as if you’ve ALREADY achieved them. This really put me in the right head space and I can honestly say, if it weren’t for the promise of this experience I wouldn’t have put in the work on myself.

Do you have any helpful travel tips to anyone that might be thinking of traveling abroad?

Alisha should do a travel blog if she hasn’t already 🙂 My biggest tip is to do your research and figure out what you want to do. That will lay the foundation of where you stay and your method of travel (if you’re traveling to many different places within Europe). You’ve got to maximize your time exploring and you don’t want to waste time using inefficient travel methods or having to travel long distances from your hub (e.g. your hotel or airbnb). Additionally, rack up on those airline points and essentially they will pay you to travel! There’s many resources out there to figure out to game the system. Lastly – SKINCARE: I love following Susan Yara’s Mixed Makeup on instagram – airplanes are super dry and dehydrating and you should do your skincare routine in the airport before your flight. You’ll lock in all of your skin’s moisture and your skin will be GLOWING when you land.

What was the highlight of your trip?

I made my shoot experience into a full blown European vacation! The highlight of my trip to Paris was the day of my shoot (seriously you guys, I felt SO empowered, bad ass and feminine at the same time, and incredibly beautiful!) + the dinner with the FF team at the end of the night. My girlfriends and I then went to Switzerland afterwards and the highlight of my trip there was forgetting my passport on a Swiss Train, MAD DASHING it (Jason Bourne style) back to the train to grab it, then running to catch the second train, and finding out I passed the hardest section of the CPA (which I had failed 8+ times before…) all in 10 minutes.

Did you travel anywhere outside the FF destinations? Where did you go?

Yes! I decided that if I was going to be in Paris/Europe anyway, why not make a trip out of it? After I booked the session, I coordinated a trip with two close girlfriends. One explored Paris with me (and met the FF team and ended up shooting with Alisha in Boston for her wedding!) and we met up with another friend in Switzerland afterwards. The added bonus of an FF destination shoot is you can turn it into a vacation!

Did you enjoy spending extra time with FF team? Dinner, excursions, etc..

I LOVED that part of the night! One of my favorite parts (that I didn’t plan on!) were the friendships built with the girls on the FF team. I loved our dinner in Paris (it was the best meal I had during my time in Paris) and loved that my friend, Marie, was welcome to join. And that’s one of the reasons why I love the destination FF sessions because you’re all in a different country and exploring together. There is a greater sense of community and girl tribe that is established when you do a destination shoot and I’m so grateful!

What was your favorite image from your session?

I absolutely loved all of them because they tell such a great story! My favorite ones are the ones that I’ve picked to frame and hang up. They’re the ones in B&W of me wrapped in a bedsheet standing on the balcony with french windows and the Eiffel Tower in the background, plus the one with my back to the camera and in a white shirt looking at the Eiffel Towe

What would you tell someone considering a FF Destination Session?

Congratulations! This is the first step to the BEST you. I’m so excited for you to experience your shoot and fall in-love with yourself all over again. Definitely find your inspiration browsing the FF blogs, the instagram page, as well as Pinterest boards. Prepare beforehand and make sure you pin your favorite poses to get your vibe just right! And if you’re already traveling for this shoot – make a vacation out of it. You’re going to have so much fun!

What packages/products did you decide on? Are you happy with your choice? Did you choose to hang up any photos in your home?

I chose the middle tier package – I wanted to have day photos and night photos of the Eiffel tower. The number of photos offered and the size of the photo album were just the right amount and size for me as well! I think if I could do it again, I would’ve chosen the top-tier package because I ended up printing THREE (and so happy about it!) 20×24 frames as add-ons.

What was the most memorable moment from your trip?

Definitely this shoot!