Taken hostage for a makeover & photoshoot! Scary but wow, love the results.

A few years ago I met Jasmine, one half of Garter Cartel on the Gold Coast, when she was a hairdresser in the same salon as my hairdresser. I started to see Jas for brow waxing because she is the best around! In the last couple of years Jas has left the salon to set up Garter Cartel and I continued to see her so she has witnessed my ‘transformation’ as I have lost 40kg. Every 3 or 4 weeks I would rock up to her salon for brow maintenance and Jas would comment on my progress… a lot changes in 3 to 4 weeks when you are doing Michelle Bridges’ 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT)! Jasmine has encouraged me every step of the way and I often arrived to be asked to tell the other clients about my success to date.

Just before Christmas Jasmine contacted me with an offer I could not say no to, even though I was really, really hesitant. I could not say no particularly because Jasmine has been such a constant source of encouragement. Jas said that Garter Cartel would like to do a makeover on me to feature on their website: hair, brows, styling, tanning – the works – to dress me up as I would never ever dared dream of before I lost 40kg and got fit.

Handing over control was really scary…. I have always done my own hair and make up… furthermore in the past I was the one giving the makeovers as I trained as a hair and make-up artist 15+ years ago and worked with photographers doing exactly what Garter Cartel wanted to do to me. I truly almost said no, but that was a crazy thought! Saying no means you miss out on fun, even if you do have to give away control, in these situations it is usually worth it! Decided I had to go into the fear and JFDI!

With trepidation I said yes – my hairdresser and bestie, Stephen, has been the only one to do my hair for years… Jas knows him well also and we both went “Ohhh but what will Steve say?!” With Stephen’s blessing Jas went for it…. out came the bleach for the brows (eeek!!) and hair to make me even blonder! The other half of Garter Cartel, the awesome Cassie, tanned me up. The styling was fun! I took a suitcase of bits and pieces from my place and the Garter Cartel girls had items from various jewellery designers and shops to choose from. We played about and created some great looks.

With all the prep done in the lead up, Friday afternoon was go time! I rocked up to Garter Cartel Headquarters for hair and make-up then it was off to The Spit on the Gold Coast to meet our photographer, Angela Hawkey. Instantly Angela made me feel relaxed and gave me plenty of instructions – I had no idea how to stand after years of hiding from photos. I realised over Christmas that I have become so stealthy at avoiding cameras and was disappointed not to have many photos with my family and friends, yet again (that is a whole other blog topic!).

I was not prepared for the spectacle that we would create…. me in stiletto heels and barely more than underwear (or so it felt) with amazingly huge hair and lots of bling and make up. We would draw a crowd at times and the Garter Cartel girls were a bit naughty… asking blokes what they thought as they came by! We borrowed a few puppies from the crowd at times to feature in the in photos – just hilarious!

Pretty soon my nerves and hesitation were gone, it took a good half hour to warm up and chill out about it all. I didn’t realise what hard work it would be…. felt like I should have stretched and warmed up beforehand just like for training! I climbed trees in stilettos and balanced precariously. Ran up sand dunes and through the surf. Was absolutely trashed afterwards and had sand in places it should not be!

So there is the background story…. so I guess all that remains is to say a MASSIVE thank you to the Garter Cartel girls and to photographer Angela Hawkey. THANK YOU times 50 B-million for taking me outside my comfort zone and putting in so much time and effort to show me how much fun it is to surrender control and allow others to make me over!! Your work is amazing!

And of course, the very last thing to do…. show you some photos!! Here is a sneak peek!

It is so true that our brains are slower to catch on to the changes and transformation our bodies have undergone. Yes, I have made huge mindset changes which have led to the physical changes however some days my mind does not fully realise just how much I have changed, how different I look. I feel fantastic! I feel strong, fit and healthy. I feel in control. It has been wonderful to SEE the transformation through this makeover. I am so grateful to Jas, Cassie and Angela for this amazing opportunity. It has been just wonderful.

The Garter Cartel girls are so much fun – they took me ‘hostage’ (appropriate given they are a Cartel) in the lead up to the make-over and filmed it. Here is the first video they have put together!

xx Ange

Check out the websites for Garter Cartel: http://www.hairatgartercartel.com.au & Angela Hawkey Photography: http://angelahawkey.com

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