STLFW // project:design!

The first day I was in town for STLFW, I flew in, got to the hotel, met my lovely roommate, and then we got ready to head out for our first night of festivities.  There was a blogger dinner planned at Basso, which was right next door to the hotel, so we grabbed a few outfit photos and then headed down for dinner.  The dinner was amazing and the restaurant was an underground, den-like venue, which made for a nice, intimate setting, despite there being about twenty of us.  It was fun meeting the group of bloggers for the first time and filling up on amazing food and drinks.  There was a happy hour planned for after dinner, but we had the option of attending the Project:Design! runway show, so Jackie and I decided to skip the happy hour and go out to the show instead.  I'm glad we did, because no one else decided to go to happy hour anyway and we ended up getting front row seats to the show!!  

 

You can see the collections from the show in their entirety here, but I also grabbed some shots of my own and wanted to share a few of my personal favorite looks and designers from the night.

My favorite designer from the Project:Design! show was probably Lauren Bander.  The first look with the crop top and maxi is just perfection.  The collection had a sophisticated bohemian vibe to it, just right for spring/summer.  I would totally rock that bottom look too.  So breezy and fresh.

 

Another favorite was Abaya Dake.  I loved his use of bright colors, geometric patterns, and the incorporation of bold, ethnic prints.  Overall, it's just a really fun collection that has a playfulness that isn't too self aware or pretentious.  

 

 

Black by Maria Silver was in my top three favorite collections.  There were fun, "fashion-y" pieces mixed with a lot of super wearable pieces.  This first look is definitely very wearable, and I'm dying over the last look.  I want that crop top like whoa, mostly because I have high waisted black jeans that would complete the look perfectly.

 


Which collection is your favorite? Click through for a few more collections from Project:Design!
Fouché Couture




Elise Lammert
 
 


Q Liu

 

maker's mark

One of the big events we got to go to while in St. Louis for fashion week was the Industry Night presentation.  I was pretty excited to attend, because there were a couple designers showing whose work I really enjoy.  One of those designers was Eva Franco, which was exciting because I have a couple Eva Franco dresses, including the one I'm wearing in this post (and this awesome one too)!  One of my favorite memories from the weekend was taking photos in the runway at the Industry Night presentation before the show started and having Eva herself run up and join me!  It's not often you get photobombed by the person who designed your dress!!  Before the runway show I was hanging out sipping on wine and Eva's mom came up to me and we chatted for a bit.  She was adorable and clearly so proud of her daughter.  She showed me photos on her iPhone of this dress hanging at multiple Anthropologie locations where she'd seen it in the store.  
If I remember correctly, this dress is the #1 best seller at Anthro right now!  I paired it with black tights and some black heels to go out for a lady date the other night, so it's going to be a great winter date night option too!  The fabric is super substantial and structure is architectural in a feminine way.  Fun and funky!  I bet you could even style a collared long sleeve shirt underneath with the collar poking out the top for an eclectic outfit!  Maybe even with some colored tights.  Black and white clothes are so fun to play around with because color-wise they're a blank slate.

 


dress/courtesy of eva franco :: shoes/courtesy of modcloth :: necklace/francesca's jacket/modcloth :: bracelet/courtesy of musana jewelry :: photos by Julie

STLFW // rungolee luncheon + presentation

Last Thursday I was invited to a lunch and presentation for

Rungolee

at the designer,

Anjali Kamra's

, beautiful home in St. Louis.  I went with a group of other bloggers who were also in St. Louis for St. Louis Fashion week, so it was nice to be there with other ladies I knew, and it was truly one of the most wonderful events I had the pleasure of attending during STLFW.  The event started off with a bit of mingling and some drinks with a mini introduction, during which Fern Mallis (creator of NYFW!) said a few words.  I have to say, I felt a bit like a wedding crasher.  I'm at an event with Fern Mallis?  It was a bit surreal.

We were lucky enough to get good weather, since the forecast called for thunderstorms all week, so we got to have lunch out on the back porch.  The tablescapes were so gorgeous.  Everything I aspire to when I have parties in my, relatively, tiny home.  Lovely fabric napkins in pretty prints, gold chargers, fresh flowers.  The food was equally as amazing, created by local chefs, and absolutely delectable.  I probably would've had four helpings if we hadn't been whisked away to check out the collection.

After we'd eaten, we headed upstairs to Anjali's workspace, which is probably the size of my entire house.  I can't imagine what a pleasure it must be to be able to create in such a light and inspiring space.  We got to flip through racks of Rungolee items and I was impressed with the sheer volume of pieces she's created, as well as the level of detail in each and every piece.  So many were covered in beautiful embroidery, which is one of my favorite details in clothing, however sorely underrepresented in my current wardrobe.  Much of her design work draws inspiration from her Indian roots, and she does it in a sophisticated and attentive way.  Much of the creation of her clothing is actually done in India by couture artisans who create the hand sewn, embroidered, beaded, and woven elements in each piece.

After we explored the workshop and pawed our way through racks of Rungolee pieces, taking care not to

actually

drool over them.  We went back downstairs and were met with impeccably styled models lounging about, modeling Rungolee pieces.  Having only been to the standard runway type presentation, this was new for me, and I actually liked this way of presenting clothing items more.  I've seen photos of similar presentations but have never been to one myself.  It's a great way to see the clothes up close, rather than on a model stomping by at breakneck speed.  I do love runway shows and getting to see the clothes in motion as the model walks, but this was a much more realistic way of showing how the clothes would be seen in real life.  The models quietly cycled out of the room one by one to go put on a new outfit and reenter without fanfare, returning to their station, acting "natural." Anjali's incredible home was the perfect backdrop for the clothes, and while most of the outfits were much too fancy for my own everyday personal style, the individual pieces were very versatile and definitely something I could see myself styling.  

Before we left, Anjali gifted us each a scarf in a fabric

similar to this top

 (mine is white and green).  As scarf season is upon us I was pretty excited to have such a lovely, and practical, token from the afternoon's festivities.  Huge thanks to

Rungolee

for inviting myself and the other bloggers in attendance!  You can check out some of the Rungolee items we saw

here

, and they're also on

facebook

 and 

instagram

!

Snuggies + NYC

Well I made it to NYC all safe and sound with absolutely no travel hang ups whatsoever! I can almost not believe it. 3 hours of sleep, 2 plane flights, 1 subway ride, 8 blocks lugging my luggage and 11 hours later, I'm finally here! And I've decided that I need a snuggie/slanket in my life. I know! Who would've thought I'd ever utter those words, and while I'm at NYFW, to boot! Well, on my flight I decided it would be a perfect idea to have a snuggie because who wants to try and wrap up in those tiny blue blankets they give you? I tried today and it was difficult. That was when I decided I wanted a snuggie. Lo and behold, I am currently wearing a snuggie. RIGHT NOW. I got to my friend's apartment where I'm spending the night and she has a snuggie! After testing it, I thoroughly approve. This is me looking a.) very tired from a long day of travel and b.) wholly enjoying my snuggie experience:

Well, I suppose I should sleep. Gotta get my beauty rest so I can party like a rock star all weekend! NYFW, here I come!

Victorian Sensibilities

It's been snowing for like two days here! I guess it's snowing all over the country. I heard rumors of DC getting dumped on. Luckily up here we're well prepared for such weather.

Today I bought my airline tickets to NYFW! It's going to be crazy spending a week in NYC with all these fabulous fashionable people, and here I am, this little girl from Alaska. I always feel pretty chic up here, but in NYC? Needless to say I am brainstorming like mad for outfits! I really really don't want to check a bag (I am always afraid they'll lose my bags, and I like being able to avoid waiting around for my bags to get off the plane), so I'm going to try and shove all my clothes into a little carry-on.

shorts & scarf/F21 from Idée Géniale :: blazer/thrifted :: shoes/payless

This is another Delightful Dozen look! The shorts and scarf are from Idée Géniale, and they're so fun! I have like two pairs of shorts and I don't like them that much. I can rarely find a pair of shorts that is flattering on me (though, truth be told, I haven't been looking that hard). I like these ones though! They're just fun and cute.

I've been pretty excited starting my new classes. I'm learning a lot more about "high" fashion– looking through designers' collections. I think what I'm most looking forward to is seeing the references to historical fashions in contemporary designs. Right now we're looking at Victorian fashions and seeing how contemporary designers use design elements from those Victorian styles (bustles/corsetry/high necked blouses/leg-of-mutton sleeves).

I learned the same thing in reference to other forms of art when I took all my art history classes for undergrad, but it's neat to see how fashion really is just another form of art, sculptural in nature, with the body as the framework. Pretty fascinating stuff.

McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier

photos via style.com