Red Hot Runway Meets North Michigan Avenue

So I stopped by the 900 N. Michigan Avenue shops this past week to see the winning dresses up close.

Please tell me who designed the second place dress! (It was hard to hear the winner's names over all the applause!)

Ignore the glare from the glass.

From left to right, third place dress designed by Russell Yost; second place dress; first place dress designed by Amy Hilber.

Keep it up designers! The three winning dresses will be in the 900 N. Michigan Shops 6th floor display window through April. So go do some fun shopping on the avenue and get a good look at the dresses before they're gone! 

"When in doubt, wear red." - Bill Blass

Decades Pop-Up Shop

The overall best trend in fashion, that's never out of style, is vintage. Hands down, vintage pieces can make your wardrobe vastly different from everyone else. Vintage is essentially one-of-a-kind pieces and their character defines more than a single trend in time: Vintage is a living time capsule that every generation can appreciate. Fashion today wouldn't be where it is if the industry didn't care for vintage as much as it does.

That being said, Chicago is full of vintage and second hand stores that are stocked full of treasures waiting to be found by the right person. I believe that each vintage piece (a coat, a ring, scarf, sunglasses, a dress--you name it!) is waiting for the perfect owner because it's so selective. All of my vintage pieces directly reflect who I am, who I want to be and the decade that represented the item. A brocade coat with a mink collar. A gold feather brooch with rhinestones. Perfectly fitted wool jumpers. All with a forties silhouette in mind.

My love for vintage just builds with every perfect piece I find and even if it's not my style I still obsess over the details it has. Naturally, it was hard to contain my excitement when L.A.'s Decades boutique decided to do a pop-up shop in the 900 N. Michigan Shops this past weekend (April 3rd & 4th). I had to investigate even though I knew the designer price tags would be out of reach for my budget and I wasn't sorry. Not only were the owners incredibly friendly, but the selection had me in awe of designer perfection and the perfect keepsakes.

I allowed myself to get creative with photography this week, from gowns to coats, jewelry to decor, Decades pop-up shop was everything I wanted and more. Anyone want to visit L.A. with me?

Beautiful beading on this Temperley London dress.

Mountains of bags! 

Silk chiffon Alexander McQueen.

My personal favorite out of everything.

This Dior fur coat was to die for. So soft!

Oversized Chanel costume jewelry. I think Coco would approve.

The heels on these Dior heels are art themselves.

Pure ivory lace, Marchesa.

Everyone loves Julia Child, especially when Queen Meryl plays her.

Perfect Lanvin draping.

Hermes keepsake boxes. Alligator clutches. Sterling greyhound statues.

Huge jewels on this Prada coat.

This box clutch is perfection.

So many flawless clutches.

Newer jewelry made by one of Decades' owners.

So much silver and gold.

Extensive ostrich feathers with heavy sequins.

Incredible.

"When a work appears to be ahead of its time, it is only the time that is behind the work." - Jean Cocteau 

College Fashionista & Juicy Couture

If you haven't already started obsessing over College Fashionista now is the time to start. Last night at Chicago's Juicy Couture boutique, 101 East Oak, College Fashionista hosted a nice soiree complete with miniature cupcakes (Chicagoans know good cupcakes), sliders, mocktails and of course shopping! I met up with College Fashionista writers from Columbia, DePaul, and Loyola. And of course the other attendees were just as stylish as the writers.

Columbia Fashionista, Cecilie Davila.

Mile high heels, black lace and dark wash denim = Staples.

Some sparkle and Chanel.

Do away with the winter darks and brighten up with white!

College Fashionista writer for DePaul, Hanna Marie Pageau.

It's still chilly in Chicago.

 The best remedy: oversized cozy sweater.

A fashionable fivesome!

Above the knee skirts, non-fussy plaids and oversized LVs.

Maxi skirts are all about making a statement.

I love how she balances a long 70's skirt with an edgy leather bomber jacket.

You know me, I can never get enough of black on black.

Red lips and sexy sheaths. 

Spring florals in a fall color palette. 

The best way to transition through seasons.

The lovely DJ for the evening.

In between spinning the latest tracks we had time to trade hair dyeing tips.

Statement jewelry. 

A must.

Her gunmetal brocade skirt is an amazing stand-alone piece.

Sidney (an associate) and Dawn (the district manager) of Juicy Couture!

They were fabulous throughout the little party.

Founder of College Fashionista, Amy Levin!

Her look is Jil Sander without the designer price tag.

Love it.

I love how simple and easy his look is.

It's really all about the attitude. 

DePaul's Fashionista, Jose Quinones.

Laid-back and layered.

Monochromatic.

Always in fashion.

The Juicy Couture/College Fashionista event was a hit.

All shopped, talked, enjoyed the treats and swapped style ideas.

I myself didn't go away empty handed-- because everyone knows I'm a professional shopper-- I came away with a new charm (a kitten dangling from a tree branch) for my Juicy charm bracelet and a black ostrich feather skirt. Had to have it! If it's black and has feathers it's mine.

Hope to see more fresh faces at the next College Fashionista event, until then--

"Fashion today has replaced the movie business in providing us with fantasies and glamour that feed our dreams." - Terry Jones

Red Hot Runway

Where do I even start? First of all, I'm so sorry for my lack of updates lately; I know excuses aren't cool so I apologize and I hope I can make up for lack of posting with this update.

Tonight was amazing. I've never seen Columbia students shine so brightly on so many levels. Not to brag about my school, but we know how to work and work it. This year's Red Dress Party, nationally known for hosting a benefit each year to raise money to help fight HIV/AIDS, had a little publicity from Columbia College. Columbia's PRSSA Vice President Kate Jacobsen, senior, decided that the best way to utilize the PR skills of its members was to integrate a fashion show in with a charity.

PR + Fashion + Red Dress Party = Perfect Combination

Not only were Columbia designers featured in a fashion show, but all the proceeds collected at the event go towards the charity event held on April 16th, at 525 W. Monroe. 

When I met up with Kate, it was all smiles. The event went so smoothly you'd think professionals organized it, when it was Columbia's great PRSSA team. Kate's thoughts after the event were just as positive, "Everything just fell into place...We just meshed the two ideas of organizing a fashion show along with using the PR skills we've worked on in classes." Among all of the sponsors for the event, Agency Galatea helped tremendously. The Director of Runway at Galatea, Publicist for the Chicago Red Dress Party and fellow Chicago blogger (The Bowtie Memoirs), Ryan M. Beshel felt great about the Red Hot Runway and is excited for the publicity to hit the streets and the papers, "With publicity--period-- it's about getting the word out. It's all about exposure for the event in April." With the sheer amount of students, press, and Chicagoans at the event, the news will fly across the city in no time.

I interviewed PRSSA member Miranda Cummings on the event and she filled me in on all the details. The sponsors were excellent in providing prizes for the top three designers, Fisherman's Fabrics donated $500 total in award certificates so the designers can get more fabric, Apple's Columbia store donated an iPod nano for the first prize winner, gift certificates to The Shops at North Bridge, along with the top three designs being featured in a display window at the 900 North Michigan Shops. Agency Galatea provided models used during the show. All of the sweet treats at the event were provided by CCC's Marketing Communications Department and the beverages were provided by SmartWater and VitaminWater.

The contest began a month ago, with the application process for the designers. All applicants could send in their resumes, portfolios, and sample pieces to be chosen as one of the lucky 15 designers to compete in the show. Thirty applicants were cut in half and their designs were judged based on the runway walk, wearability, concept of design related to the cause and construction. The judges were Kevin Aeh of Time Out Chicago, Miriam Cecilia Carlson designer, Candace Jordan of Candid Candace and Jerry Svec, founder of XOXO. There was a lovely reception before the runway and naturally an abundance of stylish Chicagoans. 

Mixing prints!

Bryan Villalobos.

New fashion friends <3

The bowtie: Vintage Valentino.

Adore.

Love the mix of textures.

Just a splash of red.

Kate Jacobsen (VP) and Lauren Hadeed (Pres of PRSSA)

Rachel Lynch.

Sarah Elabdi, far right.

Bright red & polka dots.

Suspenders & bowties.

Fashion writer for Echo.

Love a good MOD look.

Model.Off.Duty.

Maddy Browning.

Follow her: Sweet-Talk

And now for the runway:

(Dresses are in the order they appeared, if you know the designer of the dress, please tell!)

It's the most amazing tulle dream. Ever.

Leather & studs. 

Designed by Kelly Coll, senior. Follow her at Medusa & Merriweather.

Wait for it...

I am obsessed with the backs of dresses.

This dress would win in my book, for the back alone.

Designer: Jiayin Zheng

Designer Jiayin Zheng, post festivities. 

Miranda Cummings & Kate Jacobsen.

A job well done, ladies. 

Thanks for reading followers!

See, I made up for my lack of posting with lots of info, photos and fashion.

See you all soon. There's an event at Juicy Couture on Thursday, hope to see you there.

"I am married to fashion and I will remain faithful." - Dirk Bikkembergs