stl fashion week/industry night

Yesterday's show at Windows on Washington was most certainly the highlight of STL Fashion Week!  I have to say, it was the first show which left me really excited about fashion.  I was so invigorated by the entire presentation - there was so much energy in the room, you could feel it.  

I'm getting a little ahead of myself though....

To help us get the big day off to a good start, Dimvaloo, an activewear store in St. Louis hosted a yoga event in the park.  

I LOVE yoga, as all my longtime readers know, so I was really excited that this was on our fashion week agenda.  Dimvaloo was a wonderful host.  They gave us these amazing water bottles  (which have the time marked on them, so you'll drink enough every day!) and a seriously good yoga mat.  I couldn't help but show off a bit once I realized how good and grippy it was!  

That night, we all headed to Windows on Washington for the Industry night show.  

The venue has this gorgeous Chihuly glass fountain in the entryway.  

Bluebird boutique had their models doing a funky little routine.  They moved positions like robots every once in a while.  

I loved these vintage styles from Suzanne Lay, and their hair was so perfect for the looks.  

The runway show kicked off with a few words from Fern Mallis, the creator of New York Fashion Week.  It was a huge validation for the St. Louis fashion community to have her present, and just really neat to get to see her in person.  Of course, I totally chickened out on actually introducing myself, but still very neat to be at the same event!  

There were lots of gorgeous looks, but I thought I'd just show you my favorites.  

Wai Ming's collection was minimalistic and sexy, in a sophisticated way.  I could honestly say I'd wear almost all of it.  

Jennifer Chun's collection was sporty and feminine at the same time.  I really loved the matching sets.  You could definitely see her previous work experience with Derek Lam & Michael Kors coming out in her aesthetic.  

Eva Franco gets five outfit shots, because she was my very favorite!  Her girly prints had so much life.  Best of all, she encouraged her models to smile and wave, and why shouldn't they?  I think it sells the clothing so much better than a sullen stare.  

Now, don't forget to head out to support Fashion's Day Out on Saturday - I hear there are some pretty amazing deals to be had!  

stl fashion week day 2/barefaced breakfast and fall into fashion

So this was a fun morning!  Yesterday Saks Fifth Avenue hosted a "Barefaced Breakfast" to help all the bloggers covering fashion week get some new ideas for makeup looks.  I am kind of a dunce with makeup - I basically wear BB cream, eyeliner, and mascara - so I welcomed the help! 

It helps that Saks beauty department is kind of amazing.  

We all picked a brand - I went with Bobbi Brown, because I love their brand philosophy, and the Bobbi artist had my favorite makeup on.  

I'll spare you the before picture since my skin is not terribly happy right now, and jump right to the after: 

I loved it!  Strong eyes, berry lips, really polished overall.  I have to say, I wouldn't wear this amount of makeup on a normal day EVER, but it does photograph well, which is important for all the events I'm attending this week.  

St. Louis Saks' marketing director (and one of this year's top 10 most stylish people in STL!) Tania Beasley-Jolly took us down to the basement for a little sneak peek at their upcoming trunk show.  Don't you just die over these Nicholas Kirkwood shoes?  Not for my life, but they are really pretty!  Saks St. Louis has been lucky enough to receive some exceptionally gorgeous shoes & bags in connection with the "A Queen Within" gala taking place soon.  

(PS - A few of us lucky bloggers are going to get a private viewing of the exhibit, which you can learn more about here!)  

For the event I wore a very casual outfit + heels: 

outfit: plaid shirt-thrifted, leggings-express, heels-madonna truth or dare...yeah i know, i know - she has surprisingly good shoes though!  

That night, I took my newfound makeup skills (plus some serious false eyelashes) and headed out to "Fall Into Fashion" at the Galleria.  

It's still weird doing outfit posts again, but I feel it's only right for these fashion week posts!  

If I were to pick a phrase to describe St. Louis' fashion community, it would be "small but mighty!"  As you can see in the second pic (bloggers doing their thing!) there were only three rows at the show, but it was still definitely a treat to sit in the front.  

The wonderful thing about this show was that the clothes were all from my favorite stores in St. Louis, and they were affordable.  Inspiration from high end shows is great, but as a person who works from home and teaches yoga on the side, I can definitely appreciate some real life clothes!  

  

If you haven't yet, get your tickets for this weekend's events here!  I'll be at Indulge at Plaza Frontenac benefiting Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital this evening, and the Project Runway Fashion Show at the Fabulous Fox tomorrow night!