Social Stylists

Stick this in Your Stilettos

SocialStylists — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:28:38 +0000

Dr. Taryn Rose

If you’ve ever bought a pair of Taryn Rose shoes, you know that the orthopedic surgeon turned shoe designer rose to be the Queen of Fashion meets Function.
Then she sold the company and went on hiatus doing charity work and focusing on family. But of course, she could not get the sad state of our feet off her mind.

So now Dr. Taryn Rose is back with a new line, and I can’t wait.

High Heel Power is the collection. It has leg-wear, bags, shoes, and – something that has been neglected for a long time – footcare/skincare. Get ready to heal those heals because this line is dedicated to taking care of your feet so that you can wear your most glamorous shoes, comfortably.

High Heel Power - Launches May 19th on HSN

My must-have is the Stiletto Stick. This is a dream for me, instant relief and portable. I (probably like you) have invested insane amounts of money in horribly expensive shoes that I can’t wear more than a few hours at a time. We all have them, the valet shoes, no walking allowed. Now with Stiletto Stick (which by the way, fits easily into your purse) I can take those gorgeous 120cm high you-know-who’s out for the day. When my dogs start barking, I can just pop into the ladies room, spray a little Stiletto Stick on them, and voila, I’m good for another few hours.
It comes in 1 oz. (travel friendly) or 4 oz. at $20 or $39.

Stiletto Stick

Other great High Heel Power skincare/footwear products I can’t wait to try:
Sandal Savior – scrub with jojoba beads
Platform Pump – boosts collagen production to increase the padding in your soles
Rocket Leg – soothing moisturizer with “Leg Actif” TM, a natural ingredient that helps improve blood circulation and reduce the signs of swelling of the calf and ankle.

Oh, and the whole line is totally affordable, $20 – $45.

Launching on the Home Shopping Network (HSN) this week:
May 19th 6pm EST
May 20th 4am EST and 7pm EST

Looks we Love from Imagine 2010

SocialStylists — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:00:16 +0000

As I finish up the last of the posts from the Imagine 2010 IADT Chicago fashion show, there were so many designers that I would love to show and talk about. Many of them I just didn’t get a great shot of their work, and for that I apologize to those designers.

The truth is that when it comes to fashion shows, getting the great shot is difficult (Models are really so important in that aspect – there is a reason that “Models of the Runway” is a show).
So here are a few of my favorites that I only had 1 or 2 shots of their designs:

Apple Rose Javier - Sheer Elegance

Vanessa Lambert - Simply Sweet

Apple Rose Javier – I love this dress in the Sheer Elegance segment of the show. I could easily see this working a red carpet. I also think it’s perfect for a wedding if you aren’t in for the traditional white. It is timeless elegance that anyone would be proud to look back on years later.

Vanessa Lambert – The knee length couture gown for the Simply Sweet segment in green silk chiffon with a floral motif just flowed down the runway. Vanessa was aiming for “Raw with an earthy sexuality to it.” Goal achieved.

Eunyoung Joo - Champagne Toast segment

Eunyoung Joo – You could actually hear the crowd gasp when this trio of dresses by Eunyoung Joo for the Champagne Toast segment came down the runway. Inspired by Valentino, Eunyoung Joo used metallic black organza and silk charmeuse. The spiral abstract flowers showed an incredible attention to detail.

Marissa Vangarderen - Woodstock segment

Marissa Vangarderen - Down to Earth

Marissa Vangarden – For the Woodstock segment, Marissa was inspired by the Age of Aquarius and the sexual revolution. While the designs were risqué (her intention), the bold colors make the collection fun.
For the Down-to-Earth entry, Marissa showed creativity and sophistication without unlimited materials with this ankle length boho-chic dress.

So that’s our wrap of the IADT Chicago’s Imagine 2010 Fashion Show. All of the designers are really amazing, and we wish them all a great fashion career.
Special congratulations to the Winner of The Muse Competition (sponsored by IADT alum Tennille White) – LaTonya Williams!

Inspired by Wildlife & (wild) Life

SocialStylists — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:36:20 +0000

Like many successful fashion designers, Janine Garcia initially started out in a different direction – going to college for business. But since fashion was what she loved, she took the leap and changed majors.

The Muse Entry

It was a good call to make the switch. Her entry in The Muse competition (sponsored by IADT alum Tennille White) earned her one of the 5 finalists’ spots and was on display at the Imagine 2010 Fashion Show. For the contest, Janine created a flowing gown with spectacular details. She drew her inspiration from her muse – an exotic woman – and combined that with her love of animals. She paired zebra stripes with the bright colors from Wilson’s warbler bird. A pairing you might see briefly in nature and long for another glimpse.

During the runway show at Imagine 2010, Janine showed a tremendous range with her designs – from casual to whimsical (Simply Sweet) to sophisticated (Champagne Toast). Her theory as a designer is that there is inspiration everywhere, so she tries to remain open to it from any source and uses all her senses.

Looks for the Champagne Toast segment

In the Champagne Toast segment of the show, Janine drew her inspiration from two loves – animals and Paris. Working the animal print against the shimmer fabric, these pieces are meant for the sophisticated woman with a wild side. (I can almost see Montmartre in this trio of looks).

Simply Sweet segment

For the Simply Sweet segment of the show, Janine chose to go with a layered palette of pale mint, beige and a floral printed chiffon. The combination reflects the complicated and layered aspects of a woman’s life.

Having just graduated from IADT Chicago, Janine Garcia is ready to see what her future in fashion has in store for her. The business direction that she started in will serve her nicely as she starts to develop her line. We look forward to seeing Janine’s work in local boutiques.

Honoring her Heritage

SocialStylists — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:00:09 +0000

Renee Denomme Street Savvy

With a name like Renee Denomme, you are almost obligated to your French heritage. And what better way of honoring French roots than translating that family background into this kind of style?

At the IADT Chicago’s Imagine 2010 Fashion Show, I got to take a look at a few of Renee Denomme’s designs. In the French tradition of pushing the fashion envelope while remaining feminine, Renee mixes surprising color and fabric combinations with classic silhouettes.

Here in the Street Savvy segment of the Imagine 2010 IADT Fashion Show, Renee pairs electric blue with fuchsia. It could have been an overwhelming color pairing, but when Renee adds the layer of white eyelet, the look is transformed to restrained elegance.
Opting for a flirty skirt against the punk-ish color combination creates an impression that there is more-than-meets-the-eye.

In the Social Soiree segment of the show, Renee showcases her ability to design perfectly tailored looks. Her inspiration came from the 20s and the Gatsby flapper-esque time when romanticism ruled. Pitting the delicate lace against the strong colors reminds us that behind every sign of femininity there is also strength.

Social Soiree Look in Amethyst, Model Chelsie Hart

Social Soiree Look in Gunmetal, Model Chelsie Hart

Graduating this July, Renee is already interning with two Chicago designers – Anna Fong and Christina Fan of C/FAN. She is working on getting as much as experience in the garment industry as possible.
School, two internship and a job on the side…With this kind of drive and talent, success is a given.

Ms. Mary Mac is More Than A Nursery Rhyme

SocialStylists — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:36:05 +0000

Janis Middleton

Huge thank you to Janis Middleton for today’s post on Atlanta shoe designer Ms. Mary Mac. Follow her on Twitter @CaMillionShoes all the latest in shoes.

Most women can relate to not having or finding the right shoes to go with that certain outfit or dress. What lengths have you gone to have the perfect shoes? An Atlanta shoe designer ran into that same problem before her senior prom. She designed and created her own shoes for the special occasion and her life has never been the same.

Ms. Mary Mac Rose and Gray

Ms. Mary Mac, Maryetta Finkley, has been designing shoes ever since she was 17 years old. The self-taught seamstress strayed away from the idea when she decided to attend college at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. Not until she was about to receive her B.A. in Psychology did the idea resurface. She was interning and really needed to make ends meet. She never gave up on her passion for sewing and making shoes. She sold 2 pairs of shoes at $150 each and realized her potential and how much money she could really be making. It was then in 2007 when Ms. Mary Mac, the business, was born.

Finkley’s designs are innovative and one of a kind. Most of her creations are original, but if she does make a replica of another shoe she usually limits it to two. Some customers come to her and want exactly what they saw on her Facebook page, but the majority of her customers trust her natural instinct for fashion and allow her to create from her heart. She loves to see the smiles on their faces when she reveals the shoe that she has created for them.

Pairing Fushia and Green

Working with Florals

Purple and Green

Ms Mary Mac

If you look around your house, you probably see a few pieces of fabric, scissors, glue, and maybe some pearls and ribbons. Those are the main ingredients that go into her creations. After the order is placed, it takes only three to five hours for the shoes to be created and ready for shipping. Prices start at $120 with shipping and handling. She carries many sizes and all you have to do to order is log onto Facebook or email her.
She uses a high quality manufactured shoe that comes with a built-in platform, so you don’t have to worry about using your own. Just place the order, give your vision and size, and she will bring a smile to your face and style to your feet. It doesn’t take much to see that Finkley puts her all into each and every creation. She still amazes herself with some of the shoes she has designed.
As her slogan states, “you’re not a simple, so why wear simple shoes.”

ms.marymacshoes@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ms.marymacshoes?ref=ts

Chrystal’s Clear Balancing

SocialStylists — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:17:36 +0000

You know how you go shopping or flip through a magazine, and there is one piece you cannot get out of your mind? The one you keep thinking of, and obsessing over? Well here’s mine from the IADT Chicago’s Imagine 2010 Fashion Show. It’s by Chrystal Alexander.

Chrystal Alexander Woodstock

Done for the Woodstock theme segment of the show, Chrystal created this look in her textile design class. Each layer was hand-dyed, then pleated. A total of 18 yards of cotton was used in the making.
The decision to make a sleeve on a one-shoulder dress is brilliant. It balances the fullness of the dress below.
The colors are soft, and the palette is representative of desert hues – which then complements the Egyptian symbols.

To make the finishing touch of hieroglyphics, Chrystal created her own stencils, and then painted directly onto the fabric. The symbols she chose mean love, happiness, and rebirth. On the back of the dress, the symbols spell out Chrystal. (I like to think she did that to symbolize the passion put in to creating such a phenomenal dress).

Chrystal Alexander Petal to the Metal Collection

For the Subtle Shimmer segment, Chrystal created this 3 piece collection, Petal to the Metal. Here she focuses on uniting feminine and masculine influences – both with color choices and use of hardware.
In the gray shift dress, Chrystal uses zippers to create the seams. It gives the dress an urban edge, while the structure remains feminine. For the waist of the pink top, Chrystal opted to appliqué zippers using them as a masculine balance to the flirty shape. For the entire collection, she works the charcoal against pink showing like she did with the Woodstock dress, her awareness of the power of color.

Having just graduated from IADT Chicago this past week, Chrystal is working on expanding her web presence and is interning with Chicago lingerie designer Stephanie Kuhr of Dottie’s Delights (currently a Designer-in-Residence at Chicago Fashion Incubator).
My bet is that with Chrystal’s fantastic understanding of color, materials, and juxtapositions, we are going to be hearing a lot more from her.

Couture for Chicago

SocialStylists — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:40:45 +0000

Chicago, meet fashion designer Fraley Le. Born in Asia and raised with a mixture of Asian and French cultures, when it comes to fashion this is a designer with a lot to say.

I first came across Fraley Le’s works at the IADT’s Imagine 2010 Fashion Show.
With two awards listed next to his name in the evening’s program and Miss Illinois, Ashley Bradarich, selecting his dress to wear, I expected Fraley Le to be extraordinary. And he was.

In the Sheer Elegance segment of the Imagine 2010 show, his Haute Couture cocktail and evening gowns won an award for Outstanding Fashion Design Collection. Here Fraley thought of overlapping brush strokes in water color paintings and used strips of silk chiffon in a basket-weave pattern to create the silhouettes.

Sheer Elegance

For the Culture Couture portion of the Imagine 2010 show, Fraley Le’s gown was the definite crowd-pleaser. He drew on his Asian roots to create an expertly crafted gown in the traditional Japanese style.

Culture Couture

Norweigan Faux Fur

But my favorite of all Fraley’s pieces (an another award winner) was in the Faux-Fur show finale. The coat he created had a wide collar / hood with a high-waisted belt. Fur coats can make women look bulky but the cut of this coat accentuated the models figure. The best part of the coat is that the “fur” was layered and broken up by sheer panels. This gave interest to a coat and helped again to eliminate the bulkiness of fur-wear.

Graduating in July, Fraley Le is staying in Chicago to develop his line and career here. He is planning his collection to include ready to wear to couture right here – so that we don’t have to leave Chicago to find high-fashion.
While the collection is not available in boutiques yet, Fraley Le is working on changing that. And we will let you know as soon as we know.

Chicago, we may have our new couture designer right here.

Fashion Destiny Kept Calling

SocialStylists — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:37:03 +0000

At last week’s IADT Imagine 2010 Fashion Show I had the opportunity to see looks from students and recent graduates with a lot to offer the fashion industry.

Designer La Tonya Williams with her entry for The Muse Competition

One of my favorites from the evening was Fall 2009 graduate La Tonya Williams.
With her diverse background, La Tonya brings maturity to her looks beyond what you would expect from recent graduate. Even though she comes from a family of designers, La Tonya felt she needed to pursue “realistic” goals and earned a degree in mathematics.
But while she was plugging along in the IT world, fashion kept calling. So La Tonya kept up with the fashion industry developing her first line – pitch black gear – as well as working with local retailers in the Atlanta area to coordinate, cast, and manage their fashion shows. She also stayed busy teaching make-up application and runway techniques.

Then a few years back, La Tonya decided to follow her heart and pursue her fashion degree at the International Academy of Design and Technology – Chicago.

The various themes for the segments of the Imagine 2010 Fashion Show required the designers to draw on different inspirations. La Tonya was inspired by Chicago’s architectural skyline for the Checks and Balances, military uniforms for Park Place and her grandmother’s garden for Simply Sweet.
(Her entry for The Muse Competition was inspired by her grandmother’s era).

Down-to-Earth, La Tonya Williams

For the Down-to-Earth segment of the fashion show, La Tonya was my standout with wearable chic pieces. She used wool, silk, and leather – which is just like every woman: a little tough (leather), a little soft (silk) and a little practical (wool). The draping looks good on everyone and La Tonya is someone that understands how to emphasize a gal’s best asset – the waist. I adore the wide belt against the volume of the jackets.

La Tonya Williams Faux Fur

In the evening’s finale, her Faux-Fur look was inspired by the 50s hourglass silhouette. I love that La Tonya chose to use unusual colors and pairings, mixing vinyl with hand-dyed turquoise and orange pieces of faux fur. The unexpected material pairings are another sign that this is a designer that has lived a little and isn’t confined to the traditional expectations.

Since graduation, La Tonya Williams has stayed focused by taking additional classes at IADT and entering fashion competitions. As she continues to gain experience to build and maintain her own business, look for La Tonya’s line soon in local boutiques.

We’ll be waiting.

For more information go to www.latonyaonline.com

Anything but a Student Show

SocialStylists — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:30:50 +0000

Ginger Zee Emcees

Last night was the International Academy of Design & Technology – Chicago’s 31st annual fashion show, IMAGINE 2010.
First things first, this show was anything but a student production.

The night was emceed by NBC 5’s Ginger Zee looking stunning in a dress created by one of the evening’s designers.
Miss Illinois, Ashley Bradarich – a supporter of Chicago Fashion – walked the catwalk in a student’s dress.
And local Chicago favorite, 1999 IADT graduate Michelle Tan was honored.

It was fantastic to see the Michelle Tan display in the entrance hall. One of the nicest people in Chicago fashion today, Michelle supports local designers and tries to give them the jumpstart many need by showing them in her Wicker Park boutique. We are looking forward to Michelle’s new boutique at Block 37 and hoping that with the downtown location, people visiting Chicago will discover our local fave.

Michelle Tan Collection

Also pre-show, the 5 Finalists from The Muse competition were featured. Student designers created looks for their muse and worked with the muse on the final presentation. The exhibits included the model wearing the designs, the story behind the look and the chance to chat with the designer. The night’s attendees got to vote and the top 3 designers will receive monetary scholarships from local Fashion Designer and IADT graduate Tenille White. (Not sure of the winners yet, but here is my fave from La Tonya Williams).

La Tonya Williams Muse

Muse Background

Live music from dance/rock fusion pioneers Shiny Toy Guns started the show. I loved the crochet mini dress that female vocalist Sisely Treasure paired with metallic tights and ballet flats. The Grammy nominated band played again during the Street Savvy section of the show. Since the looks were all inspired by urban elements, it was a perfect choice.

Shiny Toy Guns

But while it looked anything but student produced, the truth is that it was all student work. From set design & graphics to styling & model selection.
As much as showcasing the fashion, the night highlighted just how much the IADT has to offer students interested in Interior Design, Web Site Graphics Design or Fashion.

As a final note, it was obvious that the President of IADT, Bob Nachtsheim, was incredibly proud of the work of the students. He should be, it was a spectacular show.

Next week I’ll have more details on the designers and their looks.

No Regrets This Spring

SocialStylists — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:29:08 +0000

Horizontal Stripe Dress

Spring trends are in full-force. Fashion savvy gals are trying to determine where to spend and where to skip. So what trends can we rule out now – saving us both money and embarrassment?

Horizontal Stripes – Every few years designers and editors praise horizontal stripes, like we forgot how wide they make everyone look. They are not flattering. I love fashion for how it enhances our features so why would I want to add an extra 10 pounds? What really confuses me is why some designers that I consider practical have presented horizontal stripes this year (hello Tory Burch). Seriously, even models look a bit heavy in these.

Coveralls / Overalls / Jumpsuit – I am lumping these all into one category. They are another expression of last year’s romper disaster. Like the romper, they are childish, and men find them just about as appealing as the maxi dress (which if you asked, most men loathed). Unless of course, you are working in the field, installing cable, or clearing a clog in the pipes – then these are perfect.

Current Elliot Jumpsuit

Marc Jacobs Jumpsuit

Hot shorts – I cringed when I saw the pictures from the Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2010 runway. Most probably remember SJP in the SATC episode where she wore the glitter version down the runway – and fell. I remember thinking then, oh no, we will see this trend eventually. (Wouldn’t you know it, her glitter ones were paired with a D&G coat).
Sorry, but no one looks good in this. It looks like someone left the house without pants. And when the average person wears them – I would never include a picture of this sad mess – it just pushes the thigh fat out from under the tight hem. All together now, eeewwwww!

Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2010 Runway

Marni Hot Shorts

One other thing I am keeping in mind this year: The floral prints of the season are very pretty. But these prints are also very noticeable when you wear a piece a few times. Also, next year, these prints will definitely look last season. So while they are pretty, I will buy sparingly keeping in mind that it’s most likely a one-season piece.

That’s my list of things to avoid so that when I am reading the fashion mistakes of 2010 lists, I hopefully won’t recognize myself.
What did I leave out?