Fall Findings

As fall gradually creeps into the Midlands, fashionistas all around are finding ways to tune into their seasonal senses. With that being said, more and more stores are starting to release their much anticipated fall collections. Along with these collections comes a common, neutral color scheme of navy blue, brown, and dark earth tones. But why be neutral when you can add a little slice of life into your outfit as well? In order to achieve this, feel free to throw in a splash of red, orange, etc., in order to give your outfit more personality---especially if you live on a college campus. Fall has arrived and it's time to break out the comfortable flare!

Modeled by: Rebekah Steele

(Freshman, Early Childhood Education)

Photo by: Emery Smith

Cardigan: H&M

Dress: Wish Boutique

Boots: Forever 21

Tights: Loft

Hat: Forever 21

Photo by: Emery Smith

Dress: Target

Rain boots: Hunter

Photo by: Emery Smith

Quarter-sleeve blouse: Loft

Fur vest: Forever 21

Burgundy shorts: Forever 21

Orange necklace: Loft

Boots: Forever 21

Tortoise watch: Target

Tights: Loft

Hat: Forever 21

Modeled by: Emery Smith

(Freshman, Journalism)

Photo by: Rebekah Steele

Cardigan: Forever 21

Blouse: H&M

Pants: Zara

Hat: Forever 21

Wedges: Steve Madden

Style On,

Emery Smith

Fashion Board Member

Teen Vogue #BTSS Trunk Party

Our Teen Vogue Back to School Trunk Party was last night! This was our first member-exclusive event and we had a turn out of over 80 students.

The room was teeming with style and college students eager to swap out clothes and grab a party favor. Teen Vogue generously donated a trunk full of goodies. Delia's clothes, Silver Jean Co. jean jackets, Vera Bradley satchels and wallets, Kate Spade Saturday bags, and beauty tools from our favorites: Maybelline, Revlon, Garnier Fructis, Simple Skincare, Almay Cosmetics and Miss Me Jeans phone cases were provided for students towards the event due to the enormous response on social media. Snacks from Brownie Brittle, Live Love Pop popcorn, Vita Coco Cafe drinks, and Barnana treats were also provided.

Entering Ballroom C in Russell House was thrilling. Not only surveying the ensembles around, as I faded in my own beige garb, but watching students do the same to each other in appreciation for one another’s style. Walls were lined with tables covered in merchandise, candy, and racks overflowing with clothes. Fashion Board even set up a photo booth -with props- for members.

Upon entering, each person was given two tickets: one for a raffle and one for the style swap. Everyone brought in at least one item to hang on the racks, hoping to ‘swap it out’ for something another member brought it. The first ticket was used to draw names towards the closet swap selection, the risky luck-of-the-draw. The second ticket was given back to guests to drop into one of several bags on the table. Each bag sat on top of a jean jacket, sweater, bag of beauty goods, or pair of jeans (all donated by Teen Vogue and sponsors). Winners were randomly selected from each bag and awarded that prize.

It goes without saying that the night was a success. Everyone who came left with a new garment and a token from Teen Vogue. I was lucky enough to grab some Garnier Fructis hair product on my way out to tame my locks from the ever-humid south.

Make sure to check back on Fashion Board's Facebook page for photos from the event.

Did you attend? What was your favorite part?

Ally Soule

Fashion Board member

New York Fashion Week: Day 5

Day 5 of NYFW has come and gone but no worries, if you missed it here are some of my favorite shows below.

Noon by Noor caught my eye immediately because of their gorgeous mix of patterns and colors. The use of floral, leafy patterns matched with metallic and neutral colors are ideal for warmer spring days. My favorite piece from this collection is the metallic silver rain jacket below. Also, round sunglasses are definitely a must have for every fashionista this spring!

The first thing I noticed in Tory Burch’s collection was the gorgeous beading on many of the garments. My favorite was on the beige trench coat below.

J. Crew stuck to their classic style and used a neutral palette for their spring collection. Colorful metallic clutches contrasted the outfits perfectly, a great statement piece.

Zang Toi is officially my favorite show so far this week! Each garment was absolute stunning; the fit and detail were perfect and precise. I have too many favorites so below are a select few. Zang Toi nails the emerald green gown with a very sexy slit up the front. The shape of the dress is even better, bringing in the waist with the silver belt. The sheer black dress catches my eye the beautiful flowers lining the bottom of the gown. I love the pearls paired with this dress also!

Some of my favorite menswear pieces came from Concept Korea, J. Crew and Skingraft.

Concept Korea used a darker palette, incorporating bursts of red.

J. Crew used a palette of blue, white and grey. Note the bucket hats; perfect for spring 2014!

Skingraft chose a darker palette of mostly black and red.

What looks from today will you wear this upcoming spring? Let us know!

Fashionably yours,

Chandler Viox

Fashion Board Member

NYFW Day 4 Recap

There are a lot of runway looks happening this year and we’re here to break down all the best looks and upcoming trends for you fashionistas! So here’s the recap of Day 4 of NYFW:

After two days covering the New York Fashion Week, this was by far the most diverse presentation of all. Fashion Shezhen has recently joined New York’s top designers during Fashion Week along with fifteen other Chinese brands. Shenzhen, China’s fashion capital, has been known for being the forefront of Chinese fashion for over 40 years. We were presented with elaborate pieces from both designers, Ellasay and Deng Hao. Ellasay started the morning off with her business-like attire and ended with designer gowns. Trench coats, blazers, silk tops were shown throughout the first half of the show. I loved the way that most pieces were dominated with patterns and bold details.

Next came Deng Hao’s collection, Haiping Xie. This collection brought a lot of culture to the runway with details of dragons, chinese temples, and color (normally scene in chinese textbooks). It was fascinating how vital (pieces) of Chinese history were incorporated into pieces that ended up narrating a unique story.

Like Deng Hao, David Tlale brought his native roots (south african) to his collection. Men’s fashion played an important role in Tlale’s show wearing dress-length men’s shirts in blush and metallics. Although some men don’t believe in wearing pink, Tyson Beckford showed that “real men” weren’t afraid to show their soft side.

The most popular trends throughout the NYFW has been sheers, cutouts and crops. Even metallics were used here and there with blouses, dresses and pants. Below are Day 4’s best outfits:

David Tlale:

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DKNY:

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Czar:

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Custo Barcelona:

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Etxeberria:

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Vivienne Tam:

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Fashion Shenzhen:

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The Fashion Enthusiast,

Tresha Mae Pontillo

Fashion Board Member

New York Fashion Week: Day 3

Another day has come and gone for NYFW. Check out this recap of my favorite shows!

Lie Sangbong’s collection embodied nature, using clouds and butterfly prints on a majority of his garments. He presented a gorgeous palette of blue, white, and black with smaller bursts of color. Some of my favorites include his white collared dress with butterfly corset and the butterfly print clutch pictured below. Note the light blue nail polish too, adorable!

Luis Antonio presented a bright palette of orange, blue, and white. Antonio displayed a great ability to match bold patterns and make each a piece art. Some of my favorite pieces in his collection include the white-layered teardrop mini and the black sequin jumpsuit. Antonio’s deeper neckline on the jumpsuit is perfect for wearing a favorite chunky necklace.

Mara Hoffman stunned with her use of multicolored patterns and definitely took the spot as my favorite show today. Beautiful white skirts and wide-leg pants paired with geometric tops will be a great way to make a statement this spring. I adore the checkered short sleeve button up. Also, I couldn’t help but point out the messy, loose braids used in her show—simple and chic!

Below are menswear styles that caught my eye. Men can be just as fashionable as girls!

Lacoste

Malan Breton

Son Jung Wan

What looks did you like the best?

Fashionably yours,

Chandler Viox

Fashion Board Member

*All photos courtesy of mbfashionweek.com

NYFW Day 2

Day 2 has come to a close, but there are many shows left to go! This week we are presented with numerous talented designers showcasing the new spring and summer 2015 collection. Names like Donna Karan, Caroline Herrera, Reem Acra are just a few of our favorites we always look forward too. But it was the new rising designers that caught us off guard—in a good way of course. Designers like Taoray Wang, Oudifu, Chantell Walters, Michael Herz and August Getty are some of the fresh faces gracing the New York Fashion Week scene this year. While we’ve been marking endless days off our calendar, the wait is finally over. As NYFW sprang to life, it reminded me of how similar this event is as the Super Bowl is to men. Even though our sights are on clothes rather than a pigskin ball, we can understand that obsession is real! After a preview of the past two days, I hope everyone sinks into their seats as limelights dim down.

Here’s a breakdown of my favorite designers during Day 2 of NYFW:

Stella Nolasco: What better way than to start the morning with Stella Nolasco’s runway show? All the beautiful materials from tulle to metallics, worked so well in a cohesive and timeless collection. It was a perfect reflection of how spring should be. And not to mention, the lace! My mouth literally dropped to the floor when one of Nolasco’s model stepped out in a pale blue and gold cutout dress. Right off the bat, this amazing designer grabs your attention and leaves you wanting for more. I think this has to be an essential talent that designers acquire. If you can do that, then you’ve done your job. Stella Nolasco is a brilliant designer with pieces that blow you away. A few things I instantly remember from her presentation are her choices of color (pastel blue and green), her use of feminine fabrics (like chiffon, lace and tulle), and jewel placement on most of her pieces. It all seemed to bring “Swan Lake” to mind. In several occasions, she combined metallic colored fabrics with lace in the most unconventional way. I even fell in love with the makeup and hair. Although it was simplistic, the braided up do and shimmered cheeks were perfection. This uniform look complimented the wardrobe to a tee. One outfit that I wish was placed in my closet is the white and blue dress with the cutouts on her sides. The bottom half of her dress was complimentary colors of blue and green. The top half of the dress was white with an open back and had pearl buttons. It was as if it were a ball gown that came straight out of the Victorian era—with a modern twist. But nonetheless, it was breathtaking. Her looks and trends are absolute essentials for this upcoming spring.

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Mark & Estel: On the opposite side of the spectrum, lies Mark & Estel. For SS15, Mark and Estel delivered a sense that black was the “it” color. (Isn't black the only color in fashion?) And while you may disagree that black isn’t known to signify spring and summer, they push boundaries in every occasion. I also want to note how The Salon was decorated for their show: modern wooden benches were placed along the runway and the backdrop where models enter and exit were lit with a dim yellow light. It added a little bit of color to the monochromatic scheme in the show. I love that runway shows could be decorated in the most elaborate ways or even simplistic and bare. The first thing that caught my eye was the big floppy hats and the loose black and white garments. I have an obsession with hats and that won me over. Mark and Estel utilizes black boots, zippers, chains, flowing fabrics continuously through their line and it all covered the “bad girl” look. One thing I loved about the outfits were the long tulle bow ties. It polished the pieces more and added a little texture to the outfit. The designers ended the show with a live performance and a few words, stating “We love fashion. You are fashion. We love you!”

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If you are interested in watching the show, check out the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week site for details on which designers are live. If you see a designer that you love and cannot watch, have no fear! They post these shows on YouTube in case you miss them. Make sure you stay tuned for this week’s fun!

The Fashion Enthusiast,

Tresha Mae Pontillo

Fashion Board Member

New York Fashion Week: Day 1

It's our favorite time of the year!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week has officially begun in New York City. As usual, designers have come to amaze. Below are some of the shows that caught my eye today.

Nicholas K started the week off and rocked the runway with neutral, earthy tones mixed with loose layers, fringe and tassels. These simple looks were paired with bold accents including bulky bracelets, necklaces, and fringed headscarves.

Credit: mbfashionweek.com

BCBGMAXAZRIA was the second show of the day and stunned with their gorgeous gowns. The first few gowns were softer colors, creamy hues, but then splashes of pink, coral, purple and blue paraded down the runway. Pictured below is one of my favorite gowns matched with an adorable navy blue clutch with strap—perfect for those warmer spring days!

Credit: mbfashionweek.com

Richard Chai's collection immediately caught my eye with his choice of bold and bright colors. From emerald green and royal blue to lilac and bright yellow, Chai’s models demanded the spotlight. Also, I have been inspired to wear bright orange lipstick! It’s the perfect way to add a fierce touch to minimal makeup, pictured below.

Credit: mbfashionweek.com

My favorite designer of the day was Tome. I was immediately drawn in by his contemporary takes on classic pieces, falling in love with the white blazer and white dress below. The pleated skirts and tops are gorgeous as well, especially in metallic gold!

Credit: mbfashionweek.com

Another look I adore by Tadashi Shoji!

Credit: mbfashionweek.com

What were your favorite looks of the day? Comment below and let's hear it!

Happy Fashion Week,

Chandler Viox