Philly Fashion Week Feb 2014 Recap!

It's that time of year again!  The time where I finally get to post about the previous Philly Fashion Week right before the next one starts!  For some reason it just takes me a while to sort through everything and decide on my favorites!  But since this year I'll only be attending one show, unfortunately, I'll hopefully get the post up in a more timely fashion.  However, I do like to look back at the previous season with the start of a new one!  I think its kind of fun!  So without further ado, here is my look back at PFW February 2014!

One of the things I really love about PFW, besides all of the awesome clothes of course, is meeting new people in the industry who are local including PR people, designers, and fellow bloggers.  I've made many great friends in the past couple of years! Fashion week is somewhat of a reunion!

Me and my fellow blogger gals! Pic Cred to Erika from YCS!

Although PFW isn't nearly as large as NYFW, there's still always a huge turnout!  The venue is always packed to capacity, everyone anxious to see the shows!  In the lobby, there's food, live music and booths full of fun things to look at.

The line-up

Once inside, everyone takes their seats. Now, I've been on both sides of this coin.  The first time I went I was VIP and sat front row.  It was awesome and it made me feel super important haha.  Then the second time, I attended as press.  I wound up first sitting in the second row, but then moved to "the pit" which is where all the photographers set up.  If you've never tried it, runway photography is haarrddd.  Between the movement and the lighting it's almost impossible to get a good shot.  So I pretty much wound up screwing around with my camera most of the time instead of enjoying the show.  To my dismay, I still didn't get many good shots.  But I got a few and some videos of my favorite lines!  The first photo is from Tu Decor, a line by a wonderful woman who I am glad to call my friend!  Her line is sexy and feminine, but still bad ass! Click here to see the last looks! Second is my favorite from the line Suede Square.  The line had some really cool patterns and silhouettes!  The last photo is the finale piece from Dom Streeter's line.  I was particularly excited to see her's, since I was a huge fan from watching her win Project Runway! Philly girl's reppin'! I wish I would have gotten to meet her, but we're mutual on Twitter, so I guess that counts for something! #fangirling.  Besides my excitement, her line was beautiful and full of variety!  See her last looks here!

Tu Decor

Suede Square

Dom Streeter

Last, a fashion week post would not be complete without #OOTN's! For ready to wear, I wen't slightly more casual; For couture, I went a little more fancy!  I kept with a preppy/girly look for both looks!

[Night 1: Sweater: American Eagle | Shirt: Loehman's | Purse: My mom // Night 2: Jacket, Dress, Belt: Target | Top: Old, I don't remember | Shoes: Payless (a loonngg time ago) | Headband: J. Crew]

Snowman New York {Fashion February}

While I was New York City for fashion week, I had the great honor of being able to visit the Snowman New York showroom, thanks to my good friend Angela!  She just signed them on as a new client and was there for a meeting, so we got to tag along to come and check it out! The company just moved their workplace so I got to see their new place, plus almost their entire collection for the season!  Everyone was super nice and welcoming.  They were excited for me to come and check out their line, and obviously so was I! I got to sit down with one of the designers, Jennifer Suh, for just a minute and she told me a bit about their vision for the brand.  We talked about the lack of fashionable outerwear that is also warm and comfortable.  With the Snowman New York brand, they hope to give the typical winter coat a modern, New York makeover!

Looking through the collection, I fell in love.  Every coat was unique and super chic.  There was lots of furs, great color, and innovative shapes. Did I mention they do dresses too?!  Also, the coats were super light-weight and thin, avoiding that A Christmas Story look we Northerners know all too well.

While we were there, Jen and her wonderful HR maven, Murrill Oaks, actually let us do a mini photoshoot in the showroom featuring some of our favorite pieces!  Thankfully, I had my "should-be-a-model" friend Emma with me to try them on! Ang even got in on the action for a shot!

Ang caught an action shot!

We picked our top four pieces and tried them out!  The first one (shown in the top and left photos) has a super cute fur hood, a cool green color, and the featured light weight down.  The one pictured in the right and bottom photos was black with a full fur front (which was super soft and shiny, btw) and a lovely face, framing collar.

This piece, shown below, was one of the first things I saw when I walked into the showroom.  It's a leather dress with fur trim and it is adorable.

Lastly, we got to see a piece from spring collection that I'm seriously in need with.  There is so much going for this little jacket! The sleeves are down, but the body is not which creates the perfect amount of warm for spring!  The collar is super "popable" and the curve in the back is flattering and unique.  It's a very versatile piece that should be a staple in every cool girl's closet!

Overall, I had a great experience at the Snowman New York showroom!  We had so much fun hanging out and doing our photo shoot!  I also really loved the whole collection!  Definitely an up and coming brand that I would recommend to any girl looking for a chic, new coat.  I can't wait to see more of what they produce in the future and hope to collaborate again with them soon! Thanks again for having us!!

For more information, look books, and shopping check out the Snowman New York website!

XO, Briana

Trend Watching at Lincoln Center {Fashion February}

So as I am much aware that today begins our so long awaited March, I'm going to continue with my Fashion February posts, since all of these things actually happened in February! I have been quite the busy bee! As you already know, I had the pleasure of making my way to NYFW this season.  Although I didn't get to see any of the shows inside of Lincoln Center, I did get to trend watch outside!  This has seriously become one of my favorite past times.

This season, it was all about the coats.  Since it was so cold, everyone was wearing one and they were all so unique!  I saw a wide range of styles: preppy, mod, grunge, bohemian, you name it!  I snapped some cool shots of just a few of my favorites! My personal obsession right now is the fur (or faux fur) coats!  They look so luxurious and chic and can pump up any outfit! Also, most girls were wearing their coats in a cape style fashion, simply draped over their shoulders.  I thought that was so classy and feminine!  Definitely something I would try in the future! I also saw a lot of plaid and pastels.  Plaid is always in style, if you ask me, but pastels are beautiful for late winter and perfect for spring! Another thing that is always in style; Leather! Wearing leather in almost any piece is instant rocker chic.  I love the styling in the last three pictures; the girl (fourth row right) working the leather sleeves with lots of bold print and color, the girl with that outstanding lip dress rocking her leather jacket, and also the coordinating trio at the bottom! (Side note: I'm loving that guy's ombre pants!!)  Another thing I saw a lot of was the classic wardrobe staple, the camel colored coat.  Camel goes with pretty much anything and is uber chic, in my opinion.  My girls here paired it with metallics, plaid, and (my personal favorite fourth row left) mixed prints.

 Overall, most people were dressed very fashionably!  I guess people are a little more outlandish in the fall (see my Fall Fashion Week trend-spotting post).  I'm really excited to try out some (or all) of the trends I saw this season and implement them into my personal style!  What I'm most excited about is the pastels!! I'm not kidding when I say excited either.  I absolutely love that chic, luxurious quality that seems to have been floating around recently and I need  to participate in that.  So be on the look out for my attempts.

Speaking of pastel, another lovely pastel thing I got to try was macarons!  I've been dying to try them, since I see them everywhere online, at least once a day.  And also because of Gossip Girl (obviously.)  So I decided to get in touch with my inner Queen B and make my way to the Macaron Cafe!  Can I just say, this was a huge mistake because I'm now officially an addict.  We got a few different flavors to try, including PB&J (my first), passion fruit, Nutella, and apple pie!  They were all amazing and I'm currently on the hunt to find a place in Philly!  (P.S. if you know of any, don't be shy!!)  I also just found out that the Macron Cafe ships nation wide!! Needless to say, I'll be expecting a package soon...

Me before the magic.  About to eat my first ever macaron!

I was definitely channeling Blair Waldorf that day, not only through macarons and tromping around NYC, but in what I wore! Unfortunately, I didn't get a good shot, but you can see my Juicy Couture beret an my aeire sequined polka dot top!  I was also wearing a black Ann Klein coat, Betsey Johnson scarf, Wildfox hoodie, black damask leggings and necklace from Target, and my The North Face snow boots (since of course it had to snow...)  

 So this is just the first half of the day! I also got to do a mini photo shoot at the Snowman NY showroom!  That will be the next post, coming very soon!

XO, Briana

K. Nicole Couture {Fashion February}

Hurray for Fashion Week!! I know I'm a  little behind on posting these, but I've just been so busy collecting stories! So keep your eyes open for all of my Fashion February posts!!  My first Fashion Week, which was this past September, I attended shows as an intern and enjoyed the experience of a lifetime!  This time around, I got to go as a full-blown fashion blogger!!

First on the itinerary was the K. Nicole Couture fashion show!! Thanks to my good friend Angela, I got an invite to the show, plus was able to bring my friend Emma with me!  After having a conversation with my new PR friend, Eduardo, I was able to score an interview with the designers!! [Thanks again Eduardo! You're the best!]

But first, some background on the designers!  K. Nicole Couture is designed by this fabulous duo, Kera Anderson (right) and Nicole Styer (left).  Based in my hometown of Philadelphia, PA, the girls met and became friends at Nicole's clothing and accessory store, N.R.S. Boutique located in Center City Phila.

Snapshot from their show, courtesy of the K. Nicole Instagram page!

The Interview

So I got to sit down with the girls for a quick, pre-show chat! First I asked about their collection.  They told me they are really inspired by the fabrics and textiles they find and mixing and matching them together. They're also both really excited about outwear for spring.  When I asked, both responded with jackets and coats, particularly the classic trench. [By the way, I couldn't agree more!] Nicole said, "We're really heavy in this collection on coats, and that's what we really started with." Seeing as this was not their first time showing a collection, I asked if the process has become easier.  "It was definitely harder at first," said Kera.  "We're definitely learning from the first time around, still ironing out the best way to go about everything," Nicole added.  I was also really curious to know more about how they became a team. Kera told me, "She had a piece, a dress hanging in her window and I just had a different vision...  So, we just re-tweaked the dress she had already done and it came out fabulous!"  Lastly I asked if they had any advice for young designers. Nicole told me, "Just really stay true to what you want to do.  Don't compromise too much on your vision." Duly noted girls!!  

The Collection

Can I just say, I absolutely loved this collection.  I definitely saw the outerwear influence, especially in some of my favorite pieces.  The feel was a mix of Victorian meets classic meets a little bit of 70s.  The construction was impeccable and there was a modern twist to all of the looks.  Overall, I felt the collection was cohesive and beautifully done! Here are my top five looks!

Check out previous collections and more on the K. Nicole website!

What I Wore

As I'm sure you know, I switched my outfit a good twenty times before deciding.  There are still a few things I would have changed, but time is precious. So I went with this look, inspired by my Kate Spade bag!

Cardigan: Saks Fifth Avenue | Blouse/Skirt: American Eagle | Belt/Necklace: Target | Bag: Kate Spade

The After Party

After the runway show, we got to hang out with some super cool people!! I got to see some old friends and make some new ones!  The music was great and so were the drinks!  It had even started snowing during the show, so a bunch of people took advantage of the scene, including us!

I had an amazing time at this event!  I feel truly honored to be able to spend quality time with the designers, who were super excited that I was from Philly btw, and they were so nice! Truly inspiring for a young aspiring designer such as myself.  I can't wait to see what they have in store for us at future shows!

XO, Briana

Lillie Couture {Fashion February}

Hey everyone!

So this post is going to be the kick off to a series of Fashion Week posts! Hurrah!  As you know New York Fashion Week was this past week, February 6-13th.  Also, Philadelphia Fashion Week starts next week! So February is a very busy month for me! But here is the first event of the season for me!  So I hope you enjoy it and be on the look out for more "Fashion February" Posts!!

Lillie Couture Designs

So last Friday I had the honor of being invited to the Lillie Couture Designs Fashion Show!! Lillie Couture is a beautiful label by designer Latasha Hall.  She's a Philly girl, with her Fashion Design degree from our very own Art Institute of Philadelphia!  She says the Lillie girl is "fun, fresh, and effortlessly fashionable."

The Cocktail Hour

When we arrived, there was a small cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres, cupcakes, and cocktails.  I got to catch up with my friend Erika of Your Chic is Showing, and hang out with Angela-to whom I owe this invitation and much much more!

The Collection

The collection was a twist on an Alice in Wonderland theme, with enough whimsy and fantasy to go around.  The pieces were intriguing with outstanding fabrics, handcrafted embellishments, and tediously perfected ruffles.  The collection was also styled with themed headpieces and masks, which were absolutely adorable. 

I really loved the collection.  I thought it was beautifully made and well thought out.  I also really liked the use of Alice in Wonderland.  She successfully got her inspiration across without it being "costumey" which is difficult to do.  My favorite piece was the white dress in the top photo.  I think any girl could pull that off and the fabric was to die for.  I mean, look at those ruffles!!  I also loved the final dress, which is shown in the center left photo.  It was just breathtaking.  I can't wait to see Latasha's next collection!  She's got a great eye and wonderful ideas!

Here's the last looks video! For more, check out the Lillie Couture website! 

 XO, Briana