Atlantic City Fashion Week 2015

I almost didn’t make to my first Atlantic City Fashion Week (ACFW). With a hurricane in the area, and an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike, it seemed like we’d have to wait for next year. But, we finally made it and it was worth the effort!

Held at The Playground at Caesars Hotel and Casino the weekend of October 3, ACFW was founded in 2011 by the husband and wife team of Lamont and Jeana Bowling.

We saw six fabulous designers featuring all sorts of looks, ranging from a kids show that was so much fun, to elegant, sexy and futuristic collections. It is obvious that the founder of ACFW love what they do and so much effort goes into making these events enjoyable for everyone who attends and a valuable networking and exposure opportunity for the designers, models, hair and MUAs and everyone else who participates.

(Special shout-out to my new friend, designer Aprille Grace! More on her show later!)

The Spring 2016 ACFW has been announced for February 25-27, 2016. I’ll be there, will you? Get more information and tickets on the ACFW website www.atlanticcityfashionweek.net.

For anyone who wants to be a part of ACFW, watch out for casting notices being posted on the website and Facebook.

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I was lucky enough to get to chat with Jeana Bowling after the show. She was so sweet and took the time even in the middle of fashion show craziness. Hi, Jeana! See you in February.

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My Runway Day – Walking For Montclair Fashion Night Out!

All my life I have dreamed of being a model. It’s part of the reason that I love fashion so much and have gotten into blogging and being involved with fashion events. I was so thrilled and honored when Fifth + Park Style & Image Consulting invited me to be a runway model at the 2015 Montclair Fashion Night Out. It was a crazy and memorable experience that I will never forget. I hope to do it again!

The day started out at 8:30am at Bangz Salon in Montclair (23 S Fullerton Ave.), which is a really beautiful salon and spa housed in an old church. Stop by just to look around! Here I am getting my hair done while being shot by the videographer.

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My stylist, Mariah Easton, did a great job. Love her hair! Follow her on Instagram @mariah_easton.

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Then it was on to make up at Bobbi Brown Studio (10 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair). There is a large space behind the store where the fashion show took place, with an area where all of the models got made up. The MUAs were all wonderful and their worked shined on the runway.

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My first walk! A casual look from That Little Black Dress boutique in Montclair. Do you love it?

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My second walk was evening wear. You can also get this look from That Little Black Dress boutique. I loved this outfit so much I bought it right after the show!

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That Little Black Dress Fittings for Montclair Fashion Night Out

When I did my first runwalk walk for Montclair Fashion Night Out, I was so thrilled to be walking for this amazing cool boutique in Montclair called That Little Black Dress (179 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair, NJ). Here are some of the photos from my fitting, which ended up being two outfits: a casual outfit (love the hat and poncho… and those jeans are fantastic!) and an evening wear outfit (how cool is that skirt?)

Boutique owner Jenna Davis was wonderful in sharing her outfits with me, and I love how she curates such a wonderful variety of looks and styles that fit me so well. Her store is definitely worth a visit to Montclair and I’m proud to have walked for her and to be a new regular customer!

For more about That Little Black Dress, you can shop online at their website www.shopthatlbd.com. Please follow them on social media as well on Twitter (@shopthatlbd), Instagram (@shopthatlbd), Pinterest (shopthatlbd) and Facebook. Who wants to go shopping?

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Montclair Fashion Night Out: Sofistafunk Runway Show

One of my favorite parts of the Montclair Fashion Night Out event on Saturday, September 26, was the amazing runway show presented by Sofistafunk and that brand’s wonderful designer Arlinda McIntosh.

First, a quick aside: Arlinda was also the runway coach for the evening and gave the models a lot of wonderful and helpful instructions before our walk. So, we could say that I had my first runway training from Arlinda. And, she said that I did great! Thank you, Arlinda!

Back to the show. Sofistafunk is “The Original Skirt Co.” and her skirt designs are really amazing, unique and look fabulous. As you’ll see from the photos below, they stand out and definitely need to be seen in person. Some of her designs are being sold at Robert Greco’s Atelier boutique in Montclair, NJ, or contact them at info@sofistafunk.com with questions. They do showings by appointment only. Call 917-566-5900 Monday-Friday 10am-6pm to set one up (and let them know that I sent you!)

Lots more Sofistafunk fun – along with shopping online – can be found on their website at hello.sofistafunk.com. You can also connect with them on Facebook here.

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Me and the fabulous Arlinda McIntosh on the Montclair Fashion Night Out red carpet!

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Congratulations Adriana Marie of AMCONYC

I had the opportunity to attend two of the fantastic runway shows produced by AMCONYC as part of New York Fashion week. The runway shows by Ollari and Jovan O’Connor were wonderfully memorable and be sure to visit the AMOCNYC website at www.amconyc.com to see some runway images from that weekend.

Congratulations to AMCONYC founder Adriana Marie, pictured below with me on the red carpet, and your team for an incredible fashion weekend! Thank you for inviting me to be a part of it, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

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AMCONYC’s Jovan O’Connor NYFW Runway Show

The final in AMCONYC’s amazing series of seven NYFW week runway shows was held Sunday evening, Sept. 13 at the PUNTO Event Performance Space. This wonderful evening event featured the collection of Philadelphia-based designer Jovan O’Connor. O’Connor’s collection is the perfect collection of sexy and classy, with a dazzling array of colors and fabrics that made each model light up the room as she stalked the catwalk. Her statement pieces are drawing attention from celebrities and the fashion world at large, and I’m told that the work in this collection is only a portion of the scope of her overall oeuvre.

This collection is inspired by the sights and sounds of Brazil and the models walked the catwalk to the cool bossa nova rhythms of “The Girl from Ipanema” spinning from the dj booth. If all the photographers and bloggers that crowded around the designer and the models after the show is any indication, great things are ahead for the fabulous and classy Jovan O’Connor.

Find out more about Jovan O’Connor on her website (www.jovanoconnor.com), Instagram (@jovanoconnor.com), Snapchat (@jovanoco15), Twitter (@jovan_oconnor), Facebook (jovan.oconnor) and Pinterest (jovanoconnor).

For more information on attending future AMCONYC events (and everyone should!), or if you are a designer looking for a great company to help launch your brand and gain industry awareness, check out www.amconyc.com and follow them on Twitter (@amconyc) and Instagram (@amconyc). I know I’m looking forward to attending their future shows!  I hope that you’re there as well!

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AMCONYC New York Fashion Week Meagan Ollari Runway Show

Sunday afternoon, September 13, I attended a wonderful runway show at PUNTO Performance Space on 38th Street. This fantastic event was put on by Adriana Marie Quaranto and her fantastic team at AMCONYC (www.amconyc.com). AMCONYC is a terrific event production company and New York’s leading creative platform for millennial fashion designers. I loved the show and can’t wait to go back for tonight’s 8pm.

All of the photos below are from the latest collection by designer Meagan Ollari (www.ollari.com). The Ollari collection, which made its debut at last year’s NYFW, utilizes luxurious fabrications and novelty beadwork, targeting a more refined contemporary woman. The colors and fabrics are all beautiful and I’ll be watching out for great things from this fabulous New Jersey-based designer. Follow her on Instagram @_ollari_ and on Facebook at /OllariCollections!

And be sure to follow AMCONYC on Instagram as well @amconyc.

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Designer Meagan Ollari. It was a pleasure meeting you and congratulations on a successful show and a gorgeous new collection!

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Small Boutique Fashion Week – NYC – September 12

I am so excited to be attending Small Boutique Fashion Week in New York City on September 12! It will be my first time in New York for Fashion Week and SBFW2015 is one of the exciting events that features a lot of really talented designers and stylists. Watch the video above for details. Tickets are available at www.smallboutiquefw.com. If you are going, let me know!

I have my front row seats to the 8pm show at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street) where one of my favorite designers, Robert Greco, will be highlighting his couture collection.

Other designers who are being featured at the 8pm show include: Clavon Wear, Jo David by Jd Noble, Bryant Alexander Brand, Trang Tram Design, Charles Andrews Couture, Lainy Gold, Shadeth, Yvonne Jewnell, Lvi Fashion, Susnyara and House of Van Miller. Can’t wait to see all of their work!

SBFW is the only business-oriented runway show and market geared toward small business owners, emerging designers, and novelty designers that are looking to get their start by selling to small boutiques and unique shops.

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Join Me At Montclair Fashion Night – September 26

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I can’t wait to be a part of Montclair Fashion Night, which takes place in Montclair, New Jersey on Saturday, September 26, 2015, 2pm-6pm (doors open at 1:30).

There will be five runway shows and expert makeup tips from the talented team at Bobbi Brown Studio Montclair. The show takes place at the Bobbi Brown Studio, which I’m told is an extremely cool space. And, my good friends from Atelier and Fifth and Park are organizing everything, so it will be lots of fun – with some surprises! Excited!

Here are the details:

Montclair Fashion Night Out
Saturday, September 26, 2015

Robert Greco Couture
Atelier
Fifth and Park
Bobbi Brown Studio Montclair

at Bobbi Brown Studio
Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair, NJ

Fashion Night Out Montclair
Saturday, September 26th

Bobbi Brown Studio Montclair in collaboration with Robert Greco Atelier Montclair and Fifth and Park Styling present Fashion Night Out 2015.

Tickets are $25 and includes a full day of fashion events to be held at Bobbi Brown Studio in Montclair, 10 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair, NJ.

A limited amount of tickets will be sold to the public on a first come, first serve basis, exclusively at Atelier Montclair, 47 South Park Street, Montclair, NJ. There will be no tickets sold at the door/day of.

Doors open at 1:30. The first runway show will be at:

2:00 Runway “Ready to Wear Montclair” featuring fashion looks from Montclair’s retailers

2:30 Runway “Eveningwear”

3:00 Makeup Tutorials by Bobbi Brown’s top makeup artists

4:00 Runway Atelier Collection

4:30 Runway Vintage Clothing Collection

5:00 Runway Robert Greco Couture

5:30 Meet and Greet with the Designers, Stylists, Hair and Makeup Artists

Reception: Featuring food and drinks from Montclair’s Restaurants

Sales from the tickets will go to Bobbi’s charity choice “The Girl Rising Fund”.

Love from Fashion Designer Robert Greco

OMG, thank you, Robert Greco. I love my Robert Greco original and I can’t wait to post my first blog about it! Wearing this to my next red carpet.

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Robert Greco’s work will be featured this year at Atlantic City Fashion Week’s Couture Showcase, October 3, 2015.

Learn more about Robert Greco on his website and Twitter pages:
robertgrecocouture.blogspot.com
twitter.com/robbeyond