#NordstromJax Grand Opening

Hello Fashionistas!
TGIF right? I don't know about you, but I've been looking forward to the weekend since Monday. So many exciting things happening, I can't wait to share with you all. In exactly 2 weeks, Nordstrom will be opening in Jacksonville, FL. Can everyone in the city say DUUUUUVAL!!! Its been a long time coming and we sure do appreciate this high-end fashion powerhouse coming to the First Coast. If you remember, I posted a while back about Nordstrom opening at the St. Johns Town Center (here) & (here) and since then, I've received several emails inquiring whether this was really going to happen. Well, it is. All the fashionistas in a 100 mile radius, get ready.

Leading up to the grand opening, there will be several events to get your mojos going for the BIG day. 

First up: Pre-Opening event, It's A Lingerie Love Affair, Saturday, September 27th, 9AM - 5PM. You can register here. For every bra you purchase from a participating brand, $2 will go to The Donna Foundation. There will be sips, sweets and make-up.

Second: Grand Opening Gala, Wednesday, October 8th, 7PM - 10PM to benefit the Cathedral Arts Project, Junior League of Jacksonville and Wolfson's Children's Hospital. There will be cocktails, dinner and desserts by Catering by Liz. Entertainment by The River Town Band and DJ Skip Kelly; A Fall fashion presentation and attendees will be the first to shop in the 124,000 sq. ft store. Tickets are only $75.

Last, but certainly not least: Beauty Bash, Friday, October 10th from 8AM - 10AM before the grand opening at 10AM. Nordstrom will be hosting a beauty bash in the south parking lot outside the new store. Each of the brands inside the store will have a beauty stylist and make-up table set-up to help customers try out the latest tricks and trends. Customers can also pick up samples from their favorite brands.  

All this and more will be covered by yours truly :-) OMG! 

Leave me a comment or email me on what you would like me to cover, whether it's beauty, fashion, accessories, etc. 

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

#MFW: Recap

Stella Jean:

Hello Fashionistas! I hope everyone had a fashionating weekend. 

Why does Saturdays and Sundays seem to go by in such a hurry but Monday through Friday the time just drags on forever? OK, forever is a stretch but you get my drift. If you did anything fun, let me know. I was brainstorming this whole weekend for a few upcoming projects.

I did manage to check out Milan Fashion week and jot down several collections that were truly exceptional. Again, I was looking forward to several designers: Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli. Unfortunately, none of those mentioned made my list of faves! Let's get started with my picks. And, as usual, feel free to disagree with me and share your choices.

 I love the print of the two skirts above. Now, I'm an island girl, so I have many paintings and pictures depicting such scenes in my possession. It's lovely to see wearable art especially when that art is near and dear to my heart. 

Alberta Ferretti:

Romantic and whimsical are the two words that came to mind after viewing Alberta's collection. I love the romanticism of the dress pictured above and the whimsy of the one below. The unique designs and craftsmanship of both dresses are impeccable. This collection was actually my favorite!

Ermanno Scervino:

Not really sure why I chose the dress above, except that the material looks a bit unusual. It doesn't seem comfortable to wear; almost stiff. The unusualness of it made it a conversation piece. Let me know what you think of this dress.

This snake print dress below is to die for. Love the cut-out at the cleavage area, criss cross around the neck and the diagonal slit. Fabulous!

Philipp Plein:

I really enjoyed seeing the voluminous skirts and dresses from Philipp on the runway, but not too sure about the leather jackets for Summer. You can twirl for days in these skirts.

Emilio Pucci:

70s inspired was a theme for several designers showcasing at Milan Fashion week. I think Emilio did it best though. There were so many wearable pieces to choose from and that's what I look for in a designer. You have to ask yourself, can I wear this or is it just for the runway? I absolutely love the above pants suit because it's not a traditional pants suit. It's hip. It's chic. and it's groovy, lol. That nice pop of bright orange really sets it off.

Naomi Campbell has graced the catwalk yet again for another designer. She looks amazing and I've enjoyed seeing her famous strut. Brings back so many memories. I think we girls have all tried to imitate The Naomi strut. 

Moschino:

You have to have a sense of humor to appreciate Moschino. Last year it was McDonald's inspired clothing and this year it's Barbie. One has to wonder (at least I'm wondering) if he was listening to Aqua's Barbie Girl when inspiration hit. I actually like that song, but it's never inspired anything further than a sing-a-long from me.

Would you wear this? Or the one above? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading and commenting!

#LFW: Recap

David Koma:

Hello Fashionistas! I know this post is a bit late, since London Fashion Week ended on Tuesday. I apologize for the delay, I've been busy working on some other projects. However, I did browse the vogue website daily to see what certain designers presented. Now, I must admit, I had several in mind that I knew were going to deliver, which were: Tom Ford, Burberry Prorsum, Preen, Marchesa and McQ. Unfortunately, from that list, only one came through for me, the others that I chose to share with you guys are all surprises. Here are my choices for the best collection for the Ready-to-Wear Spring/Summer 2015 (feel free to disagree with my choices).

(above) and below are by David Koma - who is the artistic director for Thierry Mugler - featured a lot of cut-outs and precise tailoring in his collection. I choice these two as examples, although there were so many pieces that I absolutely loved, because they for me are sexy and chic without being over the top. 

Matthew Williamson:

Who doesn't like a colorful, vibrant maxi in the Spring/Summer months? The above piece is so much more than a simple maxi. The colors alone make it wearable for so many occasions, whether it's on vacation in the tropics, a beach wedding or date night. The belt is also a nice added touch. Cinch those waists ladies! ^_^
Below, is a contrast to the look above; this look is about business. The fashion forward business woman who rules in the boardroom and is stylish while doing it. Beautiful pastel color, which will be on trend next year.

Emilia Wickstead:

The above and below pictures made my list because the designer did something that is hard to do. She included pockets, not on the side, but right up front... and made it stylish. Usually I wouldn't go for this because I've seen it not work far too many times. But looking at these dresses, it just works.  

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi:

Loving the colors top and bottom. The fringe on the bottom dress is so much fun. Couldn't you see yourself going salsa dancing in this number? I love the colors, the fit and the little bit of exposed cleavage. This dress is haute!

Ethologie by Casper Garvida:

It's all about the belt for these two looks. The dress and skirt ensemble are not really doing too much for me, but the corset belts are everything! I think they are called DeAngeli corset belts. Cinch me up!

Julien Macdonald:

The bondage inspired dress above is fabulous! I love the details of the cut-out shapes that went into this creation, it's almost like art. 
Below is a gown that I think could work as a wedding dress. Call me crazy but this would be a fashionistas couture moment.

Syyed Nisar of Kingston University:

I can't!

Would you wear this? If so, where?

FYI: If you are interested in becoming a fashion designer, fashion illustrator or wedding planner, please check out La Mode college. They have an e-course that is available for a very reasonable price. Learn the ins & outs of fashion from reputable sources that have been in the fashion business for years. You can find the direct link on my side bar. 

Thanks for reading!

All above pictures can be found on vogue.co.uk

Nostalgic with eShakti

Hello Fashionistas! Hope everyone had a fashionating weekend. I had a very quiet, yet adventurous weekend (if that makes sense). My hubster took me to see a very interesting lake which I will share with you guys on IG. While at this lake, the hubster said: "Look, it's nature's runway!" He was right (don't tell him I said so) and I titled the pic just that. Then, I remembered I had to take some pics of a gorgeous dress I received from eShakti.com in exchange for doing a honest review of what I thought of their product. When I was contacted by Jane - from eShakti - I was grateful for the opportunity yet skeptical. Dresses or not usually my thing. They never fit right. I'm more of a jeans/pants girl. However, when I went on the website to roam around and see what they had, I was very excited by the "Jamaica" dress. Now, I'm not sure if you guys know or not, but I was born on the beautiful, tropical island of Jamaica; although I've been in the States for the majority of my life. But, if you've been to Jamaica, the memory will live with you forever. Just the thought of ackee & salt fish, roast breadfruit, fried dumpling with callaloo makes me nostalgic for my birth home. I digress. I've seen a few posts from other bloggers who've done a review for eShakti and already knew about the customization service they provided and that their sizes range from 0 - 36W. When you visit the website it clearly lets you know "Real fashion for Real People" which I can appreciate that. 

On to the dress. Other than loving the name, once I received it (which was pronto after receiving an email letting me know it was on its way via DHL, tracking number and all) I immediately wanted to see if it fit. And, it did. If fit me exactly how I wanted it to. Cinched at the waist. If you've been reading my blog or my other social media outlets, you know I love a cinched waist. The partial side zipper makes it easy to slip over the head, it has pockets and  it fits below the knee. The best part is, it's machine washable, made of cotton with a light crisp feel. This dress is listed for $59.95, which is a steal when you can add your own customization. You can change the sleeve, change the length or even remove the pockets. I'm very pleased with this dress and it will be a piece I will treasure forever not just because of the name but I felt really amazing wearing this dress. Hope you guys like the pics we took.

Elastic smocked center back waist

Jamaica dress (here)

OOTN:

Dress: Thanks to eShakti! 

Shoes: Sam Edelman (last seen here) & (here)

Bag: Nine West

Bracelet: Guess

Other Accessories: Old

Visit the eShakti website
eShakti on Facebook
eShakti on Twitter

First time customization is FREE! Register now and get $25 redeemable on your first purchase.

What do you guys think of my dress? Leave me a comment below.

Have a great day & thanks for reading!

#NYFW: Recap

Rodarte:

Hello Fashionistas! 

Yes, it's hump day and if you were like me today, I was in a slump; but then I got really excited after viewing all the different designers that showcased at New York Fashion Week, so far. I wanted to share some of my favorite looks, which surprisingly were not all from my favorite designers. There are several pieces that I chose from designers I didn't even know existed. A pleasant fashion surprise nonetheless. I was really looking forward to: Zac Posen, Jason Wu, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Derek Lam and Christian Siriano - to see if he was still "fierce!" - which he still is. The surprises were: Rosie Assoulin, Sophie Theallet and Badgley Mischka. 

The above and below picks are from Rodarte, not a huge fan in the past, but I now am. The thigh-high lace up boots and white jeans - Haute! The flirty  mesh at the hem of the skirt (below) so sexy, again with the lace up boots. 

Zac Posen:

Zac Posen has always been a favorite of mine. I think he really understands and appreciates a woman's body, in which he makes dresses that molds to our frames. That hour-glass silhouette is quite noticeable in these two picks, especially in the red mermaid dress below.

Rosie Assoulin:

This particular designer I was not familiar with before NYFW, however she is now someone to watch. The dress above reminds me of a traditional island garb, yet it's very refined and elegant. #Twirl

Jason Wu:

Jason Wu is amazing! I love what he did with the wrap dress above. I can see this being a career woman's staple piece because it's business with a bit of sass. 

Oscar De La Renta:

The belt above is everything! There were a lot of cropped tops, gingham patterns and floral patterns in his showcase. I really liked the different options he presented and I would say a lot of the pieces were very wearable and on trend.

Sophie Theallet:

Again, the belt is everything! This designer was also not one on my radar but I'm sure glad I stumbled upon her. I love a cinched waist. And the peek-a boo colors at the hem - of the above skirt - is on point.

Naeem Khan:

My first time seeing this designer's body of work. In one word - elegant.

This dress below could easily be a showstopper at a wedding this upcoming Spring/Summer.

Badgley Mischka:

My absolute favorite. I wanted to own one of each. This is what Ready-To-Wear means to me. Every single piece could walk off the runway and right onto the streets of NY, LA or Chicago. The jacket above, which I think is a mixture of the classic Chanel and a biker jacket is so fabulous! It's feminine-chic at its best. One more below which is also swoon-worthy.

Diane von Furstenberg:

Diane has been doing this for years and you can see, she's a pro. How fantastic is that flirty dress above?  Also, kudos for having Naomi Campbell, who just turned 44, walk in your show. Why does this woman not age? She looks gorgeous and she is working that dress with her signature strut. #Work!

Hope you guys liked my picks. Feel free to disagree with me & let me know what your favorites are from #NYFW.

Disclaimer: All above pictures can be found on vogue.co.uk