#FwdYourFashion Festival

A festival dedicated to fashion? And for a good cause? 

Why not.

Event: #FwdYourFashion Festival

Where: 716 Monroe St. NE, Washington, DC 20017

When: Saturday, April 26th

Time: 1:00PM-5:00PM

Link to RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fwdyourfashion-festival-tickets-11198281361

In celebration of their two week challenge to collect the largest donated clothing ever recorded with the help from their 170 communities (comprised of employees, residents, and friends),  Bozzuto Group, along with Goodwill of Greater Washington and Monroe Street Market, are throwing a grand festival dedicated to fashion, shopping, and fun giveaways. It's called #FwdYourFashion and it's in honor of Earth Month. The proceeds from this event will go towards Goodwill's job training and employment services for local area people with disabilities and disadvantages. 

Not only will I be at the festival...I'll be a part of the festival, as well. You see, another challenge was given. This time to 4 local area fashion/style bloggers. We were given $100 each to hit up our local Goodwill stores and find 3 fun, fashionable outfits. These outfits will be styled by models at the event. This portion of the festival is to show that, yes, you can find great clothing items at your local thrift/charity store or in this case your local Goodwill store.

I decided to check out the Goodwill retail store located in NE DC. I didn't really have a specific theme in mind regarding the 3 looks. I just went from rack to rack picking up any clothing item that drew my attention. From there, I went to work trying to create looks from the items I've selected. The hardest part was choosing the final 3 looks. Do I go with all separates? Do I go with all dresses? Skirts? Pants? Mix it up? Struggle. But I feel that my final choices turned out pretty good. *Jay-Z voice* If I do so say so myself.

Here's a sneak preview of what you'll see on Saturday. Because you will be there. Yes. YOU.

For your viewing pleasure, here's a video explaining more about the event -

I hope to see you there! It'll be a beautiful, sunny, warm day. I know...I just checked. 

Double the Leather

It wouldn't be right to have two (faux) leather pieces (from the same store, no less) and not pair them together, no?

Exactly.

About a month ago (around the time I took these photos), it was a chilly evening. I'm talking about low 30s with a gusty wind chill. Didn't help that the sun was setting and it got dark pretty damn quickly. I don't know what me and Val were feeling like but after we were done shooting, our fingers were completely frozen. Numb. Clearly, we were not dressed appropriately for that kinda weather. Whole time we kept telling ourselves, "This is the price we pay for being fashion/style bloggers." I mean, nothing can stop us from taking nice photos. Chilly weather, be damned. Truly, I don't know how these models do it. Oh gosh. I just remembered that one episode of America's Next Top Model when Tyra made the contestants do a rooftop photo shoot on a blistering cold NYC day...while in their barely there swimsuits. *shivers* The good ol' days when ANTM was must-watch TV.

This photo right here explains it all.
*sings* It's written all over your face.

I've been meaning to put up these photos immediately after but then I realized it would be back-to-back-to-back posts of me wearing the Ashley Stewart faux leather vest, then this post, then wearing the Ashley Stewart skirt; sort of repetitive. So I waited. After finally getting her act together last week with Spring-like weather, Mother Nature went back to her bipolar self. For the past couple of days it's been rainy, cold, and gusty-wind-chill windy. Also, there was this period of us getting some sleet, as well. As I type this right now it's 32 degrees. On April 17, 2014. 

Now, this would best time to put up the photos. *smiles*

Vest/Skirt: Ashley Stewart

Bodysuit: ASOS Curve

Heels: Torrid

Earrings: vintage

Lipstick: MAC Heroine

*sings* I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold. (So coooolddd).

Vibrant Mash Up

Dress (worn as a 'top'): And I Get Dressed closet sale

Skirt: thrift

Heels: Lane Bryant

Bag: 3.1 Philip Lim x Target

Watch: Nixon via Gilt City DC warehouse sale

Rings: ASOS

This would've been the skirt that almost got away if it wasn't for Nic's hawk eye vision. At her event, Thrift with Nic, everybody in attendance went thrifting together inside the venue, which just so happen to be Goodwill. Usually when I thrift, I make a beeline to two sections before scouring the rest of the store - skirts and dresses. I thought I had given the skirts section at Goodwill a good run through when Nic called out my name. I turned around to see her hold up this vibrant midi skirt with a florals/stripes mash-up print.

"You like?" 

"Um...YEAH!" 

"*laughs* I just knew this was your type of skirt." 

Nic knows me well.

Specks

Dress: Ose (Uh-Seh)

Bag: Buffalo Exchange

Heels: Avenue

Brooch: vintage

Photography: Road to Fashionable

Fuzzy

I'm still not bold enough to wear a legit crop top or a legit bikini top. But a slightly loose high-lo cropped sweater that reveals a sliver of your stomach whenever you move will have to do. Actually, I kinda like tops that has a subtle surprise. 

I stumbled upon the sweater at Target. Love the texture and the mint/black color combo. The high waist jeggings are from...wait for it...Rainbow. Yep. That Rainbow. You know, Rainbow may come off as an urban, teeny bopper kinda sto--oh who am I kiddin'. It is an urban, teeny bopper kinda store. But if you want inexpensive basic items in your closet, it wouldn't hurt to step inside Rainbow. Mind you, it's been years on years on years since the last time I stepped inside the store. But that one trip a couple months ago to purchase these jeggings made me realize that, hey, it also has some cute basic stuff. 

I haven't seen Ola in so long. Damn near a year. Yeah, we kept in touch via social media and WhatsApp but actual face-to-face? Damn near a year. It was great to reunite with her at National Harbor. We both realized that we were rockin' crop tops; totally not planned. Ola recently revamped her blog - new name and everything - Road to Fashionable. Ch-ch-check it out.

Top: Target

Jeggings: Rainbow

Heels: Avenue

Bag: vintage Dooney & Bourke

Earrings: thrift