FNO NYC/DC

I can't believe it's that time of the year again.

FASHION NIGHT OUT!

It just felt like yesterday when I strutted on a runway vying to win a $100 giftcard (wait, or was it $500...no, no, no, that's too much money....hmm, maybe it was $250?...as you can tell, I didn't win) from Lord & Taylor.

Yep, folks, this did happen.

Let me take you back. Back to August, 2010. I was browsing the wonderful website of Madison Plus when I came upon a contest they were holding. It was chance to win a giftcard from Lord & Taylor, become a special blog contributor for the MP website and finally be interviewed by numerous online publications. All the reader had to do was submit a picture of their style, head to the Lord & Taylor website and find three fall items that represented their style and finally explain why the items were chosen and how it can be styled. MP will pick three finalists. The three chosen would head to NYC on FNO to participate in their own runway show. The clothes the finalists would wear will be from Lord & Taylor and be styled by the lovely ladies of MP (The only hitch in the contest that kinda bugged me. I wished the finalists were given the opportunity to style their own outfit). After strutting, the winner will be chosen by the audience.

I read the fine print. I was interested. During that time, I was very much serious on starting a personal style blog. I felt this would have been a great platform for me to start with. Before I could psych myself out, I submitted this photo:

...and kept it moving with my life. A couple weeks later, I got an email from MP informing me that they loved my submission and CONGRATULATIONS!!!, I was picked as one of the three finalists. Woop, woop! I was told that since the winner was selected by the audience, I was encouraged to bring out my family, friends and strangers to come woop and holler for me. I started freaking out. I kind of wanted this not to be a big deal. I don't know if my plan was not to tell anybody. I don't know. I'm weird that way. Anywho, I started telling everybody the week before the contest (I told you, I'm weird). On Twitter, I did a half-ass promotion for myself, like, a couple days before the contest and also the day of. Not once did I mention it on Facebook nor my Tumblr page. Thinking back on it, I don't know why. *shrugs*

(l-r) Tina, me, Tiffany
Tiffany was chosen as the winner.
Just found out today (while trying to find this picture) that Tiffany is on TLC's new show, "Big Sexy".

All in all, it was fun! I remembered feeling a rush of excitement that I hadn't felt in a long time. Before the event, while walking to the venue, I remembered passing Macy's and wondering why everybody and their mama were waiting outside. Come to find out, JLo, Puffy and a host of others were inside getting ready to hawk promote their lines. I also passed a makeshift concert and saw a band performing (I think it was Train). After the event, Lord & Taylor had so many activities going on throughout their store. So I just went from floor to floor experiencing it all. Later that night, I prowled the streets of NYC, just taking in the energy (re: it took me 20mins to get a cab). Finally, I ended my evening at a friend's event. I only slept for like an hr before I had to rush out and catch the Bolt Bus back home the next day.

Wellst, this time around, I'll be in NYC again. No, not for a contest (even though that would've been cool...like, make it an annual thing or something). I'll be attending the Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference (IFB) on 09/07.

For more information on the event click here

I am super geeked. It's practically an all day event. I've been hearing from other bloggers of how much fun and informative this conference is. I think I am most excited to meet some of my favorite bloggers in flesh. Face-to-face. Actually, you know, touch them and know that they are real and not in 2-D. Take a picture or two or a hundred. My poor camera is going to suffer that day. I don't know what I'm going to do after the conference. Hopefully, there are some after parties popping up somewhere nearby.

Then the next day, I'll be back home for DC's own FNO. I know there are a lot of events going on that night. One event that I'll be attending is The Fashionable Life.

For more information on the event click here

One of the sponsers is DCFABB's very own Lacey of A Lacey Perspective. Checking out who the participating vendors are, I think this will be a cool event. Come on through!

Are you going to the IFB Conference? I'm sure other cities besides DC and NYC will be having their own FNO. If that's the case, what events will you be attending?

Bawstin and Such

Boston Skyline

Call this the "The Appearance of the Missing Post".

Earlier this month, I took a lil' road trip to Boston to help my friend, Jessica, move into her new city. She's attending Harvard Business School this Fall. Woop, woop! The ride there wasn't that bad. Kinda shocked, really. Only took about 7hrs. Easily. It was my first time in Boston. I liked what I saw. It was there that I popped my Ikea virginity. That's right folks, I have never...ever...entered an Ikea prior to my visit in Boston. I guess all those horror stories from my friends kinda intimidated me. Or something. I mean, there's an Ikea less than 10mins away from me here but I never cared much to go inside. Anywho, I freakin' LOVE it! It's amazing. Absolutely amazing. If not for my phone dying that day, you would've been assaulted by pictures of me posing in beds, twirling in chairs, posing inside decorated rooms. Not a game.

Posing in the hotel room. Denim'd out.

On Boylston Street

Great food at Typhoon.

Charles River. Separates Boston from Cambridge.

Over where I'm at, we're waiting for Irene to come and do its damage. Right at this moment, it's affecting North Carolina. This has been one weird week for me. I had to deal with a flu, experience an earthquake AND an aftershock for the first time *dougies* and finally, about to get it on with a Tropical Storm. Yay me. *blank stare*

For everyone on the East Coast, please...please!!!...be safe. Don't peek out your window, see that wave and get tempted to surf it. It ain't that deep. Like the NJ governor said at one point (paraphrasing), "It's 4:30pm. You finally got your tan. Get the hell out of Jersey!" Like I said, paraphrasing. All in all, move to higher ground, stock up on the essentials (food and liquor) and just bundle up inside.

Wishing everyone a good and safe weekend!

Continuation

DAY 1:

Posing in the hotel room (Tropicana)

Jacket/Sheer Tank/Skirt: Forever 21+, Sandals: Evans
Purse: Mulberry for Target, Watch: Michael Kors

Nu Sanctuary

DAY 2:

Dress: ASOS, Sandals: Lane Bryant, Bag/Shades: Gucci, Watch: Michael Kors

The Mob Experience

Dress: ASOS, Shoes: Evans, Earrings: n/a, Purse: Mulberry for Target

Venetian

DAY 3:

Dress: ASOS (via ReDress Boutique), Purse: Forever 21, Shades: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Peep her tiara.

Dress: ASOS, Shoes: Evans, Purse: Mulberry for Target
Earrings: vintage, Watch: Michael Kors

*sidenote: I wore a lace tank underneath the dress. This dress has an open back and once again I failed to take a picture of the open back. I suck.

DAY 4:

Nikki Cafe

Shirt: Avenue (via ReDress Boutique), Swimsuit: vintage, Skirt/Bag: Forever 21, Shoes: Lane Bryant

Nikki Beach

Dress: Forever 21+, Belt: vintage, Shoes: Evans, Purse: Mulberry for Target

Enjoy your weekend, everybody!

Viva La Vegas!

View from Tropicana Hotel

My bad for the lack of posts. It's been, what, more than a week? Whoops. I'm so-o-o-o-o behind in my blog reading. But it was for a good reason! I went on a lil' vacation to Las Vegas for my friend's big birthday weekend. This was my 2nd time going to Vegas. My first being for the NBA All-Star Weekend way back in '07. That trip was a #wompwomp because I didn't get to see my baby daddy, Carmelo Anthony. I joke, I joke. I kid, I kid. I had so much fun BUT it would have been much more fun...ner (yeah) if I got to hump meet him.

Anywho, this past weekend was AWESOME! Now, what I'm about to say is very cliche and even I roll my eyes when someone says it BUT it pretty much rings true: What Happens in Vegas (BETTER EFFIN') Stay In Vegas. You see what I did there. *winks* Despite the fact that up until that weekend it was meant to be the five of us (me, celebrant and 3 others) and it became only the two of us (me and the celebrant), we still had the time of our lives. Folks dropping like flies were not about to ruin our weekend. Nope. 

I racked my brain trying to figure out how I was going to do my Vegas post. Make it a long-ass post OR make it a week long post OR just make it all about my outfits? After much deliberation (ooh, fancy), I decided to make it a two post event. This post will be all about the sites I got to see while there. The next post will be all about my outfits that wore.

Cool? Cool.

Enjoy!

View from the Imperial Palace at nighttime...

....and daytime.

I played this...and lost. 

Studio Walk at MGM Grand Hotel
It was here that I got $20 for previewing a new show on CBS.
Also here? I got $50 for previewing a new game show on CBS and being a part of a women's focus group.
That was interesting.

Nu Sanctuary. It's off strip. 

I liked the tree bark in the middle of the bar.

Mutilated body parts at Mandalay Bay

License plates bench in front of The House of Blues

* For those that are not yet bored of looking at pictures, click 'Read More' at the end of this post.


Thanks for stopping by and for all the comments. Especially, on my last post. That's the most I've ever gotten. Cool beans. Ha!

Something Blue

Why does it look like I only have half an eyebrow, though?

I went to a surprise bridal shower on Saturday. Being that the celebrant's favorite color is blue, we were told to wear a dash of blue. I, on the other hand, took it as a challenge to wear different shades of blue throughout my outfit. Because that's how I roll. I peeped some folks wearing jeans as their 'dash of blue'. I don't know about you folks but I like to call that cheating. I really take party rules to heart. It burns my soul when it's, let's say, an all white party and folks stepping in wearing anything BUT that color. I will never forget a couple years back when my friends and I went to a Halloween party. It was a costume party. We were expected to wear, you know, costume. So, we decided to go as late 70s/early 80s jazzercise girls (similar to Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" video). We walked into the party thinking we're about to see some awesome, creative costumes and have fun. *shakes head* No. With over 100+ in attendance, only about 10 people dressed up. And those that didn't had the nerve to look at US funny. It's Halloween time, man!

Grr.

(We still had fun, though. But still, grr.)

Anywho, back to why we're here: what I got on!

Shirt: Macy's, Skirt: Forever 21+, Bag: vintage Dooney & Bourke, Ring: Dorothy Perkins (gifted)
Belt: Lane Bryant, Shoes: Evans

Watch: Guess, Bracelets: vendor

See how I wore this skirt differently here

Thank you for stopping by and for all the comments!

Wishing everyone a safe and great week...while looking fashionable.

This and That

This...

Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly has this nice little (but really, it's not little at all) thing she does where she poses a challenge to fashion bloggers out there in the blogsville world to show their interpretation of a popular trend. It could be maxi skirt or neon + neutral or color blocking. Kristina wants to prove to anyone reading that yes, bloggers indeed do it better. Which, of course, is the name of her project: Bloggers Do It Better.

This week's challenge was inspired by Leandra of The Man Repeller. Leandra decided that anytime we are layering our wrists with watches and bracelets and all manner of things, we're actually doing an Arm Party. I decided to not be tardy for the party and join in.

Excuse the chipped nails. It's been a rough week.

...and That.

The 6th Annual NEA (Nigeria Entertainment Awards): African Entertainment Labor Day Weekend will be happening in NYC. According to their website: 

"The Producers of the NEA Awards are pleased to announce its Sixth Annual NEA Awards weekend, a celebration of African Entertainment, scheduled for Friday, September 2nd through Monday, September 5th, 2011. This year’s event is a four day Labor Day weekend extravaganza and will include an Entertainment Seminar and networking, Picnic, Gala Events and the Award Ceremony. The show promises to feature many of Africa’s top entertainers and African international stars in the Diasporas." 

I will try my bestest to make it. If you happen to be in the NYC area or taking a visit out there that weekend, make a pit stop at any of the events. Check out their website for more information.