COMPLEX: Runway Show

November 18, 2016 by Bree Fesh in Events

During my hiatus from writing this past summer, something I thought a lot about was what kinds of stories I wanted to cover when I returned to the blogging world. Yes, of course I still wanted to do my style posts, but I also needed things with more depth involving things that were not just about my personal style, things that would spark peoples interest or raise awareness about a cause.

Well luckily after stepping back into the blogging scene, I was fortunate enough to be thrust right back into the fashion world as well as the Pittsburgh public eye. Since returning I have had the opportunity to write about a charity event benefiting the the homeless, attended an exclusive press event for ModCloth, conduct two kick-ass interviews with the lovely Ilana Harkavy and Brian David, as well as attend two fashion shows as both press and as a V.I.P. guest. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, this article is about the second fashion show which was titled COMPLEX.

How I Got the Gig

Unlike Fashion Week Downtown which was just pure luck due to my friend Jeanette reaching out to me, for COMPLEX I was actually invited as a V.I.P. and press due to my coverage of Fashion Week Downtown. Lauren Long, the coordinator of the event, and TaRonda Brown the owner of the local Pittsburgh boutique Brown Sugar, were impressed by my work and decided I would be the perfect fit to cover the story, so they were kind enough to give my a free ticket in exchange for coverage. This being said I was so excited for an opportunity not only to attend another runway show, but to work with and meet more Pittsburgh designers!

Entertainment, Cocktails, and Shopping, OH MY!

The show itself took place at the Greater Pittsburgh Coliseum in Homewood North. It was a very neat venue and the crew did an awesome job of setting up both seating and the runway. Another unique aspect I liked about this show was that each of the designers had pop up booths set up so you could actually shop the runway during intermission, of if you were a V.I.P. even before the show. (Which I totally did and that post will be coming soon--hint: I got a gorgeous piece from Brown Sugar and will be styling it when John and I take our mini vacation over Thanksgiving!)

Speaking of intermission, and let's not forget the V.I.P. cocktail hour prior the show, the first thing I have to say is DJ G-BO did an excellent job. The music selection was great and gave the event a very cool vibe. Then the audience got to enjoy talents of radio personalities DJ Mike Dean and DJ Duffy of Basketball Wives LA, who where the announcers for the show, they were absolutely spot on with their lovely personalities and great senses of humor. And this brings me to the last of the entertainment portion that did not involve clothing and models, the intermission. During intermission, rising star and Pittsburgh makeup artist Norman Freeman, hosted a catwalk competition for the women in the audience, which I participated in and (surprisingly) won! (I have to admit that it gave me some major confidence for the next show I will be attending and actually walking in on December 9th more details on that coming soon.) So needless to say the extra (and unique) interaction with the audience and music really made this event a blast!

C O M P L E X

Now for the part I'm sure everyone has been waiting for: the details about COMPLEX: Runway Show!

The theme for this show was much different than that of Fashion Week Downtown which mainly focused on couture pieces and not so much urban fashion. COMPLEX on the other hand, though some designers featured some beautiful party dresses, really had a focus on urban/street style. The clothing I saw on COMPLEX's runway were definitely clothes every urban woman would love to style. This being said I'm sure come next year when I'm back in the city for college you'll see me donning some pieces, or at least ones similar, by these designers because when it comes to clothes and styling, I always try to stand out.

So you can see exactly what I am talking about, here are a few of my favorite shots from the runway in the photo reel below:

Designers: LACED Apparel, ORIGINAL CRACKAGE, L.O.U.D. Collection, Dirtgag Couture, Imihi Designs, Cherish by Cherie, Brown Sugar, Willie Gees, L'exito, and Eclectic Adonis

And if you would like to see ALL my work from this show, I now have a tab for it in my "PORTFOLIO" section, or you can just click here!

Final Thoughts

Much like Fashion Week Downtown, I had a wonderful time at COMPLEX Runway Show and would love to see more shows like each of them in the future. This is because they are such a great way to bring together the fashion community in Pittsburgh as well as shine light on the AMAZING designers that call this wonderful city home.

What were some of your favorite looks from COMPLEX? Let's chat about them in the comments below, I would love to hear what you think!

#OOTD: Shades of Cool (Feat. Light In The Box)

November 15, 2016 by Bree Fesh in Personal Style

For those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile, you know I tend to be more attracted to warmer colors. Most of my wardrobe consists of reds, yellows, and oranges-- so basically any color to match my fiery personality. However, lately I've been falling in love with the lush purples, gorgeous greens, and beautiful blues, because admittedly, I do not see enough of these colors in my closet. I mean, not only warm colors are eye catching right? This being said, when my most recent collaborator, Light in the Box told me I could pick any item I wanted to style, I immediately began to search their site for something with a cooler tone. And due to the weather getting colder here in the 'Burgh, the first thing to catch my eye was an absolutely gorgeous, vibrant blue coat.

Light in the Box

I'm sure as you were reading my opening, many of you are probably wondering what "Light in the Box" is. Well, Light in the Box is an online retailer that is similar to my sponsor SheIn in the respect that they sell contemporary clothing. However, Light in the Box also sells a vast variety of other things including (but not limited to) electronics, home and garden supplies, as well as beauty and hair supplies. So needless to say when their manager of Influencer Marketing, Valerie, reached out to me, I was absolutely thrilled that I got an opportunity to work with them!

Royalty

Though Valerie from Light in the Box sent me two items (I will be showing off the other item here this Sunday!) the first one I wanted to style was this lush blue coat. The first thing I have to say about this coat is that it is incredibly warm. And us Pittsburghers know how important that factor is when it comes to the brutal winters we have here. This being said, I think I will be getting quite a bit of use out of this coat both this season and next year when I am back in school at Point Park University.

The other things I noticed about this coat (aside fro how practical it is) is that it is also very well made. The fur cuffs and collar each button on to the coat securely and due to this, it makes this piece easier to have cleaned. The color of this coat, as you can see, is also very vibrant. So in my opinion, this eye catching piece is fun to style no matter what the occasion is.

Lastly, to style this piece, I just went with a basic white blouse and black jeans simply because for this post I didn't want to take away from this gorgeous coat. I did however pair it with a fun pair of navy, hunter green, and purple plaid flats. Though the plaid pattern doesn't completely stand out right away, when the sun hits these Nine West shoes they really add a fun pop to this outfit!

One Last Look

So everybody, what are some colors you are trying to add to your wardrobe? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic. Have a photo you would like to show off? Just tag me on Instagram at @StarkRavingChic!

Xx, Bree

#OOTD: Steel City (Feat. Shop The Direction)

November 12, 2016 by Bree Fesh in Personal Style

Out of all the things I have to be thankful for in my life, there is one thing that has been a constant aside from my loved ones and that would be the city I was born and raised in: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The reason I love my city so much is because of it's rich cultural past, it's current diversity, and the friendly people who inhabit it. And though the fashion industry here is quite the hidden gem, without it, I would not have gotten to where I am today. Therefore, this wonderful city is definitely where I got my start, and has molded me into who I am today. This city is also where I will continue to grow within the next 6-8 years while perusing my M.A. and eventually Psy.D. in Psychology at Pittsburgh's Point Park University.

With this in mind, I'm sure my readers have assumed that shopping locally is a HUGE thing to me. Of course, this is because due to Pittsburgh's growing fashion industry, it's very important to collaborate with local boutiques to get the word out about how stylish our city actually is. I'm sure many of you also assume I am all about Pittsburgh pride, and would love donning a stylish accessory or garment to show that off. This being said, I am very happy to announce that for this post I have partnered with the store Shop The Direction, due to their upcoming opening in their new Pittsburgh location in the Ross Park Mall in Spring 2017!

Shop The Direction

For those of you who haven't heard of "Shop The Direction", it is a store that originated in our neighboring state, Ohio, that specializes in "state pride" clothing. And though the store itself is not yet in Pittsburgh, it's online shop carries a whole collection for us Pittsburghers! Also, as I stated earlier, they will be opening their fourth storefront here in the 'Burgh, Spring 2017, at the Ross Park Mall!

4 1 2

So, I'm sure you're wondering what I did for this collaboration with Shop The Direction. Well, one of their representatives, Andrea, was kind enough to reach out to me and ask me to work with them and in return she sent me a Pittsburgh tee free of charge to style and review!

The tee I chose is a simple charcoal scoop neck, with the coordinates of Pittsburgh's location on it. The reason I chose this one in particular is because though many of their other tees are cute, many of them are more geared sports, and though I support my local teams, I'm not exactly what you would called athletic. So I just thought the geographic coordinates suited me best due to my love of the whole city, not just the sports teams.

Firstly, this tee is the perfect choice for a laid back look to either hit the South Side with friends on a football night, or just hanging out and taking a city adventure for the day. I also have to say that due to it's neutral color and unique graphic it is very easy to style with just about anything and would look good in both the fall and summer.

And about the actual tee, I have to say it is very comfy and incredibly soft! I just love the feel of it, its very similar to that of a dry-fit tee buy with a little touch of cotton and rayon which makes it feel very smooth to the touch. I also have to say for a tee shirt it is very well made, the only complaint I have is I wish that it came in an extra-small because the small was a bit roomy on me. Over all though, I was very happy with this gift from Shop The Direction, and definitely can't wait to check out their store front this spring!

One Last Look

What are some of your ways to show your state and/or city pride? Tell me about it in the comments below or tweet me at @StarkRavingChic. Ever shopped with Shop The Direction and want to show off a tee of your own? Feel free to tag me on Instagram at @StarkRavingChic! Later babes.

Xx, Bree