25 Ways to Wear a Scarf

I came across this video the other day and wanted to share it. 25 ways to wear a scarf in 4.5 minutes. This girl shows us how to do each one. She does go pretty fast, but it's easy to pause the video at the one you want to learn and watch her do it slowly. Some of my favorites are The Celebrity, The Hidden Knot, The Magic Trick and The Braid. Not only is the video helpful, but she makes it entertaining to watch. Enjoy!

How to Dress for the Holidays

Trying to figure out what to wear to a holiday get-together can sometimes be stressful, especially if you aren't sure what the dress code is. For my internship a few weeks ago, I got to model some clothes for my boss' monthly segment for WYFF 4, Schering Secrets. We headed over to Sassy on Augusta and starting styling some outfits. Check out some of these tips for some holiday fashion help. Here's the link for the video! Enjoy!

The Look for Less

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but it is HOT here. I love living in SC, but it gets too hot to do anything outside unless you are in a body of water. So, when I was trying to figure out plans for the weekend, I thought shopping would be a good idea. My boyfriend mentioned going to some outlets earlier this summer, so it was a perfect time to do this.

Then my wheels started turning. Why not do a closet overhaul for him while we are at it? I mean, he hasn't cleaned out his closet in...well, a very long time. It was time. I clean my closet every year when I move home for the summer. But, once again, we aren't exactly a lot a like in that area. You might remember that from this post. I thought it would be a fun little activity for us to do together. You know, bonding time. And I would get to play Stacey London in real life.

We purged. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought. I realized he had way more t-shirts and collared shirts than he needed. We only got rid of a few collared shirts that had stains or didn't fit anymore. I talked him into getting rid of quite a few t-shirts. Did we really need to keep the homemade basketball jersey/undershirt that had the number "88" written on the back in Sharpie? I didn't think so. He thought so. We talked it over and agreed it could go.

He also has quite a few t-shirts that have shrunk up to where they are almost midriff shirts. Those needed to go too. The only way he let go of some of them is by me assuring him that his mom could make a t-shirt quilt out of them, that way they aren't really gone forever.

I also went through and made a list of what tops matched his pants. This may seem a little extreme/controlling, but I have gotten texts multiple times that say things like "I am wearing navy blue and black together today...does that match?" Hopefully you know the answer to that.

We hit the outlets Saturday morning. J. Crew was our first stop. Since he doesn't really love their clothes, we didn't find too much there. I should tell you that he is a man's man. He does not do anything artsy. That means no v-necks (although he surprised me by trying on a few), no skinny jeans, no cardigans, no skinny ties, no button-ups with fading or graphics, etc. He likes the plain and straightforward clothes.

 Gap was our next stop, and we hit the jack pot. Here's what we got:

• 1 dress
• 1 clutch
• 1 button-up for him
• 3 solid t-shirts that can be worn alone or as an undershirt
• 1 pair of leather flip flops for him

Our grand total added up to a whopping $62! You can't beat that. After going in a few other stores, we found some more great deals at Banana Republic. Between the two of us we bought:

• 2 dresses
• White shorts for me
• NICE gray dress pants for him
• 3 pairs of boxers

Our combined total was $82. A little more expensive, but Banana Republic is more expensive than Gap to begin with. It was still a great deal. His dress pants alone would have normally cost that much. 

Bargain hunting pays off. We got some nice clothes at a great price. It helped that we knew what we were looking for before we went. Well, we knew what we were looking for for him. In my defense, I have been looking for some white shorts, and one of the dresses I bought is orange and will be perfect for those hot football games in September. 

Right now, a lot of retailers have their summer inventory marked way down. Even if you buy something and can't wear it much this year, it's always fun to pull something brand new out of your closet at the beginning of next year. 

We left happy campers. After our little "What Not to Wear" session, we both ended up with a few new things and hopefully I will not be receiving any more texts about navy blue and black combinations :)

Men in High Heels?

Several weeks ago, I got to work an event like no other in downtown Greenville. The event was called the Ecy~Shoes N' Chic Men's High Heel Race. NYC and other big cities do high heel races, so why not have one in SC? You may remember the shoe fashion show I worked in March for Ecy~Shoes N' Chic, who is one of our clients at TK PR. The 1st Annual "Run a Mile in Her Shoes" Men's High Heel Race was another awesome event my boss planned that was a success.

I wasn't so sure how this event would turn out. I knew it would be great, I just wasn't sure how many men would actually want to participate. I've heard of high heel races in big cities, but we are the first ones to ever do a men's high heel race. Who would have thought Greenville, SC would be the first to do something like this? We may be the only ones to ever do it, but who knows? Maybe it will take off and we will see them spread to other cities.

One of the main goals PR professionals strive for is to get people talking. In this case, they may not have actually been talking about the client, but people were talking about the event itself because it was so unique. Ecy~Shoes N' Chic teamed up with American Diabetes Association since the race dealt with feet and diabetics often have feet complications. Most of the registration fee went to the ADA ($15 out of the $16.25 fee). It's important to team up with a cause when planning something like this because you need to have  reason why participants are running. Since the race was downtown, Soby's decided to donate free brunch vouchers to all the participants. So for $16.25 you got a free brunch, a t-shirt, donated money to a good cause and also got to be a part of the one-of-a-kind race.

We had 47 men race. While that may not seem like a lot, you wouldn't believe the amount of news coverage the race got. We were on every news station the day of the race and the morning after. People loved hearing about this. Here is a sample of the coverage we got.

The men that raced were so into their heels. I know that sounds weird, but it was hilarious. Most of them were extremely ugly heels because let's be honest, you might not be able to find pretty shoes in sizes 12 and up. I don't think the men really cared. Some of them even came with skirts or kilts on over their running attire. Here are a few shots from the day.

Pedal Chic offered to donate $50 to the ADA if someone was willing to wear this pink skirt. We had way too many guys ready and willing. 

Waiting at the finish line. 

1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. 

The race was only .1 mile. It wasn't long at all, but I was shocked at how fast these guys ran. However, some of them may have cheated a little by duck taping their shoes to their feet :) Now they have a taste of what women go through all the time. 

Wedding Wear

As you know from previous posts, I have gotten to do some pretty neat things because of my internship. Last week was no exception. 

My boss does a short segment for WYFF4 each month called "Schering Secrets" (her last name is Scher). With all the Royal Wedding news lately, she thought an appropriate theme would be dress codes for weddings. Summer is wedding season after all, and most people already have a few weddings penciled in on their calendar. She asked me to be one of her "models" for the clip. I hesitate to even say model because really all I did was try on pretty dresses at Trousseau and smile while she talked about the different dresses :) I have a rough life. Here's the clip: http://www.wyff4.com/video/27894722/detail.html.

Talk of the Town

I've been a little MIA lately. I know. But these things called exams came up. Then I went to the beach with some of my girlfriends for a little R&R. Now I am back and will be on a regular schedule soon hopefully.

Remember when I blogged about the Super Duper Office? All those pictures of the crazy bathrooms (which for some reason decided not to show up on my blog)? Well if you want to see how the photoshoot turned out then you need to check out the May issue of TOWN magazine. If you aren't from Greenville or didn't get it delivered to your house, check out the link in the previous sentence to flip through the digital issue. The fashion spread is on pages 54-61. Also check out page six for a sneak preview. Some of the pictures were taken in bathrooms and some were in conference rooms or displays around the office. Yes, the black room with neon paint is a bathroom. So cool.

Enjoy!

Super Duper Office

This past week, I had the opportunity to watch a photo shoot for Greenville's new TOWN magazine. TOWN is a recently released magazine that features art, fashion, culture, along with social scene in Greenville. My boss just so happens to be the fashion editor for the magazine, so she thought it would be a fun experience for me to come watch a photoshoot for May's upcoming fashion spread. Let me tell you, this spread is going to be amazing. Not only did she put some great outfits together, but the spread was shot at a building that is possibly the coolest building in Greenville. Now Greenville has some beautiful, old, unique buildings, but that is not where we shot. We shot at Super Duper Publications on Pelham Road. If you live in Greenville, it's the building that looks like a castle from the outside. The outside is unique, but no words can describe the inside of the building. When I walked in, I felt like I was walking into an IKEA showroom. The place was amazing. As I strolled wide-eyed through the conference rooms, I learned the also have 16 themed bathrooms, which is where we shot the majority of the photos for the May spread. These are NOT your typical bathrooms, in fact the toilet is the last thing you notice in most of them.  I was kicking myself for not having my camera with me. Here are a few pictures I snapped with my phone. 

This bathroom is called "Girl Power." I think you can see why.

"The Princess Powder Room." I will say the life size doll is a little creepy.







"Cowboys and Cowgirls." 


I should also mention that each bathroom had music, candles, and lighting fixtures that went along with the theme of each bathroom. No overhead lights for this place. If you want to "take a tour" of the bathrooms virtually, you can actually go to their website and see them. Here a few other photos of conferences rooms.

Typical conference room table.

Egyptian themed conference room. Please notice the camel.


They also had a lunch room set up like a diner for the employees to go during their lunch break. No, it was not a working restaurant, but it did have a jukebox. Next to the diner was  break room complete with pool tables and massage chairs. So cool. 


You have got to check out the fashion section of TOWN's May issue. Just remember, most of the shots took place in bathrooms. Including the black room with neon lights everywhere. 

Walk this Way

Fabulous shoes. Fantastic accessories. Models walking the runway in burlap sacks. The first two sound normal, the third not so much. This list basically makes up the components of the Walk this Way runway show I worked at Thursday night. The runway show was the first event I worked at for my internship. Definitely a success. Very fun and unique event.

 A few months ago Taryn (my boss) added Ecy Shoes n' Chic to her list of clients, a dream client for her. Ecy Shoes n' Chic is a new shoe store in downtown Greenville. If you are in Greenville and haven't checked it out, you definitely need to go by. Taryn told me about the event a few months ago and I have been looking forward to it ever since. It was definitely a fun event, but it made me realize I never want to be a full-time event planner. Events are hard work! The event itself was glamorous, but the seven hours we spent setting up and rehearsing the event were anything but glamorous. However, I will say that I enjoyed unpacking and putting all the "outfits" together for the models. I loved opening each box of shoes to see what I was going to find :)

Here are a few shots from the show. The show was held at Thornblade, and as you can see, shoes and accessories were the main focus. Ivy Salon (another one of Taryn's clients) did an awesome job with the models' hair and makeup.

   
   


                    

Dressed to Perfection

As you know from my previous post, I had the opportunity to go to a luncheon featuring Carmen Marc Valvo this past Friday. After much searching, I finally figured out what I was going to wear. I know it seems like I kind of obsessed over this outfit, and you are exactly right. But I mean come on, how many times do you get to attend a lunch with a fashion designer? I mean this guy has dressed Oprah, Beyonce, the princess of Sweden, Katie Couric, Kate Winslet, Queen Latifah...need I go on? I finally settled on a black and white print tunic, a big black belt, leggings, classic black patent leather heels, a turquoise purse, turquoise earrings, turquoise bangles and a bright yellow necklace for an unexpected pop of color.

I pulled up to Coplon's on Friday morning and sat in the car a minute scoping out the ladies walking in. It looked like everyone was older than me, and when I walked in I realized I was most likely the youngest person in attendance. Most of the people were in their late 20's, 30's, or 40's. The cutest group in attendance was the little old ladies that pulled out their two piece suits and got all dolled up for the event.

Coplon's was the perfect place to have the luncheon. Not only is it one of the most high-end stores in Greenville, but the store is beautiful and spacious in itself. Jimmy Choo's, Miu Miu's and Louboutin's acted as centerpieces for each table. I loved looking at all the clothes in the store, but thankfully was not tempted to buy any of them because they were WAY out of my price range.

Here is a picture of the centerpieces:

As we all sat down to eat, a representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield talked a little. I didn't realize this, but the luncheon also acted as a fundraiser for colon cancer research. Carmen is a survivor of colon cancer and has begun sharing his story in order to encourage people to take the steps to prevent the disease. He recently shared his story on The Today Show and is working with Blue Cross Blue Shield in their campaign to prevent colon cancer. Carmen spoke for a while and shared his story of fashion and cancer with us. He was so down to earth, not like a artsy fashion designer who had his head up in the clouds. He was sincere and spoke from the heart. His speech made me want to go buy all of his clothes. I can dream right?

While we ate our girly frufru food, models walked around in some of Carmen's evening gowns. So beautiful. Carmen also came to each table to sign books and talk with us while we ate. He recently released his book Dressed to Perfection: The Art of Dressing for Your Red Carpet Moments. 

Such a great coffee table book. Who knows, I may end up buying it on Amazon at some point :) After the luncheon Taryn (my boss) made sure I had the opportunity to get a picture with Carmen. Here it is:

I know this is a long post, but this was such a cool experience for me so I wanted to share it with you all! I felt like I lived in the high fashion world of NYC for a few hours.  Hope you have enjoyed reading about it!

Long Time, No Blog

So my goal is to blog at least once a week. If you look at the number of blog posts I have written lately, you will see that I have not been meeting that goal. I love to blog, but sometimes this thing called school gets in the way. And sometimes I just don't have anything that I am dying to write about.

However, I want to tell you about an exciting opportunity that I have this week. Last month, my boss asked me if I would be interested in going to a luncheon with a fashion designer that was coming down to Greenville. She offered to by my ticket for me if I could get out of classes for that day. After checking my schedule to make sure I didn't have any tests that day, I told her I was definitely interested (no brainer).

After researching the designer, Carmen Marc Valvo, the hunt for my outfit began. My boss told me I definitely wanted to dress fashionable for this event, but not to worry about going out and buying designer clothes. This was good to hear since there is no way my budget could possibly handle designer clothes. She said to research trends for this season and find the look for less. So that is exactly what I have been doing the past few weeks. I wanted to wear something black. Black is just classy and always feels fashionable to me. However, I wanted to add some of the seasons trends into this outfit. Bright colors are one this seasons hottest trends. I am working on finding some bright accessories to add to my outfit. Bold prints are another hot trend this season. Take this dress for example. Now I don't plan on going around wearing a house on my dress, but I did find a black and white tunic with a bold print this past Saturday. The search for the accessories continues...be looking for an update next week about the event!

"If the Shoe Fits..."

"...buy it in every color."
-Author Unknown

I seriously want to act on that quote with the shoes I bought last week. Here they are:

Photo credit: http://www.twosistersshop.com

They aren't four inch stilettos, this seasons latest fad, or something you would see on the red carpet. However, they are quite possibly the most comfortable pair of shoes I own. Simple, black ballet flats. I discovered these at a cute little store in downtown Greenville called Pink Azalea. They are made by Lindsay Phillips, the mind behind the popular SwitchFlops. SwitchFlops are flip-flops that have interchangeable straps, allowing you to change the look of your shoes without changing the sole of the shoe. She also came up with the Snap Shoe concept, which is what I bought. The little black flower on my shoe snaps off, and I can buy other snaps to put on. There are so many to choose from-so many possibilities! I can't wait to start collecting some snaps. If any of you have been in a gift-giving mood lately and have been racking your brains on what to get me, think no more :) I think it's safe to say I am obsessed with these simple ballet flats.

I didn't even tell you the best part. The shoes were $64 in the store. However, when you think about it, you are really paying $64 for many pairs of shoes (as long as you have the different snaps to go on them). Although, I loved the shoes and the snap concept, $64 is a little out of my price range. 

When I got home that night, I decided to browse Ebay and see if they had the shoes. Not only did they have them, but they had one brand new pair in my size for $40. It was meant to be. I signed up for an Ebay account and bid on the shoes. I won the bid and had my shoes on my feet five days later. They fit perfectly, and I have worn them three out of the last four days. If I had the money, I would buy them in every color. In the mean time, I will start collecting snaps :)

Bargain tip: Look around online if something is out of your price range in-store. You never know what you will find. Note: this does not apply to the dress you have been eyeing all season that is 70% in-store. Just buy it, you won't find a better deal anywhere else :)

Make a WISH!

How beautiful was the weather this weekend? I have major spring fever, and have to keep reminding myself that it's only February. This past Saturday my boyfriend and I spent some time in downtown Greenville. It was the perfect day to have a picnic in the park. After we ate we strolled around downtown and "window shopped."By window shop I mean walk up Main Street and go into any store I thought that I would like. Needless to say, Andrew was a very good sport. While I was window shopping, I stumbled across a cute little store called Wish. It was one of the last places we went to, and I am so glad that I did! They don't have a website, but you can check out their Facebook page. If you are familiar with Francesca's, you will love Wish. However, Wish is a little bit more expensive than Francesca's, but the sales are great. I got this little dress for $25

It was originally $75 and then was marked down to $50. I really debated whether or not to spend $50 on it, especially after Andrew told me he didn't like it. No love for boyfriend. Then I overheard one of the employees say that their sale items were an additional 50% off. That's all I needed to to hear, I was sold. I have also learned that if Andrew thinks my outfit is weird, it normally is one of my better outfits.

If you are ever in downtown Greenville, I highly recommend you go to this store. I thought they had just recently opened, but they said they had been open since June. The girl working said not many people know about them, so spread the word!!!