oh my goodness, sooo soo much to talk about when it comes to day 2 of Charleston Fashion Week!!
let me just apologize ahead of time if I start rambling, because Wednesday thru Friday were jam packed and I don't want you to miss out on any of the juicy bits! As i mentioned before, I was asked to join an incredible group of bloggers to sit on Belk's Southern Style Summit and upon checking into the hotel, the pampering began! Seriously you guys, the fact that they put me up in a hotel had me feeling spoiled enough (and I fully embraced having that big ole bed all to myself) but the amount of swag I received was off the charts! from dresses to jewelry, shoes, makeup and so much more, I am still sorting through all my goodies and will most definitely be posting some sick looks courtesy of Belk with my (hopefully soon) post baby bod. already floating on cloud 9, we were shuttled off to a private dinner with THE Trina Turk! yes, you read that correctly. Mrs. Turk herself joined us for an intimate dinner at The Grocery alongside the queen of Belk, Arlene Goldstein. I mean, I don't know what in the world I ever did to deserve such company, but I totally soaked it in (and of course stuffed my face) while we discussed everything from spring trends to dirty diapers. and honestly, it was mostly the latter. How refreshing is that to meet such a prestigious group of women and know that they are just like you? no façade, no ego, just total down to earth chicks. It was one of the best nights I've ever had, and to top it off, Trina (i feel that we're borderline bestie status at this point, so it's ok for me to leave off the Turk) hand selected and item from her spring collection for each of us to have. for me she chose this gorgeous orange lace romper that has been on display in my closet since the second I got home and will probably be the very first thing I wear when my waist returns! I mean, incredible! and this was just the first night!! wait till you hear about the events that unfolded the next day!! for now, you'll have to wait, but I promise it's goooooood!!
so lets dish on this dress shall we?? Belk highlighted specific style statements for every night in the style lounge and on this night the theme was "Spare Me". not sure what that means? it's ok, I didn't either, but thanks to a little research I found that it is a modern/architectural aesthetic. thinks A-line, columns and trapeze dresses in modern fabrics with bold cuffs and chokers and oversized clutches. my vision of this statement came to life the second I saw this dress! trapeze cut, bold choker . . . I couldn't have hammered the nail on the head any harder if I tried! so, sold on the dress, I wanted to keep everything else fairly simplistic with a few specs of shine. art deco earrings, a little nod to mod with my sunnies and some extra metallic in my heels kept the look chic and then for the wow factor, I added a bright pop of fuchsia with this ridiculously fabulous cross-body. I got to carry an assortment of Taxidermy bags throughout the week (one more drool worthy than the next) but this little guy is quite possibly my favorite! the bold color, the chain, just everything about it is perfection! did i mention its python?? oh yea, and the gold antlers make it the perfect "trophy" to add to my collection!!! everyone should have the privilege of carrying a bag this gorg!
"always put your best foot forward, but don't step on other people's toes"
ALL IMAGES MARIE RODRIGUEZ
dress Gracia c/o Tres Carmen // faux fur Forever 21 // heels Charlotte Russe // "Carrie" cross body c/o Taxidermy // sunnies c/o SEE Eyewear // "Gramercy" studs c/o Moon & Lola // bracelets c/o Peyton William // lip "Orchid Haze" c/o Kismet Cosmetics
special thanks to Belk for this amazing opportunity and to Mrs. Arlene Goldstein for being our gracious host
