Fashion Focus Chicago 2010

This past week all of the pretty, fashionable people were seen in Millennium Park for Fashion Focus Chicago. I was very excited about Fashion Focus Week as I am with anything pertaining to fashion. Let me just say that it didn't start off on the right note.

The first stop on my agenda was the Macy's Chicago Fashion Incubator & CS Magazine Show. Admission was free so I knew that I had to get there early in order to get a decent seat. We were the very first ones in line. A line that we had to stand in for an hour and a half, just to be told that due to over booking VIP seats, we wouldn't even be able to view the show from the actual tent but behind it and watch it on the screen.

As you can imagine, this did not make me too happy. As a lover of all things fashion, I was NOT going to watch the show on a screen, so I left. Ticked off, my friend and I decided to go and have a martini where we met some fab, new friends along the way. The night turned out to be ok given the bad situation.

The next event scheduled was the Smartwater and Chicago Magazine present Mario, Make Me a Model and Wave of Fashion event. Being that this event was also free, I didn't want a repeat of the day before so we decided to save ourselves from the possible frustration and chose not to go.

The highlight of the week was the Friday, October 22nd event, StyleChicago presents the Art of Fashion. Now this event was worth every penny of the $96 VIP ticket! It started off with a cocktail reception where I got to meet tons of FABULOUS people, including some designers from the show. Oh and did I mention the huge goodie bag? The highlight of my night was meeting former model, actress, fashion editor Candace Jordan!! She was so sweet and down to earth. My BFF, Rodney always talks about her so it was a pleasure to finally meet her. Be sure to check out her blog: Candid Candace!



Me and Candace Jordan



I also got a chance to talk to fashion designers, Borris Powell (finally), Paul Sisti and Richard (James) Morse of the Kirk James Collection. The other featured designers that were in attendance were: Lara Miller, Elda de la Rosa and Lauren Lein, along with emerging designers: Hector-Javier MonArrez, Lydia Wawrzyniak and Fraley Le. The show was a huge success and I'm very happy that my week turned out to be a good one!

XOXO
iT Girl Forever

Here's a few pictures from the event:

Designer Paul Sisti, Mallory Antonino (wearing his gorgeous dress) and friend

Me and Designer Borris Powell

Me showing off my goodie bag

Models behind the stage getting ready for the show

Me and Rodney

Design by Hector-Javier MonArrez

Designs by Borris Powell



Inside of my goodie bag



Get Fitted!!

Side spillage, boob muffin top, sagging, underwire indents, red shoulders from straps - these are all problems that women have when they are wearing the incorrect bra size.

This past weekend my sister and I attended the "Nordstrom Fits America" event at the Nordstrom on Michigan Ave in Chicago. We were excited to go because we had an appointment to get fitted for our correct bra sizes. I've known for some time now that I have probably been wearing the wrong size. I have been trying to hold on to my college bra size, being in denial that I have grown in more ways than one. Well to my surprise, I have a much bigger bust than I thought (and you can forget it, I'm not sharing what my size is).

According to several studies, between 70 and 80 percent of women are totally clueless when it comes to their bra size. And get this...most women are BIGGER than they thought. According to an article in the New York Times, "Your Bra Size: The Truth May (Pleasantly) Surprise You" by Laura M. Holson, "These days, many women — to their shock or glee — are finding that DD is becoming the new C." Am I the only one that thinks this is crazy?? I mean talk about inflation! Well I guess we have to embrace our enhancements and look fabulous while doing so.

Ladies, please go and visit your favorite department store or good old Victoria's Secret and get fitted for your correct bra size. Stop walking around being uncomfortable. With the right bra size, not only will you feel better, you will look better also! Proper undergarments are very important to making that LBD or fitted blouse look amazing. Needless to say, the Nordstrom event was fun and definitely prompted me to go out and buy the right sized bra or two or three!

I decided to share some pics of my experience with you. Check them out!

Toodles,
iT Girl Forever

Big Girl Cosmetics Makeup Bar & Spa

Hello Divas and Divos!!

I had the honor of interviewing Kiley Russell, CEO of Big Girl Cosmetics on my radio show about a month ago! Kiley has such a warm spirit and great personality. Her story of how she started Big Girl Cosmetics is amazing and genius. She just happened to be in the audience of the infamous Oprah Winfrey show where she gave away the cars five years ago. Well Kiley, being the business-minded person that she is, sold the car (she didn't need one at the time) and started Big Girl Cosmetics.

The grand opening of Big Girl Cosmetics Makeup Bar and Spa was this past Friday, September 17th in Hyde Park. The space is FABULOUS! It's the girlie girl's dream! There was pink everywhere! The "Big Girl" was painted on the wall along with inspiring quotes. A combination of food, drinks, makeup sessions, massages, manicures and pink and white balloons made this opening grand indeed!

I picked up a tube of Diva Gloss in "Berry Diva" and will definitely return for a spa mani-pedi. Big kudos to Kiley for making her dreams come true! She was as warm and beautiful in person as she was during our interview. If you live in Chicago or just visiting, please be sure to stop by and check out the wonderful space and get pampered. The location is at 5239 S. Harper, Chicago, IL 60615. www.biggirlcosmetics.com


Check out some pics from my visit and be sure to listen to our interview on The iT Factor Show at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/itfactoragency/2010/08/22/kiley-russell-ceo-of-big-girl-cosmetics

Listen to internet radio with The iT Factor Show on Blog Talk Radio

XOXO
iT Girl Forever


The "Big Girl"



Kiley and Rodney

Kiley and Mikeya

All Bottled Up: From Garbage to Glam

All Bottled Up: From Garbage to Glam

With more eco-friendly innovations coming to the market each day, it’s no surprise that fashion would soon be a hit! Whether it’s paper or plastic, or garbage to glam, fashion has hit its mark this year with eco-friendly wear.

Chicago Tribune’s own, Redeye, shows us what it’s like to be fashionably loud and eco-sexy. The Red Eye’s, Erin Sarris tells fashion bloggers and the many inspired designers all about what it takes to be eco-chic on the runway. First, Erin reassures us that “Recycling plastic bottles into clothing is not a fad; these fabrics are here to stay.” Next, she shares all the secrets of how this earthly couture is made. “Bottles are picked up as large bales of plastic from recycling plants , then rinsed, purified and chopped down into small pieces.

These shredded bits of plastic are melted and spun into long strands that are woven to create a soft, durable fabric.” The best part is, according to statistics cited by the Environmental Protection Agency, the textile recycling industry keeps about 2.5 billion pounds of post-consumer textile waste out of the environment.

So, the next time you’re hoping to make a bold fashion statement, try being eco-chic! With this trendy new style, your look can never fade!

Dress made from recycled materials by Deborah Milner of Aveda Ecoture

Dress made from recycled newspapers by Gary Harvey

Linda Loudermilk Spring 2011

By: iTGirl1

Top 5 Luxury Items to buy before you Die

Most people tend to go the frugal route when it comes to the necessities for everyday living. In today’s economy, frugality is praised as being the “smart way” of living, no questions asked. I’m here to kill all that which is “frugal” (cheap) and present to you the “opulent way”. Enjoy drooling on the screen because that’s the only thing that will be inexpensive….LOL




Hermes Birkin ($8,000 - $150,000+) – The Hermes Birkin is the epitome of handbag extravagance! Created by then CEO of Hermes of Paris, Jean Louis Dumas, for singer-actress Jane Birkin. For a hefty price that ranges between $8,000 - $150,000 (AND MORE), you can purchase a Birkin in a variety of skins, colors and hardware including diamond encrusted hardware. Did I mention that Hermes of Paris only creates these luscious handbags few in quantity and only with the finest materials in the world? Maybe I missed telling you those key facts because I was TOO busy telling you that I own an AUTHENTIC Hermes Birkin...LOL. I will provide A-Z details concerning the Birkin handbag in the near future. Happy Hunting!!!!

Bugatti Veyron ($1.7 Million) – Bugatti is a luxury car company with an Italian family legacy that was founded by Ettore Bugatti in 1909; Molsheim-Alsace, NE France. The Bugatti “Veyron” is estimated at a cool $1,700,000 and noted to be the most expensive street legal car available on the market today. A Bugatti is more than a mere car, it’s a legacy. Visit www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron for more info about this tasty thing!
The Prairie Cream Platinum Rare ($1000.00) – Made with the most precious metal on earth, guaranteed to improve your skin’s youthful appearance. Platinum having such amazing characteristics, one being that it’s impervious to time, is the main factor in why this cream is so expensive. A whooping price tag of $1000.00, makes this the most expensive cream in the world. Please wipe your mouth; you’re drooling on the cream….LOL.




Le Vian for Stuart Weitzman ($2 million) – This isn’t the most expensive shoe from Stuart, but it’s my ultimate favorite! Mr. Weitzman teamed up with New York based “Leader of Tanzanite” Le Vian, to create these STUNNING heels adorned with approximately 185 carats of Tanzanite and 28 carats of diamonds. No one has been photographed wearing these lovely shoes yet, but priced at an alluring $2,000,000, who WOULD be photographed wearing them? Will it be YOU?






Louis Moinet “Meteoris” Timepiece ($4.7 million) – The 1st “Meteoris” Tourbillon MARS which is pictured above, is adorned with actual stone from the planet Mars, which is the world’s first considering that it has NEVER been done before. The hand-engraved dial created with an astrolabe –type appliqué, serves as a reminder of the ties between man and the cosmos. 18 carat white gold set with 56 baguette-cut Top Wesselton VVS diamonds totaling 3.46 carats. The price-tag for any Meteoris planetarium along with the four Tourbillons is hefty, but isn’t that the purpose of Luxury? I THOUGHT so.


- RL Fox