#OOTW- Florida Edition

I am so happy it’s Spring! I love this season because everything is going from brown to green and flowers start to bloom, which makes me so happy! Also, this season means Spring Break and this year I went to Florida with my family! I decided to create a mini look book on a few outfits my brothers and I wore over vaca! My brothers (especially my youngest one, Greyson) love fashion, so I decided to collaborate their style in this post.

Look 1: Preppy Evening Out

These looks are for a dressy occasion, like dinner or church, etc.

Greyson loves to layer! He paired a basic tee with a collared long sleeve shirt, and rolled the sleeves. To make the look more dressy he wore khakis.  Jeans would be a perfect alternative for a more casual, yet cute look. He is wearing dark gray Vans sneakers that are functional and fashionable. To add a touch of his personality he added a tan fedora hat and sunglasses.

 

Carson loves to be comfortable and stylish. He paired a trendy collared button up shirt with khakis (which feel like jeans) and a belt to pull everything together for a clean look. He wore similar shoes to Greyson, which feel like tennis shoes, but look more dressy. Perfect for any guy! He also wore a watch to maturely pull the outfit together.

 

I always try to dress girly and classy. I wore a long sleeve floral dress with comfortable nude wedges. I wore small pearl earrings and a few bangles (I personally always go simple, but that’s just me! ). This evening I also pulled my hair in a low bun because 1) It’s fast and easy and 2) It’s a classy look that goes with my style (and is also out of my face, which is a plus!) I am all for a nice curl but with humid weather my hair just frizzes up.

 

Look 2: Stroll on the Boardwalk

These looks are trendy yet comfortable and you can still have a good time!

Carson wore a blue striped t-shirt and khaki shorts. When shopping, try to find colors that suit your skin tone, hair color, and eye color. That will pull your look together and make you feel more confident. Carson looks good in blue, so he purchases clothing in that color to compliment his features. Embrace your unique qualities and have fun figuring out what looks good on you!

 

Greyson always makes a statement! He layered a red pullover with a blue collared shirt and khakis. He accessorized with a sporty Swatch watch, Lokai bracelet, and of course Ray Ban sunglasses! If you are a guy and struggle dressing the way you want because you think you won’t “fit in”; that is just not true! Greyson used to primarily wear sporty clothes (not that there is anything wrong with that), but now he feels more confident wearing the clothes that he loves and best express his personality. Don’t let others’ comments about your style get to you.  Be yourself, be daring, and try new things because there are also those who love who you are and appreciate your style!!

 

I love wearing black! It is an effortless color that makes you look sophisticated and flatters all shapes and sizes! My outfit looks dressy but is SO comfortable! I wore a black scalloped top with floral shorts, strappy sandals, a silver watch, and earrings. I wore a natural pony and braided one side for detail and volume.

 

Look 3: By the Pool

 

I wore a white crochet top and high waisted blue bottoms. I love this look because it’s so simple, trendy and pretty.

 

I like a little coverage when I walk to and from the pool, so I threw on a fun printed kimono!

I never spend a lot of time on my hair before I go to the pool. It gets frizzy and greasy from sunscreen. For this look, I put Moroccan Oil curl serum and sea salt spray in my hair and braided one side. This is an effortless, natural look that is perfect for laying out!

 

Look 4: Easter

One word to describe this look… sweet.

 

I wore a pink floral dress with a ruffle at the neckline. This pretty look is perfect for church and brunch on a lovely warm day!

All of these looks can be recreated from any store at any price! Don’t get discouraged because you think you have to spend big bucks on an outfit! Always wait for items to go on sale, go thrift shopping, or buy items at an online consignment store to get the looks you want for a lower price. Also remember to only buy the things you love! It’s better to have a few things you love, than a lot that you kinda like.

I hope you got some spring outfit inspiration! Remember to stay true to your style and don’t think you have to conform to society and wear what everyone else is wearing to be “cool”! Someone had to wear something first and start a trend! Be a trendsetter!!

Stay beautiful,

MademoisELLE

New York Fashion Week: Oxford Fashion Studio

I was given the amazing opportunity to work at Studio 450 with the Oxford Fashion Studio during New York Fashion Week. My job was to finalize the chair tags, socialize with guests, and take photos. The show was absolutely brilliant! I can’t wait to share my experience with you!

Part of the Banson group and I before setting up:

The beautiful venue:

   

  

Stairs leading to backstage. The models got ready upstairs, there was a hair and makeup team, and the designers brought their line up here too.

My roomates Macy and Sami

Hair and Makeup team . Two cosmetology students from our Banson group got the opportunity to help them do hair and makeup.

The venue after setting up:

  
  The Fashion Show:

NGA Wun Kitty Mok (China)- Graduate of Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England and designer, Kitty has an eye for bold patterns and detail, and shows that in her innovative designs.  She “…presented a playful mix of colour and pattern that gives an appearance of texture with this ‘arcade’ inspired line.  It’s fun.  Bravo!”

-http://edgexpo.com/2015/10/11/game-over-press-start-edge-interviews-nga-wunkitty-mok/

  

  
  
      Photo taken by Ellie Auch

LEAF XIA- Xia is a graduate of Parsons The New School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Womenswear. Specializing in collage, she uses this medium as a tool to express her unique design spirit. Often featuring oversized shapes with colourful collaged silhouettes that play on classic. Collage techniques and bonded fabrics bring an unconventional sporty quality that is wearable to Xia’s work.

-http://www.leafxiastudio.com/about/

        Photo taken by Ellie Auch

VEJITS (Finland)- Designers Olli Turunen, Pornwijit Chuasomboon and Mikhail
Volodchenkov founded this classic brand with natural Nordic and Asian influences.
Every item is produced ethically in Finland and in Thailand and has a story that can be
seen in the prints as well as in the playful details in each garment.  The collection
embraces Nordic minimalism and functionality with Asian colors and richness.

-Holland Grumieax (Founder of BansonNYC)

              

HANBYEL KANG (USA) – Born in South Korea and educated at Parsons The New School
of Design, Hanbyel Kang creates designs that are original, romantic and dramatic.  Her
inspiration can be defined by the elegance in eccentricity.  Her skills with pattern making, designing, developing fabric treatment and creating digital prints is obvious throughout the line.

-Holland Grumieax (Founder of BansonNYC)

  Photo taken by Ellie Auch

ARTHUR AVELLANO (France)- Avellano graduated from the Institut Supérieur Des Arts De Toulouse. He handmade his designs in Paris, France and are 100% latex. His water resistant designs are eye catching and innovative.

-http://arthuravellano.com/

  Photo taken by Ellie Auch

LENIE BOYA (UK) – Uzbekistan born fashion designer, Lenie Boya, started creating
dresses for herself at the tender age of 7 when she was given a few remnants of material.
She has now launched a luxury womenswear label where she brings her visions to life
and ultimately aims to allow a woman to express her innate beauty, individuality and
confidence while wearing a Lenie Boya creation.

-Holland Grumieax (Founder of BansonNYC)

  Photo taken by Ellie Auch Photo taken by Ellie Auch

ALEXIS WALSH (New York, NY) Alexis is a graduate from Parsons The New School of Design. The majority of her work focuses on the notion of using the human body as canvas. Through unconventional , materials such as metal and plastic, and the exploration of technologies including SD printing, Alexis transcends the traditional modes of fashion to push the boundaries of wearable art. Alexis’s work has been exhibited in New York, Paris, London, Madrid and Berlin, and has been worn by Lady Gaga.

-http://www.alexiswalsh.com/bio

Photo taken by Ellie Auch

Photo taken by Ellie Auch

Behind the scenes after the show:

      

I want to thank Holland Grumieax (founder of BansonNYC and chaperon), Rachel Roth (chaperon), Tiffany Saunders (Creative Director of OFS), Zee llze Vira (Assistant Runway Director of OFS), Jemima Myers (PR and Production Manager of OFS), and Carl Anglim (Director/ Producer) for giving me and other high school/ college students the opportunity to work at a fashion show during New York Fashion Week and see such a beautiful show.

I took and edited most of the photos on this page. Ellie Auch also photographed during the show and I used some of her pictures. I am so grateful for this life-changing experience and am thrilled I was able to take photos and blog about it.

From my heart to yours….

-M4demoiselle

What I Learned During My Adventure in New York City: Day 5

Thank you for taking the time to read about my week in New York City. If you are a fellow fashionista and are in high school or college, please look into Banson NYC fashion summer camp. Check out their website (www.BansonNYC.com) and if you have any questions email me at ecoff9@gmail.com.  I am so thankful I had this opportunity. God has taken me places I could only have dreamed of. I also have the most amazing and supportive parents who have given me the privilege to experience things like this.

I thought of the week as a package. Throughout the week we filled it with goodies and the last day we wrapped it and even placed a beautiful bow on top.  Friday, June 26th, was our last day when we took all the information we learned and applied it to our lives. We spent the day at the LIM Townhouse, the school’s classrooms are located here. Admissions1 Educational Consultants talked to us about college and career options, and we learned how to find our best match. Personally I discovered so much about myself, my abilities, and passion. Now I know that I want to live in New York City and have a better idea of my plans for the future. I have learned so many things from this camp, but I do have five that stand out to me the most.

1. Follow your heart, you are capable of anything. Trust me when I say this: “You will do it”. If you love something enough and put all of your heart into it, there is no doubt your dreams can come true. It doesn’t matter what you have or where you are from, Raul told us. All that matters is your passion and determination. My dream is to have a job in the fashion industry and I will never give up on it. I am motivated and determined to work very hard. Honestly I’m not scared at all.  I am so excited! When you find what you want and love to do you will feel the same way. My parents can even see the love of fashion in me. They always tell me my eyes light up whenever I go to a Nordstrom fashion meeting or event or when I talk about my aspirations. During job interviews, something your future boss will be looking for is passion. I talked to many people who have held interviews and they love when someone comes in and shows passion and interest in what they are doing. My hope is to inspire you to follow your dreams and only make decisions that will positively impact you and will make you so happy. You have one chance at life, do what makes you smile every day.

2. Only make choices that broaden your horizons. Kenneth D. King taught me this. When it comes to daily life choices or big choices like what college to attend, only make choices that will positively benefit you. He also told us that these choices might be the hardest, scariest choices of our lives. Always remember to take chances, but always make good decisions.

3. Don’t be afraid to fail, and it’s okay to say I don’t know. Don’t know what you want to do with your life? Guess what? That’s okay, you’re not alone!! A majority of the people we talked to went to college having selected one major and graduated with a different one. They are now just as successful as those who knew what they wanted to do at the start of college. Many people take multiple classes their first year just to discover what they like to do. Also, if you don’t succeed at something, it wasn’t a waste of your time and you shouldn’t be hard on yourself about it. Your failure can lead to your success, and now you can move on and focus on your passion.

4. Always work hard. This should be a no brainer, but surprisingly people still don’t do it. Everyone we met at some point told us it takes work hard. When it comes to an internship or a job, your hard work will be noticed and appreciated. Maybe not at first, but eventually. Kayleigh Adam, for example, has an internship in NYC and she told us that sometimes the girls she works with are on their phone instead of doing their job. Kayleigh always stays on task and gets the job done. Her boss has taken notice of this, which has had great benefits. The fashion industry is large and fast changing, but it can feel small because you never know who you will run into again. Always work hard and be kind to your peers and co-workers. One day they might help you get your dream job.

5. Don’t burn your bridges. Like I said before, you never know who you will meet again. Always keep contact information from people you meet throughout the years. If someone does something nice for you, get in the habit of sending hand written thank you cards. If it’s a former teacher who inspired you, or even a co-worker that has always been kind to you, make a point to thank these people for all they have done. Those kind words will mean so much to them. Holland taught us this and is a living example. The reason we were able to tour the companies throughout the week were because Holland had worked with them before, reached out to them and put an effort into being their friend.

I hope you learned something from my experience as well. I can’t wait for my future, but I am taking one step at a time and living in the moment. Don’t forget to cherish the times you have now because you can’t relive them.

Friday we had a special visit from former Banson campers. It was so cool to see how far all of these girls have come since they were campers like me. They were all so inspiring and one is even attending a college I am very interested in, Kent State, in Ohio.

The Wanderlust Girls (Abigail and Emily) who are fashion bloggers came to the classroom and shared their story of how they started their blog and became successful. They were so kind and encouraging. They were another reason I was inspired to start this blog.

It was sad saying goodbye to everyone that night, but I was smiling at all the incredible memories we made. It is so wonderful how close you can get to people in such a short amount of time. I will cherish our friendship forever.

Remember to follow your dreams and always be yourself. And don’t forget to smile, because life is a privilege.

From my heart to yours, MademoisELLE

My Adventure in New York City: Day 4

On Thursday, June 25 we started the day by talking to Kayleigh Adam, you might know her from her blog, Kayleigh’s Kloset. She was a former Banson NYC camper and is in New York City for a summer internship. She gave us helpful tips for college, getting an internship and job, and about blogging. She inspired me to start my blog, if you’re reading this Kayleigh, thank you!!! 

Next, we went to Mood Designer Fabrics. Designers from Project Runway come to this fabric store in the heart of the garment district to get their supplies for the show, but anyone can purchase fabric here.

  
  
After that we went to Fashion Snoops, a trend forecasting company. Cecilia Olivia, the sales director for the United States and Latin America, talked to us about her job and the company. She gave us a personal example of when one door closes, another one opens. It made me realize that it’s okay not to always succeed, it will only lead me to where I’m supposed to be.

 Then we had lunch at CHF Industries, Inc. They are one of the leading designers, marketers, and manufacturers of window curtains, fashion bedding and accessories, and decorative bathroom products in North and South America. We gave them input on their products and the style of bedroom decorations we would buy for our college dorm one day.

After that we went to the Fashion Institute of Technology, known as FIT. Professor Geib gave us a little tour of the building, showed us fashion merchandising projects her students have made, and answered our questions about the school. FIT is definitely a college I am interested in attending one day.

  
Next we went to The Metropolitan Museum of Art- China: Through the Looking Glass. This was the most beautiful exhibit I have ever been to! I literally took a picture of every piece in the exhibit but I’ll only share a few of my favorites.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 To end the fabulous day we got our nails done at ‘M for U Nails. This was a perfect activity after all the walking we had done that week.

   
We ate dinner in the neighborhood then headed back to the dorm for the night.

Thanks for reading about my fourth day in the city! I will hopefully post about the last day of camp by Monday.

From my heart to yours -MademoisELLE

My Adventure in New York City: Day 3

I hope you all had a great Fourth of July weekend and week! I am so happy to be blogging again!

On Wednesday, June 24th we took a train to The RealReal.  They are an online luxury consignment store. They sell pre-owned luxury items including fine jewelry and watches, fine art, and men and women’s fashion. They sell pieces from designers such as Alexandar McQueen, Balenciaga, Burberry, Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Versace, and so many more. Graham showed us the difference between real designer bags and shoes verses knock offs. When they inspect the used pieces they do it very precisely and accurate. They want to be sure you are getting the best quality and the authentic product when you purchase these luxury items. Shelly Jacobs, Senior Manager and Product Reciever, gave us a tour of their warehouse in Secaucus, NJ.

This room is where they store all of the items for sale on their website.

It was one of the largest warehouses I have ever seen!

This is where they photograph the items that are sent to the The RealReal, they want their website to feel like you are shopping on an online retail store not Ebay.

Shelly and Graham said when an item is sent to them it will be added to their website in 12-24 hours, they don’t mess around!

Next we took a train back to New York City and had lunch. Macy and I ate at Urban Outfitters and shopped. Then we headed to a cute hair accessory shop called Medusa’s Heirlooms. They just received a shipment of products from France so we had tons of styles to choose from. Kathryn Hausman, the President and Founder, told us about her company and her journey to get there.

After that we went to Macy’s Herald Square. John Wiltberger, Lead Consultant, Tour Director, and is apart of Visitor Services, gave us a tour of the store. He was a wealth of information and I enjoyed his presentation immensely. He told us about how the store is strategically set up and facts about the company and owner.

Next we went on our second educational shopping trip in SoHo. The three shops we were recommended to go in were Uniqlo, All Saints, and Top Shop. I was assigned to Top Shop with Chloe, we were required to go there and answer some questions about the set up of the store. We were allowed to go to other stores as well so I went in Brandy Melville and Mystique Boutique.

Then we went to dinner at La Mela Ristorante in Little Italy. It was nice to talk to everyone and enjoy delicious pasta!

Thanks for reading about my third day in the city! I still have two more days to blog, stay tuned on social media!

From my heart to yours, MademoisELLE

My Adventure in New York City: Day 2

I want to start off by saying thank you for all the positive comments and for coming back to read about my second day in the city! On Tuesday, June 23rd we started the day at Rebecca Taylor. I want to mention that we walked to about half of our appointments and activities and the other half we took the subway, and once we took a train. Anyway, if you haven’t looked at clothing from Rebecca Taylor, you really should and can here:(http://rebeccataylor.com)! She designs beautiful clothing that’s expensive but stunning! We met with Deanna Franco, the showroom coordinator, and her team. They told us about their jobs and how the company is run. We also had the opportunity to see the new samples in their showroom!

        From left to right: Lakeith (from Louisiana), Macy (California), Sami (Ohio), Me, and Leigh-Anna (California).

Next we walked on The High Line.  It was so hot outside, but the view from up there was worth it.

  

    

Next we went to Tommy Hilfiger’s corporate office which was definitely one of the highlights of my week.

Betsy Hilfiger, one of our chaperones for the week, is Tommy Hilfiger’s sister. It was so cool to hear stories about her growing up with Tommy and how the company started and grew. She took us on a tour of the office with another worker, Jessica Pohlman. They showed us the corporate archive closet, which was INCREDIBLE!

The actual outfits models have worn in Tommy’s fashion shows. 

Selfie in the closet’s mirror, I couldn’t resist, it just looked so cool.

Three words, so much clothes!

More clothes! The closet went on forever……

Tommy’s rock and roll closet which include his designs inspired by…take a guess…? Rock and roll music!

Next they took us into the showroom. Every season they change the theme of the room to correspond  with the clothing. This is the room that buyers come to when they select clothing to sell in their department store. Jessica said when the buyers come, all of the closets are full and clothes are all over the floor. My point is, they design and make a ton of clothes every season.

One of the showroom’s closets

Men’s spring 2016 collection

Women’s 2016 collection

Then we watched a few videos about Tommy’s company. We talked to a few workers about internship opportunities and asked any other questions we had. We did that at every company we went to. After our tour, we had lunch in the Corporate Dining Room where the employees at Tommy eat everyday. It’s right in the building because the closest restaurant is many blocks away, making it more convenient for the employees.

Next we went to JPMA Global, Inc. Jim Nelson gave us a tour of their showroom. This company does business with Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch, and Nordstrom, just to name a few. They make beautiful and unique in store fixtures. When companies want to buy from JPMA they set up their store similarly to the specific company coming.  It was informative to learn about this side of the industry! You can never know too much!

Beautiful wooden display table.

Cases for expensive shoes and bags.

Beautiful detailed walls. Those white bags are real Louis Vuitton bag molds. They were used as a display in their store at one point.

 Creative and innovative shelves.

Next we went to Kenneth D. King’s apartment. He is an haute couture designer. He was quite a character, in a good way! Such a fun guy to be around! He was so inspired, hard working, and motivated. I loved seeing his creations. Here are some pictures:

This jacket is incredible. He made the fabric by cutting out and layering many things. He was inspired by a picture he took of a tree in central park with fresh snow on it. So beautiful!

Sami modeling a black shawl.

Macy modeling a cropped jacket with hand cut leaves assembled together.

He made this jacket look like one from Chanel, and with similar quality.

  

This jacket doesn’t have shoulder or side seams! So incredible!

Rug repurposed into a jacket

Matching rug bag

Clown hair coat

Human hair extension coat

Kenneth actually wears his clothing and sells them for thousands of dollars. He said if you wear it like it’s normal and no big deal, you can pull it off confidently.

Finally, we went to a restaurant called Elmo-not like the Sesame Street character! It has a modern and cool atmosphere loved by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Elizabeth Taylor back in the day. I ordered the turkey burger they are famous for, and it was delicious! I also had the best corn on the cob that was purposely burnt a little with butter, chili flavored seasoning, and cottage cheese sprinkled on top. During dinner we all talked about our home states and how different our lifestyles are considering we all live in different parts of the country. Did you know California, Louisiana, and Virginia don’t have a Tim Hortons, Whit’s, or Steak n’ Shake?! That’s only a few of the places we talked about.

I will be posting about Wednesday in NYC soon, stay on the look out! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!

From my Heart to Yours, MademoisELLE