Kitten Lounge

Modern Romance Bridal Event

KittenCouture — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:01:07 -0700

Last night I went to the Millenium Hotel's Hudson Theater to attend the Modern Romance Bridal Event. Now before anyone starts spreading stories, I am not engaged nor does that seem on the immediate horizon; however, I know it will happen one day and I am a fan of various Bridal shows and in lieu of hearing from people on Twitter, those I have lunch with and more announcing their engagements, I felt that this was something that I wanted to know about. Now I have attended many bridal events which are bona fide tradeshows where there are booths of the same types of services that are run by various companies, I would find this very overwhelming and difficult in terms of just focusing on the moment,. I wasn't sure what I was walking into but I was very intrigued to not only attend the event but to also see the Jenny Yoo Collection which I am familiar with many of her dresses.

Upon entering, I knew that this wouldn't be a massive and impersonal show.. For $25, brides were able to come to the event with a guest and to sample various foods, beverages and an extremely select group of vendors from entertainment, spa, makeup and more. The best part, this was extremely intimate! There weren't large groups of people the entryway of the theater (which at one time had actually housed various Broadway productions prior to their purchase of the Millenium Hotel next door) allowed everyone to check in, receive their goodie bag and to meet with the vendors. This space was illuminated with lighting and large mirrors. I know I began thinking about having an event here as the mood was definitely in place. As you walked into the theater, you were welcomed with tasty sweets on the right and on the left various meats and appetizers. Both sides had bartenders and of course there were passed beverages and drinks as well. I was very pleased to enjoy the champagne. The theater not only had tables set in various motifs that were created by James Abel Events (I love the amber inspired table), but there was seating for the fashion show and on the stage the band played. This was very soothing and kudos to the organizers to hold the event from 6:00 - 9:30. Although the fashion show didn't start until nearly 8:00, it was nice to come early and to have ample time to talk to the vendors while also recognizing that some brides would be unable to come until later.

Most of the attendees had a guest with them (kudos to the fiancees that appeared) although I felt bad for those that were alone as this was definitely an event to begin honing in on the decisions of your wedding while also enjoying the atmosphere. Mental note: these events are the best to go to and I would prefer to not go alone - friends and family beware!

I could go on and on about each vendor but I focused on certain areas but if you have a question, you can contact me and I can pass on what I know/heard. Jo Malone attended this event and as I have always been a fan and tend to walk by their Flatiron location, I was pleased to learn that they have an interesting way of offering their services. Obviously, they are available to have the bride and their party come to their location to enjoy their services and they are also able to travel as well. This is a great way to get pampered and to enjoy one another's time. But the most interesting element that I enjoyed was learning about their Fragrance Combining. This service is where the bride chooses a particular scent that will be worn for the wedding and then her bridesmaids will have various notes of this scent with other items layered in. In this way, the bride has a signature scent and her bridal party has elements of it while being different from hers. She doesn't have to worry about competing or offending scents as it is complimentary. I loved this concept and was so pleased that the two ladies attending this booth were so knowledgeable about this. Pampering and a signature scent - fabulous.

This event also had a great blend between traditional versus having your own element within your wedding. The band played traditional songs such as "Just the Way You Look Tonight", "Night & Day", "What's Going On", while also putting in a Stevie Wonder song that had elements of Will Smith in the song. They were not only playful and welcoming but they showed their range as we listened to the different songs and heard from the male and female singers respectively. This was enjoyable as we had Tuna Tartar, Spicy Shrimp and more.

Prior to the fashion show, I was able to see Tarte Cosmetics offerings, Cake Alchemy, Jerry Kravat Entertainment and more. Our hostess for the night who I thought was very warm and shared many of her experiences as she had recently been married, introduced the Fred Astaire Dance Studio. This couple did two dances (shown in the video) with a traditional dance and then one that was a salsa for the first dance. Once this was completed, we were treated to the Jenny Yoo Collection which had wedding gowns and then vibrant hues for bridesmaids dresses. These are definitely not the dresses that I have seen in Bridezilla epidsodes where the adventurous bride strives to find the most questionable dresses. These are beautiful gowns that you could use for other dressy occassions and that are very flattering whether you're looking for long, short, strapless, halter and more. Of course no fashion show of dresses would be complete without showing the super cute flower girl!

I left this event thinking that there are no shortage of events that "assist" brides and their friends and families with the options available to them. But when it is my turn, I want to attend events such as this that have a select group of vendors, a small number of attendees and then having a staff that caters to everyone so that you can feel special leading up to your day.

Wearable Wednesdays: Proud as a Peacock

KittenCouture — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:00:00 -0700

I love wearing simple pieces that wear well and have an interesting pop factor! This Peacock Racerback Tunic Top is super cute over jeans and leggings! I love that it is a cute white top that has the peacock feathers on it. This look is perfect when you think about warm summers and wanting to wear something amazing without have to do too much to it. Of course you can also put a cute chain or choker with this to complete the look. There are two other design elements that make this a great piece. The ruching on the neckline makes a bit of an elegance to this look so that it definitely looks casual but can also be slightly dresed up as well. In addition, I love the wide band at the bottom which allows you to play with the length of this as well. I love Forever 21 as I am guaranteed to always find something that looks amazing for a day but at the same time, I also know that I will always leave with much more than what I had intended to get. Ah what's better than visiting the store and purchasing and then being able to do so online as well?

Fashionable Fridays: Milan Fashion Week Highlights Salvatore Ferragamo

KittenCouture — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:00:00 -0800

I love this season! There is a show every where you turn and we can all allow our inner (fill in the blank) Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor come out. Although many of these pieces may not be something that you would wear out, you can definitely take some nods from these fashion greats! Fortunately, I am a fan and would wear anything that came off this runway! Salvatore Ferragamo is one of my favorite designers and recently in Milan he unveiled a line that I would not mind having in my closet!
My favorite outfit (that I would wear in a jiffy) is this super cute cocktail dress that not only wraps and has a beautiful key hole effect, but it also has a cute scarf. This is such a sassy look which makes us all feel that we are red carpet ready. I love the classic blue color and I love the snazzy elements that allow for shimmer. In addition, I love the idea that you can pair this with a cute clutch (I am so about this and feel that it is a fashion essential).

The peek a boo effect of this outfit is so cute! This is perfect to wear along or over denim and leggings. This is perfect for a night out when you are going to a premiere of some sort and you want to show how cool you look. Once again the shimmer is much appreciated!

This outfit makes me think of a disco dancer. I love the shape of this outfit and how it fits the upper body and instead of becoming a dress, it's a pant suit that is not only sexy but extremely classy as well. I love the black, white and grey colors of this piece.

My favorite "night time" look from this collection is this top. I love how it loops around the neck and the pop of color which shows a green portion of this outfit. I have always been a fan of this look and with a little Hollywood Tape, this is an outfit that will have every eye looking at you no matter where you go. Although I have shown a few images here, make sure you visit Coutorture to see more from this show and many others!

Sippin Saturdays: Fashion Week Edition - Blood Orange Margaritas

KittenCouture — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:02:46 -0800

So earlier this week, I had the opportunity to hang out with members of the Coutorture community. This group of individuals work on our own fashion blogs. All of this content comes together and is seen on Coutorture. After being a member for so long, it was nice to meet others who also work hard whether it is in accessories, makeup or various slices of the fashion world. Thankfully, we all met at 24 Prince (side note this restaurant's co-owner and chef will be apart of Top Chef Chicago which will air on March 12th) and enjoyed appetizers . Obviously I enjoyed the conversation; however, the highlight of the night were the beverages! I am such a huge fan of Blood Orange and thankfully, we had the pleasure of enjoying these drinks. I would say that this is something that you should definitely try and although it works well in the winter, definitely consider it for the summer - so refreshing!

Blood Orange Margaritas

1 1/2	ounces tequila
1	ounce blood orange juice
1/2	ounce fresh lime juice
3/4	ounce Cointreau liqueur

Wearable Wednesdays: Carilyn Vaile - My Fashion Obsession

KittenCouture — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 -0800

I am totally a t-shirt/tank top and jeans kind of girl. I love wearing something super easy and accessorizing it. I'm all about making something you're own and adding a lot of my own creativity into it. Although I love this look, I am a HUGE fan of Carilyn Vaile which is the epitomy of making sure that you have great pieces that can be worn a variety of ways and layered at will. First of all, for those of you that don't know about Carilyn Vaile, she is very huge on the West Coast and sells through Bloomingdales and Nordstrom; however, you can also purchase her pieces at VFashions. Soon, you can purchase pieces directly on her site.

Earlier this year I had a mini shopping spree and actually purchased the light blue dress on the left in a coral color. I love that you can tie it as shown or cross the straps across the back as shown. Carilyn Vailehas a super cute dress that can be worn 10 ways whether you decide to wrap it, wear it as a skirt, put it over pants and more. This is such a great way to get maximum wear out of these pieces.

What I love most about her pieces are the colors and the soft knit material which is actually made out of bamboo. It never loses its stretch! I would definitely visit the site which on Carilyn Vaile'ssite you can see how one dress can be worn in so many ways. Also make sure to sign up to hear more news about the site so that you can be apart of the launch when she makes her items available online.

These pieces are perfect no matter whether you're hanging out in your neighborhood (I love that she has cute t-shirts, ruched tops and more), going out for the evening (you can choose to be completely glam, sexy or both) and finally she has those great weekend pieces (I love my long sleeved ruched top that's perfect to pair with cute denim and a pair of boots - brunch appropriate). This is one of my favorite designers to wear due to the ease and comfort that her pieces have. Check out all the links and I'll let you know when there are new developments from her site!