going to design school has so many perks :)

the other day in class we were talking about potential stores to research for our quarter projects and one girl mentioned an online store called;

nastygal.com

It's pretty obvious what the whole class thought when she first said that..

anyway I didn't think much of it until right now when I decided it's about time I post again.

so I decided to check it out.

NastyGal offers a large selection of vintage clothing and accessories as well as unique, new designer pieces including dolce vita and steve madden.

if you're looking for unique clothes that no one else has NastyGal's vintage collection is the way to go!

the webpage won't allow me to take pictures for this post so make sure you go and check it out!

take my word they have some cute stuff!

forget about the interesting name.. haha

xoxo.

it has been way too long since I posted last, I know.

please forgive me! :)

update with my hectic life: I got a job at Express and offers from Bath and Body Works as well as G by Guess. Very excited about Express but still anxious to hear from Club Monaco, Free People, and Juicy Couture. I mean come on.. it's Juicy Couture. those of you who know me personally know how much those two words mean to me. hehe.

anyway, I have officially attended all five of my three hour classes at least once. 

Tuesdays by far are MY day.

I start Tuesday off in a class called the Retail Environment from 9:30-12:15

my instructor, Mima Ransom, was the woman who brought the high-end lingerie store, La Perla, to the United States.. I mean.. she's kind of a big deal?!

anywhooo; for my Retail Environment class our project and main focus for the quarter is to learn everything about a store from top to bottom and at the end of the quarter present it to the class. (take a wild guess which store I picked.)

we are to research everything from target market to the bio of the 'hot shots' of the company

pretty fun way to spend the next ten weeks if you ask me.

the other class I have on Tuesday is 20th Century Designers.

our textbook is like a beautiful encyclopedia of the designers who have set the bar for everyone in the fashion world.

it includes long time legends such as Coco Chanel, who gained her ever-growing claim to fame in the 20's, to the new kids on the block such as Monique Lhuillier, a FiDM grad :)

this quarter we are working on building a notebook of 20 designers with full information about everything that may be of importance further in our career.

we also will be working as groups to teach the class about designers.

learning about Karl Lagerfield and Valentino sure beats learning about some old fart in a history class.

gotta love fashion school :)

I'll keep you all posted.

xoxo.

the past two days have been orientation was FiDM

-Monday I got my prized FiDM tote bag, student ID and signed up to work a fashion show at south coast plaza

-Tuesday was the job fair and I walked out with 3 interviews scheduled

and both days we had a variety of seminars and guest speakers.

within the next week; I have..

15 hours of class

5 job interviews

2 guests coming into town

and 1 meeting for school activities.

thank you life for becoming hectic again! I am the type of person that loves the stress of a pressing deadline or nerve wrecking situation. I'm crazy I know but I love to feel like I have a reason to be going about my day. looks like I'm in the right industry since fashion is so competitive; huh?

anyway, I wanted to tell you all about the South Coast Plaza Style Fashion Show.

tonight 30 FiDM students as well as myself were given the opportunity to perform a simple task at the show.

we were to pass out programs about what different, exciting things and sales were going on in each store in the mall as well as explain that if a customer spent $500 at stores other than department stores they had to simply bring their receipt to the concierge and got a free tote bag! (i told you it was a simple task.)

so the perks for the volunteers were, we received the free tote without spending $500, we got a $50 gift card to south coast plaza, and we got to watch the fashion show!

it makes me so incredibly excited that opportunities like this one will be available so often at school. i mean, my room mate and I landed this gig the first day.. of orientation.

not only are these opportunities great for the "swag" but we also now have a great thing to put on our resume.

what makes this show so appealing and resume worthy is that the fashion show was put on for breast cancer awareness.

different stores throughout the mall, including Chloe, Oscar de la Renta, and MaxMara to name a few, presented two different looks in the show; and seats were sold through presale only and that was what raised money for breast cancer research.

remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and please help out and volunteer in any way you can for such a great cause!

p.s. sorry there are no pics from the show. I was "on the job".
xoxo.

i'm sorry i have been unable to post the past week!

i moved into my own place with a room mate and haven't had much down time

until today.

 today as i was laying out and reading the october issue of marie claire magazine which had an article featuring women in their 20's and 30's who are very successful and well on their way to success regardless of their young age. one of the women featured in the article was Kimberly Ovitz.

the 26 year old L.A. native presents an edgy, urban look with a laid-back SoCal flair. minimalism and equestrian style clothing also inspired the clothing line. 

Ovitz is very successful considering her time as a fashion designer, as most people know, due to the competitiveness in fashion it is not easy to get your name out there and be a success. Ovitz had a little Hollywood help on her side though which can never hurt. her father is Hollywood mogul Michael Ovitz, who helped with opening doors, making introductions, and lending money to Kimberly. the rest was up to her, she had to make killer designs to back up the talk.

Kimberly started her career in the industry at a young age, 14, when she began working as an intern for the senior women's designer of j.crew. now she has her year old clothing line in over 100 retailers nationwide including department stores like Neiman Marcus and stores with a smaller boutique feel such as Intermix.  

i'm going to a couple of fashion shows this weekend for StyleWeek OC and start school Monday so keep checking back because the posts will be flying!

xox.

my mom found a cool online store today called modcloth.com

it is a cool online store with unique stuff and decent prices.

but once you get on the website, if you click the "buyer" tab it's a whole new world to those interested in fashion,

ModCloth.com has set it up that shoppers can vote on products they like

and essentially pick out what is on the website.

i find this to be a fun way to get online shoppers excited about products that earn votes and the potential for it to be coming onto the online store will make them eager to check back.

it is sort of a discreet way of suggestion selling.

people will come on the website to shop, see that they can vote for items they would like to see in the store, then will be checking back and most likely finding items to purchase each time. it's genius!

ModCloth offers more than just clothes too..

they have stuff for an apartment, accessories, shoes, vintage. anything you may need!

here are some pictures of different products that ModCloth has to offer..

make sure you check it out! enjoy!

xo.

i love learning about up-and-coming designers that i may have not found myself,

so yesterday morning when i woke up and had a facebook message from my boyfriends mom, Karen, that included a link to this article i was very excited! not only to read it and learn about a new designer who is actually from a town near my hometown in Tennessee but to also share it with all of you who follow my blog :)

Jeff Garner grew up in Nolensville, TN and went to David Lipscomb High School. he rode horses every day after school and "basically grew up in the woods and the barn" as he says in his interview with the Tennessean. growing up Garner wanted out of TN more than anything; which most young Tennesseans do, trust me ;) 

Garner attended Pepperdine Universtiy in Malibu, CA. he received a degree in business and communication. he was a California resident for about nine years before getting into fashion.

Garner is currently working from his family's farm in Nolensville but is working on setting up shop in a remodeled barn in Leiper's Fork, TN. he is excited to have access to land to grow the crops needed to develop dyes for his work. Jeff is not just messing around in a barn though, he has a store that is to open soon in Santa Monica, CA and his eco-friendly clothing line, Prophetik, can be found in more than 40 high-end boutiques, including Posh in Green Hills and Ivy in Franklin, TN, and throughout 15 states and even overseas in England and Switzerland. as well as his success in stores, various celebrities regularly wear his fashions including; Tennessee's own Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, Sheryl Crow, Kings of Leon and the Jo Bros.

to create his Spring 2011 collection, called Midnight Garden, he dug deep into his southern boy roots to create a sense of romance and civility in the line, including the precise tailoring of Civil War uniforms and the frilliness of antebellum gowns. the menswear of the collection is adventurous and the women's wear is "more like the adventurer's muse".

this just proves that no matter how small of a town you are from you are capable of big things.

xo.

and a special thanks to Karen German for showing me the article about Jeff Garner!

so we know what is popular for spring 2011,

but what are some hot, affordable styles for this fall?

cargo skinnies

sexy turtlenecks

high collars

maxi dresses

military

patchwork

ponchos

quilting

thigh-high boots

fringe

wide pants

lace

leopard

information taken from:

http://www.millionlooks.com/trends/outfits-trends/fashion-trends-fall-winter-2010-2011/

check that link out! they also offer information about color trends, jewelry trends, etc.

this is all stuff i will learn in class soon and am very excited to just know instead of finding out from someone else :) haha.

got to love Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week!

today was the final day of the famous fashion week.

here is a look at what some of my fave designers have in store for spring 2011!

marc jacobs wowed the crowd with a very glamorous yet girly collection with big flowers and dark romantic colors.

betsey johnson as always had a fun, flirty, and crazy collection including full skirts, feminine colors, and floral patterns.

marc by marc jacobs offered a vintage, military look with high-waisted pants, button down shirts, and neutral colors.

monique lhuillier who is known for creating beautiful wedding gowns (and being a FiDM grad ;)) presented a gorgeous, feminine but strong collection.

stacey bendet, designer of alice + olivia, also showed off her spring collection this year featuring lots of layered looks. love love love the blue strapless gown!

can't wait for the popular looks coming this spring.

xo.

with StyleWeekOC coming up i wanted to give everyone a sneak peek of Nick Verreos's work and a little background information on him, especially since he was a semi-finalist on season two of Project Runway and is an instructor at FiDM classes in the departments of  Apparel Manufacturing Management, Merchandise Product Development, and Fashion Design :)

Verreos is inspired by exotic locales; art; music; strong, sexy women; the always gorgeous SoCal weather; and the Red Carpet, where his designs have frequently appeared.

so why is this talented designer bringing his collection to Style Week OC?

for the 10th Anniversary of their NIKOLAKI line, David Paul and Nick Verreos decided that Style Week OC was the perfect place to debut their Spring 2011 collection. i am very excited to see the line and possibly meet him and David Paul at the VIP party before the show!

well since the Spring 2011 collection hasn't been presented yet, here are a few pictures of various gowns that the duo has designed for past collections...

NIKOLAKI Gown that was worn on Dancing With The Stars

Haylie Duff wears NIKOLAKI Gown to the Final Destination 4 Premiere

Carrie Ann Inaba wears a NIKOLAKI Gown to the Grammy's

you can check out more of NIKOLAKI's collections at

nikolakidesign.com

can not wait to see what the Spring 2011 collection will have to offer :)

xoxo.

orange county, you never cease to surprise me.

september 27-october 3 is StyleWeekOC

Nick Verreos will be previewing Spring 2011 and "dishing the fashion dirt"

Annual Presentations from Nordtrom, Ezekiel, and the newest names in SoCal design talent.

the week has a lot to offer. but the always exciting fashion shows of this event are free admission. aren't we spoiled ;)

Friday, October 1

NIKOLAKI Designs, founded by the dynamic designing duo, Nick Verreos and David Paul will be presenting their Spring 2011 couture collections as part of Rack Rave.

Saturday, October 2

Cadillac Couture features runway looks inspired by Cadillac vehiles presented to the audience as must have dresses. This show will appear between other runway times.

Nordmstrom will present what they have to offer this fall at 7 p.m.

..at 8 p.m. is the Needle & Thread Design Competition

seven FiDM graduates will preview five original looks that they have created for the Ezekiel Spring 2011 collection. a panel of celebrity judges will select a winner to later be featured in the collection.

to follow the Needle & Thread Design Competition is the Ezekiel Spring 2011 collection.

come to Irvine Spectrum Center that week and check it all out :)

.

a minute away from the fashion world..

for those of you who check in to read recent posts and what's been going on here at frox&fame, I'M SORRY.

i have been slacking with my dedication to this blog and i can't really blame anyone or anything but myself. i have recently come to a point in my life that i haven't ever reached before. i no longer have the energy, passion or urge to create and be totally emersed in fashion. for as long as i can remember my clothes were my life. i had such an interest in shopping and discovering fun boutiques. i loved to sew and learn about various designers and question the construction of anything and everything.  i loved to paint, draw, and capture beautiful moments behind a camera lense.

anything to just create.

i couldn't put my finger on what separated me from my little world that i loved so much. but i am happy to say i have figured it out.

i lost my inspiration.

the thing that brought me the happiness and desire to create something beautiful.

but at this point it's time for me to get back to what i love.

to fully, completely jump right back into it.

so be ready and expecting some better, more interesting posts.

anyway, i didn't just blab forever about me being lost for no reason.

there is a moral to the story.

never, ever lose sight of what you love. and try to always find inspiration in your surroundings.

especially in a place like sunny California; inspiring sights are around every corner.

stay happy, stay inspired, stay fashionable.

xoxo.

i am very proud that i have received as many pageviews as i have!

to everyone who follows my blog and checks it out every once in a while,

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

xo.

so my sister is getting married in june and we have barely gotten anywhere with planning this wedding.

i am the maid of honor and am overly excited to help plan from start to finish.

she knows the location, bentley's on the bay, in the panhandle of florida

beautiful white sand beaches and water that is crystal clear

she is currently thinking of doing spa blue, ivory and silver

we recently found a website that has everything imaginable needed for the wedding party.

dessy.com

it is so fun to explore the website and play around with different ideas

i decided to make a styleboard for my sister's wedding

you can view it by following the link below

http://www.dessy.com/pantone/gallery/

and my styleboard is the one called Tiffany Box

i'm definitely starting to think i should be a wedding planner instead ;)

just for fun i made a styleboard for my someday fairytale wedding..

follow the same link for my sister's styleboard but it is called Sage Rose :)

love this dress but couldn't put it on my styleboard!

who would have thought orange county would be a hot spot for various fashion events?

the thread show was awesome.

but now fashion island in newport beach is having their own event.

Fashion Island's Fashion's Night Out

fashionisland.com/fno

fashion's night out is a night of drinks, music, and fashion

celebrity reality tv personality lo bosworth will be at the event from 5-6 p.m.

the actual event will be from 5-9 p.m. on friday, september 10th

various stores are giving discounts, have dj's and champagne, gift bags, you know, the works :)

fashion island is already such a great shopping complex so this event is a wonderful chance to shop until you drop with no regrets!

online shopping can almost be as much fun as walking in and out of stores trying to find the perfect thing.

the greatest online websites for the most fabulous online shopping are very private though

a few even ask you to "apply" to become a member.

i thought i would give you all a few of my favorites :)

Bag, Borrow, or Steal

"the smart & savvy fashion secret"

bagborroworsteal.com

bag, borrow, or steal offers various accessories to purchase or rent!

bag, borrow, or steal was actually mentioned in the first Sex in the City movie! 

louise from st. louis with the rented louis vuitton ring a bell?

becoming a member is necessary with this website; but the send you e-mails constantly about incredible offers :)

BlueFly

"the ultimate hook-up for the fashion obsessed"

bluefly.com

bluefly is a website that has some of the most desirable designs from top fashion icons at a discounted price

women's, men's, shoes and handbags are all available

as seen on project runway

definitely worth keeping an eye out for your favorite garment to show up on bluefly

Shop It To Me

"your personal shopper"

shopittome.com

once you become a member of shop it to me, you enter your preferences of what brands, designers, styles, clothing items, sizes, etc. that you like

weekly emails are sent of items they think would interest you

and you can find these items easily on the website or order them right from your email account

and the items are always marked down big time

there is currently a free people dress that is normally $118 for $59 

50% off? that is a steal. 

so i haven't been able to post lately because i have been visiting my boyfriend at University of Tennessee, Knoxville

you know, the school with the blinding orange color for anything and EVERYTHING

it's sad how many college students, in the south especially, lack the desire to dress well because they are in class all day

i've literally only seen girls in Nike shorts and a big t-shirt of some sort

anyway,  i thought i would post some different shops that have great pricing and great stuff for the "struggling" college student.

*almost all universities have access to these.

-francesca's collections

francesca's is located all over the country and has some great finds usually under $50

-forever 21

i don't know how many times i can stress it. FOREVER 21 HAS EVERYTHING

the prices are always great and they have so many styles that will fit anyones person style

specialty shops close to college towns of all sizes:

serendipity- knoxville, tennessee

the freckled frog- tuscaloosa, alabama: roll tide!

mis'behavin- oxford, mississippi

swanky boutique- columbia, south carolina

muse- franklin, tennessee

red dress boutique- athens, georgia

tiger lily boutique- auburn, alabama.

these are quite a bit more pricey but worth it.
this post is lacking pictures, which sucks, but my computer is being dumb :)
happy shopping girls!

some pics i took from my iPhone at the thread show

forgot to mention the wonderful perks of being a student at a fashion school

i made my schedule the other day for the fall quarter

and my classes consist of:

-the retail environment

-20th century designers

-marketing essentials

-tech of business applications

-english composition

i will blog all about what i learn, promise.

i only have classes two fulls days and one half day every week.

FIDM you have a great system, my friend.

went to the thread show today and it was a huge success

found some really great, unique stuff.

my winter fave is the turtlescarf

sounds crazy, i know, but it's a turtle neck, hood, and scarf all in one.

and for a very decent price.

the co-founder of turtlescarf is liza b. domingo and you can check it out at turtlescarf.com

they have a new line coming out this october!

a perfect buy for you labor day vacay.. lolli beach candy swimwear

love, love, love these itsy bitsy bikinis

i got the cute tiffany blue bottoms in the middle. LOVE <3

lollibeachcandy.com

my favorite find of the day was boutiquing.com

a great way to discover boutiques around you,

boutique parties, events, and sales,

new boutiques are added weekly,

high-end shopping events,

and weekly giveaways.

can't go wrong checking in on this website every once in a while!

xoxo.

the thread show is this sunday, august 22 in orange county, california

the thread show presents over 100 independent fashion designers

performing artists

a swap lounge to trade in the old for new

unique, hand-crafted, high-quality designs from some favorite designers

a showcase of emerging fashion designers and the music and art that rock their world

$8 RSVP online or $10 at the door.

orange county fair grounds

check it out :)