Glamour Girl admits it. Despite her moniker, she spends most of her time these days in ratty jeans, comfy sweaters, and barefoot. Since she does all her work from home – yes, even the radio stuff – she doesn’t dress up to go into an office or studio every day like she used to. Though it’s definitely convenient, it means, alas, the beautiful clothes in her closets are usually languishing. And GG does love beautiful clothes.
Sure, she makes it a point to dress up to go to a party, or out to dinner, even if it’s just Donna’s down the street, and it’s true she wouldn’t be caught dead in sloppy clothes anywhere outside the house, unless it’s to clean the garage. But those dressy occasions are few and far between. So when they come up on the calendar, she takes full advantage of them.
Two recent ones were the benefit concert by Journey at the Lyric last month. It raised $250,000 for the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and featured a fashion show and celebrity guitar auction in addition to the rockin’ music. The concert was great (though GG was thankful that earplugs were provided, else she might’ve been deaf the next day), and her seats in about the 4th row were stupendous.
Still, she and a girlfriend were a tad – ah – overdressed for the occasion, which was more rocker bar than VIP party. Regardless, it was great fun, and we had the perfect perch from which to observe the fashion show.
Here’s GG and her friend Dawna Cobb checking out the fancy guitars before the show:
(Photo by Karen Jackson of the Baltimore Sun.)
That black-and-white dress I’m wearing comes from a Canadian designer named Frank Lyman; I picked it up in Montreal. Dawna is wearing a fabulous red creation by Selma Karaca. (You can get a better gander at both at the Sun link.) Selma always comes to the annual American Craft Council show at the convention center. It’s the biggest, baddest craft show in the country, and Baltimore is lucky to have it.
Then, just the other week, Style, in conjunction with Urban Chic, held one of the best events of the year – the annual fashion show to benefit AVAM. Le tout beau and belle Baltimore comes out for this event, which is as glam as you can get without going to a black-tie affair. For that, GG wore an ensemble that was, truth be told, so beautiful it almost gave her the vapors. And for it, she must give credit to Stephanie Bradshaw.
Stephanie Bradshaw is a Baltimore-based stylist. She sends out a beautiful newsletter every month and GG is on her mailing list. Well, the September newsletter featured Stephanie in a skirt so spectacular, so dreamy, so wondrous, I about lost my mind. It pushed every one of my fashion buttons. I had to have it.
So I followed the links in the newsletter, found the website of the company that made the skirt, and bought it on the spot.
The company is called BHLDN. It’s primarily a bridal site. But oh, baby, does it have more than bridal stuff to offer. In fact, even its wedding gowns are prettier, more sophisticated, and more inventive than the usual fare. Baby blue instead of white? So elegant.
Anyway, at the AVAM party, I can’t say I had to beat people off with a stick, but I lost count of how many women came up to me and raved about the skirt. Thank you, Stephanie (pictured below).
The next event on the glamour calendar is this coming Friday, November 16th. It’s the second annual “Couture at the Club” fashion show, and it’s at the Center Club. Not only will it be a fab affair, with the best food and drink to boot, but it benefits two wonderful organizations – Suited to Succeed and Sharp Dressed Man. Both provide career clothing for men and women who are re-entering the workplace after times of unemployment or other hardship.
The event runs from 7 to 10 pm, reservations required, and you’re asked to bring a gently used suit or outfit as a donation. More info at 410-727-7788 or at the Center Club’s website.
The models will be dressed by Jones & Jones and JoS. A. Bank. The women will wear designs by Theia, Gorski, and Mark & James by Badgley Mischka, among others, while the men will wear suits and business casual attire from JoS. A. Bank. Hair and make-up will be provided by Soirée, jewelry will by Tiffany & Co. Baltimore Sun society and fashion columnist Sloane Brown will emcee the event. Other sponsors include the Cosmetic Surgery Center of Maryland and Style Magazine.
GG doesn’t know yet what she’ll be wearing to this worthy event, but she still has almost a week to figure it out. Hope to see you there!