formal

JLSJ fundraising gala gown and recap

March 18, 2016 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion tagged charity / evening attire / formal / fundraiser / fundraising / jlsj / junior league of san jose / outfits / spring 2016 by Bay Area Fashionista

Fundraising gala gown outfit details: Earrings: Kendra Scott / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana / Gown: David Meister / Ring: Amethyst, yellow gold, gift from Mother, (also love this one) / Nail Polish: Chanel Roubachka / Handbag: Chanel (also love SAVE or SPLURGE) / Shoes: Tom Ford

Every two years, the Junior League of San Jose holds a fashion show fundraiser. There are two events held; a daytime luncheon, and an evening gala. This time I only attended the gala. Some years, I have attended both events; because they are so much fun!

The JLSJ fashion show fundraiser has a special place in my heart. From 2002-2010 I was an active member of the Junior League, and worked tirelessly on the steering committee for the fundraiser. I love how many fun ways there are to raise money at this event! There are raffles, showcases, a silent auction, a live auction, a call to action, and games!

Also, many of the retailers who show their lines on the runway will offer a percentage of sales to the league for a a few days after the event. This encourages guests to shop at, and support, our sponsors. It really is win/win!

Now, as a sustainer in the Junior League, I enjoy attending the event and seeing the fabulous creativity of the current actives. They always put on such a great show, and event. I am so proud of all their hard work! I cannot wait to find out the final numbers, and see how much we raised for our charities, and projects!

The Junior League of San Jose works hard in the community to promote volunteerism, develop the potential of women, and improve the community. The league improves the community through partnerships, signature projects, and grants for local non-profits, and charities. To learn more about the Junior League of San Jose, and all of the fabulous work we do in the community, please visit JLSJ.org.

Now, this is a fashion blog, so let’s chat for second about my dress! I have fallen in love with one shoulder gowns; I wore a navy one to the last fashion show fundraiser in 2014! So, I decided this was the silhouette for me, but not in navy 😉

I loved all of the structural influences on the spring 2016 runways in New York, so when I saw this one shoulder gown with a metal belt, I knew it was the dress for me! Not only did it reflect the structural trend I loved from the NYFW runways for spring, it had one shoulder! Love!

My black vintage Delman’s have attended their last gala, so after two decades, I replaced them with this pair of classic, black satin pumps. I love the gold high heel! I feel like these shoes are a classic with a twist. Always fun to have a twist!

*These photos were taken with my iPhone. My apologies for the quality.

Love the collection from Azadeh shown during the JLSJ fashion show fundraiser; enjoy the final walk featuring her designs!

Carmen Marc Valvo fall 2015 New York Fashion Week

April 8, 2015 in General Fashion tagged carmen marc valvo / fall 2015 / formal / new york fashion week / winter 2016 by Bay Area Fashionista

Photos: Cathy OBrien/Bay Area Fashionista 2015©

Carmen Marc Valvo showed his fall / winter 2015 / 2016 collection at New York Fashion Week on February 15, 2015 in The Theatre at Lincoln Center. The collection was filled with shades of black, red, white and grey. There were school-yard plaids on gala gowns, bright and cozy furs, and a vibe reminiscent of childhood.

I was fortunate enough to be sitting in the second row for Carmen Marc Valvo’s show at New York Fashion Week; I was especially fortunate since my DSLR wasn’t working at the time and I had to rely on my iPhone to capture these photos. The texture on the fabrics and fur was amazing. Carmen Marc Valvo used the finest cashmere, organza, taffeta, mink, flannel, and wool gauze on his clothing. The details were beautiful and included silver with Shadowplay diamonds, white sapphires, white agate, white quartz, black spinel, bead-work, and more. It was a feast for the eyes, and the collection instantly transported you to a red carpet event, or gala event, where you could wear such finery.

Carmen Marc Valvo was inspired by school-yard memories for his fall/winter 2015/2016 collection. He included the following poem as part of his inspiration for the show:

“Lasses and Lads

Intartan plaids

Dressed up in the latest fads

Hoping one day to be grads

Lads and lasses

In schoolyard glasses

Skipping rops and

skipping classes

Memories of playground retorts

Being lousy at sports

and too many reports

Mmeories of cheering stadium bleachers

Mean-spirited teachers

And Sunday school preachers

Memories of apples

And school-marms

Mother’s loving arms

And long lost innocent charms”

We will definitely be seeing many of Carmen Marc Valvo’s gowns on the red carpet later this year. To learn more about Carmen Marc Valvo and his work, please visit CarmenMarcValvo.com

Party Attire from Santana Row

November 17, 2014 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion / Shopping tagged anne fontaine / anthropologie / bcbg / calypso st barth / evening attire / formal / holiday fashion / holidays 2014 / penelope boutique / santana row by Bay Area Fashionista

The holiday party season is officially here! This means it is time to think about finding the perfect outfit, or outfits, for all of those holiday parties we have RSVP-ed to! When shopping for holiday attire, one place in the San Francisco Bay Area comes to mind; Santana Row.

Santana Row has ideally curated shops which carry sparkling attire perfect for formal evening gala’s as well as casual house parties. This makes Santana Row a one-stop-shop for holiday party dressing. Love that!

Some of my favorite stops at Santana Row for holiday attire include Penelope Boutique for formal wear, Anne Fontaine for cocktail attire and Calypso St. Barth for holidays parties held at home.

How amazing are the formal dresses in the photo above? They are all at Penelope Boutique at Santana Row. The sparkling cocktail dress on the right is absolutely fabulous, and the style has been spotted on celebrities such as Paris Hilton. Penelope Boutique is definitely the place to go to find formal and cocktail attire for the holiday season. In fact, they have an amazing selection of little black dresses; always perfect for the holidays.

Penelope Boutique can be found on Santana Row. For more information, please call 408.554.0054.

Anne Fontaine always has the most beautiful and crisp attire stocked in their boutique. I love the extremely high quality and attention to detail found in every Anne Fontaine piece. The red dress above is timeless and can be worn season after season. It is ideal for a holiday cocktail party this season and is sure to turn heads! Of course, Anne Fontaine also has a wide variety of black and white ensembles and dresses which are classic and perfect for the holiday party season.

For more information, please visit Anne Fontaine at Santana Row or call 408.296.6043.

Calypso St. Barth is a fabulous destination for the holiday season. The styles in store at Calypso St Barth are all unique and offer both sparkle and comfort; making them ideal for holiday parties held at home or in a casual setting this season. Love that!

Calypso St. Barth also has a wide variety of faux fur and scarves in stock which will work perfectly with any type of holiday ensemble from formal attire to jeans paired with a sequin top. For a holiday cover-up, I have my eye on this one by Georgie. It would look amazing over a sequin cocktail dress or paired with jeans like the model is wearing on Calypso St. Barth’s website. The Santana Row store has all sizes in stock!

There is also a wide selection of dresses and all-black looks which will be chic and festive for every holiday event this season. For more information, please visit Calypso St Barth at Santana Row or call 408.551.0024

If you do not see what you need this holiday season at Penelope Boutique, Anne Fontaine or Calypso St Barth, please visit BCBG, Anthropologie or H & M at Santana Row for fabulous and sparkling holiday ensembles. Happy Holidays, and stay fabulous 😉

*Brought to you by Santana Row. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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