VIPreview of Decadence: Fashions from the 1920s Offers Eye Candy Galore

Photos c/o Thomas Garza, Bob Manzano and Danny Campbell


Decadence: Fashions from the 1920s, a fashion exhibit celebrating the beauty and elegance of the 1920s, kicked off with a VIPreview on Wednesday, January 20. Presented by Galleria Dallas, curated by Ken Weber of Vintage Martini and featuring pieces from the Susan Denn and Robert Schmidt Collection and The Texas Fashion Collection of UNT College of Visual Arts & Design, Decadence showcases the allure of the 1920s in fashion and accessories. The exhibit is timely given the resurgence of 1920s-inspired silhouettes on the runways of designers such as Gucci, Marchesa and Prada and the popularity of shows such as Downtown Abbey. Local style stars and fashionistas such as Jan Strimple, Heidi Dillon, Dawn Mellon, Rhonda Sargent Chambers, handbag designer Allison Mitchell, Chuck Steelman, Carmeleta Whitely, Yvonne Crum, Jack Son, Holly Quataro, and Gina Ginsburg turned out to view rare pieces from French, Spanish and Italian couturiers including Madeleine Vionnet, Mariano Fortuny, Maria Monaco Gallenga and Lucien Lelong. The exhibit is incredibly displayed and breathtaking to behold. I can't say enough great things about it - and it's FREE - so get over to the Galleria this month and take it all in! Decadence: Fashions from the 1920s is free to Galleria shoppers and can be visited at the Galleria Dallas/Level One near Banana Republic January 22 – February 28, 2016. Visit www.galleriadallas.com for exhibit hours.

Dallas Market Center Connects Designers to Retailers

Have you ever wondered how the products created by emerging designers find their way into your favorite retail stores? Connecting those dots are wholesale apparel marts across the US, including Dallas Market Center which welcomes 75,000 buyers and conducts more than 50 trade and special events annually. Opened in 1957 and last expanded in 2007, the four buildings that comprise Dallas Market Center feature more than 5 million square feet and showcases apparel, accessories, gifts, decorative accessories, housewares, lighting, tabletop and stationery. There are more than 1,500 permanent showrooms and 500,000 square feet of temporary exhibit show space available to registered buyers.

Last Wednesday, I hosted a Sneak Peek and gave a group of Dallas fashion bloggers an exclusive inside look at what a day in the life of a retail buyer is like. We visited several showrooms and saw a variety of lines that ranged from local designers to national brands. Even a fashion guru like Holly Quartaro (style expert for the Galleria Dallas) said to me as we passed the Michael Kors showroom, "It never occurred to me that buyers could come here to see a line like Michael Kors... I just assumed you had to go to New York or LA." Nope, buyers can come to DMC and find almost every designer known to them - and discover many new ones every time they come to market. Our group was warmly received by the showrooms we visited and at one of our stops I was graciously gifted with a beautiful pair of earrings from designer Fantasia by DeSerio. You know I love swag! We ended our day with a thrilling runway show featuring Spring 2015 trends and champs (of course!) Many thanks to Dallas Market Center for playing such an important role within our fashion community.For more information, visit http://dallasmarketcenter.com.

Dawn Neufeld got snuggly with fur wraps from Kelly Kouri  |  Dawn Mellon, Tiffany Hendra and Holly Quartaro 

toasted our fun day together with some champagne before the fashion show finale 

Check out the fashion/style bloggers who attended and find a few you connect with! Each of these lovely ladies has a unique style and their own voice to share with you:

Kelley Barnes, The Style Barn
Stephanie Drenka, Geek Glam
Ellen Flowers, The Perennial Style
Leah Frazier, DFW Style Daily and The Examiner
Tiffany Hendra, Sanctuary of Style 
Jaleesa Howard, The Fashion Geek
LeeAnne Locken, The Fashionistas
Dawn Neufeld, Co-Host of KTXD's The Broadcast and The Gridiron Goddess
Dawn Mellon, The Savvy Stylist
Holly Quartaro Fashion Stylist, Galleria Dallas 

Get Spring's hottest beauty tips from Dallas' celeb experts on Saturday at Beauty Live at the Galleria

Galleria Dallas’ annual Beauty Live event kicks off FRIDAY NIGHT with a VIP soiree called Pink'd. (Tickets are just $25 and still available!)  Beauty Live is a weekend of events that highlights current beauty trends, national makeup artists, makeovers, giveaways, and a handful of beauty panels so you can take home tips and tricks.

Join me for a Beauty Live Expert Panel at 11 am on Saturday, March 2. You'll get chatter about the latest must-have beauty products and expert tips from Holly Quartaro, Pat Smith, D Magazine's Raya Ramsey, Steve Kemble, LeeAnne Locken, Joanna Hathcock.... and me!  A $20 ticket will get you a reserved seat at the panel of your choice, plus a gift card. Your ticket cost comes back to you in the form of a $20 gift card that you get to turn around and spend after picking up some great beauty advise and product suggestions. Whoo hoo! Tickets can be purchase at http://beautylive.eventbrite.com/.

Click here to get the low-down on all of Beauty Live's weekend's events from D Magazine.

CultureMap gets ready to take over Dallas

CultureMap does not simply report on the communities it covers, it fosters real-time conversation.  At least that's what their website claims...  So, imagine taking the best parts of the DMN, Observer, PaperCity and D Magazine. Now, mash them all up and put it online...and you have CultureMap Dallas!  They held a kick off party to celebrate their launch (slated for TODAY!) at Hotel ZaZa last week. I've never seen so many PR people at one event. Ever! This is a sure sign that the people who make things happen, think this site is going to happening!

Sign up today for dallas.culturemap.com/. It's gonna rock Dallas!!

(top) DJ Lucy Wrubel rocks the house!  (left) Amber LaFrance and Farah Fleurima
(middle) Cynthia Smoot & Hotel ZaZa President Benji Homsey (right) Dallas Galleria's Jim Anderson & Holly Quataro 

CultureMap CEO Alyce Alston, Publisher Phyllis Cole and Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Chininis

Look Cool Going Back to School: CBS Brings You Galleria Fashions

Who else is ready for school to start Monday!?  Can I get a Hallelujah!!  Teresa Frosini from CBS DFW and the Galleria's Holly Quataro reminded us yesterday that nothing is more important when going back-to-school than looking cool... while staying on a budget.

Check out the adorable super model tween featured in the Forever 21 segment mixing stripes with plaids.  That's my boy! I'm such a proud Mama!!

PS: For the record, he says he would never mix stripes with plaid. Nor would he be caught DEAD in a skinny jean. But hey, when you modeling, you just wear what they give you!