aici installation dinner & melissa fleis...

last nite aici (association of image consultants international) san francisco chapter held their annual installation dinner...it honestly was such a fun & stylish evening...it was a wonderful nite of seeing colleagues...

here is adena...our president (and wonderful friend) thanking me for my service on the board as treasurer...don't we look all serious?

obviously...there was fun involved...adena and i have been friends for many years...AND share the same birthday...and of course...we both have our love of fashion...here we are a little less serious...

and thanks were given to the board who served 2012-2013...we welcomed the new board for 2013-2014...and here we are...being sworn in...looking forward to working with this wonderful group of women...
 
                                      

the evening honored some members who more then deserved the awards they received...lots of mingling...and then we had a wonderful guest speaker...the lovely melissa fleis...project runway season 10 finalist...and although she did not win...she was always my favorite...so it was quite a delight to meet her in person...

she talked to us about her time on project runway...and yes...tim gunn is really that wonderful...upcoming trends...showed some of her fabulous designs...

her leather work is amazing!  

all in all...quite the fun evening...

a nite of fashion with melissa fleis...

won't you join us?

aici (association of image consultants international) 

san francisco chapter 

is pleased to announce...

a nite of fashion 

with the lovely 

melissa fleis...project runway season 10 finalist...

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S LITTLE BLACK DRESS: AN EVENING OF FASHION WITH AN EDGE - BY SF DESIGNER MELISSA FLEIS, SPONSORED BY AICI 
HELD AT BLOOMINGDALE'S

(San Francisco, CA) The little black dress is newly reinvented for today's confident woman who knows her strengths and isn't afraid to show both confidence and charisma.

AICI SFBA presents a night of fashion on the fast track with Bay Area designer Melissa Fleis, a Project Runway Season 10 finalist, who casts her design magic with an emphasis on supple black leather clothing and accessories. The evening begins with a private members-only installation-of- officers' ceremony followed by an exclusive fashion event open to the public. The fashion-filled evening, Wednesday, July 17, begins with a champagne reception at 6:30 p.m. and followed by the fashion presentation at 7:00 p.m. at Bloomingdale's, 845 Market Street, San Francisco (Mission View Room, 3rd floor) 

   Cost: $45 Registration 

Fleis, a young designer on the move, recently signed an exclusive with her custom leather fashions and accessories at NWBLK, a fashion, South-of-Market design incubator. "I create for the self-assured woman in her 20s to 50s who seeks the simple sophistication of black leather designs,' says the slender couturier, who received her Masters of Fine Arts degree from Academy of Art University.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013 

$45.00 per person.

Check in and champagne at 6:30 pm.
Program 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

click here to register

hope to see you there!

come meet melissa fleis (project runway season 10 finalist)

aici (association of image consultants international) san francisco chapter is pleased to announce a fabulous event that is taking place next month...and you are welcome to join us!  for those avid project runway fans...you may remember the lovely melissa fleis from season 10...she was the runner up...and yes...she was my top choice for that season...i absolutely loved her style of design...

melissa will be our guest at an exclusive event...and we are opening it up to the public...just know...space is limited...so if you are interested in attending...click here...and register...

here are the details:

Join the Association of Image Consultants International-San Francisco Bay Area (AICI SFBA)

and Bloomingdale's for a very special evening with

MELISSA FLEIS, 

 finalist from Project Runway Season 10. 

 Melissa will talk about her experiences on the show, 

as well as share and show us her latest designs

Wednesday, July 17, 2013
$45.00 per person.

Check in and champagne at 6:30 pm.
Program 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

register here

space is limited...

let me know if you plan on being there...

would love to meet you as well!

aici international conference 2013...

the last post of mine was titled "packing anxiety"...written right before my trip out to arizona for the aici international conference...once i started focusing...i was able to complete the packing...and make my flight...phew!  

arriving in arizona...there were 5 of us from different areas meeting up to drive over to the hotel...here is our rental car...5 women...a few tries...and we finally loaded up the rental...we were pretty proud of ourselves...

the week was full of many great classes...meeting colleagues from all around the world...and sharing ideas with each other...there is always new things to learn...we must keep ourselves fully trained...fully updated with the latest & greatest in presentations...applications...tech devices...etc...and i'm no different...i want to be the best i can be when working with my clients...

and the packing anxiety...what packing anxiety?  i packed what i needed...and being that it was a conference of image consultants from around the world...i needed my options...so here is a fun pic we took in our hotel room...1 conference...3 image consultants...6 days in arizona = 20 pairs of shoes!

scatter my ashes at bergdorf's...

a must see movie for me... =)  here is a little more info of "scatter my ashes at bergdorfs" if you are interested as well...and of course...watch the clip below...anyone else as excited as me?

discarded to divine 2013...

another year has come and gone...and it is time for discarded to divine 2013...i am bummed as this will be the first year that i will be missing the event...but...i wanted to do a post on it...because it is a great cause...and perhaps some of you might want to attend...

discarded to divine...reclaimed fashion...reclaimed lives...how did this magnificent event come about to be?  here is "the story" taken from the website:

It began in 2005, when St. Vincent de Paul Society Help Desk Director Sally Rosen found herself facing a pile of unusable donated clothing, torn and stained. Sally thought, "While working at the Help Desk, I realized our discards were waiting to be transformed into divine creations." She began to think of recycling, imagining how these discarded garments could be remade into something new and useful. She decided to invite designers to take the discarded clothing and create wearable works of art and exquisite home décor, thus Discarded to Divine was created.

Discarded to Divine is a charitable event showcasing the talents of professional and aspiring designers who transform discarded, donated clothing into one-of-a-kind couture creations and exquisite home décor which are auctioned to benefit those overcoming poverty, homelessness and domestic violence.

pretty amazing that a pile of unused clothing...would inspire one woman to take that...and make this incredible fashion event...and fundraiser...for st. vincent de paul...

the actual event is always fun with silent auction and all...but there is also a preview of the garments...shown one nite at the de young museum...click on the website link above to get all the info! 

photo source

gearing up for a weekend of learning...

every year...i attend our aici (association of image consultants international) san francisco chapter education conference...lucky for me...they are fairly close to home...and so...easy to get to...i really look forward to this time...not only to talk to colleagues of mine...or learn new marketing ideas, networking...etc...but i get an extensive three days full of educational classes...in many subjects...so for the next three days...i will be taking lots of notes!

and then bringing it on back to you...

take for example my hair stylist...i love that she is always educating herself on the latest and greatest techniques on hair cutting, coloring and all...because then she passes on that knowledge to me...when she is working on me...

let's face it...we are always calling on professionals for help...and whatever professional we are looking for...a plumber, a hair stylist, a therapist, a wardrobe stylist...we want to feel that they are always improving their own skills...aren't we?

so i am gearing up for a weekend of learning...taking lots of notes...and educating myself on many subjects...such as...bridging the cultural gap...looking your best on camera...liberating your use of color...to name a few...and with that...i will be able to come back to my clients...and you...my dear readers...and share tidbits of what i have learned...

so stay tuned...and have yourself a fabulous weekend!

photo source

christmas at the rotunda...

one of my all time favorite places in the city...the rotunda in neiman marcus...so imagine my excitement when announcements were made that the aici (association of image consultants international) san francisco chapter christmas party would be held there...squeal!  

i have always been fascinated by the enormous tree in the store...even more so then the one in union square...something about this tree is just SO beautiful...and every year...i need to go check it out...at least once...maybe twice...how do they get that massive thing in the store?

the tip of the tree in the rotunda...isn't the ceiling amazing?

and yes...this was our amazing view for the evening...over looking union square on a most perfect nite...

and some of my friends and fellow colleagues...being in a room of image consultants...i knew that everyone would be looking pretty sharp in their holiday best...

we had a "fashion" ornament exchange...well not really an exchange...but a white elephant gift exchange...where the idea is to "steal" from others...rather then swap...this was the beauty i ended up with at the end of the nite...love the color...

big celebration in the city...

saturday evening...four of my closest friends...surprised me with...well...a nite i will not forget...all i knew up until the moment the event started...was that i needed to be ready by 7:30pm...what i realized in the weeks leading up to this big celebration...is that while i love surprises...i love them when i have an idea of what is going on...THIS...drove me crazy...but they all kept their lips sealed...

at 7:30 pm...i walked out of my home...to see a stretch limo parked outside my door...here we are...getting ready to start our fun nite...i was excited to wear my vintage black sequined top (circa 80's) for the very first time...as i was saving it for a special occasion...this was that special occasion...although the pics don't show it...i wore it with my blue/black animal print jeans...and suede ankle booties...(this was my 2nd attempt in 2 months to wear heels...due to my pulled tendons)...i think i did ok in the walking department...all for fashion...right?

inside the limo...this was chilling...oh my heart is happy... =) courtesy of one of my girlfriend's hubby...thanks denny!

after a lovely 30 minute drive...enjoying much laughter and bubbly...we arrived at one of my favorite restaurants...if you ever have the chance while in san francisco...i highly recommend it...great food...great ambiance...

although we all cleared our plates...we still needed to make room for dessert...after all...birthdays come around but once a year...

we then headed back in the limo...only to arrive at "top of the mark" - sensational view of the city...i just wished i could have danced...but gimpy me...had to sit out...

as if this nite was not perfect enough...while i was spoiled rotten to the core...once back in the limo...i had lovely gifts awaiting me...i had to laugh at the cards...do my gal pals know me well...or what??  all fashion related...

the bottom card shown in the above pic...even had inserts for me...just in case i felt like accessorizing the card differently...gotta love it...

a nice new carry case for my phone and essentials by michael kors...in my favorite color...green!  

tickets to an upcoming keiko matsui concert...cannot wait!

a cd of french/latin jass music...to be played while perusing my new book...are you ready for this??  a leather bound gorgeous book on christian louboutin...with gold embossed pages...the pics are oh so spectacular...i may have to share some in an upcoming post...

and a lovely plaque for my inspiration wall...with one of my favorite quotes...

and i'm still basking in all the love i felt...saturday nite...by some of the most incredible friends a girl can have...thank you from the bottom of my heart...adena, lillie, lorena & margaret...i love you to pieces!

orange is the new black...

at least here in the san francisco bay area...

congratulations to the san francisco giants...
another world series...
and in a sweep!

photo source

aici september kick-off event...

a few weeks back...i attended the aici (association of image consultants international) san francisco chapter september kick-off event...the event was held at one of my favorite places...bloomingdales in san francisco...thought i would share some of the highlights...like our lovely centerpieces...courtesy of bloomingdales...these were my favorites that i was lusting after...

and of course...how appropriate that the pair at my welcome table...was a polka dot dream...here i am preparing to welcome the guests...and doing my other "treasurer" duties...while admiring said shoes...everyone was convinced that they would be mine by the end of the evening...but alas...they are still at the store...

the evening was all about fall trends...and some of us were coerced volunteered to share our favorite fall trends...i decided on three...at one time...but it worked...without being a trend over load...
i chose fur...which you see on my vintage 80's jacket...sleeves trimmed with a luscious fox fur...a cluster of brooches on my jacket...and my "oxblood" booties...

most of the "models" like me...had pulled items out of their closets...which is always fun...when you can see what trends are coming out...what will work for your specific body and life style...and then have it already available in your closet...

the jacket i purchased about 2 years ago...great find at a church rummage sale...the brooches...i've had forever...picked up at flea markets...and my fun ankle booties...i purchased 3 years ago...so...look in your closet for those forgotten pieces that may be "just right"...right now!

and here i am with our lovely speaker...brenda kinsel...whom i love and adore...

fashion's night out 2012...

the day has finally arrived...the 4th annual fashion's night out...will you be participating?  for those of you that don't know about it...it is where vogue, the cfda and others have teamed up for the worldwide initiative to promote local retail and celebrate the fashion industry...

so whether you are in california...another state...or in another country...which means many have already been celebrating by the time this post goes out...have fun...enjoy the shows...the fashion...and all that comes with it...

scanned by moi

discarded to divine event - part 2 - the live auction...

in continuation of yesterday's post...where i shared about this wonderful fundraiser event that i attended last week..."discarded to divine" supporting st vincent de paul society...the evening was split into two parts...the silent auction...which of course is fun to walk around and see what is up for bids in a silent auction environment...

but it all changes in a live auction setting...what is it about bidding on something...i think you get to a point that if you are outbid...you then are more determined then ever to have that one item...most of the bidding wars were usually between two parties...which is why i make the point of the adrenaline rush that happens...

but enough of that...let's get to the goods...after all...that is what this nite was all about...and bidding wars is a good thing...when the end result is going towards a charity...for the live auction...there were 12 pieces represented...i only took pics of my favorites...it still amazes me that these were all made from donated unusable clothing...

and no...i didn't bid...as these were not even close to my size...haha...but it doesn't mean i wasn't wishing they were...

as soon as they announced that this first dress coming out was a mix of patterns...i already knew...deep in my heart that i was most likely going to love it...and it didn't disappoint...

the next show stopper was this lovely black cocktail dress with pink coat...mad men inspired...

now i know that i need a coat like this...so i am on a mad search...gotta love that the model came out holding a martini glass...working the role...for sure!

anything that shimmers...gets my attention...although this dress would be a hard one to wear for a lot of women...i did think it was an adorable dress...

back view

one can never have enough jackets...at least that is my philosophy...this one?  so unique and different...had a equestrian vibe...

this next dress was interesting with its jacket...although when she took it off...the dress itself was quite the show stopper as well...

back view

this next one was BEYOND amazing...that beautiful long coat was all suede...loved the combination with the long dress...

 back view of the coat...exquisite work...

and a black & white combination...always classy...

back view

it was such a fun event...almost like a mini project runway challenge...and the end results were all pretty creative...