The Diva is Superstar for a night...!

I had the time of my life Friday night. What was I doing you ask? Well, let me tell you! I went to a New York Fashion Week After Party; a charity event for the MacDella Cooper Foundation. Ms. MacDella Cooper is raising money to build a boarding school for orphaned children in Liberia and Sorta Kinda Enterprises donated the Supima Cotton competition dress for a raffle to raise some of the money.

I have to tell you, it is so much fun being a fashion designer's muse! I wore an exquisite denim gown by SK Wilbur and - if you haven't had a couture piece done for you yet, do it! It was the most elegant and comfortable gown I have ever been in (I haven't been in any other :)). And the fit - of course - complimented every curve. I had my makeup professionally done by MAC - shout out to Jessica! - and SK Wilbur picked out my makeup colors. I have to say, I have never felt more beautiful.

Now the event made me feel very superstar. I was interviewed by "Rock The Look", an online destination that includes photos of the most fashionable non-celebrities attending various events. And the interviewer pulled myself and SK Wilbur out of the crowd of people because I looked like an Everyday Diva, just a little more glamorous :).

SK Wilbur, Elena (our model wearing the auctioned piece), and myself walked the red carpet. Now, what you've seen done to Anne Hathaway, Reese Witherspoon, and Angelina Jolie was done to us. What was done to us? We were asked to look to the left, the right, the center, and "over here" with all the camera flashes illuminating our faces! I felt like a superstar!!

And of course, there was the event. It was for a great cause and the foundation ended up making their goal for the night which was exactly what we were there for. I look forward to seeing the updated pictures and hearing the stories of the lives we were able to help change with our donation. These children will receive two of the most important things in their lives - education and family. Peace and blessings to you MacDella Cooper for starting a foundation that will make a difference in the lives of many children in war-torn Liberia.

Love Life, Love Fashion!

Valentina = Fabulous!

On Thursday, February 12, I went to the opening of Valentina: American Couture and the Cult of Celebrity, an exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York.

Valentina Nicholaevna Sanina Schlee - known simply as Valentina - was a fashion pioneer. Never coming out with a line of clothing for the mainstream, she would only do couture pieces for women who best represented what the name Valentina was about. She had a customer base of 2,000 women which included illustrious ladies like Greta Garbo, Katherine Hepburn, Gertrude Lawrence and members of the Whitney and Vanderbilt families. Honey, she was fabulous!

While there, SK Wilbur and I bumped into people like the very elegant Amy Fine Collins, who was the the muse for the late, extraordinarily talented designer Geoffrey Beene. We also spotted Mary McFadden, a fashion designer who is known for much more than just fashion. SK Wilbur had a brief conversation with Gene Meyer, a menswear designer who now creates home furnishings and across the room we noticed Hamish Bowles, the style editor of Vogue magazine.

I couldn't help but notice that her classic, chic, effortless style was so similar to SK Wilbur's. When I asked him about it - he didn't even know who she was or that he was channeling her with almost every design of his! With both their styles being easy yet chic with attention to detail it really was both uncanny and fantastic. For any and all of you fellow fashionistas out there - this is a must see. Not only will you be inspired by her timeless style, you'll want SK Wilbur to make you one of his "channeled" pieces.

Love Life, Love Fashion!

Fashion, UN-Fashion and the In Between

Hey ya'll...

I am on a mission. I am trying to find ways to incorporate fashion into each of my diary entries. And because fashion permeates some facet of my everyday life, it really shouldn't be that difficult. WRONG! Just because I am the Diva-at-Large, doesn't mean that I don't come down with a case of the banal and routine blues. So this week I dug deep into my fabulicious soul and came up with some interesting topics that could be considered fashionable or NOT.

UN-fashionable - Reefer bongs and gold medals just don't mix. The controversy concerning marijuana use continues. Its effect on the body and whether or not it should be legal are still debatable points. But the fact is, weed is still considered an illegal drug in all cases but cancer treatment. Note to Michael Phelps: Although you've won 8 Olympic gold medals and may feel like you are impervious to scrutiny over little things like smokin' the pipe, you're really not! Just ask my friends at Kellogg's.

Fashionable - Congratulations, Ms. Jennifer Hudson. I am proud like you're my family! You taught the world how to be resilient after tragedy strikes. And you won your first Grammy for the Best R&B Album with grace, elegance and as always humility. And your SuperBowl rendition of the national anthem was off the hook! Go on, Girl!

"Whatever floats your boat" Fashion - God bless the woman who recently gave birth to octuplets. I'm anxious about having one! But then I found out she already had six other children at home! All I know is that I am going to send positive thoughts to those babies, because they are going to have to rely on a higher power (and a community) to survive the madness that will ensue once they come home from the hospital.

P.S.: Forgive my ignorance, but who is Robert Plant and Alison Krauss? Either way, congratulations to you too!

Love Life, Love Fashion!!

Out & About During NY Fashion Week

Hey ya'll! New York Fashion Week begins next Friday, February 13th (ooooo!) and while I wish upon a star that I'm invited to a show, I will be attending another event of great efforts.

Remember when I brought you news of SK Wilbur participating in the Supima Cotton runway competition? Well, the evening gown that was designed for that contest will be auctioned off at a charity event for the MacDella Cooper Foundation. I am very excited because I will be wearing an original SK Wilbur designed gown which makes me the "living model" for the auctioned piece!

The MacDella Cooper Foundation is trying to raise $500,000.00 to build a school for orphaned and abandoned children in Liberia. Here at SK Wilbur, we support worthwhile causes and believe in positivity and being fabulicious and spreading that love. So while we are spreading the love and raising money for this wonderful event, please pray for my feet. That's right, my feet! This past Saturday I had a fitting which included me wearing the potential shoes so we could make a decision about dress length. And my feet were KILLING me. So you know what's happening to them - they are going right back to Macy's where they came from. I've heard that sometimes we ladies have to suffer for pain, but that kind of pain seems unnecessary. And if worse comes to worse and I cannot find the perfect shoes, I will be wearing my house slippers. Can you imagine - the Diva-At-Large in perfect MAC make-up, luxurious denim gown and house slippers? SK Wilbur would not be happy, but I will still be a diva - always and forever! I am sure we will work this out and the evening will be a huge success, but I will have some kind of backup in my purse. And in the meantime, I will keep you posted. Stay tuned.

Love Life, Love Fashion!