Fashion's Night Out, NYFW, IFB Dress Up Soiree

Hello hello! So it's sort of been forever, I know. Last week was NYFW and I was busy trying to balance school work and fashion week volunteering! I also was able to attend the amazing IFB Dress Up Soiree, but more about that later...

My week began with Fashion's Night out. Unfortunately things did not go as planned. I had class until 9 and by then most of the activities I wanted to go to had died down. I even waited at Barney's with some friends next to The Row hoping MK&A would go up there, but alas they did not. Then we tried finding the Opening Ceremony & Teen Vogue block parties but failed miserably. We did get to see Isabel Toledo though!

Sunday night I volunteered at the Malene Grotrian show at the Metropolitan Pavilion. It was a great opportunity for a fashion week newbie like myself since it was a small show. We even got to sit down and watch, and take home a goodie bag filled with this new self-tanning mitt, lip balm, and Luna bars!

Monday morning came the Carolina Herrera show at the Tent at Bryant Park. All the volunteers, including myself, began at 7 AM by putting together the programs and straightening out the chairs. Before the show began, I was positioned as an usher a row away from Katie Grand and across from Anna Wintour and the Vogue crew. Rachel Zoe was also there...needless to say, I was a little star-struck even though I only saw them from afar. During clean-up, I swiped my first ever Daily, WWD, and a found Prabal Gurung Sharpie. No longer was I a newbie!

That night, I headed over to the Dress Up Soiree with Lizz. I cannot even begin to describe what an experience that was...getting to see and meet some of the bloggers that inspired me to start blogging in the first place! It was especially great hearing the panel; as each blogger went on, I finally decided what I wanted My Polychrome Life to be about. Stay tuned for some changes :)

Wednesday evening I headed back to Bryant Park to help out backstage at Doo.Ri. Let me just say that was one of the best experiences I have had thus far in this industry. Everyone was so patient and friendly, the models were the cutest ever!, and the clothes were just incredible. I have never once wanted to own everything in a single collection; I need everything from Doo.Ri Spring 2010.

My week of craziness ended with a short trip to CT and then coming back and being a goof with Lizz. Now it's off to the Teen Vogue/Clinique Fresh Faces event...

Fringe

I saw this Threadbanger tutorial today {I know, I'm behind} and WILL be making this soon. One of those, Why didn't I think of that? moments. Nice and Shiny's blog is pretty awesome too. Girl knows her stuff.

P.S. Ever heard of "Style Like U"?

Seafoam

I am so ready to step out of my primarily black and grey wardrobe.

I don't know how or why, but I accumulated so much grey since September. Of course I love grey, but I am missing all the colorful clothing I left behind in Texas.
{I've been relying a little too much on a hot pink shirt from J.Crew for a color splash lately}

Right now I'm loving this photo I spotted here from Zara's spring advertising campaign. The pieces themselves are a little eh, but seafoam green, royal purple, and maize just seem to make the perfect color combination. I will definitely be on the lookout for these colors from this point on.

P.S. I really like the name "seafoam" green. But it makes me want summer even more. So maybe not.

Looklet

I noticed Looklet while reading Fashion Squad this morning, and started playing around with it. Basically, you get to dress real 3-D models up in clothing and accessories! (Sort of like Polyvore, but better) Looklet is still in a beta version so there's not too much you can do with it yet, but the site looks promising. You need an invitation code to join, so check out the Fashion Squad post.

Very fun!

Sexyback

Alexander Wang - Pre Fall '09 Favorites

Unzip my Heart

While I was eating lunch yesterday, our apartment lost internet which is sad, but happens at least once a day. Not knowing what else to occupy my meal time with, I decided to watch Style.com fashion shows on my iTunes. Ironic, yes (models...mashed potatoes...)

Any how, one collection that really caught my eye was Versace Spring 2009. The clothes were structural, yet feminine. But what really made me gawk were the hearts formed out of zippers sewn onto the dresses. I always love hearing the concepts behind a collection, but that one is great.

Detail Shots

All photos from Style.com

How much longer until spring? I want to make a heart zipper dress!

The Used Bookstore Mystery

While out exploring a nearby town with my parents last weekend, my mom saw a used bookstore across the street and dragged us inside. Typically I am not a fan of digging through used books, because I get discouraged when I don't find what I'm looking for and because of that smell that all used bookstores have lingering. But right as I was saying "Okay mom, let's go" my eyes fell on a simple black binder lying under an old fashion sketching book. I opened the binder, and was amazed at what I saw.

It was a notebook--a patternmaking notebook--of a fashion design student named "Barbara Larson." No dates are found on any of the pages, but I can only guess from the style of binder that it is from the 70s or 80s. All of the notes are handwritten and detail how to construct everything from pleats to a Peter Pan collar. There are even miniature patterns cut out and pinned on the adjoining pages.

Even though I no longer plan on pursuing an education in design, I had to purchase the notebook. How much was it? A mere $5.

The question of who Barbara Larson is still remains a mystery. The owner of the store explained how she bought it at an estate sale, so maybe that means Larson is no longer alive? I have found various Larson's through Google, but none seem to be at all associated with the world of fashion. Did she really love designing? Did she pursue this love? Was this just a night class she enrolled in to learn how to sew clothes for her family?

This binder keeps my brain flowing with theories, but one may never know.

Why Hello

Dear bloggers/fashionistas/Lookbook.nu members,

Can I be your best friend?

Love, Kayla

P.S. I visited Lookbook.nu after reading Jennine's post on it a few days back, requested an invite, and received one in my inbox the next day! I'm getting so inspired looking through every picture, but I'm especially loving the "occupations" each user gives his or herself. (They're silly!)