Style Bloggers of Color Conference 2013

Last week this time, I was an attendee of the Style Bloggers of Color (SBOC) 2013 Conference which took place here in Miami.

My day 1 outfit was pretty simple - I wore a screened tee I got from Marshall's, my favorite Forever 21 skirt, a vintage Gap denim jacket, and my green heels from target. My bag was from a local store called Steps, and it fit ev-er-y-thing from my wallet and notebook to my camera with all three lenses. Perfect!

I didn't take many photos on the first day, but I did snap one of Natalie Live of The Tiny Closet during her photography workshop. She's just the sweetest little thing!

Day 2 was packed with great panels which were informative and hilarious! The first panel was "Content 411", all about enhancing blog material and keeping readers engaged, featuring Ty Alexander of Gorgeous in Grey, Kimberly Walker of KimmyGotSoul, Cortnie Elizabeth of StyleLust Pages, and Jillian Martin of NuSphisticate.

The second panel was "Social Media Butterfly" about how to use social media as tools for connecting with readers, networking, and making blog content accessible on multiple platforms featuring Blake Von D of Blake Von D, Shayla Drake of All Things Slim, Charles Wade of Tuff Magazine (such a comedian!), Inez of Style Chic 360, and Nife Oluwole of Skinny Hipster.

The third panel was "Multimedia Blogging" with Kéla Walker of Kéla's Kloset, Nicole Garner of The Garner Circle (a PR Powerhouse!), and Janel Martinez of Black Enterprise.

The fourth panel, "You Dot Com", stressed maintaining individuality while blogging. I'm a firm believer in delivering content that is honest and true to the purpose of the blog, so this session was a great reminder that being me around here is perfectly OK! Panelists were Leslie Young of Fashion du Jour, Ria Michelle of Ria Michelle, Martha Dominguez of Princess Martha, Ariel Burke of Fashion Devotee, and Chanel of Chanel Files.

Mattie James of Mattieologie and the SBOC Conference Director lead the fifth session on "The Business of Blogging" (sorry, no photos!) and closed out the conference. I learned a lot and met so many lovely ladies and dynamic style influencers!

 

This was my day 2 outfit - My shirt and dress are Forever 21, my vest is Old Navy, and my Zara lookalike heels are JustFab. My handy Steps bag did so well on day 1 that I brought it along for the ride again on day 2.

I was glad to have styled some of my regular pieces that still fit even at nearly eight months pregnant. As I mentioned in my last post, maternity clothes are expensive! So I've been getting creative with putting together outfits from items I already have that still fit.

"My Love on Top" and me :)

Here, I'm pictured with the lovely Leslie, and "kutie" Kéla  It was such a pleasure to have met them and so many other inspiring and stylish ladies!

Looking forward to #SBOC2014!

CFW: Fashion Show

Yesterday's post was all about the Christian Fashion Week VIP Reception. Today, I'm going to fill you in on the big event -- the fashion show!

Before being seated, we couldn't resist taking more red carpet photos... 

"Who I'm wearing": Top: Thrifted | Skirt: Marshalls | Belt: Forever 21 | Shoes & Clutch: Guess (very old)

And now for the Fashion Show!

JULIA CHEW



SANDRA HAGEN

SUMITA BHOJWANI

FRANCO MONTORO

Franco Montoro could not attend the event. After the showing of his collection, CFW team member Jose Gomez (pictured below) called a brief intermission during which we were able to discuss, regroup, and visit the vendors in the lobby.

 

Silva and I didn't hesitate to exchange thoughts. After 20 minutes, the show started up again, but this time with a twist. The first collection of the second segment was for the guys!

PAT MCGHEE

CARMELITA COUTURE

ALMA VIDOVIC

What I enjoyed most about the show was the diverse mix of designs from street style to evening wear, couture to bridal, ladies' clothing to menswear, all capturing the essence (and in some instances, the respective cultures) of the designers. Although I do not cover it here, there was even a swimwear show by Renee Scarborough, designer for Two Coconuts. I did miss seeing designer Evelyn Lambert's collection, however it seemed as though she could not make the event.

At the end of the show, I met up with blogger/singer Kerleen Joseph, and she interviewed me on why I started blogging. I'm not a camera person, but I'm excited to see how the interview turns out.

 Check out Kerleen's take on Christian Fashion Week here.

Overall, Christian Fashion Week was a great experience! The event was well-organized, well-attended, and has the potential to reach bigger and better heights without jeopardizing Christian values. Additionally, it was for a good cause. CFW's 2013 beneficiary is Created, a nonprofit organization that seeks to restore the lives and self-esteem of vulnerable women mostly connected to the sex industry. Learn more about Created's noble cause here or visit their website: www.createdwomen.com. 

If you're considering whether to attend Christian Fashion Week next year, I would definitely encourage you to go. Whether you're a designer, entrepreneur, industry mogul, blogger, or self-proclaimed fashionista, there is something for everyone at CFW, and I believe it will only get better.

Hope to see you there next year!

CFW: VIP Reception

As I mentioned to you all on Friday, I was invited to cover the first ever Christian Fashion Week event in Tampa, FL, over the weekend. I must say it was a great experience!

The VIP Reception was held on Friday night. Of course, Dwayne and I had to pose on the red carpet because... well... it's a red carpet!

The decor was gorgeous. Silent auction tables were set up in the middle of the room which was buzzing with designers, exhibitors, models, special guests, photographers, and press.

Racks were also set up by the designers so that people could look at, feel, and try on some of the designs that were going to be modeled on the runway the next evening.

I thought the cocktail table center pieces were pretty :)

Dwayne snapped a quick photo of me pausing from my hors d'oeuvre to post on Instagram.

My babe was looking sharp!

The lovely Pat McGhee, one of the designers.

 I took advantage of the opportunity to check out some of the racks on display.

At the end of the night I met two other bloggers.

Silva of On My Shoebox and Joelle of My Sunday Dress.

My Outfit

Top: Marshalls | Blazer: Marshalls | Skirt: Banana Republic | Shoes: Sole Society
Purse: Forever 21 

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post all about Saturday's fashion show!

Christian Fashion Week

 

Right now as we speak, I'm getting ready to head off to the FIRST ever Christian Fashion Week! My heart sank with simultaneous disbelief and excitement when a CFW rep called and invited me to cover the event as a blogger. Even better, my pass allows me into the show tomorrow as well as the VIP reception tonight where I'll meet the designers, models, and special guests! I'll post all about it next week, but stay tuned on Instagram and Twitter for real-time updates @TyphanieStewart.