Austin Fashion Week Continues!

Thursday proved to be the big day for AFW events as it had more events scheduled than any other day of the week, but I'm proud to say I was a good little AFW-er and made sure I was in the middle of all the excitement! Continuing the edge-of-your-seat excitement of Austin Fashion Week, I stopped by several Etsy Austinites' shops and salons yesterday to see if I could fulfill the need to have my AFW cake and eat it too. Did I succeed? You decide.


First stop was Malissa Long Wearables at Baldwin Beauty School on Lamar. Truth be told, I felt like a schmuck for only being able to make it at the very tail end. I had lost my directions that I printed up for everyone's locations and my Garmin wasn't cooperating in helping me find the Baldwin Beauty School. So, after driving around for more time than I'm proud to say, I arrived at BBS and took time to talk with Malissa about some of the pieces she'd made for AFW. Her entire line was super whimsical and definitely chocked with clothing that surpassed anything my imagination could muster up. She even had a vest made entirely of bottlecaps! Sounds like something that belongs in the Blanton if you ask me. The rest of her line was comprised of hand-dyed featherweight cotton dresses, Nicole Miller-inspired handkerchief gowns (absolutely beautiful and probably some of my faves!), vivid spacey polyester-silk dresses, and various coats and tops made with vintage fabric- mmm, that word is always music to my fashion-hungry ears. There was even a dress made entirely of men's ties! In addition to serving up this stellar line, Malissa mentioned she was in the works of making her dress for the red carpet awards show on Sunday. Personally, I'm super excited to see how it turns out after seeing all her duds at BBS. Don't worry, I'll be sure to get a few snaps in so that we can all revel in Malissa's mad sewing skills!

The next stop after Malissa Long Wearables was Urban Groove Salon where I was sure to find some fabulous *anne marie* purses. A few wrong turns and horn honks later, I arrived at my second stop- what can I say, I have a knack for getting myself lost. I was greeted instantly by the lovely and cool as a cucumber Anne Marie who made me feel right at home in the oh so chic and upscale UGS. Upon seeing all the bags she'd put on display, I felt like I didn't work nearly hard enough for Austin Fashion Week. The amount of stock she had up was nothing short of amazing. There must have been at least 50-60 bags and wallets there, all shapes and sizes. My personal favorites were the recycled vintage bags that were covered in flawless fabric. It's a mystery to me how you can find something that old that's in that great of shape. Another one of my faves is the one in the pic. If I had a job right now, I think I would have had to buy that bag right off Anne Marie's arm. In addition to getting some great purse eye candy time in, I was able to meet a few other fellow artists who were participating in Austin Fashion Week, whether it be by avid spectating or competing as a designer. One of the gals I met was Diane of Tasty Jewelry (she's at Sirens Salon for the week) and one of the others was Aimee Degroff ( I believe she makes clothing but can't seem to find her site!). They were super nice and had a few great tips for how to play good hostess in the AFW frenzy. I'll have to review my notes before Saturday so that I don't have a "well, here goes nothing" moment.

Of course, the quest for fabulous fashion didn't stop there. The pursuit of fashion is like the pursuit of knowledge- it's endless. I'm sure I could twist some Greek philosopher's arm to agree with me on this. Next stop you might ask? Only one of my favorite shops in Austin- Bettysport! Upon arriving, I definitely felt very calm and at ease- maybe it was just Kim rubbing off on me? Her display, which had been a big source of stress only days before for the lovely lady of Broken Ear Productions, looked flawless and fit in perfectly with the clean yet cute yet simple feel of the store. As for the display stress mess, you'll have to ask Kim for the story on that one! I think what impressed me the most (even more than the display woes) was all the jewelry Kim had basically made custom for Bettysport. The necklace on the mannequin immediately to Kim's right features five circular pendants on which Kim sawed the name, "Betty" (one letter on each circle. There were countless other pieces that were dedicated to the sporty-cute feel of Bettysport such as the triathalon necklaces, which had one necklace for each leg (of the triathalon, not to wear on your legs- I know, I'm silly). After chattin it up with a few of my favorite Etsy Austin gals, it was time for me to round out my night with one last stop at the grand re-opening party of Austin Handmade, which also showcased the lovely designs of Robie Dodson of Parsimony and the launch of soon-to-be (believe me, it's only a matter of time) craft craze, The Wonder Craft... TO BE CONTINUED

Action Jackson out!