Friday night was definitely ‘Ladies Night’ for Bellevue Fashion Week and the place to be was the Posh Party, Beauty and Trend Show. Mothers and daughters, the ladies from work, the gal pals from college-the range of women that filled the ballroom at the Hyatt was endless.
Gathered around tiny cocktail tables angled towards the stage and runway, the babes of Bellevue were dressed to be impressed. Drinks and tasty treats circulated the room, including my personal favorite: watermelon bites topped with feta cheese and jalapeno-spicy but divine.
Our charming hostess for the evening was none other than Brooke from Movin 92.5’s Brooke and Jubal in the Morning. Ready with a punch line at any moment, she played MC for the night, including introducing us to our make-up gurus from the night from Benefit and Urban Decay. The ladies of Benefit taught us about the importance of highlighting and defining the brow, creating a daring but natural pin-up beauty. Urban Decay, on the other hand, was determined to make a bold statement by not fearing color and introduced its limited-edition Vice palette. With both sugar and spice covered (and a few handy make-up tricks to boot), we were ready to move on to the main event: The Fashion. The room was ready for the beautiful models to strut their glamour, in their intriguing outfits, a pinnacle of fashion and art. There were colors, styles, heels, Fashionable knee high boots, hair and makeup perfectly designed and tailored to complement each outfit. And the confident stances took the room by awe. It was an incredible skin-tingling atmosphere, influencing tastes and fashion desires on everyone in the room.
Terri Morgan from TCM Models & Talent was joined on stage by PStyle Image Consulting’s Bruce Pflaumer to introduce and talk up what trends we’ll be rocking this season. The best part about this runway show was not only did we get to hear about the styles beforehand but every item featured was purchasable in the Bellevue Collection. Yes, please?
Oxblood. A gorgeous color with morbid name, you’ll be seeing this deep maroon shade everywhere you look this fall. Sultry but still subtle, Pflaumer predicts oxblood will become a neutral for this season and red will reign.
Prairie Fire. Affectionately deemed ‘Ralph Lauren goes boho’, this style is the country meets the city in all the right ways. Incorporating luxe tweeds with Pioneer style and an abundance of flowing fringe, you’ll be the center of attention whether you’re home on the range or out on the town.
Power Suiting. You’re powerful in personality and it’s time you had a wardrobe to match. This style is all about rocking a suit at the office but maintaining a feminine edge. Don’t fear color and keep your clothing tailored to your form.
Luxe. This trend explains the season as a whole. If it’s high end, if it makes you feel luxurious, wear it and do so with pride.
Fur-Get Me Not. “Not your grandmother’s fur” is the tagline for this trend and it’s all about switching it up. Sleeves, trim, patchwork or bold colors, if you’re wearing fur this season, give it a fun twist.
War Horse. My personal style favorite, this fashion trend incorporates both equestrian and military styles. Refined lines are not only flattering to the figure but give a sexy ‘don’t mess with me edge. Slim pants, decorated blazers and riding boots march out this fall with both sass and feminine flare.
Leather Accents. A trend that needs no explanation, if you’re looking to spice up your look, be it gloves, boots or jacket, make it leather.
After tantalizing us with these amazing styles (Did I mention we could purchase everything we saw on the runway at the Bellevue collection?) they let us loose for the after party at Bellevue Square. The center court was a buzz and the pampering continued with make-up design by Benefit, tiny top-pot doughnuts and, of course, shopping.
Ladies, if you hit any event next year, hit this one. It’s a party and experience you don’t want to miss.
Photo credits: The Bellevue Collection
Kiri Callaghan is a published author, actor/director, sci-fi obsessionist, and Jedi. She writes about fiction, fashion, trends, and her own amateur clothing designs at KiriCallaghan.com. This is her first editorial for Crave Local.