“Well I guess I’ve always been “destined” to be a bridal designer. I’ve been fascinated with wedding fashions since I was little (think Jennifer Lopez in the Wedding Planner when she’s a little girl playing “wedding” with her Barbie dolls – that was me!), so it was no surprise when I decided to make it a career.” Faith Thornburg had big aspirations at a very young age – she knew she wanted to one day design the gowns that would help define one of the most exciting days of a woman’s life – her wedding day. She has done just that.

After finishing high school Faith applied to one school, The Savannah School of Art and Design – she got in – and starting in the fall of 2007 – she had her eye on one degree – Fashion Design.

While at SCAD, she started working at a bridal store in Savannah, where as she described, she played “dress up” with “brides to be” all day long in beautiful Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Priscilla of Boston and Oscar de la Rent (just to name a few).

The following summer she interned at Anne Barge and Badgley Mischka Bride in Atlanta, GA. Upon returning to Savannah, she started her senior collection. Each year, SCAD works with top designers in the “SCAD Style Lab”. Seniors are encouraged to submit their collection vision and then a few are selected to work one on one with a designer. This past year’s designers were Christian Cota and Chris Benz and they were so impressed with Faith’s vision, she was selected to work with one on one with Christian Cota – an opportunity which she describes as a dream come true!

Cota would visit Savannah throughout the year, assisting Faith in the whole “collection process” – she explains that it was at that point in her career that she was truly shaped into a designer. Along with that incredible opportunity, Faith’s work was also chosen (in a select group of senior designs) to have her collection “walk the runway” in a show choreographed by Miss J. Alexander from Project Runway.  After the show she was personally showered with praise and implausible advice from Andre Leon Talley, Miss J and Manolo Blahnik – some of the industry’s leading men!

Faith thought all of her dreams had come true until she was told that her collection had been chosen by Elle Magazine to be showcased at New York’s Fashion Week this September as well as have a special feature in the magazine in it’s October and December issues (so keep your eyes peeled for her)!

Faith is now working on a few gowns for brides that will be worn this fall and will be moving to Atlanta, GA in three weeks to get her career “up and running” – she is well on her way!

Check out her website to get to see all of her collection!

www.faithannettethornburg.com

I will be honest – I could spend the better part of a day at Target, Old Navy and TJ Maxx and I am not ashamed. People who only buy things for “the name” make me sad – you could be doing so much more with your money…like searching for and buying awesome and affordable items from that new fashion blog you’ve started reading. News flash “Buckhead Betty”: I bought the same top at “La Targe” (my oh so posh name for Target) and saved the 200 dollars you wasted – sorry I’m not sorry!

Summer’s Must Haves for 2011

Hey Wrappers! It’s almost time for summer! And with the dawn of this glorious new season comes – white jeans, bright colors, sundresses and seersucker! Don’t’ get me wrong – I do love the neutral, earth tones that accompany the fall and winter months but I would be lying to you all – if I said that this time of year doesn’t make my heart and wardrobe smile!

So – I thought I would give you a brief run down of the top 10 things you MUST HAVE for Summer 2011.

1.  Flared jeans.  The 70′s influence is still in full force.  Pair with the tube top, chunky jewelry and fabulous wedge heel for a sexy, summer look!

2.  The blouse. Tis’ the season to think: big bows, smocking, bell sleeves or neckties in soft, sheer fabrics such as a cotton blend, silk or rayon.

3.  White anything. It’s so fresh and so clean! Whether it is white jeans, shorts, dresses or skirts – you can’t go wrong. It’s classic, chic and a delightful addition to any wardrobe.

4.  Striped Tops. Nothing says summer like a nautical striped tee. Search for vertical stripes – they are slimming and will elongate your torso. Pair with white shorts or jeans and wedge heel to complete the look.

I will be honest – I could spend the better part of a day at Target, Old Navy and TJ Maxx and I am not ashamed. People who only buy things for “the name” make me sad – you could be doing so much more with your money…like searching for and buying awesome and affordable items from that new fashion blog you’ve started reading. News flash “Buckhead Betty”: I bought the same top at “La Targe” (my oh so posh name for Target) and saved the 200 dollars you wasted – sorry I’m not sorry!

How To: The Messy Bun

No matter the season the “messy bun” – is always IN. What girl doesn’t LOVE to just throw her hair up and bee-bop out the door to a party, function, dinner, the store…wherever? The “messy bun” is a staple in my wardrobe – comfortable, simple, versatile and very sexy – this “do” is sure to turn a head or two!

1.   Flip all of your hair down in front of your face 

2.  Quickly whip it back at the top of your head.  Willow Smith taught me that move .

3.  Once all of your hair is at the top of your head, gather it and begin to make a ponytail.

4.  Don’t pull your hair all the way through the hair tie (only pull halfway through) and secure the band (you will see the bun forming at this point).

5.  Take a strand of your hair and wrap around the rubber band (so it looks like you have actually knotted your hair).

6.  Pull the hair around your head to make the up – do look looser (not quaffed).

7.  Pull out strands around the face to make a softer/slightly messy look. 

8.  Voilà!

How did your bun turn out?  Catch ya’ll later Wrappers!

-Boe

“…making a small change can really make all the difference.”

The six items I chose were: black slacks, white button-up shirt, tweet plaid pants, gray vest, camel color pencil and black blouse. The point of this exercise is to show that you do not have to stuff your closet full of the latest trends to really make a statement. Style is about creativity and having fun.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Days 1-3:
I’ve started the 6 item challenge, and I. Love. IT! It’s almost liberating to not have to stare into my closet, thinking how much I hate everything in it! Instead, I now have the freedom to pick at random, a top and a bottom…and then the real fun begins! Accessories, accessories and accessories — Love. It!

Day 4 & 5
One work week in, and I’m still trying new things with my hair, laying necklaces, bracelets, etc. Totally still having fun, however I’m coming to realize the next 55 days of creativity and “freedom” from my materialistic past should be interesting…

Days 6 & 7:
Sooo, I’m starting to really REALLY loathe this idea. Maybe I have chosen too many basic items, and nothing bedazzled or graphic? But after a week I‘m starting to feel like the biggest flower pin or brightest heels cannot make this “paper doll” activity any fun.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Yes, you can call me a wimp/quitter or whatever, BUT being confined to black, khaki and white has made me value brighter colors and obnoxious patterns SO much more!

I realize this exercise is suppose to make one realize that our society values large quantities (i.e. large pay checks, large buildings, large cars…large anatomies) and in reality, we could live our lives without acquiring in bulk.

As a generation that is more aware of global problems from economies failing to floods, to social injustices in our backyard, we should understand more than ever that we can make a difference. Yes, limiting your wardrobe to fewer pieces may not legalize gay marriage or send relief to Pakistan…but it will get you thinking that making a small change can really make all the difference.

It may influence you to cut back on all of your purchases. Perhaps you do not need that 3rd pair of black pumps, or that 8th mocha latte junk in a paper cup.

I understand I may not have made it to the full 60 days (hell I didn’t make it more than a week) but it proved the point that I don’t need certain things like I would think.

I need air, water, food and shelter (bourbon, men and glitter don’t hurt either) but there are people that find my basic needs a luxury. The point of the 6 clothing items in 60 days is to jump start your creativity and make accessorizing fun again; however, it also jump started my brain to think outside of the designer box.

Try it.

But then right behind them, from the loft-studio office complexes come the jeans-and-plaid-button-down kids who you assume are in design or something “fun.” You think, “I bet they go into work late and their bosses don’t care if they have drunk photos on Facebook.”

Irrespective of whether you aspire to be the suit or the tattered jeans worker, we are in a society of superficiality; and how you “look” tends to predetermine how you’re perceived in the work place. Subsequently arises the dilemma of how to dress when you want that dream job…or even just an interview!

Even though you may want the dream design job where you can let you’re creative juices flow – you just don’t feel comfortable working, or interviewing in jeans and a vintage McDonald’s T-shirt. Conversely, you may be the next Wall Street mogul (hopefully with a conscience) – but you’ll be damned if you’re going to drop $500+ on a suit, just to sit behind a desk all day.

Sure, it would be excellent if we could change these rules and have our merit and hard work be the only basis for our progression in life; however for the present it is not possible to change the game. So it’s up to us to learn to play by the rules and maybe, in good old Gen-Y fashion, bend them while we’re at it!

Of course, the particular industry you aspire to work in determines how one should dress. Naturally, sales and finance positions place more emphasis and appreciation on traditional and formal wardrobe rather than a position in creative design or IT development.

Now, I’m not saying dress drab. You can put color into that dull suit with colorful ties, pocket squares, shirts, shoes and even earrings (but not door-knockers. This is not the ’80s, ladies).

Even mixing up patterns can break up the monotony. A plaid shirt, with a diagonal striped tie can do the trick – just make sure that one of those patterns is the dominate design and the other is modest.

As far as working in a creative environment – this is still an interview, don’t forget that! A suit, or at minimum slacks and a button-down (ties if you’re a dude) would be most appropriate to show you are professional  – let your creative works show your wild side before your wardrobe.

Don’t be afraid to ask during your interview what the customary work attire is like so you won’t be the only kid in a monkey suit amongst the wash of what may seem to be a American Apparel Ad.

In either situation, the most important aspect of looking your best, is being comfortable, and in the wise, wise words of Tim Gunn, fashion consultant, “make it work.” If you are comfortable and confident, then you will project that out into the world!

Wearing ill-fitted attired that leaves you adjusting your outfit every five minutes will signal to employers that you are not comfortable in what you’re wearing.

We didn’t make the rule of this game, but there are guidelines set in place for a reason. We have to find it within ourselves to be adept to adapt and put our best and most comfortable foot forward…be it in a pair of Johnston Murphy’s or throwback Keds.

“City girls are just country girls but with cuter outfits.”
– Sex and the City

Rural Wear, Gone Urban Fashion

This quote may be the case in some situations; however I do not feel many of the sleek-and-chic city dwellers consider the origins of their ultra-urbane outfits. Many of today’s popular fashion trends are from rural roots, and not from many cities we associate with high-fashion. Tweed, cowboy boots, even Uggs are just some influential rural items many hail as mainstream attire.

The most obvious rural inspired items are the infamous cowboy boots. Made for the rough terrain of the American-Midwest and certain Mexican states – this ultra rural footwear has seen its highs and lows in urban fashion for some time.

Designers like Ralph Lauren have intertwined the country theme throughout their brands giving them the staple feel of “classic Americana” – inspiring some to top off their designer threads with a pair of exotic red-dyed cowboy boots.

As influxes of young quarterlifers come in from the outskirts, to the hustle-and-bustle of cities, we are more than likely going to see these boots in droves moving from the cattle ranch to the catwalk, more and more.

(For tips on how to wear cowboy boots, check out CollegeFashion.net)

Next is another footwear favorite…the Ugg Boot; seen (unfortunately) from city streets to college campuses. This trend hails not from some an eccentric-urban designer, but from a practical background – surprise, surprise!

The Ugg Boot or “Ug,” Australian slang for ugly, (which suits it perfectly) was used practically by WWI & WII pilots, sheep herders and competitive surfers to keep their tootsies warm – yes, the fuzz is meant to keep your feet warm!

So if you live in Miami, please, donate your Uggs to someone in Greenland…thanks.

The Ugg Boot was worn out of the public eye until the Americans and Hollywood got a hold of them…then it was all over. Now we have to accept these once “no-nonsense” shoes as “fashion.”

Lastly, but certainly not least, is the Scottish Traditional “tartan,” that somehow became bastardized in America to be known by the pidgin of “plaid.”

Associated with lumberjacks and all things rustically-American, we saw an influx of flannel-plaid in the 1990s during the Grunge movement…thanks Seattle, Wa.

However, we all breathed a HUGE sigh of relief, as we thought this was said and done by the end of the 1990s; however plaid is back with a chic and haute-couture vengeance.

As CollegeFashion.net puts it “I think every year, after churning out too many flowery, summery dresses for spring, they become overwhelmingly nostalgic for the comfort of flannel.” This has to be case!

How a traditional Scottish Clan garb ends up on Lauren Conrad’s back is beyond me – but it is a fact that we all have to accept as truth.

(A List of Plaid Fashions from About.com)

Overall, these are just a few pieces of anti-urban garb that are being turned for a profit from Los Angeles to Dubai…and I have a feeling the list will continue to grow.

So I suggest, if you want to be ahead of the curve, skip the disco this weekend and head to the bull-rodeo for the inspiration for your next ensemble!

Now for most, making sure we have the latest Fendi or Manolos is not top priority, especially if we are choosing whether or not we get to eat this month.

So naturally there are only two options that come to mind on how to resolve this pressing issue…become the ultimate “dress on a dime” bargain hunter or…get yourself a sugar daddy.

Disclaimer: I am not telling readers to commit themselves to a very questionable situation, but rather consider the extremes of the “standards” that we have become accustomed to living.

Moving along, so for those of us who have self-respect and don’t want to waste time shopping for a sugar daddy…fashion designers are taking our struggle into mind and starting affordable lines, even for those who are forced to move back home with mom and dad.

When it became apparent a recession was present, designers made the move toward making ready-to-wear lines instead of wasting time on haute couture. For those that do not utilize fashion lingo as a means of communication, ready-to-wear lines are more economical and profitable clothing lines from designers.

Normally, high fashion designers produce lines that are not meant for mainstream purchase, and normally the sizes are very limited. But by making clothes for the masses it helps increase their profit, as well as making their name more popular in the real world where not everyone is a size 0 and eats a grape for lunch.

A perfect example of this is designer Vera Wang; known for her über-feminine designs, lavish wedding dresses, and equally lavish prices, now has a line at the more moderately priced Kohl’s department store. Even “The Hills” star, Lauren Conrad will debut her clothing line this October at Kohl’s as well…I guess those hills aren’t filled with money trees like we all thought! Keep in mind too that Kohl’s is not alone as a haven for affordable fashion these days, even Target and Wal-Mart are starting to bring in designers discount lines.

And then there is the mecca of affordable, fashionable clothes – H&M – a store which has had its share of designers feature their ready-to-wear lines. Madonna and Matthew Williamson presented their lines for the past two springs at H&M. However, the most exciting news for H&M will be on November 14, 2009 when the Dalai Lama of shoes, Jimmy Choo, will present his shoe line for the Swedish clothing brand.

So – just because the money is not flowing in like it should, does not mean we need to walk around in potato sacks or carouse the sports bar looking for “Big Papa.” Because, personally speaking when I put on a new outfit that makes me feel like a million bucks, and cost me much less, it cushions the pain that I might not have my dream job or the fact that my boyfriend ran away with his cousin.

It also helps to know that I can wear high-quality clothes by high-quality professionals without having to sell my eggs.

I can walk out into the world with my head high and project to the world that this quarterlife that we are facing is, put bluntly, shitty; however it is only temporary…so why not rough the rapids while looking cute!

But if that’s not enough for you, having a sugar daddy or two wouldn’t hurt either.