24 September, 2007
Torrid Model Search 2007 (and lots of Power Shopping)
I’m baaaaaaack! I had a super fun weekend in Orlando with my hot hairstylist friend Matt (Chris ended up not going at the last minute). We had such a great time and felt like true jetsetters, just hopping down to Orlando for a little shopping spree and a little modeling. Ha!
So the model search was actually only a tiny tiny part of our weekend, but I know that’s what y’all wanted pictures of, so I will deliver. We got in Friday afternoon, picked up our rental car (with a GPS, which is just about the greatest thing EVER) and checked out our hotel, which was pretty nice. We headed over to Florida Mall just to scope out the scenario and find out what time to be there. The girls at the Torrid store were great and since they were opening at 9 (the event started at 10) we decided to go up about 8:30 the next morning.
The rest of the day was like 7 hours straight of Power Shopping followed by some yummy food at an all-veg Chinese restaurant.
The next morning we got up early, primped and headed over to the mall. We ended up getting there around 9 and there were already over 200 people in line ahead of us. Wow.
Sorry if I’m biased but I think we were amongst the cutest in the building. In the crazyness of the morning, we didn’t even take a picture of my whole outfit so I’ll tell you what I wore. The top is a two-layer tank (nude shell and black layered lace overlay) by Michael Kors, I wore my dark wash Apple Bottoms jeans with the rhinestones on the butt and my red Steve Madden platform peeptoe stilettos. I also had on marbled gray hoops and my big red bangle Jimmy bought me in NYC that everyone loves so much.
The line wrapped around the stage several times. When the event finally got started, the atmosphere was pretty fun! They had a DJ (sort of, I mean it was a guy with a laptop but whatever) and he played top 40 club stuff the whole time so there was a lot of booty shakin’ going on.
A lot of girls wore their heels, and were seen standing around barefoot or with one off. I actually brought my heels in my bag and wore my Stuart Weitzman red patent flats while standing in line. Standing in four-inch stilettos on a tile floor for about three hours is not one of my favorite activities, and I’m glad I anticipated that.
It was bizarre, but both Matt and I were recognized. Hahaha. He was on Instant Beauty Pageant on the Style network with our friend Andrea a while back and two separate people recognized him. This one dude wanted to talk with us for like half an hour about it. I was in line behind someone on Livejournal who recognized my tattoo. Haha. Even in a foreign land, we are hard to miss.
After a while we got near the front of the line, and the photographer (who had a crucial mohawk) decided to take a break and give away some shirts and introduce the “celebrity guests.” The chubby girl from high school musical was there (I guess she’s also a Torrid model) and the other dude is Pamela Anderson’s stylist or something.
They gave away some shirts, the crowd acted like they were throwing Fendi bags or something, geez.
The photographer was cute and sweet and a funny MC. Check out Pamela’s stylist’s embroidered sweatpants. I was really feeling those.
I tried to look for girls who I could picture being in the top 10. I found five. Man, that sounds really terrible to say but most of the people that were in our section of the line looked like they were in outfits that would be in my “walking the dog” or “running to Farm Fresh for some emergency soy ice cream” sections of the closet, not in the “incredibly flattering and fierce model search contestant” section. I was so disappointed because I wanted to leave with a collection of pictures of incredibly hot fat girls and maybe gain some style inspiration.
Darn it, Orlando, you sadden me! Where are the hot stylish girls from Florida? They just HAD to be in the back of the line. I’m sure all this sounds hilarious since I probably won’t be in the top 10, which will put me in the same category with the rest of the dog-walking-outfit-category people, but I guess I was just expecting something different. Several of my online friends have tried out in the past and they are all incredibly cute, stylish and edgy and I didn’t see much of that in Orlando. Matt and I also agreed that he needed to set up a hair station next to the Smashbox makeover seat, STAT.
BFF! So glad he was there. Girls were mad jealous that he kept fixing my hair while I was in line too. Haha.
We finally got to the front of the line and met the “celebrity” guest. She had a huge mountain of very pretty hair and was very sweet. Then it was my turn! We had to do a little runway walk in front of the judges table which I totally nailed (complete with a wink when I turned at the end of the runway), and then walk up on stage and take two pictures. I sort of did a little unintentional plié when I stepped up the first step (thanks messed up knee from running) but I played it off and chatted it up with the photographer for a hot second.
Polaroid lady took my polaroid, then I turned and smiled hugely for the photographer, and then I left. One of the judges pulled me aside and told me I “rocked that catwalk, girl” and several girls in the line told me how good I did on the way out. Aww.
And just like that, we were done! We both felt majorly relieved and I didn’t get nervous until afterward. I went and changed my shirt and shoes and we hit up the rest of the mall. Their Torrid is way better than the one in Virginia Beach, I hit the jackpot and brought back a ton of clothes from there, the Ecko store, Delia’s and Urban Outfitters. Around 3pm we headed back past the center of the mall on our way out and girls were still going through the line. Wow. There must have been close to a thousand girls there! We were at the front of the line and went through about 10:45, I can’t imagine being there all day!
There were some fun candy stores in Orlando, I loved the colorful displays.
Aww M&M (his initials too).
The M&M store was awesome. The chocolate smell made me sort of nauseous though.
Awesome trip, I don’t know when we will hear anything. The Massachusetts event, which was at the end of August has their top 10 on the Torrid site (go vote) and I believe they let them know who was in the top 10 about two weeks after. I’m not sure if they handle all the events the same way. Eventually there will be a top two from each location and they get to fly to LA for a fashion show, photo shoot, hair, makeup and $1500 wardrobe prize (ooh!). I can’t imagine getting a call, with as many girls that came out, if I do then yay, if not I had a blast this weekend and Matt is now on my top 5 list of great people to travel with. So fun!
20 September, 2007A Tiny Dilemma
Do you think I can fit all this in one carry-on bag? Hmmmm. Anyone know origami? Like for clothes?
Off to Orlando in a few hours for the Torrid Model Search! Wish me luck!
19 September, 2006Attention Jay McCarroll!
Don’t tease us. Please say that we can buy this stuff somewhere, because I’d wear all of this right this minute. Well except for the welding mask and the metallic leggings, but seriously, how hot was his collection? Answer: extremely. The color, the hand detailing, I love it all.
Fashion Week 2006
I don’t know who else is keeping up, or like me, has a passing interest in Olympus Fashion Week. The Project Runway shows are this morning, and I might post those collections later, or I might just wait for the final episode recap, but I was browsing today and thought I’d share some stuff I liked from the shows so far. All images originated from Style.com.
Anna Sui. Pay no attention from the knees down and I love these.
Of course, most of Anna Sui’s stuff had this weird pirate element going on. Yikes is all I have to say. On the right is Marc Jacobs’ model, flying away. I didn’t like ANYTHING by Marc Jacobs, which depressed me cause I think he’s pretty cool.
I loved Diane Von Furstenburg’s use of color (as usual) and her “All About Eve” concept. The Style.com podcast has a really cool interview with her and Tim Gunn in addition to her runway show. Check it out.
More from DVF.
Badgley Mischka. I love the little vest.
Ooh my favorite citron/acid green/yellow color.
I’d never heard of Tory Burch before today, but I would wear all her stuff right now.
Vera Wang.
Zac Posen.
And my beloved, Michael Kors. I love the silhouettes and especially the belts.
Although would it have killed him to use some color? Any other favorites? Any thoughts on these?
24 October, 2005REVIEW: Jones New York Clothing Collection
Okay so finally I have found a line of clothing that seems to be reliable, well-made, classically designed and not overly pricey. Which, after years of fat-girl abuse from the fashion industry, seems too good to be true. Attn fat chicks: check out Jones New York. [nice site, but heavy on Flash]
Mom and I went shopping at Nordstrom this weekend to find her an outfit for a conference she is presenting at this week, and I was really surprised at their selection (and at the amazingly nice and helpful sales lady). Normally I avoid department stores because their plus size departments are either floral prints that make you look like an upholstered sofa or there are 20 million ponchos and elastic waist pants. They also usually have some random employee working there who is pissed off to be in the plus size department and pretty much thinks that fat people don’t deserve to live, much less wear clothing [ew, you came out in public that fat?].
That leaves the big girls around here with two choices [hey, it used to be just one til a few months ago], Lane Bryant and Torrid. Going to LB or Torrid is totally a catch-22. On one hand, you gotta love them for the spacious dressing rooms, decent lighting and temperature, employees who look just like you [and will honestly tell you if the outfit is a big NO] and just the general idea that the store was made for you and you don’t have to stumble into the size 6s and catch a look like, “Um you’re not going to find anything in YOUR size over here.”
On the other hand, the clothes at LB and Torrid are less than well-made, sometimes ill-fitting, way overpriced for their quality [hey, when you have the monopoly on the market, who can blame you for price gouging], overly trendy [they went waaaay crazy with the boho thing], or in Torrid’s case, sometimes just downright weird or slutty-goth in hopes of appealing to a younger audience.
I was very relieved to run into the Jones New York women’s stuff. I had no idea they offered nearly EVERY item in their collection in plus sizes. But they do. And the price is barely higher than their normal items. The clothes aren’t gaudy [see Torrid] or trying-too-hard trendy [see LB]. They are very classic, versatile pieces that will get tons of use. You could put together about 20 outfits with about 8 of their pieces, I figure. And since the craftsmanship is of considerably higher quality than LB or Torrid, you’re not going to be replacing these clothes four times a year. You end up saving a lot of money in the long run. Plus you have no idea how different this clothing feels than cheaply made items.
I am on the end of my paycheck so I didn’t make a big purchase this time, but I definitely plan on going back and stocking up on some classic pieces that I need for work. I did buy their Collection Short Sleeve Tee, which is 75% silk, drapes like a dream, and was only $34. I am getting one in every color.
Anyway, fatties. Go to Nordstrom, or any of the stores listed on their site, and pick up some of this stuff. You really can’t go wrong with a good A-line skirt, or a blazer, or some lined slacks, no matter what your style.
