Junior Friends Toast to Fashion - Year Two

This was Zoe's second year of participating in the Junior Friends Toast to Fashion Event at the Belle Haven Country Club in the Fairfax County section of Alexandria.  And it was even more fun this year because I was part of the committee!

A lot of work goes into the event, which benefits The Campagna Center in Alexandria, Virginia.  This year, I was on the raffle committee, which takes all of the generous donations from many businesses in the area, groups them into gift baskets and determines the theme.  We had so many wonderful donations thanks to Donations Committee Chair Kaitlin Moomaw that we had a lot of work to do!  By the time we were done on the Monday evening prior to the event, we had 19 wonderful baskets for the raffle! 

And Zoe had the wonderful opportunity to dress a model this year!  Doesn't our model Willow look gorgeous?

Graham & Spencer Dress, Katie Bartels Necklace

Red 23 Top, Red Engine Jeans, Alexandra Satine Bag, Chan Luu Wrap Bracelet

In addition to the fashion show, there are a number of vendors set up around the room.  Since I plan to go to the Junior Friends Bowties and Belles event in early May, I felt I needed to find the perfect hat/fascinator.  I tried on two:

A Zoe Pink Fascinator

And a Black Fascinator - which one do you think I chose?

The event is also a fun time to catch up with existing customers and friends.  I was so happy that my friend and Zoe customer Renee attended this year with her friend Erica.

It was hard to know what to wear (confession - I selected my outfit about a half hour prior to leaving for the event.)  Especially since it was a spring show and the weather was still decidedly wintery outside!  I wore the Yoana Baraschi Space Girl Dress and Coat that we had sold at Zoe in the Fall.

I was also happy to have Zoe's Assistant Manager, Tara, with me for the event.  Doesn't she look fabulous in her Alice and Trixie Dress? 

The event ended up raising over $18,000 for The Campagna Center!  With the sequestration cuts set to affect this great organization, the timing could not have been better!

Next Up:  The Power Suit



Hayfield Fashion Show

Word gets around.  Especially if someone has a good experience or a really bad experience.  Fortunately, Zoe's involvement in the Hayfield High School Fashion Show in December was born from a good experience by Edison High School earlier in the year!

On a field trip this fall, the Fashion Marketing teachers from Edison and Hayfield were talking about Hayfield's Winter Fashion Show.  The teacher from Edison shared the good experience they had working with Zoe for their Spring Fashion Show.  I was delighted to help Hayfield High School in the same way.  Both schools are not far from my home and I always love being involved in my community.

The Hayfield team came to Zoe a couple of days in advance to select clothing and perform the fittings.  Janice worked with them that afternoon and raved about how polite and well-behaved the students were during their time at Zoe.  All total, we sent 18 pieces of clothing and 7 accessories with them!

The day of the fashion show was a busy, intense day for me.  It is always important for me to attend events where Zoe's clothing is on display but I felt especially tired on this day.  As I stood in line to get into the auditorium for the show, I looked around me and thought "What on earth is a 40-something woman doing at a high school fashion show?"  But I quickly remembered it was because Zoe was involved!

I tried to get a seat close to the stage so that I could take pictures!  The students had a slideshow projected on the stage as we waited for the event to begin.

Their theme was "Falling Into Winter" and the show was made up of 4 acts as they transitioned from the fall to winter clothing with changing colors and fabric weights.  In addition to Zoe, the students would also be modeling clothing from Men's Wearhouse (for the young men in the show) and Select Seconds, the thrift shop associated with Inova Mt. Vernon Hospital.

Once the show started, I was not sorry at all that I had made the time to attend!  The young ladies looked stunning in Zoe's clothing and strutted with runway with just the right amount of sass, style, and attitude!  I felt my grin getting bigger with each model who emerged from the wings!

Even more impressive was how they had combined the Thrift Shop items with Zoe's pieces.  The looks were seamless and they never appeared mismatched or forced.  The saddest note?  That the lighting (and my iPhone camera) did not combine well for good pictures.

The best ones I could get were from long distances (even though I was seated in the second row) and just don't do the girls (or the outfits) proper justice.

After the show, I made sure to introduce myself to the teacher and let her know how much I enjoyed it and what a good job they had done with the whole production.  She was charming and you could tell she really appreciated Zoe's willingness to work with them.

And the next day, all of the items were returned without a single issue.  If only all relationships could be like this one!  We actually ended up getting an extra scarf in the return and when I contacted the teacher to let her know, she told me that the girls were still talking about the store!  Those comments can make you glow for hours!

This is one forty-something who isn't at all sorry she spent her Wednesday evening before Christmas at a High School Fashion Show!

Next Up:  The Scout Guide Party