New Brunswick Fashion Week - Overview

Media Party, Fashion Forward, & NBFW runway show

What a week! I'm not going to lie, I'm exhausted.  Between trying to adjust to my new schedule & flying out the door each evening to events, I'm so glad my Saturday consists of a latte from my favorite barista & a red velvet cupcake from our new local bakery!  It is also Canadian Thanksgiving weekend so I have 4 delicious days off with nothing much to do!!

As I enjoyed my coffee & cupcake this morning I pondered today's post. 
After attending the Fashion Event last night I wondered what approach i should take in covering the event.  There was some fabulous fashion, some baffling decisions & some obvious hard work, but as a Plus Size blogger I wanted to offer my perspective.  My intention was to focus specifically on the plus size pieces, accessories & overall general tone of the affair, since it was my first fashion week.  I asked about plus size long before the event & was told specifically there would be plus size representation, in models, clothing & with at least one local designer - exciting!!!
Unfortunately the 'plus size' component seemed to have disappeared by the time the event came to fruition.  There were no plus size fashions, designers or models*.  Although I was glad to be included in the event & have my opinion valued, I'm left wondering, as a blogger, what do I say?


What I can say is this, we have some amazing local talent & contributions to the fashion world!

Our stylists work hard & come up with stunning looks.

Our local designers have vision & talent.

Chainmaille Obsession by Andrea Cyr

Our shops have amazing product & staff.

Runway look from Walsh Luggage

And our local bloggers support their community & fashion! Check out my fellow bloggers & their different takes on the events of the week;

• Barb of barbbarbbarb
• Leigh-Ellen from LittleWaterlily, Big Pond
• Melissa of Sigh..gush..gasp
• Chelsea, our Maritime Shopaholic

With blogger, Chelsea

I was really enjoying all the opportunities I had to dress up this week! This outfit was put together of simple affordable components but I was so happy with how it all came together. The dress is several years old from Reitman's, top from Old Navy, shoes came from Payless & I layered several necklaces. Oh, the clutch was a score at Winner's, from XOXO.

Overall I had a fun night out, with lots of great company & saw so many beautiful, fashionable things. Do I wish that my plus size community had of had representation? Absolutely - but there is always the spring collections, right?





*there was a plus size model in the hair competition, but not in the runway show

Fashion Forward

I resisted the temptation to go with some further alliteration in the title there, what with being Full of Fabulous...

Last evening, Uptown Saint John played host to scores of locally fashionable ladies, all ages, all sizes & all styles.  I joined in the festivities fashionably late, missing the kick off but my date Pam & I were happy shoppers non the less...

                                               Underground parking photo shoot anyone??

Fashion Forward was a shop hop of the grandest kind featuring sales, discounts, giveaways, finger foods, wine, demonstrations... wine. Oh, did I mention wine??

All the fashionable were out & uptown! We stumbled across two of my favorite bloggers & one fab-u-lous hairdresser all out front of local shop Je Suis Prest.



Chelsea of Maritime Shopaholic

Melissa of Sigh Gush Gasp

Adam from Hairacy, working his magic!

So besides the beautiful people there was some serious shopping to be done! I found myself 'head over heels' in love with this particular pair of booties at Manchester Shoes in Market Square.  The boutique was offering 20% during the event... take one guess if these are mine now?

Remonte Dorndorf

I also scored some new accessories from Silver Daisy Designs & the chance to win a Marc Jacobs bag (which unfortunately/fortunately was won by my lovely friend Melissa, pictured above! Congrats!!). I'll save showing those off until I wear them with the perfect outfit!

Speaking of outfit here are a couple last pictures of mine from the night...! (Thanks Pam for being my photographer!)

Top& Jeans/Forever 21+

I am loving this top from Forever 21! I have been saving it for this particular night out & wish I could have snapped a picture of the back with the mesh & zipper but sadly it slipped my mind. *bad blogger*



Hair by Moi!

 I was extremely proud of my hair.. having actually done it myself. I'm mostly posting this picture for the benefit of my BFF stylist Vanessa... just to prove how far I've come (seriously hair incompetent most of my life, relying heavily on her dear sweet patient ways!!)!

pathetic iPhone self portrait to end the night

Tonight I will be attending the New Brunswick Fashion Week Gala event, yet another excuse to look fabulous. Hopefully that post will go up this weekend! Also stay tuned next week for a new 'Boutique Talk' piece & a long postponed 'Shopping Cart' feature! Plenty going on in this life that is so Full of Fabulous...

Media Darling

October 5th, 2011. 
I'm making note so I remember the exact day I offically became part of 'the media'.

Here in New Brunswick we are about to launch our first ever Fashion Week.  Those of you reading from big cities are probably scratching your head but all of us Port City girl's are shaking in our Steve Madden's with excitement (well all except this girl, since Leigh Ellen nabbed the last in my size... *le sigh*).  Don't be mistaken, we are a fashionable bunch!

So how does that lead to me becoming an offical part of the media? Organizers invited myself & some of the other local bloggers to the New Brunswick Fashion Week Media Party at the Market Square Atrium this week where we were presented with media passes. 

While collecting passes I saw a few of my local lovlies... (gee I wish I could insert a photo here but someone was camera shy, another someone had to rush off to her furries...)
And barely managed to snap a few outfit photos with Chelsea from Maritime Shopaholic, before having to fall back into 'mom duty' & become chauffeur to my boy scout again....

Sweater/Reitmans, Scarf/Gifted, Skirt/Laura Plus, Earrings/Darling Dilemma

Thanks Chelsea for snapping a few photos for me!

Tomorrow is Fashion Forward, an Uptown Saint John shopping event.  Swag bags, late night shopping & plenty of girly fun with some of my favorite ladies...

Guest Blog; Simpli Baye

Right about now I'm gearing up for the big event - my brother's wedding!  There will be preparations, rehearsal dinner & I heard rumors of a bonfire the night before! Gee... I guess I need to pack a cute bonfire outfit!
I'm super excited about today's guest blogger, the most adorable Baye! Baye isn't a blogger but a fabulous tweeter, a cupcake queen & like a said... ADORABLE! I'll let you see for yourself, but trust me when I tell you this won't be the last you see of her...... *something up our sleeves*

Sympli is Simply the Best


For all the women that have squeezed yourselves into slimming undergarments in order for you new dress to look perfect, been afraid to eat another bite at Christmas dinner in fear of the button on your pants popping off, or been totally stuck while packing for you dream vacation due to the hassle of ironing adorable dresses. Well ladies, be "outfit conscious" no more!

Canadian made "Sympli" is an amazing line of clothing suited to everyone. Sympli is a heavy jersey material available from sizes 2-18 (the plus size collection is debuting this fall!) in 36 different colors! Talk about versatile!

The jersey is amazing, especially for travel as it is wrinkle resistant and no fuss - its easy care fabrics can go in your washer and hang to dry - ball it up in your suitcase and go! With most pieces fitting generously you feel beyond confident and beautiful in it. Another benefit of the heavy jersey? It truly does NOT cling! With Sympli I can wear the same outfit as my friend in a size 2 and look just as good ... maybe better! Meanwhile, you feel like you're wearing your pajamas - perfect!

Me at the Pgal's Closet Sympli Trunk show in April '11. I am wearing the Pallazzo Pant and Kimono in Black with my own denim jacket and infinity jewellery scarf from Pgal's Closet.

Sympli is all hand made in Vancouver by women for women. Working mom's are their number one resource and are dedicated to promote positive self-image encouraging women of all ages, shapes and sizes to wear clothes with confidence and as a compliment to their personality, mood and to forget the myth that they would be happier with a "perfect body" The White House Design Company proudly supports the Looking Glass Foundation, a non-profit organization based in BC run by a group of passionate mothers who are making a difference by trying to bring happiness and positive futures to troubled youth struggling with eating disorders. (For more information check out the Looking Glass Foundation at www.lookingglassbc.com)

Sandra Miller of Sandra Miller Floral Design at the Trunk show wearing the Sympli Chakra Tunic, Urban Cardigan and Diva legging all in black - jewellery is from Pgal's Closet.

Me at the trunk show wearing Sympli's Deep Pocket Tunic in black.

Sandra Miller again looking stunning in the Rhythm tunic, Rhythm coat and cigarette pant in Currant.

Pgal's Closet is owned by - my fabulous, if I do say so myself, mother - Patricia Gallagher and is located in Rothesay, New Brunswick; attached to it's sister home decor store, Country Treasures. All Sympli pieces can be ordered from there and takes about 8 weeks to arrive by special order; the in-store collection, however, is always great!

Sympli is available at:

Pgal's Closet/Country Treasures
116 Hampton Road
Rothesay, NB

506-849-PGAL

As well as at the beautiful & seasonal;;
Pgal's Closet featuring Boutique Zekara
172 Water Street
St. Andrews by the Sea, NB

506-529-PGAL

You can check out more Sympli looks at: www.symplithebest.com & www.pgalscloset.com