In the Midst of Finals...

So, bad news: I lost my camera during SXSW.

The good news? I have a fun little video to share with you. I'm in the thick of finals week at school, and today I have to write a 4-page paper on designer Joann Berman.

What I'm sharing with you is from Focus Group West, a boutique design firm from West Hollywood. Led by CFDA member Blake Kuwahara, the group takes on product design, graphic design, PR, retail spacing, and floor design for various fashion and eyewear companies.

The following video is made up from about 3,000 stills.

Enjoy.

Texas Style Council Conference.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to go to the Texas Style Council Conference: a weekend event for fashion bloggers, readers, and shop owners in Austin, TX. Attendees were not limited to Texans, as Jennine Jacob of The Coveted and IFB proved.

Jennine Jacob, during her keynote speech.

The conference, broken down over the weekend, focused on one key event each day: on Friday, Swap.com and The Swapaholics hosted one of the most amazing swap meets I have ever been to.

I don't know how many people were there, but there was definitely a lot of clothing! Despite the large amount of clothes, the swap was organized. I made off with several amazing items, including a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress.

Swap Madness!

The DVF dress.

My WikiFashion Goodies Bag had coupons!

On Saturday, before the Scavenger Hunt, local jewelry store Charming Charlie brought in damaged jewelry so that we could create beautiful collages. I made two. Standing around the jewelry table was a great way to meet other bloggers.

TxSCCers surround the jewelry table.
One of my collages.

After the jewelry sesh, the attendees split into teams for the Scavenger Hunt. With instructions from The Go Game, teams of 3-4 descended on the 2nd Street District with smart phones in hand and lunchboxes with information.

Team Fashism's lunchbox.

Prizes for the scavenger hunt? Grand Prize was a $100 gift card from Lulu's, a $50 gift card from local boutique Langford Market, a purse from Modcloth, jewelry from local jewelry shop Eliza Page, a collection of items from Peyton's Place, a scarf, and a really good smelling 12 oz. candle.

So, you bet that my teammates kept their eyes on the prize: we literally ran from mission to mission. Missions included making up funny pick-up lines, making a child laugh, and styling outfits. The running did the job, as Team Fashism--myself, Ashlee, and Julie--won!The winnings.

The next day was business...mostly. We met for breakfast at BoConcept, a modern furniture store breakfast tacos. Next door, at the boutique Plain Ivey Jane, were morning cocktails. More networking ensued!

Coffee was provided by Austin Java.Attendees on a BoConcept couch.

After breakfast, we got down to business: I attended five panels, which followed the keynote speech by Ms. Jacob. The conference was greeted by Indiana Adams, one of the organizers for the conference. Joah, of StyleX, also came to talk about the fashion happenings during SXSW.

The panels covered Going Pro, Careers, Longevity, Authenticity, and Community.

Joah. Indiana of Adored Austin.

With Jennine Jacob.

In all, I learned a lot of information: to not suffer from burnout, it's a good idea to make a calendar for your posts. If you make a lot of posts that are then separated by long periods of absence, write when you are inspired and save them for later. Also, to keep your voice to yourself, it may be a good idea to write like you talk to your friends. However, don't post your dirty details, as you'll regret it later. Interaction is made through posting content that makes an impression. It's a good rule of thumb that you may have to give more comments than you receive. Lastly, if you're planning to to make a career out of your blog, it's important to network and prioritize.

Here are a few photos of the panelists:

Panel 1--Going Pro: Grechen, Patty, and Eliza.

Panel 2--Careers: Pamela, Brooke, and Kendra.

Panel 3--Longevity: Kyla, Katy, and Jennine.

Panel 4--Authenticity: Jen, Indiana, and James.

Panel 5--Community: Dave, Susan, and Kendi.

SXSW Street Style: Color Me Darkly.

At Bo Concept during the Texas Style Council Conference.

I am gathering up all my notes and photos from this past weekend's events, and will try to get a summarization post out in the next few days. The whole entire Texas Style Council Conference--from the swap to scavenger hunt to yesterday's panels--was absolutely amazing. Grechen and Indiana pulled it off flawlessly. Their hard work paid off.

So this week, I will definitely post about the conference, along with more style posts from South By Southwest. I cannot wait for StyleX! On top of all these plans, I am also studying for finals. But in two weeks' time, I'll be in total spring break mode.

Until then, have a lovely Monday!

SXSW Street Style: Pretty In Pink.

During the Texas Style Council Conference today in Austin.

SXSW Street Style: September.

This is September; I met her while waiting in line for the Texas Style Council Conference Clothing Swap last night.

Can you believe she made her handbag completely from recycled fabrics? The blue flower on the top right corner is from an old dress that September had grown tired of. Wish I could be that crafty! I have been at the Texas Style Council Conference all weekend, and will probably summarize the experience later next week. Stay tuned!

I'm excited for SXSW, but until then, Free People!

I'm counting the days for South By Southwest. I've already filled about a bagillion RSVPs for free shows and parties. I'm stoked to see The Strokes play a free show at Auditorium Shores on Thursday, March 18th. The Texas Style Council Conference takes place this weekend, and I cannot wait to see all the fashion bloggers, designers, and leaders alike who will be attending.

Until then, here's this gorgeous video by one of my favorite stores, Free People:

Free People March from FreePeople on Vimeo.

Big, Black Boots & Long, Brown Hair.

This photo was taken before a recent adventure on Sixth Street in downtown Austin: I went out for drinks with some of my girlfriends. I have had this tulip-dress for a while, but hardly do I wear it.

I'm self-concious about shorts skirts, but since the dress came in at the waist to enhance my shape, I felt more confident. What do you think?

Over-the-Knee Boots: Maurices.
Tights: Delia's.

Dress: Wet Seal.