Families spend, on average, more than $1,000 on the night. Check Alexis out talking prom preparation on a budget with ABC 33/40’s Marissa Mitchell below! Special thanks to Chatham and Charm for hosting the interview!
via Families spend more on prom.
Ready to shop? Join Alexis for the Macy’s Prom Shopping Event on March 9 at the Riverchase Galleria!
Screen grab via ABC 33/40
Meet Savannah-based designer Faith Thornburg, a 2012 Belk Southern Designer Showcase winner, at Belk at the Summit on Sunday, February 24, from 1 pm to 4 pm! The designer of one-of-a-kind bridal gowns will meet with customers at Belk at the Summit, discuss their dream wedding dress and sketch her ideas for each dress in store. From that sketch, Thornburg will create a custom gown that the customer will pick up at their local Belk store upon completion. Thornburg will showcase sample dresses while light appetizers and refreshments are served.
Faith works with clients to create custom wedding gowns, eveningwear, and cocktail dresses, giving her the chance to be a part of a special moment in each woman’s life. She has shown collections at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City (featured in ELLE Magazine) and Charleston Fashion Week in Charleston, S.C. Thornburg is a graduate of Savannah College of Art & Design. Same Chic Different Day is pleased to bring you this interview with her.
Did you start with bridal gowns? When I decided to go into fashion, I never dreamed of bridal being where I’d end up. My intentions were to go into ready-to-wear, but once I started school, I just didn’t feel passionate enough to do that for the rest of my life. I thought about switching my major to something else but then I discovered the whimsy of bridal and instantly fell in love! Bridal became more than a passion, and from then on out, I used my projects at SCAD to learn more and more about the industry and sought out designers and retailers to gain experience.
Is your life in hyper-drive right now?
Hyper-drive is an understatement! I’m constantly learning new things everyday, doing new research, looking for new ideas and inspiration, and working on custom dresses, all while running a business! I have the best job in the world, even if it means staying up all night to get things done!
What’s the most in-demand feature for bridal gowns right now? Every bride is different and is looking for something that makes her dress unique. I tell everyone all the time that the days of the cookie-cutter bride are gone (and thank God)! The best way to personalize a dress and make it special is to accessorize. A simple velvet sash can add a ton of personality and spice up an otherwise boring dress. Add some “bling” from a family heirloom and now you’ve got a regal dress ready for the aisle. Another “trend” I’ve seen is having two dresses, a gown for the ceremony and a party dress for the reception. To accommodate this, many dresses in my collection are shorter and versatile so a bride can purchase for the wedding and use again for a later event.
Do you ever meet with a bride who isn’t really sure what she’s looking for yet and how do you guide those appointments? This happens a lot. The best advice I can give a bride is to just try on various styles and be open minded. She won’t really get an idea of what she likes until she puts it on. Then we can determine what styles, shapes, fabrics, etc. she likes better and go from there.
Do you have an absolute favorite gown you’ve designed so far and do you have a most memorable “famous” wedding dress? Picking a favorite would be like picking a favorite child! I have great memories with each custom dress I’ve done, and that’s what I cherish most. From the dresses in my collection though, I just can’t determine my all time favorite! As far as “famous” wedding dresses go, I will forever love the dress that was worn by Jane McNeil in 1953. I have a picture of her walking into the church with the paparazzi behind her that I could stare at for days! I love the veil that Jane wore so much that it’s now a part of my collection!
What’s next for Faith Thornburg? My next big step is to show at market in the Fall and start working with bridal boutiques all over the country. Seeing my designs hanging in boutiques everywhere is my new big dream.
Images courtesy of Faith Thornburg
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Is your look prom-perfect?
Join me March 9 as I host Macy’s Prom Shopping Party Event at Macy’s Riverchase Galleria! You definitely don’t want to miss the afternoon of fun planned: mini-makeovers by Fashion Fair and Clinique, treats from Dreamcakes Bakery, and formal fashion, trend and etiquette tips from yours truly!
Spend $40 or more in the Juniors Department and receive a special gift, while supplies last! And darlings, be sure to tweet your favorite prom-perfect look to #MacysProm!
Ready to get the party started? Join us Saturday, March 9 at the M Style Lab Department on 1 at 2 PM!
See you there!
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If you weren’t at Fashion Friday, you missed a treat…”bon temps” were had by all who attended recentlyat the Birmingham Public Library! Special thanks to the Library, Birmingham Magazine, Belk, The Outlet Shops of Grand River, Roxy Rabb and everyone who helped make this an event to remember. If you weren’t there, fortunately you can catch up on all the fabulosity by watching the footage courtesy of Lynsey Weatherspoon Photography.
Click HERE to see the photos!
Looking for a style expert to address your organization, nonprofit or employees? Maybe you need someone to hold your hand and help you find the perfect outfit or sort through your closet shenanigans? Or perhaps you need a dynamic hostess for your next event? Let’s talk, darling!
xo, Alexis
Jessica Simpson pleated chiffon shift dress, $148 at Belk
Congrats to KTomas, who won the ‘Spring Forward’ beauty giveaway! The prize features luxe beauty products from Belk, including Isaac Mizrahi’s “Fabulous” new fragrance, Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair and Perfectionist Wrinkle-Lifting Serum, a 5 Piece Nail Polish set by Parisian Beauty (perfect for jump-starting your manicure), and AHAVA Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream and Time to Clear Purifying Mud Mask…sure to bring your winter look out of hibernation!
Thank you to everyone who participated, and stay tuned for more great giveaways!
I inspire someone? Little ole me? Well, that’s Gone with the Wind Fabulous! A big thanks to Karri Bentley for presenting me with this honor. I have to say that I am really inspired by all the women I’ve become acquainted with in Birmingham who are writing their hearts out and sharing their unique journeys. I am blessed and proud to be part of such a supportive, creative community of dynamic women.
And according to Karri I am now to:
Display the award image on my blog. (check)
Seven Things about Me:
Blogs that Inspire Me (in no particular order)
xo, Alexis
Join Birmingham’s UNCF office for a spectacular night of dinner and dancing as they support funding for historically black colleges and universities! You know I love to get glam for a great cause, and I want you to mark your social calendars and break out your very best black tie attire for this do-not-miss event!
“The UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. UNCF provides operating funds for 38 member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), scholarships and internships for students at about 900 institutions and faculty and administrative professional training.
For more than 67 years, UNCF has raised more than $3.3 billion to help more than 400,000 students attend college and graduate from college. UNCF has distributed more funds to help minorities attend school than any entity outside of the U.S. government.” – UNCF.org
The deets:
WHAT: The 2013 UNCF Birmingham Masked Ball
WHEN: Saturday, March 2, 2013
WHERE: The Sheraton Birmingham
WHY: To support fundraising for the United Negro College Fund, which helps educate students at member colleges
WHOA!: KEITH SWEAT is this year’s celebrity entertainment! For tickets, call (205) 322-8623.
WOW!: I am so excited to serve as the masked ball’s red carpet correspondent! So be sure to follow @SameChicSouth and @UNCFBham to keep up with all the night’s fabulosity!
To learn more about the amazing work the UNCF does, click HERE, and stay tuned for more details!
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending one of Birmingham’s premiere social events: “Showtime Birmingham Style,” in support of the Sickle Cell Foundation. The Foundation “was established in 1978 for the purpose of advocating and improving the quality of health, life and services for individuals affected by sickle cell disease and related conditions in central Alabama, while promoting the search for a cure for all people in the world with sickle cell disease.” Executive Director Sharon B. Lewis, this year’s chairwoman Brenda M. Brantley and celebrity host Nicole Ari Parker made this year’s gala a truly magical event.
After a red carpet pre-gala reception, guests enjoyed remarks from Dr. Tim Townes, UAB Chair of the Department of Biochemistry/Molecular Genetics, whose research may lead to a cure for the disease. Next, Fox 6’s Jeh Jeh Pruitt and Mickey Ferguson took the stage as masters of ceremony and ongoing comic relief. After greetings from Mayor William Bell, Congresswoman Terri Sewell and acknowledgments from President of the Board of Directors Michael H. Bell, Ms. Lewis, and Ms. Brantley, guests enjoyed a dinner of barbecue shrimp and grits, Southern fried chicken and sauteed spinach.
This year’s celebrity showcase did not disappoint and featured some hidden Birmingham-area talent: highlights included Birmingham Fire Chief Ivor Brooks, Ernest Miller and Lamont Saffo’s rendition of “Let’s Just Kiss and Say Goodbye” by The Manhattans, City Councilman Jonathan F. Austin’s take on Barry White’s “Practice What You Preach,” accompanied by Courtney G. French of Fuston, Petway and French, and Charlie Waldrep, Randy Jones, Jim Folsom and Tommy Spina’s lively medley of “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” and “The Duke of Earl.”
The night’s popular amateur talent feature wowed the audience with R&B, rap and soul. It included Abijah Cunningham’s first place version of Patti Labelle’s “If Only You Knew,” Prince’s “The Beautiful Ones” performed by second place winner El Paso Williams, and “OG” Gregory Johnson’s third place take on “Cruisin’ ” by Smokey Robinson.
This was also a night for fabulous black-tie fashion, and you know I love to get fab for a great cause! So what did I wear? An apricot and cream vintage sequined and belted silk sheath from Dallas’ Rummage Vintage, with a gold snakeskin miniaudiere, and barely-there PVC Manolo Blahniks. I wore my hair in a simple topknot, and for a little pizazz I also tried “junk nails,” which added sparkling embellishments to my manicure.
Surprise guest of the night? Buffalo Bills’ defensive tackle (and former Alabama gamechanger) Marcell Dareus, who made an impromptu pledge of support to the Sickle Cell Foundation, and was sweet enough to pose with me! Isn’t he dapper?
BB&T of Alabama was this year’s title sponsor, and the 2014 “It’s Showtime! Birmingham Style”chairman will be Charlie Waldrep, of Waldrep, Stewart and Kendrick.
Same Chic Different Day 