Night at the Museum: A Show to Remember

The semi-annual Merchandising Incorporated fashion show has returned to the University of North Texas, taking over the Emerald Ballroom with its fierce models, creative stylists/designers and heart-throbbing musical guests. Night at the Museum (no - not the movie with Robin Williams) was an

epitome of style, art and freedom of expression. The show featured a diverse cast of models,

allowing a variety of women and men of different ethnicities and sizes to be represented on the

runway. The show communicated to the audience that art can come in any form. Fashion is an art

that is inclusive to everyone, and Night at the Museum managed to represent that in one swift

night.

One of the designers, Alex Johnson, created a collection of gender-fluid looks that involved the

deconstruction of a suit. Her main inspiration: Peter Do. Do creates a variety of fluid suit-looks;

a design that’s right up her alley. “For me, I love suits, it’s my favorite thing to make,” said Johnson. “So, it was really just me incorporating something I like to make a lot and putting a twist on it.”

Johnson designed three different looks, each one as unique as the next. One of her models,

Genesis, wore a slate grey suit-jacket, slightly oversized, with colorful beads sewn along the

torso, sleeves and back. Plunging v-neckline, jeweled tights, spiky hair and sleek white

sunglasses topped it off. A favorite from the audience. It was edgy, sexy and a fun twist on the

classic formal wear.

Her second model wore a look that screamed fierce, class and elegance. Johnson designed an

all-black suit look with a long skintight skirt and a slit right at the hip. The look was complete

with a cropped suit jacket adorned with jewels that glistened as the sleeves hung off the

shoulders.

The model for this look, Alexandra Adams, strutted the design on the runway with confidence.

Adams felt more than proud to represent Johnson’s design. “It felt great, this is a look that a lot of time and effort was put into and it’s a great feeling to be able to bring my designer’s vision to life,” said Adams.

Johnson’s third model, Terrance, also rocked an all-black version of a suit. This one was more

form fitting, with broad shoulders, a jeweled lapel and lastly, an open back with a string of

crystals hanging halfway down the jacket. Sleek, timeless and a look that brought glam to a

whole new level!

Johnson is just one of the many designers that put a touch of her personality into her designs. All

the stylists and models showcased fashionable looks and many designers created unique and

memorable designs throughout the night. One of the models strutted the runway in a piece

inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” Swirls of yellow and blue decorated the model’s

off-the-shoulder top and ruffled sleeves. The blue hair and intricate headpiece tied it all together;

the piece gave an unforgettable praise to the famous painting - with a fashionable twist. Another model walked the runway with an adorable pattern up her sleeves: an off-the-shoulder top featuring cute little bears. A statement that’s sure to give you a warm and cuddly feeling.

Model Miles Angelo believes fashion and modeling are more than just putting together an outfit.

“It’s an expressive art, you know,” said Angelo. “It’s not just clothes, it’s an art piece.” These designs represented art through a unique lens, with a touch of each designer’s personality in every one of them. The models strutted the runway with confidence. It was a night that no one will forget, and everyone will remember. “This is my last show, so it’s a very bittersweet ending,” said Adams. “But I’m so happy with how it went, and it was such an amazing group of people that I got to experience it with.”

Pink With a Cause - 6 Brands That are Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness This Month

Retail therapy: every fashionista’s biggest weakness. But, did you know it actually has many

benefits? It can reduce stress, boost serotonin levels, and even restore that feeling of control over

your life. Forget the credit card bills, your mental health is way more important! Now, for your

wallet’s sake, I’m not suggesting you blow all your money away. However, this month might be

the perfect excuse to whip out that emergency credit card for a good cause. You guessed it - October isn’t just the start of spooky season - it’s also breast cancer awareness month. There are plenty of ways you can support the cause, such as: donating to research facilities, joining breast cancer campaigns

like walking for a cure, and volunteering at breast cancer support centers. These are all amazing ways

you can do your part to make a difference. It’s also that time of year when brands partner with

breast cancer foundations to give you the chance to spend your money on their clothes and feel

good about it. But before we get into that, let’s talk statistics. Bringing awareness to the woman

that are impacted is just as important as supporting the cause. Nearly 287,850 new cases of breast

cancer are diagnosed in woman each year, with the average risk of a woman getting breast

cancer being 13%. This means that there is a 1 in 8 chance a woman will be diagnosed with breast cancer during some point in her lifetime, according to research. You may even know a loved

one that has been diagnosed, whatever the case might be, breast cancer is one of the main health

threats against woman today. Which is why it’s more important than ever to do what we can to

support breast cancer research. Now, you may ask yourself, how can I help? Well, in this case,

all you have to do is shop! Every year multiple brands will take action and curate specialty pink

products and donate a percentage of the proceeds to breast cancer research facilities, charities,

and many more. Take a look at the brands that are supporting breast cancer awareness this

month.

CUUP

CUUP has nothing but support (and not just bra support), for breast cancer research. The brand

has created a bundle of pink lingerie in collaboration with The Pink Agenda, a non-profit that’s

committed to raising money for breast cancer research and care. If you buy any of these pink

sets, 20% of the proceeds will be donated to The Pink Agenda. Plus, who doesn’t love pink?

Fabletics

Comfy, cozy, and an illustration that’s sure to make a statement. Wearing pink has never looked

prettier! Support the girls in all their beautiful shapes and sizes with this must-have crewneck

sweatshirt. Fabletics is donating 100% of the net proceeds from this sweatshirt to the F*ck Cancer

Foundation. And if this doesn’t fit your style, Fabletics has created a line of pink sweatpants,

shirts, and gym wear called The Powerful Pink Collection where $25,000 of the proceeds are

being donated to the same foundation.

Sleeper

Cute in coral is an understatement with this matching set! For this month only, when you go to

checkout, certain styles offer you the choice of a variety of non-profits to choose from so you can

have your pick of which foundation to donate to. All the non-profits support breast cancer

awareness and research, plus they’re giving 25% off when you purchase this set and many more,

so what are you waiting for? Go donate!

Lokai

If you haven’t heard of Lokai bracelets, then let me introduce them to you. Founder and CEO,

Steven Izen, created these bracelets in honor of his grandfather that passed away from

Alzheimer’s. “His diagnosis made me think about the highs and lows that everyone experiences.

I wanted to make a product for myself and others as a reminder to stay humble through the highs and hopeful through the lows.” The white bead is infused with water from Mt. Everest, the

highest point on Earth, while the black bead holds mud from the Dead Sea, the lowest point on

Earth. Each bracelet represents the beautiful symbolism for the highs and lows a person

experiences throughout their life with a reminder to stay humble in your highest points and stay

hopeful in your lowest. His advocacy for philanthropy led him to create the Cause Collection: a

set of pink Lokai bracelets to help continue the fight for a cure for breast cancer by partnering

with BCRF (Breast Cancer Research Foundation) to donate $1 to the foundation for every Lokai

sold.

Hey Harper

These necklaces may not be pink, but they highlight beauty and strength nevertheless. Hey

Harper has partnered with BIG (the Breast International Group) to give 100% of the proceeds

from this collection as a donation to support global breast cancer trials and research programs

around the world.

Jimmy Choo

Marilyn Monroe once said, “I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a

lot.” Well Marilyn, I don’t know who invented them either, but I do know Jimmy Choo has

created a collection of them that’s sexy, elegant, and in the prettiest shade of pink. Candy pink to

be exact. The brand is donating 20% of proceeds from their pink collection of shoes, bags, and

accessories to the BCR to continue their support for breast cancer research. I’d say this shade of

pink isn’t just pretty, but has a purpose.

My Top 5 Style Icons and Inspirations

Fashion is subjective; with that being said, I want to share the subjects of my inspiration. I credit the following people as my style icons as well as current trendsetters. Their styles are a wide variety which I feel can cater to all personalities. I selected these public figures because they are very versatile with their personal style and always bring a new inspiration with every outfit they post. If you were looking for style inspo well look no further. Here are my absolute top 5 style icons.

#1 Devon Lee Carlson (@devonleecarlson)

She's a model, social media influencer, and most notably she's the co-owner/founder of Wildflower Cases, which is a trendy phone case company that has been taking the internet by storm! She is a big inspiration as a businesswoman and style icon. I have been following her since 2016 and her unique style has changed and grown in so many ways, which is why she is number one on my list. She excels in piecing together an outfit you would never think to put together. If you follow her Instagram you will probably see that she has been taking inspiration from a lot of early 2000s trends. Some of her style icons being Dennis Rodman and Devon Aoki - rightfully so. So, if you have been into that whole “Y2K” look you will love her outfits!

#2 Jesse Rutherford (@chipchrome)

Although he’s adopted a new chrome look, he's still putting together outfits that’ll have you wanting to mix n’ match (mostly mix) all the clothing in your wardrobe. Jesse Rutherford, lead singer of The Neighbourhood, is first when it comes to expressing yourself and your feelings through style. His main Instagram has been overtaken by “Chip Chrome,” the persona he created for his band's last album release, so his feed is mainly filled with silver ensembles. Even though he stuck to this persona, you can still see how he incorporated his individual style into his character. If you want a better gauge into his personal style, pre-Chip Chrome era, I recommend you check his tagged posts and scroll through, because fan accounts are always posting pictures of him.

#3 Alexa Chung (@alexachung)

Alexa Chung is a fashion designer and if you follow her Instagram you also probably want every piece in her collection too! I would label her style as sophisticated and polished, but still playful and fun. She does so well with styling trench coats and pulling off a good maxi dress. Her style is so clean and fitting for every occasion, which is something I admire about her. Honestly, I could say that I would wear any and all of the outfits she has posted. Her personality really shines through what she wears and she wears it very well.

#4 Enya Umanzor (@enyaumanzor)

Enya Umanzor, formally known as “Enjajaja,” is a YouTuber now turned Podcaster. If you recognize the name, you probably know that she was known for having the brightest hair colors and styles, which she changed frequently. Her style is so appealing to me, because she adds the perfect amount of femininity to an outfit that is neither miniscule nor overbearing. She is a pro at styling a skirt or dress with a chunky platform shoe, and styling bold patterns like camouflage or multi-colored patchwork. She is one of the reasons why I enjoy outfits with feminine silhouettes, but also feature a boy-ish style. Her start on YouTube, in 2015, is one of the reasons I credit her as an early trendsetter.

#5 Ashley (@best.dressed)

I would describe Ashley’s style as sophisticated, vintage, chic, feminine, and in the words she’s used to describe multiple of her own outfits: “picnic bitch-esque.” She loves a good skirt or dress and isn’t afraid to go extra-mini when it comes to these articles of clothing. Her layering and mixing is unique and top-tier. She makes the most out of her wardrobe by finding new ways to wear an item differently every time. She originated on YouTube and frequently posted thrift vlogs and styling videos every week. If you see one of her styling videos you will notice how much use she gets out of her clothes by layering it over or under different things and making a seemingly new outfit every time. I recommend her video where she gives 10 ways to wear a dress. I guarantee that the inspiration for an outfit will hit you!