Mercury Madness

A week ago, today, my friends and I rocked it out at the annual, Spring Mercury Fashion show. I must say the people of Portland's Mercury know how to put on a show!

Some of my favorite designers of the night were Liza Rietz, (liza-rietz.etsy.com), Janeane Marie, (janeane-marie.com), and Isaac Hers (phloxpdx.com). Each of these designers understand their niche and remain true to that. I actually felt cheated when only 4 looks of Janeane marie were showcased. I turned to my friends with a "was that it?".

Although all of the designers had something great to offer the audience, I believe the one that made us all think was Adam Arnold. Totally unexpected, we watched in awe as models came out in sleeping-bag-like apparel and slurpees! That's right - we all had to take a double. With laughs and appreciation, he definitely made a point. As noted in the program, our society has fallen in love with comfort! Comfort food, comfort activities and yes - comfort fashion.

All said and done, Mercury provided a great night to enjoy my gal pals and speak fashion. Because that, my readers, is really what it's all about.

Portland's NYC

Whenever I think about Portland's fashion dynamics, I relate to NYC. Of course Portland has an incredibly unique flava' and style, but in some ways I see how it mirrors NYC.

For instance, last week I invited my friends to go to this great fashion show (Mercury) in Portland. The first thing one must decide on when doing anything 'fashion' is, "What will I wear?". Considering my taste to be classic and sophisticated, maybe even Manhattan-worthy, I thought and thought about what I should wear to stand out. I finally decided on this mini black dress, with modern bows and twists. Topping it off with tights and wedges, and I was happy with the completed look. Or so I thought....

Most fashion events I have been involved with occur on the west side. However, this event was happening on the East side. The more I thought about it, the more my fashion mind began redirecting my choice of garments into something entirely different.

When it comes to Portland, this is how it breaks down - NYC style. The Pearl district, where I consider home, is Manhattan. The SW side is like NYU - intellectual, casual and sporty. The eastside is like Brooklyn. Edge is everyone's middle name; be prepared to rock individuality. And then there are the suburbs - New Jersey.

In the end, I turned in my Manhattan-Pearl district classic dress, wedges and headbands, for a great pair of Brooklyn-Eastside tights, stilettos and a leather belt. Diversity is important, but in Portland, understanding what side of the water you are on, during a great fashion event, may be even more. Trust me on this one...I love rocking personal style, but wearing the wrong accessory in the wrong part of town could cause a staring fest...or maybe more!

Thank God for indecision and fashion insights!