One Day You’re In…

This night, we were definitely IN! We even got to walk the red carpet.

“One day your in. The next day you’re out.” We’ve heard those words from Heidi Klum on every season of Project Runway. Every season the final contestants head off to show at Mecedes Benz Fashion Week in New York’s Bryant Park. We sit on our couch betting on the winner and invariably one of us says, “Wouldn’t it be crazy-fun to go one time?!” and the other always answers, “Oh my god that would be SO awesome!”

More than a little excitement when we learned MBFWA was in town!

Well, we were right – it was awesome! This trip has made a lot of dreams come true but we had no idea Fashion Week would be one of them!

We discovered that Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam would be held on my birthday weekend while we were celebrating with Karen N and Aunt Janice. Birthday, friends AND Fashion Week? That’s all we needed to know. Umm, actually we ALSO needed to know someone with a local credit card as that was the only way to purchase tickets! Darned overseas website. Anyway, after some searching we found a friend of a friend who let us purchase four luxury packages on her card and pay her back in cash! Hurray for friends old and new! Nyssa, if you’re out there, when you come to Seattle you can use our credit cards, no questions asked.

Now, what is a Luxury Package you might wonder. It’s not just two, count ’em TWO!, large runway shows, it also includes dinner, glasses of Persecco, a GIANT goodie bag packed full of all the things a glamorous girl would need — including hair products, a bracelet, various lotions, a candle and a gift certificate for a brazilian wax that we all laughed about, and a backstage tour!

Moments after we arrived: Ready to Rock-and-Roll!

Remember, two of us have been traveling for nearly 15 months and have nothing but well-worn travel duds. I never had any doubts that I would attend in quick-dry attire from top to bottom. It was all I had, so I strutted my stuff like I would have worn this exact outfit no matter what was in my closet.

The only full length picture of me has me posing for charity.

I watched as a couple of really cute young ladies looked our group up and down, and up and down once more. She staaaared at my shoes. All I can possibly assume is that she was thinking twice about her choice of pencil thin high-heels. Aaron said a lot of people looked at his shoes too. Do we know how to make a fashion statement or what?

We stole some girl’s reservation for dinner.

The restaurant was adjacent to all the action so we didn’t miss a thing!

Next up: Bubbles.

Aaron summed it up when he said, “Boy! I can’t remember the last time I was surrounded by SO many beautiful people!” I couldn’t have agreed more.

Everyone staffing the event must have been a model. As proof I gathered some exhibits to show you.

Exhibit A) The Ushers:

Easy on the eyes, mister.

You too, handsome. He’s probably a real life pirate when he’s not working the doors.

Okay. I think that’s all the Exhibits we need. Point made.

Finally, it was time for our very first EVER runway show! It was by a designer called Duran Lantink x Jan Hoek and it was some young, crazy-out-there stuff! The whole runway was bathed in red lights before the show. We really enjoyed the craziness of it all, plus the inspiration came from South Africa and we were just there!

Making duck faces in the red lights. BTW – I actually saw one other person in braids just like mine. Must be on-trend.

Here comes the show! I think we totally fit in with these people.

Lantink …gives you an idea that they are not like the others.

You can’t quite see it – but it’s all recycled items made into clothes. Think a puffy down coat remade into a skirt. It was like one big Unconventional Challenge if you watch Project Runway.

The second show was by Spijker and Spijker, a pair of well-established twin sisters who do  ready-to-wear designs. So it was completely the opposit of Lantink. Unfortunately the super high stilleto heels they had the models wear were not working out as two or three models slipped and one really wrecked her ankle and had to be carried off the end of the runway! I felt so bad for her – we could see the pain in her face as she choked back the tears. That kind of made me mad – I should pick footware for everyone!

Show #2 – the Grand Finale for the day.

Spijkers and Spijkers collection. Be prepared: Looks like 80’s pleats are making a come-back (ugh!).

Ankle Breaker Shoes of Death! What you need are some well-worn Oboz hikers, like mine!

We also had a backstage tour which was a little underwhelming, but we definitely saw where the magic happens. I was surprised to learn the models get hair and make-up in the morning and then have it touched up right before the show. That’s a loooong time to keep it all put together, but they do it – they’re professionals after all!

Waiting for the time to get dressed.

Here come the garments! We happened to be there as racks of the Spijkers and Spijkers collection rolled by pre-show.

One last person you need to meet is the bouncer. He interrupted us more than once and questioned our need to be there, though never actually asking for our tickets. Thankfully Aaron and Karen handled it with their good natured friendliness. Maybe he doesn’t appreciate that quick-dry clothing has form AND function.

Who knew that Fashion Week would have bouncers. Now you know!

And how did I feel after my first ever Fashion Week??? Like this:

SO. MUCH. FUN!

And just like that it was time to go home. Another spectacular experience now in the books.

Oh, and on our way home, there was this:

Our very own full moon. A magical end to a magical night.