Hell Week

Calling the last week of the semester at UT, Hell Week, is an understatement. Five nights out of the week I've actually only slept on two of them, i've had a diet that mainly consisted of coffee and red bull, and I'm pretty sure that these dark circles under my eyes make me look like a zombie. However, happily I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel; after 10am tomorrow I get a week long break before my actual finals start, I wonder if I could take a week long nap?

{feeling now, after two major projects, and three huge tests} 

{feeling tomorrow}

Hope you all survived yet another round of Hell Week....

Photos: here

Semester at a Glance

I have to say that this semester I've had more projects, trips to the art store/hobby lobby, sleepless nights, endless cups of coffee, and filled sketchbooks then I've ever had in my life. However, I will admit that this has also been the most rewarding semester I've had in college. I'm finally learning things that, I know, will aide me a great deal in succeeding in the fashion industry.

Through one of my textile classes, Apparel Production and Design Lab, I had the opportunity to assemble what will be eventually become my professional portfolio, that will hopefully accompany me to several fabulous internship and job interviews after my days at the University of Texas are finished. Through this class I have learned that hard work, time management, and key organizational skills are vital to meeting dead lines and producing presentation ready projects.

I have transferred my hard copy portfolio onto this blog to share all that I have been diligently working on throughout this semester. I hope you enjoy thumbing through them as much as I enjoyed creating them.

{t-shirt design}

{9 heads model}

{9 heads model}

{master illustrator drawing}

{fabric rendering}

{t-shirt technical flat}

{found objects fashion collage}

{mixed media project}

{career wear project inspiration}

{career wear project inspiration}

{career wear project}

{career wear project}

{men's, children's, and plus size women's wear mini project}

{mini project}

{mini project}

{mini project}

{apparel company inspiration}

{apparel company inspiration}

{apparel company}

{apparel company}

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Happy Aniversary (Belated)!

{Rebecca Minkoff}

 {Badgley Mischka} 

 {Rachel Roy} 

 {Isaac Mizrahi, Anna Wintour} 

 {Vera Wang}

 {Michael Kors}

 {Gah and my favorites the Olsens!}

Women's Wear Daily celebrated their 100th anniversary on Tuesday night and oh what I would have given to be surrounded by those party goers!

The Cat's Meow

Ah I love everything about this outfit I saw on Nasty Gal this weekend. I'm a little behind on fall/winter shopping but hopefully once I get to get out there and actually fulfill my wish list I will come home with a blazer and boots just like these!

As the Halloween festivities begin...

Binx wanted to wish everyone a safe and Happy Halloween weekend!

One Language: Going Green in Style

Today I wanted to feature a great bag line that has become quite popular lately. The line is called One Language and they offer printed canvas bags that are made from natural cotton canvas. For those of you who read my blog I love everything organic and natural (save the world! and these lovely ladies are doing it one bag at a time) so I was sure to be a fan right away.

Two sisters from NYC started the line and they totally have the background for this to be a huge success (it really already is!!); one sister graduated from Cornell while the other graduated from Parsons! Smart and fashion savvy? These are my kind of ladies!


I've been impressed by all things One Language so far. The bags are simple yet super modern, functional, and stylish; they are taking the canvas tote in a new direction. I even fell in love with their website! It has such a vintage, turn of the century New York feel and I loved how their inspiration tab is simply filled with their mood board that got them going.

You can find these bags at any local Nordstrom or you can order one from their online website, One Language. You better hurry though, because they are flying off the shelves!

If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.

A boat, beneath a sunny sky
Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July --

Children three that nestle near,

Eager eye and willing ear

Pleased a simple tale to hear --

Long has paled that sunny sky:

Echoes fade and memories die:

Autumn frosts have slain July.

Still she haunts me, phantomwise

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes.

Children yet, the tale to hear,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,

Dreaming as the days go by,

Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream --

Lingering in the golden gleam --

Life what is it but a dream?

One of my favorite poems and a lovely photo to end the weekend before the craziness of the work week returns. 

My unfulfilled ambition is to write a great novel in three parts about my adventures.

These dresses make me wish I was Wendy living with Peter Pan in Never Neverland, swimming with mermaids, fighting pirates, playing mother to a group of lost boys, and never growing up.

Photos: Topshop

Bon La Vu

Last night I had the pleasure of attending Bon La Vu's fall fashion show and launch party at a great little rooftop bar in downtown Austin. Guests were greeted with a red carpet photo then led upstairs for some drinks and mingling before the fashion show kicked off around 9pm.

There was some amazing pieces courtesy of local Austin designers and boutiques; from leggings completely adorned in silver spikes, to several modern versions of the little black dress, and some of the cutest tapered trousers that I've seen in a long time. I found myself wishing that a lot of these items would find their way to my closet immediately!

{Eboni Spencer}

{Beverly Foreman}

{Britany Walker}

For those of you that aren't familiar with Bon La Vu here is a little background info. Bon La Vu is this great new online boutique that offers one completely styled outfit per day created and put together by local Austin designers, boutiques, and Bon La Vu stylists. Customers will be able to purchase either the complete outfit or individual items. And the greatest part of purchasing items from Bon La Vu, everything is tailored to fit your exact measurements.

{Lisa Del Dotto}

{Connie Dowdle}

{Connie Dowdle}

Casey Grooms is the man behind this new concept of the typical online boutique. Grooms said that this concept sprung from his experiences in traveling and not being able to access some of his favorite local designers from overseas when he got back into the states, and so Bon La Vu was born. Having only started his company in June 2010, I was incredibly impressed by the following that Grooms and his team have already. The show had a great turn out and I'm excited to see how this new concept of online shopping will be received by the public. Good luck Bon La Vu team and thanks for having us out, it was a great time and wonderful show!

{Casey Grooms and Brianna Fleet}

{Mercedes Trahan, Casey Grooms, Me}

For anyone in attendance last night that would like more photos of the show please feel free to email me at rach.thecoreessentials@gmail.com and I would be happy to get those to you!

Great Clothes, Even Better Prices

With the holiday season not even a month away, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before we know it, and that means that holiday party season will be in full swing. Being a full time college student, I know the value of a dollar, and that I normally don't have many dollars. So just for you all, I've compiled my favorite sites for online shopping that gives you great deals for designer items. These sites will be more than helpful when your searching for that perfect party dress to impress that cute guy in bio!

Rent the Runway

-Two Harvard Business ladies thought up this dream website. They wanted to be able to have that dream wardrobe that every girl wants, just without having to take out another student loan to make it happen; and so it became Rent The Runway. This site lets you rent clothes for a specified number of days that you select. Most of the prices offered are 90-95% of the retail value! Rent the runway has also had some major press lately, recently their name was featured in the apartment of the new Gossip Girl nemesis Juliette. Click on the link here to sign up!

I-Ella

-I was just recently turned to i-ella by an email from our fashion group on campus, and oh my they have some really great stuff! The cool thing about this site is that you can buy, sell, or even trade your own clothes and others. Also every month they feature a celebrity that auctions off some pieces from their closet and all the proceeds go to their charity; last month they featured Whitney Port. Right now their celebrity if the Law and Order star Elisabeth Rohm. Click here to sign up!

Gilt Groupe

-This was one of the first online discount sites that I got invited to and I have made so many purchases through them! They also offer mens, womens, children, home, and even a jetsetter and city category that have special items just for those purposes. The stuff on gilt sells out quick, so stay up to date about when the sales are beginning and ending. They also have a wonderful little app for your iPhone that will text you when a sale is beginning. Click here to sign up!

Rue La La

-Rue La La is essentially the same as all these wonderful sites I've been sharing with you guys. They also offer travel destinations, clothes and accessories, and home decor. However, a factor that sets Rue apart from others are that they actually have boutique categories that you can always click on and browse through. Rue La La also got some press from a popular TV show when Whitney Port's line, Whitney Eve, was announced that it would be sold on Rue La La helping Whitney get her name and line out the masses! Click here to sign up!

Ideeli

-This site has really really great prices, most of the stuff on the site I can afford regularly. They offer men's, women's, children's, home decor and travel destinations! Ideeli also has a link called ideelACCESS that has super special goodies at great prices! Click here to sign up!

All of these shops are also great places to frequent when thinking about Christmas shopping! They all offer really great gifts for your loved ones that you won't need to pay an arm and a leg for!

Hope everyone is having a great week and happy shopping!