Dave Bakke: Mocha Momma and her red dress meet Katie Couric

That's Oprah and Katie down for Kelly. Which national show is next? Ricki Lake? Jimmy Fallon? Ellen DeGeneres?"I'll just have to get my own," says Kelly. Don't think she won't.Two years ago, I wrote about her appearance on "Oprah." As assistant principal at Lincoln Magnet School, Kelly was one of several educators on the show to talk about the movie "Waiting for Superman." It was a documentary examining the problems of the country's public school system and solutions for fixing those problems.But this time it was "Katie" and the story of The Traveling Red Dress.
The red dress phenomenon was started by Jenny Lawson in Texas. Jenny wrote on her blog, "I want, just once, to wear a bright red, strapless ball gown with no apologies. I want to be shocking, and vivid and wear a dress as intensely amazing as the person I so want to be. And the more I thought about it the more I realized how often we deny ourselves that red dress and all the other capricious, ridiculous, overindulgent and silly things that we desperately want but never let ourselves have because they are simply ‘not sensible' ".Jenny bought the dress, wore it and it was liberating. She wanted other women to feel what she felt when she wore that dress and so it began a journey ... "traveling from city to city so that other people can wear it and love it and feel as special and vivid and dynamic as they already are. Because sometimes we all need a little red dress to remind us of that."
She sent the dress to a breast cancer patient. A woman with agoraphobia wore it. But mostly it is worn by women like the ones you see on the street every day.About a year ago, the red dress made its way to Springfield, and Kelly wore it. She had professional photographer Matt Penning take pictures of her in the dress.Feminine looks, old Hollywood style feature at NY fashion week.Afterward, she wrote on her Mocha Momma blog about the experience of the dress and why she wore it.
"I needed a moment of the abnormal, a celebration of the irrational," she wrote. "I needed the absolute crazy idea of getting a red ball gown in the mail and going out in the middle of the woods to take pictures in it. I needed to be something that maybe you wouldn't expect from the person at your child's school. I mean, really, can you see this person as the trusted individual whose office you might need to go to when your child gets in trouble or is in need of help? ..."Red dresses are transformative. Red dresses are necessary. Red dresses have the power to resurrect. Red dresses are the best kind of ridiculous. Thank you, Jenny, for reminding me of that."

Roy used a wave of coral colorblocking in a more fitted sleeveless dress

Rachel Roy mixed smudges of blue and gray with an earthy print of birds and animal skulls in a loose one-shoulder jumpsuit and palazzo pants in an eclectic spring collection that included pops of bright coral, neon orange and ivory eyelet lace."For me, I do a lot of mixing and balancing," she said Tuesday during a presentation at her Manhattan showroom. "I believe in mixing prints by taking opposites."A crepe racer tank in the smudged print was worn with an ivory silk trouser adorned with a cascade of purple and light brown dandelions — and a belt offering a third design.Roy used a wave of coral colorblocking in a more fitted sleeveless dress. She paired a colorblocked, bright orange knit top with long sleeves in blush and a bright, white pair of loose eyelet lace shorts.
"Getting dressed in the morning, you pick a vibrant color and maybe you'll have a vibrant mood," she said.Designer Sophie Theallet recently won a big knitwear award. So it shouldn't be a surprise that she incorporates knitwear into so many of her new designs.What was striking about the French-born designer's Spring 2013 collection was what she did with that knitwear — pairing brightly colored, fitted little cardigans with filmy organza skirts and dresses."Why not?" she said with a smile backstage at Tuesday's show.There were lots of pretty dresses at Theallet's show, and many bore an unmistakable image: A dragonfly."The dragonfly is viewed in different ways in different cultures," Theallet explained backstage. "Sometimes evil, sometimes spiritual. I wanted to show how the woman I am dressing can be anything at any time — she can be what she wants. She is dressing for herself."At Naeem Khan's Spring/Summer 2013 preview on Tuesday, most designs, except the fanciest gowns, were paired not with the usual stiletto heels but with flat sandals, like ones you'd saunter over to the beach in.
The Indian-born Khan, who famously designed Michelle Obama's first state-dinner dress, remained true to his glamorous roots, presenting a number of red-carpet-ready gowns.But he also broadened his collection by adding separates and daywear, as in cotton sateen pants paired with a bustier, or a cashmere off-the-shoulder sweater, or a quilted trench in bright blue.Khan ended his show with a series of beaded chiffon caftans, in marigold, coral, blue and blush.The Theyskens Theory line marries edgy-style darling Olivier Theyskens with accessible Theory, but the new spring collection presented a singular vision. It was an all-day wardrobe for the cool urbanite who might be a little more romantic than she thought.

Feminine looks, old Hollywood style feature at NY fashion week

Soft, flowing dresses with mid-calf hemlines in pastel shades of blue, sea foam and grays dominated the runway on Monday as designer Carolina Herrera showed her Spring 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week.The look was feminine, subtle and light as models seemed to float down the runway in wool-crepe long dresses, twill blouses matched with crepe flounce shorts and elegant color-blocked silk gowns with tulle overlays."It is a flirtatious collection with a focus on the essentials and proportions including long fluid skirts and shorts," was how the Venezuelan-born, New York-based designer described her creations.Shoulders were narrow, and Herrera hiked the waist toward the bustline with long, full skirts for an elongated silhouette that she paired with simple short-sleeved tops.
The designer who is known for her elegance and intricacy and is a favorite on the red carpet with her glamorous designs did not disappoint.An ivory pleated silk gown included floral embroidery and an oyster snakeskin skinny belt. Another fully embroidered icy-white column gown featured a black tulle overlay.Like the lace-backed Twilight wedding dress that Herrera designed for actress Kristen Stewart for the film "Breaking Dawn Part 1," the collection had a timeless appeal.Herrera's love of prints was evident in a motif in pastel shades that she used in various dresses, blouses and skirts that gave a cohesion to the entire collection.
"Every dress was stunning," gushed a member of the audience that included activist and former rock star wife Bianca Jagger, actress Julianne Hough, tennis great Boris Becker and "Vanity Fair" editor Graydon Carter.While Herrera opted for flirtation and romance, Norisol Ferrari, another Venezuelan-born designer, had Old Hollywood and actresses Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth and Rita Moreno in mind when she designed her spring collection, which featured strong lines, bold colors and plenty of sex appeal.Northern Lights Blaze Up After Big Sun Storm.She described the actresses as "all strong, confident women who command attention, desire and respect," which could also be said of her designs.
With figure-hugging trousers, capris and shorts, fitted, tailored jackets cinched at the waist and pleated in the back and cropped tops, Ferrari celebrated the female form and emphasized all of its curves.Each of the 33 designs had a suggestive title ranging from A Woman in Love and Girl's Night Out to The Last Tango and An Affair to Remember.Unlike other shows that feature young, waif-like models, many of Ferrari's designs were modeled by women of a certain age, including one-time supermodel 51-year-old Carol Alt, who drew applause in a flowing, belted black and cream gown.

Northern Lights Blaze Up After Big Sun Storm

 The northern lights erupted in a stunning display Monday night (Sept. 3) after a recent solar storm, amazing skywatchers around the world.On Friday (Aug. 31), the sun unleashed a coronal mass ejection (CME), sending a huge cloud of charged particles streaking into space at more than 3.2 million mph (5.1 million kph), NASA researchers said. The CME delivered a glancing blow to Earth's magnetosphere, putting on quite a show for stargazers at high latitudes.Photographer Ole Salomonsen captured the supercharged northern lights — also known as the aurora borealis — from a forest near Naimakka, Finland. He drove about 120 miles (200 kilometers) to get there, as the weather wasn't cooperating in Tromso, Norway, where he lives and works.  But the view was worth the international trip, Salomonsen said.
"There I was standing all alone deep into the Finnish forest, just in awe of this display of light that happened above my head," he wrote in a Facebook post.Even a bright moon couldn't spoil the show, Salomonsen added."A large moon is not normally optimal for watching auroras, especially not when it's not completely dark yet up here," he told SPACE.com via email. "But the moon actually contributed to absolutely magic photographic conditions, with the mist/fog over the lakes."
 Big CMEs that hit Earth squarely can wreak havoc, spawning powerful geomagnetic storms with the potential to disrupt GPS signals, radio communications and power grids. But the storms resulting from Friday's CME — which occurred after an enormous filament erupted from the sun's surface — were minor and apparently had little impact aside from the ramped-up auroras.The northern and southern lights result when charged particles from the sun collide with molecules high in Earth's atmosphere, generating a glow.The auroras are usually restricted to high latitutes because Earth's magnetic field lines tend to funnel these particles over the planet's poles. Solar storms can increase both the intensity and reach of auroral displays, bringing them into view for more skywatchers around the world.
After remaining relatively quiet from 2005 through 2010, the sun began waking up last year. It has fired off numerous strong flares and CMEs over the last two years, and researchers predict more such activity in the near future.Solar activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle. Scientists think the current one, known as Solar Cycle 24, will peak sometime in 2013.

Local organization giving away 1,000 free homecoming dresses

School just started for local high school students, and homecoming is right around the corner. One organization is giving away free dresses for girls that may need a little help getting ready for the dance.Becca's Closet was started by Rebecca Kirtman, a Florida high school student. She collected 250 dresses and gave them away to needy girls. Rebecca was killed soon after in a car accident. Her friends and family have spread the program around the country in her memory. The local Rockford chapter, located at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, opened its doors today for the homecoming season."We want to give away special dresses for proms and homecomings and other special events, to make it possible for girls who might not otherwise be able to afford to go to those events, so they can participate just like everyone else." -says Becca's Closet Volunteer Coordinator Mariel Heinke.Becca's Closet is open to the public every Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon, from now until October 20th.
Now three Hamilton ladies are giving former brides, grooms and bridesmaids the opportunity to showcase their special outfits one more time at a charity ball.The wedding themed ball at the Byre in East Kilbride on September 8 is set to raise money for Cancer Research and Alzheimer's UK.CC annual clothing drive, exchange nearing.Both charities are close to the hearts of sisters Carolann Dunbar and Mariette Giblin and their cousin Megan Martin.
Mariette, 32, said: "My sister saw a wedding themed charity ball advertised last year and it just looked so fun and unusual that in February we decided to organise our own event."We've had loads of feedback on Facebook, from mostly ladies excited about the possibility of wearing their dresses again."We didn't need to put any thought into the charities we really wanted to raise money for cancer and Alzheimer's."One of our close family members had Alzheimer's and Megan's mum and dad have both passed away from cancer, so we want to raise as much money as possible in their memory."As well as being encouraged to dress to impress in wedding attire there will be a champagne reception, iCandy Butlers, live entertainment from Michael O'Shay and a finger buffet throughout the night.Her mother, who also suffers from a non-specific disorder that afflicts her joints and has caused her pain that doctors for years have been unable to explain, plays a supporting role in the show, especially when the discussion turns to her daughter's medical condition.

Plus size dresses: Designer Monif C. shares how curvy girls can look sexy and trendy

In business since 2005, New York City-based mother-daughter team Elaine and Monif Clarke founded their plus size clothing company, Monif C., with a desire to give more options to women with full curves. Monif is still successfully running the label with a relentless passion for beautifying full-figured women. "When I design, I look at what I want to wear and I say ‘if I like it, our customers will like it,'" she told theGrio. "It's connected to what I think the key things every plus size girl should have in her wardrobe." And her methodology has been working. Not only has she dressed celebrities like Amber Riley and Kim Coles, she has also garnered a deal for her line to be sold.
The fabulous plus size designer spoke to us about her current releases and how curvy girls can looks sexy in every season.In swimsuits, the best seller this season is the Sao Paulo two-piece high-waist bikini, which shocked me because we had been talking for a good three years about making two-piece swimwear for plus size women. We literally had to reproduce those swimsuits three times, I was in shock. But it made me feel really good about the direction of where the plus size customer is going. I feel like the customer understands us. They also trust us — because they know if we put out a two-piece that we've also put the features in the suit to really make it work.In dresses, we always run out of the "Ruched Convertible Dress" for the summer, particularly white. A lot of people are looking for white dresses in the summer. We give options with how to wear this over and over again.
You incorporate so many vibrant colors into this collection, but bright colors are often daunting for women to wear. Do you have any hard and fast rules on pairing brights?My philosophy in dressing is that I believe wholeheartedly in dresses. Our collection is a majority dresses. I'm not the kind of person to layer — you know, with these slacks and this blazer. And so I believe in the idea of having a really vibrant-colored dress, a pair of heels, a nice clutch and just going out the door.I kind of feel like for women of color, especially saturated color — a green, a yellow, a coral — it just really makes the entire outfit pop. It's about a simple silhouette, not anything that's overly fussy, and a great color.Well, I'm the go all out queen! [Chuckles.] But obviously there are different flavors for different functions. Especially now in summertime and transitioning into fall, I'm seeing a lot of gold tone jewelry. And I love gold tone jewelry. There are a lot of statement necklaces and matte finish gold jewelry that I think work really well with colors. Matte isn't flashy. I also believe in bold accessories, but not a lot of accessories.

CC annual clothing drive, exchange nearing

Cowley College education majors will once again be collecting items for the Annual Clothing Drive and Exchange event scheduled for Nov. 3.Last year they collected more than 7,000 articles of clothing and hope to surpass 10,000 this year to assist families in the community.They will be collecting winter clothing to meet the needs of those in the area who might be economically challenged and unable to purchase winter attire. Clothing will be accepted for all sizes and ages, with a main focus of meeting the needs of children (birth to 18) in the community. Clothing needs include pants, long sleeved shirts, coats and shoes.
Clothing may be delivered to Cowley College's Social Science Office, located in the basement of the Brown Center of the main campus and open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clothing can be dropped off between the dates of Sept. 1 to Nov. 1.Rachel Zoe's clothing empire might soon be in shreds — sources say her line isn't selling well in stores and her Bravo reality show may also be in trouble.
The pin-thin stylist-turned-designer has become a household name from styling A-list clients including Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway and Demi Moore, and through her Bravo reality show, "The Rachel Zoe Project." Last summer, she launched a clothing line with Chinese retail giant Li & Fung.But despite the large promotional platform of her Bravo show, we hear the line isn't doing well at stores including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom, with industry insiders snipping that interest in the line has "peaked."To add insult to injury, sources tell us that Zoe's assistant, interior designer Jeremiah Brent, is getting his own reality show on the network.Pregnant Megan highlights her growing baby bump in a clingy floral dress.Brent, who redecorated Zoe's Hollywood home on the show, appeared on "Zoe Project" in Season 4, having been fired and rehired by Zoe and her husband, Rodger Berman.Brent appears to have moved on and started his own business, Jeremiah Brent Design, as shown by photos of his office on Twitter. He would be the third Zoe assistant to get a reality show, including Brad Goreski ("It's a Brad Brad World") and Taylor Jacobson, who appears in Oxygen Network's upcoming "Hollywood Unzipped: Stylist Wars."
A rep for Zoe, who will show at Lincoln Center during New York Fashion Week, didn't comment. But Alan Chartash, the chief strategy officer for Li & Fung USA, said: "We're very happy. Apparel launched a year or so, and since that time, we've launched footwear, handbags and we're launching a line of jewelry exclusively with Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. We're supportive of Rachel and the continuation of the brand. Like any clothing line, it ebbs and flows, but we're very happy with the apparel sales."