Fashion Week S/S 2013 Dinner Party

Thanks Abby, for this photo!

Rachel, Brittany and I had so much fun hosting our fashion week dinner party last year, we decided to make it an annual event. This time, instead of a progressive party with a course at each of our apartments, we reserved The Maxwell's event room for the evening. Since we all wore heels, it was a lot more convenient for our guests.

Hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour were prosciutto, goat cheese, and peach crostini. Rachel found the recipe on Pinterest, one of our favorite sites. Follow Rachel and me!

Rachel pours the drinks before our guests arrive

Brittany, our resident mixologist, came up with the drink recipes. Our first cocktail was a lime and mint martini. 

Goat cheese tarts with arugula salad

The appetizer course was a goat cheese tart with arugula salad. To. Die. For. We found the recipe in American Fashion Cookbook, the CFDA cookbook. Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo of our main dish, roasted tilapia with mushroom risotto. Brittany was so on top of filling up my drink that I sort of forgot about it. Oops! 

Lindsey Menner, Megan Giannini and Becky Tilson in a staged laughter shot

Dessert was black and white cookies and raspberry linzers, two iconic New York City cookies. If we can't be in NYC, we can bring it to us!

We even got shushed by a girl who lived on the same floor as the party room. Oops. I blame the cocktails and the copious amount of wine.

What they wore:

Me in Asos patent leather skirt and top, a VPL bra, and Alejandro Ingelmo pumps

Rachel Conner in H&M leather pants and lace top, Pitaya blazer, Victoria Secret bra

Hostesses with the mostesses: Brittany Conner in a Tibi top, Parker leather pleated skirt, and BCBG heels.

Megan Giannini in French Connection and Francesca's, shoes from an Italian boutique

Abby Reed in Forever 21 top, Bleulab leather pants, Fergie shoes and Target necklace

Lindsey Menner

Becky Tilson

Laura Hull

Hostesses with the Mostesses: Brittany Conner (center) wore a Tibi top, Parker leather skirt, and BCBG heels. 

Then we took the after party to Tini on Mass Ave:

Super Bowl Countdown: Boho at Lorenzo's

My boyfriend Joel and I - He arrived after dinner, thus avoiding the drunk individual

Day 9: Boho at Lorenzo's

On Friday, we went to new Indy Italian restaurant, Lorenzo's on Market Street. It was right next to the Bud Light hotel, so it was right in the middle of the madness. My mom came out with us because she wanted to check out Super Bowl village and all the excitement that was happening downtown.

We waited for our reservation for quite awhile, but it was perfectly okay because we got a drink at the bar and had a great time observing all the out-of-towners acting like drunken fools.

My lovely cousins Annie and Brittany, my sister and I

After we sat down for dinner, a drunk guy approached our table. We thought it was a little awkward, but with our famous Hoosier hospitality, we humored his questions. Until he got to this one:

Drunk: "Did you guys grow up on a chicken farm?"

(Funny question, because we actually all grew up next together on an old farm, but we never used it for farming)

My cousin Annie: "No, but we did grow up on an old pony farm."

Drunk, who was clearly taken off guard by Annie's response: "Um.... did you guys grow up on a chicken farm?"

All of us in unison: "Um... no."

Drunk: "Well you are good at raising c*cks."

My sister Rachel, pointing to my mom: "Hi. Meet my mother."

Drunk, looking suddenly uncomfortable: "Oh sh*t."

The funny thing is, I think my mom laughed the loudest.

My sister and I with our mom, sorry for the blurry pic

Anyway, I wore a hat by Jessica Simpson (don't judge me), fringe silk dress by ASOS, leather and fur coat by Bebe (again, don't judge me), and boots by Dolce Vita.

Super Bowl Countdown: Fishnets and Hip Hop

 From left to right: Me, sis Rachel, Kara and my cousin Brittany.

Day 8: Fishnets and Hip Hop at the Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg concert

On Thursday a few of us went to the Wiz and Snoop Dogg at Conseco. The first several acts were terrible, but Wiz and Snoop made it worth waiting through two hours of crappy DJs and "comedians."

My sister and cousin got hit on by two gentlemen named Magic and Time. Seriously, those were their names. That has nothing to do with anything, but I just wanted to throw that in there for kicks and giggles.

I wanted to look tough, so I thought throwing together leopard, leather, and fishnets would do the trick.  My head scarf is ASOS, the leather jacket is BCBG and the dress is American Apparel.

My cousin Ben, me, Rachel and Brittany. Yea, I hang out with my family a lot. Don't judge me. 

Snoop!

Super Bowl Countdown: Tennis Prep

Day 4: Tennis Prep at Kilroy's and the Pete Sampras match at Conseco

Ok, so I realize the Super Bowl is over, but I was so busy I didn't have time to post outfits until now! Anyway, last Sunday we went to Kilroy's to watch the IU game, followed by Pete Sampras' tennis match. My cousin, Brittany made us some killer champagne cocktails to take to Super Bowl Village, so by the time we made it to the match, we were feeling pretty good! None of us ate dinner, so we finished the night at Adobo, which was so delish. Have you tried their guacamole? It's amazing.

In the spirit of tennis prep, I wore an A.P.C. toggle cape over a chunky knit turtleneck sweater and houndstooth skirt. I got those thigh high argyle socks in Tokyo on a school trip. All the girls there wear all sorts of funky socks and tights - it was such an inspiring trip, fashion-wise. The patent buckle Mary Janes are Tory Burch. Excuse my hot mess hair. I had no idea it looked like this until I had photographic evidence.

My Super Bowl partners in crime: Brittany, Rachel and me

Fashion Week S/S 2012 Dinner Party

At my place from left to right: Brittany Conner, Lindsey Menner, Rachel Conner, Lindsey Slipher, Kiley Duke and Megan Giannini. I jumped in the photo on the right.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Fashion Week! But while all the New Yorkers, Parisians, Londoners and Milanese have glamorous fashion events galore at their fingertips, us Hoosiers have to work a little bit harder to celebrate.

Me, Brittany and Rachel. I felt like J.Lo in this outfit, although that wasn't the original plan.

Since my sister Rachel, my cousin Brittany, and I all live conveniently close to each other in the Mass Ave/Lockerbie area, we decided to host a progressive fashion dinner party to toast the spring/summer fashion shows. Fashion week makes us a little bit wistful, since we all used to live around the NYC fashion action (especially Brittany, who just moved back), but this time, we brought the fashion to us! 

Left: Lindsey and Rachel. Right: Me, Lindsey Kiley and Megan.

We invited all our most fashionable friends to wear their best runway inspired ensembles and join us in a evening of food, fun, and obvie, fashion. We even used the American Fashion Cookbook, full of recipes from CFDA members, for some of the dishes. Food and fashion are my two favorite things, so I love tying them together whenever possible.

Some detail shots from our runway inspired outfits

Brittany made the super cute menu. For more on the food and recipes, go to IndySlim

We started off at Rachel's Mass Ave apartment with Derek Lam's yellowtail crudo, edamame and cucumber, mint and lemon martinis. We bought the yellowtail at Kona's Fish Market, and it was delish. Afterwards, we headed to my place for the main course, Diane von Furstenberg's Saturday Night Chicken, and a few bottles of white wine. 

 Left: Brittany and I at her apartment. Note that she's still taller barefoot. So unfair! Right: Brittany making some kickass St. Germain champagne cocktails.

Kiley pretending that she made the cupcakes, but we all know the real truth.

Dessert was Spiced Rosé Gelatin With Peaches, mini strawberry cupcakes and St. Germain and Champagne cocktails at Brittany's new place in the Maxwell. For more on the food, including recipes, check out my sister and my blog, Indy Slim.

 At The Libertine...

...with absinthe cocktails... yeah buddy!

We finished the night at The Libertine, Neal and Lindy Brown's new bar on Washington Street. The cocktails were glorious, and it was a great spot for a fashionable night cap.