First things first, we want to thank everyone who joined us during Tampa Bay Fashion Week! We drank wine, ate sweets, saw some beautiful clothes and truly partied into the sunset.

If you couldn’t make it, do not feel left out because we’re going to fill you in on all the deets. For those of you who did, let’s bask in that week again together.

Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2016 officially launched Wednesday, Sept. 21, with the Sip & Shop Soiree.

There were some fantastic accessories brands and a few designers from this year’s show selling exclusives at The Hideaway ~Downtown Tampa. We shopped and sipped the night away and woke up just in time to attend Fashion Photos & Prosecco the following day, Thurs, Sept. 22.

Located at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, fashion photos illuminated the room as we enjoyed lovely red velvet Sprinkles cupcakes with Prosecco and listened to a presentation with Leslie Joy Ickowitz, VERTICAL Tampa Bay’s founder and editor-in-chief.

We also saw the Jerry Uelsmann: Undiscovered Self photo exhibition, whose use of negatives captured the eye. The exhibit is still there so if you get a chance, check it out!

We spent the night at NOVA 535 for the Swanky Soirée. It was a beautiful night, filled with food and drinks to benefit Brookwood Florida.

Our first fashion show was Friday, Sept. 23 and showed in this order:

· Pandora opened the show and reminded us of the infinite ways we can wear jewelry. They literally lit up the runway.

· Lilly Pulitzer was colorful and flirty. Their new line was full of pinks, blues, and cream colors and everything was Florida-sun ready. Definitely a brand to explore!

· Free People is for the free-spirited and unique. They made beautiful use of earth tones and gave many of us ideas of what to wear (and who to wear) this season.

· Floridita is for the mermaid in you. These intricately designed swimsuits caught everyone’s attention, along with the custom-made accessories. Beautifully-made designs, they definitely made a statement!

· Sanford Brown –IADT School of Design Student Showcase featured students Smyrne Charles, Joshua Duck, Lakesha Johnson and Rachel Ternival who all proved the talent brewing in Tampa Bay can not go unnoticed. Each student had their own niche, making it an eye-catching showcase.

· Elizabeth Carson Racker closed Friday night’s show with a fashionable, socio-political statement. Every article of clothing represented a facet of America’s population and assigned labels. With Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar playing in the background, there was no way you could miss this stylish call for unity.

The following day, Saturday, Sept. 24, we showed:

· Ally B. Swim whose hand-made, vintage swimwear are made for you to be one with the water, in style. The lace, mesh and pattern combinations are bold and appropriate for every shape and size.

· Athleta provides stylish active wear for the high-performance woman. Their ensembles can be worn in and out of the gym, perfect for the active, on-the-go woman. Truly athletic wear for she!

· Madame Adassa by Marsha Vacirca was very sensual and feminine. Each garment was intricately designed and made to stand out. Created to exude the confidence every woman possesses, these dresses brought Madame Adassa’s passion to life.

· Banana Republic reminded us of the beauty of contemporary classics. Very versatile, these pieces let us endlessly mix and match. Each look captures the modern day woman and man, and reminds us why we love Banana so much.

· Tracy Negoshian patterned dresses embraces women’s natural curves. The garments fell beautifully on each diverse model on stage. Comfortable enough to be worn anywhere and sophisticated enough to be noticed everywhere, these dresses were made for everyone.

· Neiman Marcus closed our second and final show of 2016 and they were scorching hot! Every article of clothing was a stand alone piece, yet Neiman’s found a way to put them all together flawlessly. Absolutely stunning and definitely gave us a reason to stop by the store.

The whole week was absolutely fantastic. And we couldn’t do it without the participation of all you! We thank everyone who came out to support us and everyone who took a part in the 2016 #TBFW event!

Shout out to the designers, brands, models, and hair/make-up who brought beauty to the runway, and all of the volunteers who helped to bring it all together. The sponsors who supported us throughout the whole event, we appreciate all of you and can’t wait to do this whole thing again next year!

Until next time,

~Jessica