Wow, what a great week I had last week.  At A Girly Girl Boutique, we were so busy after the fashion shows for the WIOG Family Fun Fest and then I received an email to be a guest of Kevin Christiana at the first ever Fashion In Detroit.  I must say, I was hesitant at first because I was so booked and I only had a few days notice.

For those of you who don’t know, Kevin Christiana was on season four of Project Runway and makes frequent appearances on the Rachel Ray show.  He is now designing his own line called MYNT 1792, a great lifestyle clothing line.  Well, you know….I had to go.  I even arranged for my husband, David,  to attend as a photographer and I would be interviewing Kevin for an article for the Fashion Plate for the Review Magazine.

Well, I had a blast and it was soooo great to be seated front row, watching the fashion shows instead of backstage producing the fashion shows!  Afterward, I did get to interview Kevin Christiana and also Barry Zinn who is also part of the MYNT 1792 team, which explained the name of the other line they are developing called Christiana-Zinn!  What great guys!  Seriously, two very down to earth, humble people and it was a great pleasure to speak with them.  Here is a great picture that my wonderful hubby took.

Barry Zinn, Debra Defoe (aka Girly Girl) and Kevin Christiana

Keep an eye out for this up and coming designer and I will let you know when the Review Magazine-Fashion Plate article comes out!

I am so pleased to tell you about my piece for this issue of the Fashion Plate for the Review Magazine.  It is titled Pigskin and Paper Roses and is a piece about Homecoming. 

The Fashion Plate

Thanks to our models Fawn and Drake for taking part in the photo shoot and my gifted and talented husband David for the magnificent photos.  We even made the front cover and they are saying that all of the photos from  the shoot may end up on their website!  Let me tell all you Girly Girls, that is exciting!  Also a big thanks to Robert for this incredible opportunity!  Check out the Review Magazine and the special insert of the Fashion Plate available at different locations in Saginaw and around Saginaw County.  Get them before they are gone!

3D Agency

 Debra Defoe                                                                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

989 791-3433                                                                      Saginaw, MI

debra@a-girlygirl.com 

WOMEN’S EVENT TO BENEFIT CHILDREN’S CHARITY 

Hunter’s widows will be “shining” on Saturday, November 15, 2008 as they help raise money for children in our area.  Burt Watson Chevrolet Pontiac in Freeland is hosting the Hunter’s Widows Wine and Wheels Extravaganza for women of all ages from 7pm until 9pm.  All Proceeds from the event will benefit the Johnny Burke Children’s Charity.

 The Hunter’s Widows Wine and Wheels Extravaganza will allow women to sip on fabulous wine selections, taste delicious food and enjoy the chocolate fountain while being treated to some fun and fashion from local businesses.  Models from 3D Agency will be presenting a fashion show with fashions courtesy of A Girly Girl Boutique in Saginaw, MI.  Generous donations will allow for great prize giveaways at the event.

 Tickets for this event are $15.00 and can be purchased at Burt Watson Chevrolet Pontiac or at A Girly Girl Boutique, but hurry before they are gone!  For more information, contact Debra at 989 791-3433.

Bet your sugar beets you won’t want to miss the Hunter’s Widows Wine and Wheels Extravaganza Saturday, November 15, 2008 from 7-9pm at Burt Watson Chevrolet Pontiac in Freeland.

That is right all my Girly Girls; Paige Lawson, Miss Saginaw,  took home the award for Miss Photogenic at the Miss Michigan Teen USA 2009 Pageant over the weekend.  Paige worked hard so I am glad she didn’t go home empty handed.  I am also excited about the fact that her beautiful picture was taken by my husband, David and you can check out his other stuff at his website.

I think Paige was a little disappointed, but she shouldn’t be.  She did such an amazing job and I know she will come back next year and win the title.  She is solid!

I must tell you today that I am very excited for the coming weekend.  Why, you may ask?  Her name is Paige Lawson and she rocks!  I met Paige and started coaching her for the Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant about two months ago.  The pageant will take place at the McMorran Place Theater in Port Huron, MI this weekend and I have a sneaking suspicion that Paige is going to take the cake!

I began coaching Paige by teaching her skills such as walking and posing.  She is tall and slender and she has a cute shape for a teen so I think that will help her.  Also I have to give her credit because her posture wasn’t bad either.  Bad posture is a common problem that I usually see in taller teenage girls, but I think the fact that she is a basketball player may have helped her.  The fact that she enjoys Pilates workouts helps also to sculpt the abs.

Paige picked up the runway techniques quickly and more importantly, practiced them!  That is the key to a successful pageant…PRACTICE.  If you ask her what I hounded her on the most, she would probably tell you…practice!!  It can not be stressed enough.  Practice makes perfect.  When you hit the stage with lots of practice under your belt and BUTTERFLIES in your stomach, you have practice to thank for a flawless performance.  When you don’t have to think about your walk or turns or poses, it is easier to keep nerves under control.

Not everyone is perfect and Paige’s nemesis turned out to be interview.  Not surprising, as that seems to fall many a young lady.  Interview is not only the most challenging part of a competition, but also extremely important.  It is amazing how a simple question can become hard to answer in interview.  We discovered the key to Paige’s interview success and once we did, she ran with it.  I knew it was there because she is smart and all it took was to tweak the delivery.  Now she is gold!

Pray for Paige.  Any first time pageant girl will tell you that nerves can get the best of you.  Her Daddy can’t be here because he is down south helping to restore power to hurricane Ike effected areas and it  is hard for a young girl to be without her dad to support her for an event like this.   She is strong and is going to win.  I will keep you posted.

That sounds like a wonderful way to glam up the dreary farm life.  Maybe Obama is onto something!  Surely he wouldn’t have used that phrase to speak of another person, like Sarah Palin.  He is such an upstanding guy, isn’t he?!

He is so very concerned about the economy so do you think he was hinting at the idea that it may increase the profits of pork farmers?  The other white meat may be worth more than previously thought?  Oh, wait someone may take that and make it into a racial slur.

And the saga continues!  I wonder if he gave any thought as to what color the lipstick should be.  Or what brand to use; if it is made in America or tested on animals.  I bet if lipstick sales start to skyrocket, he will take credit for it, even though we all know the sales will have increased because everyone read it here from a Girly Girl!

It is here once again, Pampered on the Patio in conjunction with WGER Magic 106.  Last month’s event was a huge success and A Girly Girl Boutique was on hand with the 3D Agency models for a great fashion show.  The event is supported by the vendors offering their wares, but mostly it is a great time to hang out with your GIRLFRIENDS and drink some cold beverages at a great place; The Sawmill.

Let me tell you, the food at the Sawmill is great.  The vendor’s offerings make you feel truly pampered and when you think about it, you realize that you do deserve a grown up time out!!

Don’t miss some great fun, great conversation and maybe a little retail therapy on Thursday, July 17 from 5-8pm at the Sawmill, right off Midland road.  See you there!!

Well I must tell you gals, maybe A Girly Girl Boutique will be on the map yet!!  I loaned some of my boutique clothing to the film set of Street Boss who just happens to be shooting here in Saginaw and the surrounding area.  The wardrobe coordinator took numerous items to use for one of the few female roles in Street Boss and ended up using this BB Dakota top for the one romance scene in the movie!  (Thanks Jen!)  Just so you know, my husband David is taking a lot of the set stills for the production and his pictures are phenomenal!  Check them out on his Flickr account!

I have heard a few conversations about this production company being in town.  Mostly I think it has been a big boost to the area economy and to the local talent also.  Many local people got the opportunity to become extras on the film set and gained an experience that will stay with them for a lifetime.  Oh, to be ever immortalised in film!  Just kidding, but still what an adventure for them.  I hope many more productions take place here!

Keep in mind what ever business you are in, opportunity is knocking so network and put yourself out there to take advantage of every opportunity you get to promote your business.  You never know who you may meet or where you will end up if you try!  And if you want a little retail therapy and ensurse that you dress like a star, make a Girly Girl your first stop, dahling!!

I love that title; it shows my personality!!

So we did it!!  We hosted our first photo shoot in the area that wasn’t related to the store or the clothing.

Perry’s old Schuch Hotel in Saginaw, MI provided the perfect setting for this great opportunity.  The idea is to bring together multiple photographers, models, hair and makeup artists and sometimes designers.  Everyone gets together at one location, hair and makeup is done for the concepts and then the shooting begins.  These photo shoots are extremely fun but also an intense amount of work on all parts.

We started at 10am, unloading all the equipment from the vehicles.  The hair designers from Attitudes salon in Saginaw began transforming the models’ hair for the first segment of the shoot which was Old Hollywood Glamour.  The look I wanted to achieve was glamorous makeup and hairstyles coupled with fabulous, rich colored gowns that would be perfect for walking the red carpet.  The hairstyles were fantastic thanks to Amy and Aleshia from Attitudes.  Gabrielle and I performed makeup artist duties and once the models changed into the gowns, they looked incredible.  Let the shoot begin!

The second faze of the shoot was gong to be a white out.  I made white “costumes” for all the models to wear for this phase of the shoot which I had intended to make look angelic and soft.  We were to be shooting it in the third floor of the old hotel which was in shambles from being restored by the new owners.  Originally, I wanted to incorporate pale makeup and pale white hair on the girls to finish the look for the effect that I was trying to create; but once the hair designers finished with the styles, I loved it so much we left the makeup and hair as it was.  I also thought that maybe they were getting a little tired!  We were pressed for time with cleanup looming, so we shot the models the way they looked.  They were breathtaking and the pictures are fabulous!  After we were done, I discovered that they were disappointed that we didn’t go ahead and add the pale powder to their hair and faces!  Oh well, it was a fruitful day anyway and we can do it again some other time!  You have to check out the pictures on David’s website and let me know what you think.  I loved it!!

So here is your chance to see the Girly Girl Models at work.

Friday, February 29, 2008 we are presenting another fashion show at Perry’s Schuch Hotel in Old Towne Saginaw.  It promises to be a great time and be sure to stay for the Pretty in Pink party afterward.  The show starts at 8:15pm so get there early to get the best seat so you don’t miss the fashion event of the season!  See you there.  Love you Girly Girls!  Debra