The fashion industry often gets a bad rap: It’s superficial. It supports anorexia. You know the routine.
However, events like the Fourth Annual Moda Provocateur, held Sunday evening in the Student Union Memorial Center Grand Ballroom, give fashion back some of its grace.
The benefit, which supported the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF), included a raffle, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and a great fashion show.
“”This event is all about education and awareness,”” said Anne Maley, who has serve as SAAF’s director for 10 years. “”It’s a wonderful event … but it was a lot of work.””
Local participating salons recruited and styled models to their liking, and clothes were selected from a variety of boutiques in town including Parachute, Cele Peterson’s and My Closet.
Drama, drama, drama characterizes this part of the set. Women strutted down the catwalk with asymmetrical hairdos that must have required bottles upon bottles of Aqua Net. Included in the set of models was recent UA graduate Ashley Ronaldson May. Thealumna, with a Spanish literature degree, worked an all-black ensemble consisting of pinstriped slacks and a blazer with a black bra underneath. To complete the vampy aesthetic, May sported ruby-red lips. The look could easily be copied for a night out, but if baring all isn’t your style, a little tank underneath would do just fine.
The Yen Salon Spa’s portion began with a comical performance art skit, with blonde-wigged girls mimicking Barbie and shaking plastic dolls at the audience. A little cultural commentary never hurt anybody. The looks shown by Yen were simplistic, putting much more emphasis on hair and makeup. Of all the outfits shown, the wide-legged jeans and white tank top, worn by business management senior, Ashley Smith, was one of the best. With wide-legged denim, there are more options. Since they look more like trousers than actual jeans, you might even be able to wear them at work.
The Toni & Guy Salon was divided into three looks: casual hipster, evening wear and futuristic. The casual hipster outfits raised some good dressing ideas for everyday life. One standout was a purple mini dress paired with fishnets and knee-high boots. Although the whole look might be a little extreme, fishnets are very doable if done right. Try them with a knee-length skirt or dress with boots, showing just a peak of net, which gives off the perfect amount of funk. While the clothes were edgy, so was the hair, complete with jagged, layered looks and blunt bobs.
The model’s tresses softened for the evening wear; black cocktail dresses were accompanied with cascading curls. The best of these frocks was a mini, flapper number paired with heels, evoking ’20s glam girl to the fullest.
The Ric Erickson Studio took a chronological approach to showing a variety of looks, starting with the ’50s and working up to present day. A mod pink lady – minus the pink – was one of the more costumey looks that made a lasting impression. A black poodle skirt was paired with a grey silky top and a cardigan thrown over the model’s shoulders. The finishing accessory was a pair of black-rimmed square eyeglasses. Unless you were attending a “”Grease””-themed party, it wouldn’t be suggested to duplicate the outfit head to toe. However, taking certain portions and pairing them with more modern day pieces could create a feminine and flattering style. For instance, the skirt with a simple white T-shirt and flats could take you from school to nightlife.
Another favorite was a black shirtdress, a simple piece that was accessorized perfectly. Un-buttoned enough to show a slew of necklaces and cinched with a belt, this look would be flattering on almost every frame. Creme boots added the perfect contrast to the outfit.
