A Fun Fashion Fling

I went wild partying Friday night! That's a euphemism in our family for "I left the house." Even an Aggie can decipher which sounds more exciting.

Friday night was the University of Texas Fashion Show that is put on annually by Senior design students. I have been trying to get there for several years and finally made it. It was well worthwhile! My sister, a (costume designer), a friend (a UT professor and curator of their textile collection), and I, arrived in time to view the interesting exposition prior to the show. Students' juried pieces were modeled and the designers were present to explain construction and answer questions.

One of the features in the exposition was silk scarves. The scarves, designed by students were examples of "technical textile trend boards created with Adobe Photoshop."

A sampling of two new donated collections were highlighted. The UT Professor who donated the ethnic clothing collection, searched the world for authentic folkware, documenting the origins and construction of each piece. Five decades after she began her search, many of the pieces in the marketplace have become shadowy reproductions of the originals, and are now made only for the tourist trade. The second collection was an assemblage of haute couture clothing worn by a Montana cattle woman who evolved into a socialite. Students will be able to study the construction and design of the designer label clothes, to apply and expand their knowledge bases.
Design students receive a Bachelor of Science degree and must take a number of biology and chemistry courses before focusing on design. I believe it is the only University to require its design students to take a calculus course.

We could have perused the exposition at greater length, but we did not want to miss the Runway Fashion Show. It was spectacular! I am not sure any other University affords its students the opportunity to participate in a show this professionally done. Lighting, music, Power Point presentation, trophies, and monetary awards, topped off a very professionally modeled runway presentation. The fashions easily rival some of the popular "Project Runway" TV series offerings. Granted, this was a whole semester's work and "PR" is a much more limited time, but the UT students are younger and less experienced. There were some well-coordinated, comfortable looking, items that could actually be worn. There were also some less street friendly designs and quite a few, as my neighbor calls them, "Chicky-Babe" outfits. Among the ones that brought spontaneous "oohs & aahs" were a ruffled-tiered red dress, an elegant purple gown sheltered by the bones of an umbrella, and a "picnic" dress with a checkered tablecloth skirt and "grassy" top.
It was a fun evening!

We left the auditorium in time to be greeted by a torrential rain and tornado warnings. Horizontal lightning spread across the sky in skeletal streaks as the energy generated from both East and West appeared destined to collide in the center. It was a fitting climax to the excitement we had witnessed inside.