EVOLVING INFLUENCE Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference Recap

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!!

Wow, what an exciting week it has been for Sammy Davis Vintage! Not only was it social media week in NYC, but today marks the first day of NYC Fashion Week for the 2012 collections — and the first time that ANYONE from ANY COMPUTER can watch the shows LIVE from YouTube! Check it out — it’s pretty amazing, and it has me convinced that there’s nothing better than watching beautiful pieces strut on a runway from the comfort of your computer screen. It’s like shopping in your underwear!

Not only was this week marked by fashion & all things digital, it was marked by a bit of gratefulness for the small pleasures in life [read: not necessarily fashion week & social media!] and my ever-growing love of all things from eras past [read: necessarily vintage fashion!].

Yesterday I attended the Evolving Influence fashion bloggers conference, hosted twice-a-year alongside NYC fashion week by the Independent Fashion Bloggers community. If you’re a blogger and you’re reading this post, I highly suggest checking out IFB for it’s supportive community and FREE resources.

I wanted to share my experience yesterday in a way that suited your tastes best. I could have snapped pictures of the fashionably & intellectually famous panelists and shared what I learned about blogging, but it’s Friday, and you lovelies aren’t here to look at pictures of the famous. You’re here to be inspired by vintage fashion & thrift store style … and by some positive, spunky sunshine a la Sammy Davis Vintage, too.

So may I present to you a refreshingly fun recap of yesterday’s Evolving Influence conference — complete with vintage street style pics, some shout outs to old friends & new, and a very special conclusion to the evening that I want you all to read [and listen!] about. All of this — and more! — after this very lovely jump.

Huge thank you to Independent Fashion Bloggers founder and stylish lady with substance Jeninne Jacobs and the IFB members/volunteers who made yesterday’s conference a possible SUCCESS!

I hope that everyone has positive plans for the weekend … complete with a little something for yourselves, considering Monday is Valentine’s Day and this winter season is still roaring STRONG! Add warmth to your days and spring [and spring vintage!] will be here before we know it.

xx, SD

THE SET UP

Talk about vintage: a Sno Kone machine was stationed at all times to provide sweet relief to attendees. Made me want to go to a carnival!

Shout out to Evolving Influence sponsors, like the great campaign of Levis’ Shape What’s to Come. I own a pair of the jeans and they fit like a GEM. The best part? You can buy based on your sexy shape, not your stifling size. “Shape” sizes include slight, demi, bold and supreme.

Held at Milk Studios in downtown west side Manhattan, the conference room overflowed with busy & stylish fashion bloggers typing, tweeting, texting away about what they were hearing and musing at the moment.

OLD FRIENDS

I ran into my good friends and first episode of THRIFT WARS competitors Lindsay & Meredith of the professional style blog, Cubicle Chic. They were some of my first meet-and-greets of the day … so wonderful to see friendly faces at the beginning of the conference ;-)

Meredith surprised me by wearing SAMMY DAVIS VINTAGE! I sold her this one-of-a-kind mustard yellow “skort” dress [yes … remember the shorts meets skirts dresses?!] last year when I was a full time vintage seller. She accessorized and layered for a winter look. Go, Meredith!

Looking fierce, ladies!

I spent most of the day chatting up the gorgeous Gaby of Paper Planes & Mary Janes. We hung out in the back of the conference, like bad kids in a classroom.

Old friends AND new! I’ve been chatting up the unique intellect & style of Amy from Punky Style [left] on Facebook. She’s a co-founder of the amazing SWAPAHOLICS, which hosts swap events nationwide so that you can have a drop-off & get dressed destination for new-to-you sustainable fashion.

To my right is another amazing entrepreneur, Pamela of Market Publique, the online vintage shopping destination that you should ALL check out right now if you’ve never heard of before. I was a seller on the site and love how easy it is to browse and drool over one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.

My lovely friend and Brooklynite artist & fashion designer Lacee Swan was rocked out in fuchsia pink, thundering leopard and singing music staff tights. She’s the most talented illustrator I’ve ever met — she designed the new logo and soon-to-be-released banner for the site! Check out her model T-shirt line that’s blowing up in the press and on the streets of downtown NYC.

VINTAGE TRENDS

I spotted this vintage-sister-of-mine at the very beginning of the conference and didn’t actually catch her for a photo until the very end — which by that time, she had unfortunately ran out of business cards! So I completely forget her name and site. I hope she visits my site and sees this pic — please email me your info, ASTAT, please!

What do you all think of her ’40s style and pin curl? I LOVE!

Albeit blurry, Amy of Chicago Street Style was literally rocking a “yeeti-style” faux fur coat for the duration of the conference. I give her cred!

The best moment of being a fashion blogger? [editor’s note: this is totally self absorbed!] When another blogger recognizes you! That’s what happened with Fajr of Stylish Thought, above. I complimented her on that fabulous vintage dress [what can I say, I have an eye!] and upon introducing myself, said that “of course she knew me and had been wanting to feature me on her site.” Um … FLATTERED!

Fajr is a Philly girl who lives around the corner from my favorite thrift store in Germantown, Philadelphia — BARGAIN THRIFT. I love how the universe operates sometimes — it can give you a magnet of energy to attract just the right people! So nice meeting you and chatting, Fajr!

If worn any other way, the dress could be mistaken for either a.) tribal wear or b.) a Kindergarten teacher’s dress [seriously, can you see it?] But Fajr did a great job adding a belt, knee high boots and her own sparkling smile to pull it off. Tots inspired!

What a dashing gent above! I was struck by the colors in this vintage blazer and how he styled it with a summer hat in the dead of February. Curran is a stylist living in my favorite city [it’s a battle with NYC!] … the 215, Philadelphia! Check out his site Kings Rule Together — I was QUITE impressed.

MY AFTER PARTY

I headed to the famous Joe’s Pub to see up-and-coming British singer/songwriter/channeler-of-being-a-kid-at-heart Eliza Doolittle. Have you guys heard of her? She’s got the voice of Adele with the spunky personality of Lily Allen, without the crass attitude of Lily or the woe-is-me lyrics of Adele.

I was encouraged to check her out by BF Tammy Tibbetts, who is looking to recruit Eliza to perform at her annual charity event Girls Who Rock. If you guys are in NYC over Internet Week in June, definitely keep your eyes/ears open for this great concert!

You can hear Eliza on her MySpace page. Last night was her FIRST  US performance ever [woah!] and only one scheduled for this season. Hopefully she’ll be making her way back to the states after her album release here in March!