From jogging attire to a vintage wedding dress, audiences were far from disappointed at the Rogue Allure Fashion and Trunk Show at The Wildey Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 6.

The moment guests stepped through the doors at The Wildey, they were instantly immersed in the world of fashion. Mannequins with old-fashioned dresses lined the foyer and a red carpet-style backdrop allowed for a genuine fashion show experience.

Once through the lobby, guests were given the opportunity to venture to the third floor Chandelier Room for the trunk show portion of the night. Here, 14 shops and boutiques set up booths where people could shop their items and see all they have to offer. These shops included everything from White Birch, which offers interiors and home accent pieces, to Miss Mary’s Cupcakes.

One of the shops participating was CS Gems, a local online boutique that repurposes vintage jewelry and sells it at reasonable prices. Site owner Stacy Hayden said she was excited to take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of the trunk show.

“We have only been in business one year, and since we have no storefront, we want to get as much publicity as we can,” Hayden said. “The fashion aspect drew us to this particular event. It gives us a great chance to get in front of as many people as we can who would be interested in our product.”

Once guests were finished browsing the trunk show, they were welcomed into the theater hall of the Wildey. This location, previously an opera house and movie theater, gives visitors a quaint theater experience.

The show began by Friends of the Wildey President Rich Walker welcoming everyone to the event. He then introduced the celebrity emcee for the night, St. Louis stylist and fashion blogger Kate Allen.

As soon as Allen introduced the first shop in the show, Run Well, the lights in the theater dimmed. Music began to play when suddenly, models came jogging through the audience in head-to-toe athletic wear, complete with headgear lights to brighten the theater.

The next shop was Glik’s, which modeled trendy fashions. Following was Leopard Boutique, a shop out of Webster Groves, offering bags, accessories and clothing for women of all ages.

Next was a new shop hazel2blue, from Alton, which showcased urban, edgy and vintage styles for young modern women. The following boutique featured was What to Wear, which offered unique and contemporary clothes and accessories.

Doncaster was the next boutique featured. This shop offered many styles for women from elegant plaids to classic Amsterdam-style apparel.

Mr. Anthony’s Fashions, a women’s boutique and men’s haberdashery, was the final shop to walk the runway, featuring Kentucky Derby-themed designs. The men escorted the women to the runway, then stepped back and let the women run the show.

All of the shops stomped down the runway to a song of their choice, adding a level of excitement to the show. Each boutique had various amounts of models, either chosen by the Friends of the Wildey or by the shops.

The grand finale of the night was a segment called “My Mother’s Dress.”

Walker had been looking through his mother-in-law Donna Jean Green’s storage, and found many dresses she had worn when she was young. These dresses were restored by Holiday Cleaners in Edwardsville, and presented at the event.

Items presented included a few little black dresses, a red and white-checkered dress originally made for actress Ava Gardner, and dresses Green described best used for parties. However, the most stunning gown appeared when a model approached the runway in head-to-toe wedding attire, wearing Green’s original dress and veil.

Audience member Jen Bulmann Summers, of Edwardsville, said she attended this event as a girls’ night out with her friends and as a way to support the community.

“It exceeded my expectations with how fun it was; I was smiling the entire time,” Bulmann Summers said. “I loved the vintage dresses the most; it reminded me of my mother and grandmother’s. That era had so much class.”

Friends of the Wildey Treasurer Chris Head, who is a Rouge Allure coordinator, said the Wildey Theatre staff did a terrific job of taking a vision and making it a reality.

“I thought the fashion show went very well,” Head said. “Each boutique did an excellent job of showcasing its signature look. The vintage segment exceeded my expectations on several levels; not only were the gowns and dresses worn well by the models, but each also told a tender story about a life well-lived.”

Caitlin Grove

Via alestlelive.com