Behind the Scenes: Modeling in BP Nordstrom's Homecoming Fashion Show

"Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it."

— Yves Saint-Laurent

Wow do I owe you guys a blog post..
Well as promised here's my latest and greatest-

As part of being on the BP Fashion Board in Nordstrom, we're allowed to help plan and run events in BP. I signed up to be a part of our first fashion show this year to showcase Nordstrom's fabulous new homecoming dresses of the season. It was quite an experience and even better than I could have imagined it to be. All the people in Nordstrom were so incredibly nice and made us really feel like a part of the family.

Our journey to get made-up for the show started at 9:00 am as we were escorted from a side employee door to the second floor to get our makeup done by MAC cosmetics. There was only one other girl with me named Amanda and we could hardly wait to get our makeup done. We sat waiting to see what kind of colors they would paint on our faces, turning us from tired and sleep deprived to fashion show beauties.

As I looked around it was so crazy to think that the mall was still closed and we had had the privilege of walking around Nordstrom with almost no one around. It felt like we were going behind the scenes of one of my favorite stores, as most people never get to see Nordstrom stripped bare of all the people that usually flood the floors. Usually to the left and right of me as I would continue walking through the store, I'd see men and women of all ages chatting of first world problems and the amazing new clothes they were about to buy, but this time it was different. As I looked around, all I saw were employees, trying to wake up with cups of coffee that weren't quite strong enough to put some pep into their step. The looks on their faces due to the early hour they needed to wake in the morning and they walked around situating themselves to prepare for the hundreds of people that would soon enough walk through the mall doors on this lovely Saturday. I'm sure it's the most empty I will ever see Nordstrom be.

The makeup artist that did my makeup was named Stephanie. She was so incredibly sweet and made me feel so comfortable right away when we first sat down in the MAC chairs. We talked the whole time about a whole bunch of things and had our own NYC fashion week prep sesh as we took pictures. I couldn't wait to see the makeup masterpiece she had so carefully drawn on my face. This is what she had come up with:

Stephanie and I, practically the only two in the makeup department along with Amanda and the person doing her makeup

As my mom described, "A bit much for a 15 year old," but it was perfect for the fashion show.

Once Amanda and I came downstairs, we walked into the dressing rooms and we were quite amused to find a box of donuts laid out in front of all the "models" right before they were to walk in the fashion show.

The rest of the time was mostly spent talking and getting to know each other, while struggling to walk in all of our six inch heels knowing we would have to walk down a runway successfully in these, better yet do it without looking like an elephant and falling on the floor in front of our friends, family and random customers.

They had repeated it a hundred times, "Walk slowly!" yet we couldn't help but feel awkward as there was music blasting and some people were now walking around the store shopping and wondering why we were walking up and down an invisible runway with no one watching in six inch heals. So we tended to walk a little faster, but who could help it in this situation. First world problems, I know.

Constant practice occurred for the next hour and a half as we waited for our family and friends to arrive and walk on the runway, for real this time. Here are some pictures of me and the girls walking down the runway:

Thank you so much to everyone, all the people that came and the BP Fashion Board for giving me this opportunity! It was an amazing experience and I'm so glad I got a chance to be in the show. It was so much fun meeting everyone and really getting to know all the girls and people that work at Nordstrom!

Oh and thank you Mollie for all these wonderful pictures you took of me and the fashion show! <3

Here are some other pictures from the show: