Last week, I was in heaven at the Charleston Fashion Week, especially since I got to enjoy a couple nights of dinner and fashion shows with my friends! This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Charleston Fashion Week (CFW) so it was an especially grand celebration. The weather turned out to be incredible, with temps in the 70s, which was perfect for spring dresses and outdoor cocktails. I love Charleston Fashion Week since the Holy City is one of my favorite destinations and I love the whole runway set up in Marion Square –in the heart of Charleston. If you plan to go to CFW next year, pin this article — it covers everything from where to stay, what to wear and what to expect. You can also check out my Charleston Travel Guide for restaurant and shopping recommendations.

Fashion Shows.

We started our evening at the Kate McDonald Bridal Collection show, which took place at the historic William Aiken House, right on King Street. Their show featured incredible wedding and bridesmaid dresses in a fairytale setting. This was a must not miss event since it was sponsored by the Charleston Weddings Magazine with event design help from Luke Wilson Events and floral design by Flora.

After the bridal show concluded, we headed to the Charleston Fashion Week Runway shows, which was an easy five minute walk. We enjoyed strolling around and sipping on cocktails while shopping at the various vendors. The runway show began around 8:00pm and showcased four emerging designers and local retailers. One show stopper was Kelsey Kawamoto, a children’s wear designer who won the People’s Choice award! She certainly had my vote! However all of  the emerging designers of the night: Ricky Lindsay, Morgan Cook and Michael Mack were incredibly talented and awe-inspiring. For a list of all of the emerging designers, please visit CFW Emerging Designers.

In addition to an emerging designer competition, CFW also hosts a Rock the Runway Model Competition, which helps models boost their careers. I also had a chance to sit down with Ashley Brooke Perryman of ABP who worked tirelessly to style the models’ hair and makeup that aligned with each designer’s vision. Nothing short of a team of 30 professional hair and makeup artists helped pull off CFW.

Lastly, congrats to the Emerging Designer winner Destani Hoffman and the Rock the Runway winners Lauren Ellison and Austen O’Neill!

Attire.

Since it was fashion week, I partnered with Tibi. I shopped at their store on St. Simons Island, and worked closely with the General Manager, Ginny Clark to style my outfit. We chose the Neutron Embroidery Dress in navy — though they also have it in white, which made the decision extremely difficult. This dress is so feminine because of the flowy and light weight material. I paired this with nude suede wedges and classic Kendra Scott jewelry, including their sleek ivory cuff. Kendra Scott just opened a store in Savannah and I highly recommend that you stop by! They have a Color Bar where you can customize your jewelry. You can be a designer for the day by choosing your style, color and stone.

Lodging.

Photographer Kelli Boyd and I were looking for a chic and stylish hotel so we stayed at the Grand Bohemian hotel, which is located in Charleston’s Historic District. As a Kessler Collection property, this trendy hotel blends a funky vibe with southern charm, making it the perfect place for a girls weekend. The hotel has a fabulous restaurant, Eleve, where you can enjoy lunch on their outside patio — which we took advantage of with the warm spring weather! They also have a wine tasting room where you can blend your own wine or enjoy a variety of selected wines. Their staff is incredibly hospitable and will graciously assist you with anything.

Everything about my trip to Charleston was fabulous–from fashion week, to the restaurants, the Grand Bohemian, and of course, catching up with girlfriends. I highly recommend you check these places out next time you’re in Charleston!

Special thanks to Charleston Magazine, Charleston Weddings and Grand Bohemian.

Kelli Boyd Photography