It's one of my favorite weeks again - and it only happens twice a year -- Kansas City Fashion Week!

This season, I'm walking for Mikayla Tjeerdsma wearing her Kalon by Kayla collection. I've already seen the pieces and have had my initial fitting and let me tell you this collection is stunning. The colors, the textures, the fabrics, ALL OF IT! You'll have to wait for after the show for photos from the runway, but what I can share right now is how I prep for the KCFW runway.

Meet the Designer: Kalon by Kayla! Mikayla Tjeerdsma learned to sew at age 9, while being mentored by both a local...
Posted by Kansas City Fashion Week, LLC on Wednesday, August 15, 2018

These are the two "duhs" of the health world: are you drinking enough water? and are you getting enough sleep? But these two are so important for both your physical and mental wellbeing. And there are so many additional cosmetic benefits, like clearer skin and better breath.

Months Before:

• Yes, you've made the roster but now is not the time to get complacent! Keep to a regular workout schedule that keeps your motivated and fit. I like my barre class, barbell class, and yoga class at the local gym to make sure I'm focusing on both strength and length in my workouts.
• Practice, practice, practice! You've already developed your walk, but can it be improved? Have your friend video your walk so that you can critique yourself.
• Look into coaching or lessons with some KC runway pros, like Ciara's Coach the Runway or The Model Board's Fashion Show 101 workshop. There are so many amazing local resources in Kansas City; take advantage of them! 

Weeks Before:

• Break in your shoes. If you're bringing your own shoes for the runway, make sure they're a pair you know you can strut your stuff in without worrying about painful blisters or wobbly ankles. It's always good to have two good pairs of strappy nude heels and strappy black heels - keep them both in your model bag!

• Hair health. Do you need a slight trim? A conditioning mask? Invest in yourself and take the time to get used to your new 'do - but don't stray too far from what your designer saw when they booked you!
• How are you feeling in the gym? If you've kept to your routine and are happy with your overall fitness, are there specific areas you'd like to focus on? For me, my upper arms and posture are super important to have as close to "perfect" as I can get them because that's what I'll see in my photos after the shows, so I'll do more upper back and shoulder work to really hone in on those areas.
• Whiten that smile!

Days Before:

• Hair removal! If you wax, take care of that at least two days before the show to give time for any redness or bumps to go away.
• Get those zzzzz's. Sleep is so important! You'll feel better and look better if you keep your stress level low and your eyelids closed.
• Plan your day. Do you know how long it will take for you to get to the venue? Are you driving, ubering, or having a friend chauffer you? Plan it in advance!

Day Before:

• Nails. Your designer will specify natural nails, manicured nails, or a specific color (which they will likely supply themselves the day-of). Keep your nails trimmed and your cuticles neat.
• Wash your hair. Day 2 hair is best for styling & your stylist will thank you for it!
• If you already have a go-to moisturizing mask, pile that on and put in a movie! Glowy skin will make your MUA artist happier with your skin and you happier with your photos from the runway. That extra bit of confidence will translate to your walk.
• Today is not the day to try a new skincare product or hair styling tool! Stick with what you and your skin already know.
• Pack your model bag! You can read my must-haves for back-stage in this post.

This past Kansas City Fashion Week - yes, the one back in March that I never wrote a post about - I had the privelege of walking for one of our sponsors, Dillards at Oak Park Mall, on Saturday Night at the Grand Hall at Power & Light. Union Station, where Fashion Week is held in the fall, is much larger venu but there's something about the European-style runway and the details of the Grand Hall that makes it my favorite venue for KCFW.

Photos by Tou Yang

Because it was Easter Weekend, a local church made Easter baskets for all of the models with snacks and games to keep us busy backstage while we waited for hair & makeup. You can see how exciting backstage can get :P It's really a lot of hurry up and wait most of the time, so I always go prepared for the wait.

What's always in my bag:

• book to read
• logic puzzles
• phone charger
• headphones
• a blanket
• a toothbrush and toothpaste
• snacks (and sometimes B will bring me lunch or dinner)
• my own water bottle, though there's almost always water available
• slippers or flip-flops; I love my Mahabis because they can be worn inside or outside if you add the sole. I have the light grey + yellow and get asked backstage at every show about them. You can get your own pair from Nordstrom here.
• extra shoes for the runway - sometimes a model you're walking with will need another pair or your designer may want to see some options

Photo by Simon Kuo Westside Studio

Photo by Hananiah Aldrich

    

Photo by Dani Michael

Finale. Photo by Ryan Swartzlander.

100% yes.

The cold didn't keep us inside this weekend! Between a family dinner with one of our New York cousins and a church service that took too long to leave because we couldn't stop talking about all the craziness that is this week it feels like we barely saw the inside of our apartment. Because we were avoiding cabin fever, we took a drive through downtown Kansas City to 4 well-known murals all of which would be easy to get to from Main Street using the KC Streetcar.

We did these in a loop, starting and ending in the River Market. But the order doesn't matter!

Stop 1. 1720 Main St


Get ready for a hike up five flights of stairs and a lot of wind when you reach the top! This mural on top of the Barkley parking garage gets plenty of foot traffic (B and I had to wait for a pair of girls to finish up their photoshoot before I could take a few photos). Park on the street and then walk through the garage.



Stop 2. 3945 Main St





Stop 3. Union Hill


This one took some searching, but if you look for Cafe Europa, you'll find this right around the corner. Again, parking was pretty easy around this bit of green space and we even took a drive through the historic Union Cemetary a few blocks away.

Stop 4. 1919 Baltimore

BONUS! If you're feeling adventurous, seek out 2616 Guinotte Ave in the East Bottoms. You'll also find the Local Pig and Urban Provisions in very close proximity.

He did it! He finally did it! B modeled for a photoshoot with me!

On April 30th we braved post-rain mud and freezing wind to recreate & capture our wedding moments as directed & styled by photographer Elizabeth Golden of eGolden Moments. Elizabeth coordinated with Berry Acres to arrange a venue, florist Eden Floral + Events to provide a stunning bouquet, and makeup artist Alysen Lauridsen to style my bridal glow.


Berry Acres' bridal suite has all kinds of accommodations -- beauty bar, remote-operated A/C control, flat screen television, comfortable seating, and plenty of space for a group of excited women to primp and prep. B assured me the groom's suite was just as accommodating but more fun (think foosball table).


The venue also had a variety of settings for a ceremony and reception: indoor, outdoor, by the lake, by the barn-style gazebo, on the hilltop, there's a view for any & every bride! We loved the barn-gazebo-thing with the chandelier and the barrels (Probably because it reminded us of our own wedding!)


The Hilltop! Queue the swoon for the amazing view!

I visited this Kansas City must-see a few weeks ago on a drizzly Wednesday morning after a 1 Million Cups presentation by one of our amazing Genessee clients.  Side note -- if there are 1 Million Cups presentations in your city I highly recommend attending a few.  They're a great way to network with professionals and entrepreneurs in your community and they're fun.
After a long wait for a yummy brunch at Succatash on Sunday morning, we drove to The Ewing & Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden where B immediately began designing and planning for our future home and the gardens and courtyard and fountains we would have... I have been blessed with a BIG dreamer.

Here is the inside of the orangery with Princess Crazy Cat.  You cannot imagine how good it smelled, floral and fruity.  And the display was just beautiful: palm trunks held baskets for blooming orchids, decorative wheelbarrows held spring blooms, and a variety of small trees were just starting to show off their orange fruit.




Delphinium Spray