A PERFECT FIT: PHILADELPHIA’S HOTTEST NEWS REPORTERS COMMON BOND OVER CLOTHING
June 16, 2008
by HughE Dillon
The Career Wardrobe is a nonprofit organization that serves thousands of women in transition by providing free professional clothing and educational opportunities in the Philadelphia region. 
Their services empower women by inspiring the confidence necessary to achieve self-sufficiency. Since 1995, The Career Wardrobe has assisted over 40,000 women.
Once a year they bring a community of like minded people together in order to raise funds for this worthwhile cause. And with each passing year the event grows out of its space. This particular year it was held at the World Cafe. It really was a great venue. The ground floor was where the auction occurred, and the stage was for the fashionista newswomen of the Philadelphia airwaves. But I heard the event was sold out and the were busting at the seems for a new place in 2009. What’s left the I thought, since I see so many venues, hmm maybe the Comcast Center.
Here’s a few of the auction items. Cleverly enough they all had to do with fashion; whether it was bags, purses, shoes or facials. (I was too late to see what I could bid on, more on that later)
Sheri K. Cole, Executive Director greets the crowd
I was excited to cover this event, because my friend Abby Siegel was one of the co-founders back in 1995. I remember when she got involved in this project, but I never really understood the scope of it, as I just caught up in my life and didn’t think about others much or the depth of their despair and how to help humanity. Thankfully that all changed, and I guess that’s why I have such enthusiam to cover so many worthwhile events you find here at Philly Chit Chat, oh enough about me. Here’s one hot Tamale: 6ABC Model: Tamala Edwards conveying how important it is to one’s self to have the confidence in their appearance when job hunting
NBC10 Model: Monique Braxton; CBS3 Model: Mary Stoker Smith look on and wait their turn. I am a bit of a news person fan and was so excited to see all these women at this event. Some of them came right after work or right before they were to go on the air.
PR Guru Paige Wolfe says a few words about her favorite charity, as a cool Dawn Stensland (aka Mrs. Larry Mendte) looking hot in a nice black pantsuit that would make Hillary proud.
Each of the ladies that accompanied the Philabrity newswomen went through the organization and received clothing to go on their job searches. Many of them are working in exciting fields today, and all of them grateful to the Career Wardrobe
Janet Zappala age already girl. You look fabulous!!
Oh my favorite, sorry girls I do have a favorite – Sue Serio. I used to watch her every day before I started this blog. She is so full of life, I just love watching her, she’s spontaneous, knowledgeable, easy going, and bubbly. Gotta love her. 
Lori Wilson in the house
CN8 Models: Mary Caraccioli (an excellent speaker and a poignant message on how we as a society have a duty to help our fellow [wo]man; it takes a village)
I found myself on the wrong side of the stage when taking these photos, but I know the paying guests did not want to see my big self blocking their view just so I could snap a few shots of the girls I love watching on the tube. WNJC Model: Melissa Daley
The Class of 2008 “Career Wardrobe” Models. Thanks girls, you’re stories are inspirational. I think everyone reading this, I know there’s at least 600 of you, should go to your closet right now and pull out that decent, wearable outfit, that you or the women in your life haven’t worn and probably won’t wear again, and send it to the Career Wardrobe, see link at the bottom because I am not done telling you how great this event was…
Next I took myself up to the VIP section, thinking maybe just maybe I could ask one of the newswomen if there was a lot of behind the scenes drama in the dressing rooms before the show, or does it occur afterwards, as they are in a competitive market. But they were no shows, as I heard they were literally taking the clothes off their backs to donate to the Career Wardrobe for a deserving job applicant in the near future. Instead I happily settled for the drama of the live auction.
Which again was very creative as the bags that came up for auction were signed by some of our times popular figures of late. First up was President Bill Clinton; I don’t know if it was a reflection of the political period, but the bidding for Bill started out hot and heavy and ended prematurely at $500. Someone got a bargain. Then came Kim Cattrall 
or as I like to call her, Samatha Jones. Her bag was slick, shiny and yes sexy. Bidding was ferocious and some lucky person will be carting her bag around after an appreciable bid of $1000
Not to be outdone, someone in the organization had the foresight to take the Sarah Jessica Parker bag out of the silent auction and place it in the LIVE AUCTION, especially during this time of our lives when the SATC movie broke records when it opened last month. Carrie Bradshaw is my modern equivalent of what Audrey Hepburn is to fashion; certainly the boldest of the SATC girls and it comes through in this pretty in pink clutch purse adorned with a pearl clasp.
Perfect for anyone’s inner Carrie Bradshaw
Perfect for the blond who was very generous in her bid of $2,000, all of which go to the Career Wardrobe to help the thousands of women who go through their doors each year.
Charity begins at home for Hillary Clinton, and as we learned this past election season when Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign released their tax forms from 2000-2007, which showed the Clintons earned more than $100 million in that time period and donated $10 million of that to their own charity. Well for the Career Wardrobe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as both Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton signed one of the donated Viv Pickle bags to be auctioned off.
Maybe the event planner had an inkling that this would be the high ticket item of the evening, and it was ststrategicallylaced last as the best was last and the bidding was cocontinuous until the final bidder was victorious somewhere in the vicinity near $5,000. Thank you to the generous donor with that support.
But wait there’s a sleeper auction. The mayor has put himself up for auction. That’s right some lucky winner bid’s included a meeting with the Mayor, a photo op, and the Mayor would give you a tour of City Hall. I believe the bidding for that item was in the neighborhood of $800 (Oh the drama I had as I misplaced my notebook with all the figures and notes when I was helping a few young ladies into their car after the program and I put the notebook down on the sidewalk outside the World Cafe and just never picked it up again) Although this auction is over, I did notice another auction here where you at home the reading public can get in on a meet and greet with the mayor on your own, and its for charity (In support of ARC of Philadelphia http://www.arcpddc.org/index.html). https://auction01.charitybuzz.com/secure/viewItemDetail.do?auction_item_id=76249&lotsindex=0&show=10&order=default
Here’s a few of the auction items. Cleverly enough they all had to do with fashion; whether it was bags, purses, shoes or facials. (I was too late to see what I could bid on, more on that later)
Sheri K. Cole, Executive Director greets the crowdI was excited to cover this event, because my friend Abby Siegel was one of the co-founders back in 1995. I remember when she got involved in this project, but I never really understood the scope of it, as I just caught up in my life and didn’t think about others much or the depth of their despair and how to help humanity. Thankfully that all changed, and I guess that’s why I have such enthusiam to cover so many worthwhile events you find here at Philly Chit Chat, oh enough about me. Here’s one hot Tamale: 6ABC Model: Tamala Edwards conveying how important it is to one’s self to have the confidence in their appearance when job hunting
NBC10 Model: Monique Braxton; CBS3 Model: Mary Stoker Smith look on and wait their turn. I am a bit of a news person fan and was so excited to see all these women at this event. Some of them came right after work or right before they were to go on the air.PR Guru Paige Wolfe says a few words about her favorite charity, as a cool Dawn Stensland (aka Mrs. Larry Mendte) looking hot in a nice black pantsuit that would make Hillary proud.
Each of the ladies that accompanied the Philabrity newswomen went through the organization and received clothing to go on their job searches. Many of them are working in exciting fields today, and all of them grateful to the Career Wardrobe Janet Zappala age already girl. You look fabulous!!
Oh my favorite, sorry girls I do have a favorite – Sue Serio. I used to watch her every day before I started this blog. She is so full of life, I just love watching her, she’s spontaneous, knowledgeable, easy going, and bubbly. Gotta love her. 
Lori Wilson in the house
CN8 Models: Mary Caraccioli (an excellent speaker and a poignant message on how we as a society have a duty to help our fellow [wo]man; it takes a village)
I found myself on the wrong side of the stage when taking these photos, but I know the paying guests did not want to see my big self blocking their view just so I could snap a few shots of the girls I love watching on the tube. WNJC Model: Melissa Daley
The Class of 2008 “Career Wardrobe” Models. Thanks girls, you’re stories are inspirational. I think everyone reading this, I know there’s at least 600 of you, should go to your closet right now and pull out that decent, wearable outfit, that you or the women in your life haven’t worn and probably won’t wear again, and send it to the Career Wardrobe, see link at the bottom because I am not done telling you how great this event was…
Next I took myself up to the VIP section, thinking maybe just maybe I could ask one of the newswomen if there was a lot of behind the scenes drama in the dressing rooms before the show, or does it occur afterwards, as they are in a competitive market. But they were no shows, as I heard they were literally taking the clothes off their backs to donate to the Career Wardrobe for a deserving job applicant in the near future. Instead I happily settled for the drama of the live auction.
Which again was very creative as the bags that came up for auction were signed by some of our times popular figures of late. First up was President Bill Clinton; I don’t know if it was a reflection of the political period, but the bidding for Bill started out hot and heavy and ended prematurely at $500. Someone got a bargain. Then came Kim Cattrall 
or as I like to call her, Samatha Jones. Her bag was slick, shiny and yes sexy. Bidding was ferocious and some lucky person will be carting her bag around after an appreciable bid of $1000
Not to be outdone, someone in the organization had the foresight to take the Sarah Jessica Parker bag out of the silent auction and place it in the LIVE AUCTION, especially during this time of our lives when the SATC movie broke records when it opened last month. Carrie Bradshaw is my modern equivalent of what Audrey Hepburn is to fashion; certainly the boldest of the SATC girls and it comes through in this pretty in pink clutch purse adorned with a pearl clasp.
Perfect for anyone’s inner Carrie Bradshaw
Perfect for the blond who was very generous in her bid of $2,000, all of which go to the Career Wardrobe to help the thousands of women who go through their doors each year.
Charity begins at home for Hillary Clinton, and as we learned this past election season when Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign released their tax forms from 2000-2007, which showed the Clintons earned more than $100 million in that time period and donated $10 million of that to their own charity. Well for the Career Wardrobe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as both Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton signed one of the donated Viv Pickle bags to be auctioned off.
Maybe the event planner had an inkling that this would be the high ticket item of the evening, and it was ststrategicallylaced last as the best was last and the bidding was cocontinuous until the final bidder was victorious somewhere in the vicinity near $5,000. Thank you to the generous donor with that support.
But wait there’s a sleeper auction. The mayor has put himself up for auction. That’s right some lucky winner bid’s included a meeting with the Mayor, a photo op, and the Mayor would give you a tour of City Hall. I believe the bidding for that item was in the neighborhood of $800 (Oh the drama I had as I misplaced my notebook with all the figures and notes when I was helping a few young ladies into their car after the program and I put the notebook down on the sidewalk outside the World Cafe and just never picked it up again) Although this auction is over, I did notice another auction here where you at home the reading public can get in on a meet and greet with the mayor on your own, and its for charity (In support of ARC of Philadelphia http://www.arcpddc.org/index.html). https://auction01.charitybuzz.com/secure/viewItemDetail.do?auction_item_id=76249&lotsindex=0&show=10&order=default
Shelly Siegel and my friend of 14 years, co-founder Abby Siegel-Greenberg (Sadly I was a little late to the event and missed Abby & Nate’s adorable Isabelle, who had to go home for bedtime at 8PM [I was at the Chima event with Lorraine Bracco, see Philly is alive and active with lots of exciting events going on])
Before I knew it the night was over, and it was time to say good-bye until next year. I know I convey the heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out this year:) http://www.careerwardrobe.org/
Before I knew it the night was over, and it was time to say good-bye until next year. I know I convey the heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out this year:) http://www.careerwardrobe.org/
I am at the Tony’s this weekend, I hope to have an update of my exciting weekend on Tuesday depending what time I get in Monday night or on that red eye from NYC Tuesday morning.
