Last week Career Wardrobe held it’s annual fashion show gala in the Grand Ballroom at the Hyatt in the Bellevue. Lots of changes this year, first look at their new branding, fresh and current.
Secondly, and one of the best ideas, a prolong cocktail hour with buffet stations.  After an hour we all headed into the ballroom and enjoyed sit down dessert dining while enjoying the action on the runway.

During the cocktail hour there was an extensive silent auction too. Lot’s of great items, and several Viv Pickle purses signed by celebrities.

Devin and Carrie Ann D’Andrea, Melanie Restad and Angelina Martin. The gals work for Viv Pickle as seamstress and created the bags that were sold at the night’s auction. The design is collaboration between their boss and the Career Wardrobe, then they create them. Their favorite is definitely Elmo.

Ann Kelly, Christine Doyle and Tamzen Harrington, Career Wardrobe board chair

Celia Brown, Donna Coghlan and Abby Siegel-Greenberg

Robin Bender Stevens, Cari Feiler Bender and Laura Bender Koropey

Shawn Huston and Nikki Johnson Huston, Esq  Career Wardrobe honored Nikki,an assistant city solicitor for the City of Philadelphia, with the “Fashioning Futures for Women Award for overcoming homelessness and poverty creating a successful life and being a role model to others.

great crowd, sold out at

Susan Taylor, Lisa Aronson, Robin Rodin and Stephanie Marsh Golson

Nina Wilson, Reba Poole, and Dawn Wilson, all that hats in the nights runway show were created by Dust to Dawn, her company.

Also strutting the runway for charity was Skin Palette’s Susie Celek and Julie Dorenbos

Every year the ladies of the news donate their time, and then the clothes off their back to the Career Wardrobe. Fox 29’s Karen Hepp, 6 ABC’s Alicia Vitarelli, CBS 3′s Erika von Tiehl and career wardrobe client Ernestine Volcy

Tamzen Harrington, outgoing Career Wardrobe board chair and Sheri Cole, executive director of Career Wardrobe

Co-chairs for this years event Paige Wolfe, Paige Wolf, Media and Public Relations and in coming board chair Veronica McKee, The Haverford Trust Company

Everett Gillison, deputy mayor for public safety of the city of Philadelphia is grateful to have the MC position every year, as Monique Braxton, NBC10 introduces him.

6 ABC’s Alicia Vitarelli

Marian Conicella Publisher Philadelphia Magazine

hats and head pieces were provided by Dawn Wilson of Dust to Dawn Fashions

Joey Fortman recreating a shot I had placed in Michael Klein’s Philly Inquirer column when I was a contributor.

Buff Susie Celek!!

Julie Dorenbos and Susie Celek with the great auctioneer Jason Katz

Susie Celek shows us just how stretchable the body rock material is

What’s the name of the female Phillies Phanatic?

The Elmo Bag was so adorable, sold for $350. John Stewart tickets went for $2,000, Colin Farrell bag $400, Jessica Alba $250, Flyers Bag signed by 3 players $600, $2600 Eagles tix in the Mayor’s box and

Marie Procacci and Chris Urban. Marie snagged the January Jones, signed Mad Man bag for $300, but she’s never seen the show. She just loved the bag.

Then the Phanatic posed with the fans for about 30 minutes.Check out Career Wardrobe, and ladies donate your business clothing to help women transition into the work force.

“Most eternal God, as Americans, We want to thank you for this
great country. We are not proud, but humbled, that in your divine
sovereignty we were born or naturalized in such a nation as this.

Thank you for those serving and who have served in the
military that protect this country of ours. Thank you for those men and
women in our military services who were willing to give their lives and
who gave their lives to fight to keep this country free

This day we remember with compassion Your children who have lost their lives to war; Incline us to honor their memory, dear Lord, With a sincere pledge to seek peace

We pray for the safety of those entering military service, And succor for the many returning from combat With wounded bodies, Or minds Sickened by the sight and sounds of war.

Haddon Ave, Collingswood, NJ

Idaho

Collingswood, NJ

My sister Judy’s last garden before she passed away.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Ryan Davis and Leandra Kern

If you’ve been following me on Twitter today, you know I had to cut back on a few photos where I didn’t have epic stories to go along with them. The event is epic, and well I need stories that haven’t been printed before or well that are epic. (I’m having a very disclosure kinda week here on PCC) Plus I was looking for people dressed in Yellow for Alex’s Lemonade or epic stories: Here’s the Link to the PhillyMag Column, or you can read on and see the 7 shots I had to take out for brevity, which well didn’t happen either. HERE

Mark Bee, Silk City, Dan Stern, R2L and Kirby Mallon III

They came all the way from Italy…

Donna Coghlan, Advance Staging who did the lighting for the event, Hope Cohen, Larry Cohen (hmm I don’t think they’re related, I should have asked.) and Cori Moskow, Gloss Pr

I found these ladies in the Men’s room. Kate Quarella, Melissa Levy and Paige Marmar

Tara and Anthony Boucci, Founder of RevZilla.com. Now this is an awesome shot. I took it as I was running out, I wish I had asked them a few questions like when are you due? So gorgeous, both of them. Just glowing.

Meg Torpey, Starr Restaurants, Chef Jennifer Carroll (helping out) and Nick Gregory, Kimpton Hotels get ready for the game changing Hotel Monaco opening this fall.

You know I love WINGS. I go to HOOTER’S and put up with those ugly orange outfits just to have some delicious wings. Well I’m hear to tell you I don’t have to do that anymore. I’ve discovered PJ Whelihan’s Pub. They were at the Great Chefs Event after party at Amis. Delicious. Here’s that Philly Mag link again.