My Boyfriend went to a Fashion Show. (GUEST POST by Boyfriend!)

**Hey, you beautiful people you! On this wonderful day of hump, I’m bringing you a guest post from my favorite boyfriend-turned-blogger. My handsome love wanted to share his experience at a fashion show with all of you…in the South, no less. I hope it’s just as much fun for you to read as it was for me! Settle in with your seasonally appropriate beverage of choice in a mug with an inspirational quote on it, and get to laughing.

Last Saturday, I arrived in Charlotte, NC for a four day conference to gain some useful practices from government managers throughout the world.  It was my first time attending what would be an elaborate event, so the first thing I did after checking into my hotel was go to the Convention Center to grab my conference materials.

As I went down the escalator to the registration area and exhibit hall (there were like 1,000 vendors; one in specific gave out $5 Starbucks gift cards!), I noticed there were two doors to enter.  Maybe I was caught up in the excitement of the conference, but I didn’t notice these doors led to separate events until I noticed so much pink in the room.  I tried to do a quick 180 and get out of dodge, but I wasn’t able to escape without noticing this sign to the right.  I asked the attendant ushering people through the doors what exactly is this event and she said it was a type of fashion show.  Yeah, count me out…

…until I remembered my girlfriend has a blog and you all would probably enjoy seeing what this event had to offer.  So, I did what creative boyfriends do and took my lunch break and made the trek back to the show.

Before I went down the escalator again, I noticed this time that there was a type of registration table.  Although there wasn’t a charge to enter into the event, I felt guilty enough to donate some cash to help with an organization that helps animals (I mean, seriously, they had a dog on site and everything to guilt trip you into donating.).  I guess I had to carry all the goodies somehow… why not help an animal shelter?  Donation: $5

—

Disclaimer: My intent was to stroll through this event and grab as many samples as I could carry on my luggage for Jellybean, but these vendors had other plans…

—

I entered the hall and immediately felt overwhelmed. I’m not sure if any of you have been to a fashion show or something like this before, but this exhibit, if you will, was intense.  I’m talking seven aisles almost a block deep of what seemed like jewelry, makeup, and glitter.  One of the first vendors I was snagged by was the Susan G. Anthony Foundation – another guilt trip purchase.  I saw a pile of pink bows and thought they were samples, but this ended with another purchase.  Donation: $2.

After my donations, I felt good about grabbing some samples.  I began making the trip down the first aisle and saw women in chairs having makeup put on them – no samples there.  The next couple of vendors… makeup.  And then I noticed the entire aisle was makeup.  With no samples.  Boo.

But then I noticed the jewelry aisle, and I was dragged right into the frenzy.  What caught my eye was this one tent selling handmade jewelry – isn’t it all handmade? – at a decent price.  One of the pieces really caught my eye and I thought Jellybean would really like wearing it.  But as I purchased it, the lady said I couldn’t just purchase that piece… I HAD to buy the other piece to compliment the hand.  I had no idea what that meant, but when she put the combo on I thought ‘This is so Jellybean.’  Purchased.  I can’t really explain the items, so use these pictures as reference.  The blue item was $12 and the silver bracelet was $10.  $22.  Not bad in my opinion.

I was pretty amped once I made the purchase because Jellybean and I were celebrating two years very soon.  I knew she would just dig it.  Then…I was pulled in again, and this time it came in the form of a sweet old southern grandmother.  So get this: Her daughter makes all this jewelry herself and her mother helps her sell it so they can bond.  I thought that was pretty neat.  When I looked at the setup I knew Jellybean would just love one of these necklaces, but I had no idea which one to buy.  The lady gave me the wisest advice: “Ask her.”

So I did.  Purchased.  The necklace was $32.  Not bad in my opinion.  At this point I didn’t really mind spending money because I was engulfed in some type of show gaze – I just had to buy everything all of a sudden.

I was finished at this point with the jewelry aisle and next up was a mash up of beauty products or lotions.  As I’m making my way down the aisle for samples – there were none! – I see the Shea Butter Lady.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The Shea Butter Lady.

 

I got lost in her technique as I tried understanding what the heck shea butter is and if I should buy it for Jellybean.  She sprayed a lady’s hand with water, rubbed this oil soap on her skin, sprayed it off with more water, and the lady’s hand looked years younger.  My first thought was AMAZING and that I have to get some pictures of me doing this.  I asked the Shea Butter Lady’s assistant if she could take pictures of the process and she obliged.  Take a look at how wonderful my hand looks once she finishes…

As my hand was getting lathered up, I asked how about shea butter.  These ladies apparently get a shipment of this rock (see the picture) from Ghana by means of New York.  They have to travel up to New York to grab it off the boat or something… I don’t know.  But what I did know was that I was buying it… partially because my hand felt incredible and also because these ladies had incredible skin for their ages, and there’s nothing like milking my wallet like seeing results.  Purchased.  Jellybean package: $55.  Boyfriend package: $5.  Note – my package is the creation when you take the rock and mix with water.  I’m simply lazier than Jellybean when it comes to creating things.

At this point I was becoming fatigued and scurried through other aisles looking for interesting things.  Also, no flipping samples.  What kind of free show is this?  But first I took a break to catch up with some old friends…

…and then I finally received two key samples worth noting: vitamin spray and an instant face lift.  Yeah, you read that correctly: a face lift.  But first, I have to highlight “Why Doctors Love Spray Vitamins.”  I stopped by this vendor when I saw people dressed in doctor jackets spraying things into people’s mouths.  Interesting, I thought.  The nice lady reeled me in with her pitch about how the purest form of nutrients are sprayed inside the mouth and absorbed.  I finally found a free sample!  I opted for the power boost vitamin spray…

I felt ready to tackle the rest of the show at this point, but three steps later I came across a vendor called “Instantly Ageless.”  Interesting.  The lady – Marsha – was all about snapping before and after pictures, and I was all about the free samples.  This was one I couldn’t take home for Jellybean, but I thought it’d be fun to get a facelift.  Well… all I wanted was a picture to make you all laugh, but instead I had a frozen eyelid for half a day.

With a frozen eye and little time to spare, I figured I had enough of the show.  But then I came across stuff that actually matters to me: Christmas decorations for the family.  This is pretty neat.  I’m going to hype this guy since he handcrafts each ornament himself and charges from $6 to $20 per ornament, which is super cheap if you consider you’ll have it for the rest of your life.  His name is Danny Stephens and his company is Big Country Family Trees.  What’s not to love about a hobby that spreads Christmas cheer?

So to recap: I came to a show to grab samples for Jellybean.  Fail.  Instead, I grab some neat gifts.  Success.  I endure some vitamin spray and a frozen eyelid.  Success and fail.  But I saw this pink car supporting a cure for breast cancer.  Success.

And I came out with a fun guest blog post.  Ultimate success.  So I guess it was worth it?  Side note: Just so you know, my eyelid unfroze by the end of the day.

 

WOOOOO! Can we all give the boyf a round of virtual applause for all of this?! How many men would go through all of this for their chicas, completely on their own merit, with the intention of turning it into a blog post? The things we do for blogging…

Have you ever been a show like this? What was it like? What other adventures do you want Boyfriend to go on and blog about?

Last chance to enter this giveaway, and first chance to send me any/all questions on any/all topics for a future series on Coming Up Roses. It’s of the advice variety, and it’s going to be a fun time. SO. If you have any questions on literally anything on which I provide hopefully helpful and witty commentary, send ’em all to {erica.ligenza@gmail.com}.