Everybody Is A Star

Last Saturday, I stood on line among other designer hopefuls for almost three hours  for a chance to be a competitor on the next season of NBC's Fashion Star.  Truth be told, I was a little disappointed with the outcome of my stint on "24 Hour Catwalk".  I may have lost, but I was the most graceful and distinguished loser in the history of reality TV.  I fully expected to be hounded by TV executives looking to add a more polished flavor to the reality TV landscape.  Surely the popularity of all this Jersey Shore Real Housewives Basketball Wives foolishness is waning and viewers are ready to get back to good old fashioned values.  Apparently NOT!  I have not even been approached by a production intern.  So I've continued to work on the plantation in the mornings and pursue my fashion dreams afternoons, evenings, and weekends.

Last year when I auditioned for Fashion Star, it was pure chaos and disorganization.  No wonder I wasn't chosen!  How does one stand out from all the noise and mayhem?  Clearly, I could not be heard over the din.  This time, however, it was completely organized making my chances at being selected much stronger.

I approached the task with vim and vigor.  I got all artsy craftsy and made mood boards which creatively displayed my inspiration for my EYE CANDY collection with images of Alice in Wonderland and a still from "The Hunger Games" along with my sketches and catchy phrases like Sweet Sophistication and Mouth Watering Style.  I packed up my strongest pieces and brought along some pieces from my FINE AND DANDY collection so the judges could see that I wasn't just a one note designer.  I can do fierce and fabulous for the smaller sized divas, too!  I was determined to get a spot on this next season.

Almost two weeks ago, my honey had bought be a new pair of shoes, but I refused to wear them fearing I might scuff them prior to the audition.  Hey, I need to look polished and fabulous as well.  I shaved my head when I woke up that morning giving me that just shaved Black Mr. Clean gleam.  Although I had not stuck to my commitment to drop some weight prior to the big day, there was no way in the world that the judges would be able to pass me over this time.  I was ready to W-I-N!

When I got to the head of the line, I was still cool as a cucumber.  After all, this is what I am destined to do.  I got my application and was escorted into the hotel where everything was happening.  Then I was seated in a waiting area along with about 15 others as we listened patiently for our numbers to be called.

When they called 173, I made my way into the small room where numbered tables were set up in front of rolling racks.  I excitedly unpacked all my pieces and laid out my look books and mood boards and waited for one of the judges to approach me.  Jennifer introduced herself.  I pulled each look from the rack and explained my inspiration.  After I showed her the clean, professional workmanship on my pieces, she nodded and said another judge would be coming over to talk to me.   When the next judge came over, I animatedly explained my aesthetic and showed her the pieces, too.  She asked me, "Are you from New York?"  I answered, "Born and bred from Queens. Woo!  Woo!"  She smiled and exclaimed, "You certainly have a lot of energy."   My tongue-in-chic response was, "I hope it's a good thing."  When she asked if I had auditioned for any other reality shows.  I told her of my stint on "24 Hour Catwalk".  As she scribbled some notes, I cheekily added, "I hope you don't hold that against me."  We chatted briefly about how we didn't think there was going to be another season of "24. . ." and she finished by saying, "Okay, we'll be in touch."

I haven't heard from them since.  Each day my hope of becoming the next Fashion Star dwindles a little more.  But this is not the end of the road.  Tailor made opportunities for me are on the horizon.  I can just feel it.

Peace & Fashion!

Check Yourself B4 You Wreck Yourself!

All the attention that I've been receiving as a result of my appearance on 24 Hour Catwalk has been validating.  Mind-blowing, in fact.  First, when the commercials began to air before my episode did and people were reaching out to me on Twitter and Facebook, it was very flattering.  I grinned excitedly.  Once the previews began to pop up on movie screens in multiplexes everywhere and everybody from my LinkedIN connections to people I know through the plantation started to hit me up, it became so surreal.

Since I taped the show almost 6 months ago, I hoped that my "fans" would not be disappointed with my showing.  But what was done was done.  There just was no use tripping on it now. So I watched, just like everybody else, to see how the editors would make me look and what the episode's final outcome was.  There has still been an outpouring of compliments and congrats.  And I am so appreciative.  But I have also received an email that made the devil rise up inside of me.  It might have been easier to ignore it, but I felt the sender deserved a tailor-made response. Below is the original email followed by my response.  What do you think?

You can't be serious. I saw you on Lifetime and came to your site to see your line. It looks like the stuff you see at Torrid and Lane Bryant. I am so disappointed. I am a tall, athletic (yes I work out) plus size woman.  Size 18. And, I can't find a grown up, sexy dress for a 42 year old. I want to wear dresses like the real housewives of Atlanta. Is there a real "plus" size designer anywhere? Plus size doesn't mean bigger ugly. The clothes still need to be fashion forward and pretty.

Greetings ------,

My business partners and I are in receipt of your email and have carefully reviewed it. While I can certainly understand your frustration with finding "grown up, sexy dresses" for your "athletic" PLUS size frame, I take issue with your approach. Perhaps you were having a bad day when you sent the email, as I've had a few of my own a time or two. But there really is no excuse for your bad manners and poor email etiquette. If there is nothing to your liking on the company site, the more polite, dare I say, adult, thing to do would have been to dismiss us as another plus size design company who just cannot get it right. But your slam against my designs was really unnecessary. Since I am 44, it is clear we are from the same generation, but my parents taught me not to comment at all if I didn't have anything constructive or nice to say. In light of my mother's advice, I am going to end this response now. I hope you are able to find a designer who does PLUS size clothing suited for you that looks like something from "The Housewives of Atlanta".

Peace & Fashion!

Wilbur E Pack, Jr.

Designer/Principal

SK WiLBUR/Sorta Kinda Enterprises, LLC

We need to think about what we say and what we write to people because we just don't know the kind of effect it's going to have on them.  As my friend Deborah G. told me many years ago, "Words have power."   If I was teetering on the brink of a psychotic break, this email might have pushed me over the edge.  I might have even gone postal on the sender.  Please try to remember, nasty and rude behavior is uncalled for and never in style.

 

Peace & Fashion!