Yesterday was the sixth Independent Fashion Bloggers conference. IFB was founded in 2007 by my gorgeous friend Jennine of The Coveted to provide fashion bloggers with the resources to build better blogs. It now has 30,000 members. Jennine first did a blogger get-together with a panel of speakers in a bar in September 2009. I was on one of the panels. Since then, she’s worked up to bigger venues and bigger sponsors. Well-known bloggers including Tavi, Susie Bubble, Marc-Jacobs-inspiring Bryanboy, and Rumi of Fashion Toast have participated.
This time, the sold-out event (330 people in attendance and thousands watching the livestream at home) was at Milk Studios — home of many fashion shows. Notable blogger attendees included Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller, Claire from The Fashion Bomb (last seen in Paris), and model/blogger Coco Rocha (I might have been one of her first readers back in 2008). From the corporate world, there were appearances by MTV Style, People Style Watch, and the always-entertaining Mr. Mickey from Paper Magazine. Fashion personality Joe Zee, the creative director of Elle, was the keynote speaker. Joe may come from “old” media but he’s not at all threatened by “new.” In fact, I would summarize his comments as “social media is our future.” And now it’s time for a musical interlude with Whitney Houston!
Remember, kids, crack is whack!
On Monday night, there was a pre-conference cocktail party at MObar at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, where I finally got to meet the delightful Bella of The Citizen Rosebud.
Instagram photo by Vahni of Grit & Glamour.
I didn’t get a full outfit picture at MObar because I foolishly brought a small Alexander McQueen clutch instead of my large camera. I couldn’t go outside where it was raining harder than Hurricane Irene, so I was forced to do my photography in the Hallway of Doom.
What Wendy Wore to MObar
Dress: Castelbajac (2009)
Shoes: Prada (pre-2005, written about here)
Lipcolor: Lasting Lust by MAC. Really, do you have to ask?
Earrings: My own Cleopatra design
Doesn’t it feel like if the camera shifted a little to the right, you’d catch a glimpse of The Shining twins?
Tuesday, for the conference itself, I wore head-to-toe, Lego-themed Castelbajac (remember, I have an addiction!). Here I am with my conference wife, Lady Smaggle of Smaggle Style.
What Wendy Wore to the IFB Conference
Lego dress: Castelbajac (2009, previously seen here)
Multi-color, high-heel loafers: Castelbajac (2009, first seen here)
Lip color: Lasting Lust by MAC (MAC, please make me your Lasting Lust spokeswoman)
Rings: An assortment of my own designs
I’ve always loved that dress, but I’m having second thoughts about it after a blogger snapped a picture of it for her blog about dressing modestly. My reputation will be ruined! I need to talk to my idol Coco about where she does her shopping so I can send a better sartorial message. (By the way, congrats to Coco and her main pimp, Ice-T, for their smash success TV show, Ice Loves Coco. And a big “IN YOUR FACE” to all the peeps who didn’t appreciate the Coco love I’ve been sharing since 2007!)
As for Lady Smaggle, she and I met as soon as the doors opened, sat down next to each other and stayed put for the next nine hours or so. We had a nice time tweeting each other despite our close proximity, and became especially bonded after barely surviving a harrowing coconut water spill. She’s going back to Australia and I really don’t know how I can go on without her. (Read her post on the conference here.)
Our tweets made up just a small portion of the IFB-related tweets. Over 4,000 were generated with the hashtag IFBcon. You can still see them by searching for #IFBcon on Twitter. Most people were eagerly sharing the hot blogging tips they got from the speakers. I didn’t tweet anything like that. I wrote a bunch of random crap and demanded that people speak to me only in Parseltongue. If you want to read random crap (capsule review: “@WendyBrandes wins for the best #IFBCon commentary.” – BetseyJ), including my feelings about coconut water, follow me on Twitter here.
A few other important Twitter feeds are:
Independent Fashion Bloggers: @_ifb
The Coveted:@thecoveted
Bella: @citizenrosebudz
Lady Smaggle: @LadySmaggle
Grit & Glamour: @gritandglamour
Joe Zee: @mrjoezee
Coco: @cocosworld
Ice-T: @FINALLEVEL
You Twitter users better follow all those feeds immediately or … or … the Shining twins and I will hide under your bed to scare some sense into you with our modest dresses and our coconut water. You don’t want that. Really, you don’t.
UPDATED TO ADD: Read what Citizen Rosebud, Vahni of Grit & Glamour and my wife, Lady Smaggle, have to say!
I love that fact that Ice T and Coco are listed at the very end.
Your dresses are absolutely divine. Can I raid your closet? You can raid mine in return, but it probably won’t be as much fun for you.
P.S. You are gorgeous.
P.P.S. I am super jealous that you went to IFBCon.
You’re too kind! And come to IFB next season!
Holy crap, you ROCK! I swear one of my highlights was meeting you for REALZ for pre-IFB blogger meet up at the swanky MObar. I’ve never felt so much genuine charm in such a tiny and stylish package.
As a poster child for talent, brains, beauty and fierce, you are inspiring on too many levels to mention…but one I will mention is how incredibly warm and supportive you are. And blazingly cute as marbles. And should win a Nobel prize for best dressed jewelry designer.
I promise I will return to this fair city, and I’m going hang with you!
Forget just hanging! You’ll come and stay in my guest room!
My heart was there…but I am so sad that I couldn’t be there…so many people I would love to meet face to face! Both of your looks are perfect…especially the first dress..love it! You and Bella are both on my list of “must meet some day!” Looks like a lot of fun.
It was SO GOOD to see you yesterday! 🙂
♡ from © tanvii.com
Why dress modestly when you can wear Lego? That dress is awesome. Next time I come to New York I want to take some photos of you!
love the red and white dress! just so fab!!!
You look darling and definitely not “modest”.
This looks like so much fun. One of these days… geesh I want to meet so many ladies! Especially you Wendy!
Sounds like a great day! And I love, love, love that Castelbajac dress!!!!
Wish I could have gone, it looks like such fun and I’m quite envious you got to meet lovely Bella. I think you’d better cut the arse out of that dress x
How exciting to see you in a photo with the fabulous Bella. Loved your recaps of the conference. You always have me laughing.
Love the pic of you and Bella! Wish I could have been there to meet you both. I went to the second IFB conference (the one after the bar) and attended a couple more after that and I can’t believe how it grows exponentially each time. I am so in awe of Jennine and what she’s created but what I love most is her continued humility. She’s so sweet! I love that red check dress. Glad you are having an amazing time!
Oh no, not the shining twins!
I’m so jealous you got to meet Bella and Bella got meet you. Love her comment — I haven’t met you but I know all of it’s true.
Thank you for the coverage and all of the great links.
Oh man, so much fun! I love that photo of you & Bella… and that red dress… wowza!
You looked fantastic both days, I saw you, Wendy! Still sweating that LV bag. Dang.
Thanks for the mention…til next time!
I am now officially scared of your hallway. haha!
Love both the dresses!
So wonderful to meet you at IFB, Wendy! You’re even sweeter and more adorable in person.
As are you!
That strapless dress is ridiculous. You look amazing. Holy cow. And you got to meet Bella. How wonderful. You all look so happy.
xo
and by ridiculous i mean HOTTT! I just wanted to clarify.
I think you look awesome, Wendy! I’m super bummed I didn’t get to chat with you while I was at both MObar or IFB, but I console myself in the fact that I will always be able to follow your wit and humor on your blog. 😉
PS – *loved* hearing that you and Ashe were debating over my use of Pert Plus shampoo during my panel…hilare!! (p.s. it’s Redken Blonde Glam) 😉