Hour Detroit Best Dressed Party

Every year, Hour Detroit magazine celebrates the most stylish metro Detroiters with their annual Best Dressed Fashion Show party. Honoring the best dressed nominees, the event showcases not only the city's fashionable elite, but also the most anticipated fall fashions. The runway show was put on by The Somerset Collection and we saw lots of layering, amazing texture (like metallics, velvet, and fur), and some incredible holiday party looks.

And even though the weather tried to rain on our parade (with torrential downpours flooding the streets of Detroit), there was an amazing turnout of fabulously dressed guests, who didn't let a little shower stop them from bringing their style A-game. Most people stuck to the traditional cocktail attire, but there was definitely a more creative, "anything goes" vibe from many of the attendees.

For the event - which promotes the best of Detroit fashion - I wanted to be sure to wear something that was actually from Detroit (and also happened to be the colors of the Detroit Tigers). I decided to go with this mock turtleneck dress from one of my favorite local shops, The Peacock Room, but added a little edge to the otherwise sweet dress with a studded belt, sleeveless trench and booties.

Thanks to Hour Detroit for putting on a great event and highlighting some of Detroit's finest dressers! Check out the full list of all the nominees in their September issue.

dress: peacock room

vest: old ann taylor (similar ethical version here)

booties: gilt

clutch: vintage

cuff: nomad collective

Hour Detroit Best Dressed Party

Nothing gets you in the mood for fall fashion like a runway show and a room full of Detroit’s best dressed.

Last week I attended the Hour Detroit Best Dressed Fashion Show party at the Fillmore Theater, honoring the best style of metro Detroit. In addition to the usual models, the fashion show - put on by Neiman Marcus and The Somerset Collection - included the best dressed winners walking the runway, showcasing the best of this season's fall fashion.

And if my two favorite things colliding - Detroit and fashion - aren't enough for you, the evening started and ended at the historic Whitney. Complete with champagne toasts and the most perfect indian summer patio weather, you couldn't have asked for a better venue to bookend the evening.

Both my hubby and tribe of lady friends joined me for the night (thanks to my friend Jay of Christopher & Sofee Phaze who was one of the event's sponsors and was super generous to hook us up with tickets). We had a blast people watching, imbibing in delicious cocktails, and creating our fall fashion wish lists.

Check out the full list of this year's best dressed, and to all the people over at Hour, if you're looking for next year's nominees, I'm available (*jumping up and down with hands raised*).

dress: parker via rent the runway unlimited

bag: zac zac posen via rent the runway unlimited

shoes: zara (similar here)

belt: old, similar here

ear cuff: lord and taylor

Upcoming Events in Detroit

Detroit is known for it's car industry (hello, Motor City). It's also known for it's bankruptcy. And crime. And ruin porn.

What Detroit is not known for? Fashion.

But Motown is stepping up it's game in the entire design industry and making itself known as an equal competitor in the creative arts. It's a place where entrepreneurs can thrive. Where creatives can collaborate. Where ideas come to life.

It's an exciting time to be in Detroit and people all over the world are recognizing the D for it's contributions (outside of cars, money problems, crime, and ruin porn). To honor this creative spirit, here are some of my favorite fashion and design events coming up in Detroit that you won't want to miss. So start figuring out your outfits and I'll see you there.

Detroit Design Festival (September 22-24)

From the website:
"5 Years. 5 Days. 500 Designers.
The Detroit Design Festival is North America’s festival of independent design. With over 500 designers, 25,000 attendees and 30 Design Happenings, the DDF is our time to celebrate Detroit’s role as a global center of design and creativity. Concentrated in Detroit’s Creative Corridor and various neighborhoods throughout the city, events and installations will showcase Detroit’s cutting-edge design with the rest of the world."


Hour Detroit Best Dressed Party (September 24)

From the website:
"Emceed by Local 4 Style Editor Jon Jordan, the highly anticipated event will celebrate the winners of Hour Detroit’s Best Dressed editorial feature. Guests will rub elbows with metro Detroit’s most fashionable while enjoying an unforgettable evening, including a champagne reception, an exclusive Neiman Marcus runway fashion show previewing this fall’s most anticipated trends, live music by Jared Sykes and DJ Prevu and an official after party."


Eastern Market After Dark (September 24)

From the website:
"The fourth annual Eastern Market After Dark returns for an evening of open studios and exploration. Founded in 2012 EMAD was created by Nina Marcus-Kurlonko in association with the Detroit Design Festival and Eastern Market Corporation.

With over 30+ venues opening their doors to the public, this will be a rare & exclusive behind-the-scenes peek into the studios, workshops and galleries and more that make up the diverse collective of Detroit businesses and creative hubs."


FashionSpeak (October 15)

From the website:
"DGG’s FashionSpeak 2015, Michigan’s only conference for the fashion industry, is set for Thursday, October 15, 2015 at the historic and modern One Woodward building, with panoramic floor-to-ceiling views of the city and riverfront, in downtown Detroit.

Presented by Taubman, this one-day conference will bring together nationally recognized experts in five fields crucial to the success of the fashion industry; each conducting a 70-minute workshop, all centered around the business of fashion.

There is a vast amount of talent in Michigan’s fashion industry, and DGG is poised to bolster education, provide resources and promote the successes of those in this segment. The DGG’s conference mission is “Keep Michigan Talent in Michigan”. We achieve that goal by giving both students and professionals the tools, education and resources to be better business owners."

What events will you be attending? Any others you guys are excited about?