Lookbook: Red, Red, the Color of Your Heart

Alright.  I'll admit that ever since graduation last December I've been missing school like crazy.  College is fun.  College is freeing.  College is where you can wake up for an 8 o'clock class, crawl right back into bed afterwards, and still not have any of it matter.  I ventured again back on campus this weekend for my sorority's annual Red Dress Gala fundraiser, which benefits the Alpha Phi Foundation and the American Heart Association.  For a brief moment, my current sorority sisters allowed me to pretend that I was still in college.  Decked in our best red (and sometimes black) dresses, the event was a combination of a casino night/silent auction.  As such, the event made for not only a great lookbook entry for the blog, but to showcase how sexy, adorable, amazing, and downright stylish these girls look.  Too many compliments?  I'll let you be the judge of that.

Trina Turk Dress (similar in green), J. Crew Suede Heels (old)

Being the ever-so future-conscious bargain shopper, I found this amazing Trina Turk dress at Bloomingdales at winter clearance last year for under $80.  While Trina Turk is known for some of her more bold patterns and designs, I love her basic pieces.  The cuts are incredibly feminine and have a bit of a 1950's/1960's Mad Men vibe to them.  I particularly love how this is a great fall/winter dress as well, with its denser and comfortable material.  Seriously, I had been waiting to wear this dress for a while.

I paired it with some old J. Crew nude suede heels purchased for under $60 dollars, which complemented the bright red well while providing some textural contrast to the entire outfit.  That's potentially less than $150 (or at least estimated) for a fun, stylish night with my favorite ladies!  Other than some of the fabulous fashions that were demonstrated by my girls, it also didn't hurt to end the night on a great note.  I managed to snag a free Dry Bar blow out in the raffle, which I will probably document in lengthy detail right here.

Before I go, I have two side notes.  Side note number one is a huge shout out to my girl Sarah Z, who looked stunning in a draped tank dress.  I didn't get a picture with you, but I sure as heck wish I did.

Side note number 2, the Alpha Phi Foundation raises money and awareness of women's cardiac healthcare.  Heart disease is one of the leading killers of women in the United States.  If you could take the time to either read, educate, or even donate to the cause, it would be greatly appreciated on behalf of myself and all my sorority sisters.  You can donate at foundation.alphaphi.org.