Panelists (and celebrity bloggers) at the IFB Conference

While at New York Fashion Week, we couldn’t get enough of the fashion blogging conversation! At the Independent Fashion Bloggers (IFB)’s Evolving Influence Conference, we were treated to an in-depth exploration of the business, ethics, and future of this fascinating phenomenon. We got to hear Tavi of Style Rookie talk about her controversial hat, Susie of Style Bubble discuss the transient nature of blogger celebrity, and Gina Garrubbo of BlogHer and Clark Hoyt of the New York Times debate codes of journalistic conduct.  It was like we went to fashion blogger heaven! We were amazingly proud to sponsor such a revolutionary event, and we can’t wait for the next one!

Who else was at IFB, and what were they wearing? Keep reading to find out!

A crowd of fashionable bloggers!

It goes without saying that the crowd at the IFB conference was fashionable, but we just have to say that we complete impressed with all the colorful prints like Elizabeth from Delightfully Tacky’s adorable floral dress, and statement accessories like Gala Darling’s hot pink, sparkly heart necklace!

Elizabeth, Jessica, Erin, Rebecca, and Gala

We also spotted ModCloth on some of our favorite bloggers. Check out Rebecca from The Clothes Horse in her Grecian Green Dress and New York, 1976 Heels, Erin from Cali Vintage in her Almond Torte Top, and Jessica of What I Wore in her Merryweather Dress! Gala Darling was also clad in ModCloth, sporting the ever-chic, oh-so-twinkly Shine After Shine Dress! Thanks, ladies, for making ModCloth part of your IFB ensemble!

Above: Jennifer Wexler, Susan Koger, and Naomi Nevitt; Below: Rebecca Stice and Judy Aldridge

ModCloth kicked off New York Fashion Week the right way – by attending the Chictopia 10 Social Influence Summit! Held at the adorably chic Allegra Laviola Gallery in the Lower East Side, the Chictopia Summit brought together some of the most influential and fashionable bloggers from around the globe. Our very own Susan Gregg Koger was a panelist and discussed individual style (and was quoted in Women’s Wear Daily!),  Rebecca Stice of The Clothes Horse talked about PR agencies and brand marketers, and Liz Cherkasova of Late Afternoon contemplated the trend of fashion blogging. We also spotted some bloggers wearing ModCloth, like Tieka from Selective Potential who was sporting our tights! Chictopia 10 was the first of hopefully many fashion blogging summits of its kind, and ModCloth was proud to be a sponsor!

For more on our amazing time at Chictopia, keep reading!

Lunch at the Spice Market

The summit not only included a full day of inspiring, thoughtful discussions, a late-evening dinner at the chic Greenwich 41, and an after-party at the trendy Tribeca Grand, but also a ModCloth-hosted luncheon at the impressive Spice Market! There, we got to know some of our favorite bloggers better over banana leaf sticky rice and pure ginger ale.

Bloggers and brunch!

We spent time with Keiko from Keiko Lynn (who was wearing the Take a Bow Gloves), Jennie from Going West, Taghrid from Taghrid.cc,  and many other fantastic bloggers! Our thanks go out to Helen Zhu, CEO of Chictopia, for a lovely time we won’t soon forget.

Oh, one more fun thing! In honor of this monumental occasion, we named a dress after the Chictopia Summit. We’ve asked the bloggers to style this frock anyway they like, and show us their results! We can’t wait to see how they look. How would you style the Chictopia Dress?

]]> http://blog.modcloth.com/2010-02-18-chictopia-10-social-influence-summit/feed 4 http://blog.modcloth.com/2010-01-04-polar-bears-spotted-in-pittsburgh?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=polar-bears-spotted-in-pittsburgh http://blog.modcloth.com/2010-01-04-polar-bears-spotted-in-pittsburgh#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:26:33 +0000 Molly http://blog.modcloth.com/?p=10368

(Image above: Taken from Cuteoverload.com)

Some did it as a testament to their love of Pittsburgh. Some, to prove a point to their friends. Some did it to prove something to themselves. And some jumped into the freezing Monongahela waters as a good luck charm for the Steelers. Whatever their reason, a group of half-dressed, shivering, goose-bumped Burghers plunged into the river in what has become a Pittsburgh tradition – the Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day!

Keep reading to find out just how cold it was – on the thermometer and from an honorary Polar Bear who took the plunge!

At about 9.30 a.m. on January 1st, a crowd descended upon the Mon Warf to take part in this frigid event. There was no way I was diving into that icy river, but a few of my friends did! This is what Carla Raspanti, a good friend and one half of the ‘tandem’ jumpers as dubbed by KDKA News, had to say when I questioned her about her chilly plunge:

Molly: Jump into the freezing cold river early in the morning after New Year’s Eve? Carla, why!?

Carla: Peer pressure and regret, pure and simple!  I didn’t do last year – I just went and watched, and I regretted it the moment everyone was in the water….that I wasn’t a part of that experience.  I told everyone this year I was doing it, so I had to follow through and cowboy up. I looked at the water before we jumped and I almost backed out! But John (ed. the other member of the ‘tandem’ jump) told me it was going to be okay,  so I just jumped!

Molly: Okay, just how cold was it? I know the temperature was 30 degrees, but what did it feel like?

Carla: It was so cold it was actually painful.  I lost all feeling in my hands and feet, to the point that I couldn’t stand up, which was really scary, and I started to panic.  Fortunately, two guys helped pull me out cause they could see I couldn’t get myself out.  It took about half an hour to get all the feeling back.

Molly: Wow! That’s crazy! And, kind of unnerving. Why do you think it’s such a popular thing to do? Sounds terrifying to me!

Carla: I think it’s so popular, because it’s sooo crazy!  You get instant street cred and bragging rights [to say] that you accomplished it when others didn’t.  I got a ton of positive feedback on Facebook from all of my friends…how awesome I am, how proud they are of me….it was great!  My cousin in Texas actually posted our video to her Facebook page for all her friends to see “her crazy cousin Carla in Pittsburgh,” so I know she was proud of me.

(Image above: Taken from Pittsburghlive.com)

Molly: So, you’ll do it again, then? Will we see you at the Mon on New Year’s Day, 2011?

Carla: Not sure if I will do it again.  I can cross it off my bucket list…I might just go out on a high note.  But, I have 360 days to decide, and if its 60 degrees next year,  I could be persuaded.

Does your town have a Polar Plunge? Would you take the New Year’s leap into icy waters? Let us know, and Happy New Year!

(Images clockwise from top left: ScatteringLupines.blogspot, CleverCrow.com, ItsAJaimeThing.wordperss, MyEvaForeva.blogspot, TwigandThistle.com)

I’m not sure what it is about the holidays, but something in the air makes us want to hang pretty stuff on everything. Mantles are adorned with evergreen branches, banisters are festooned with ribbons and bows, and eaves are accentuated with stands of twinkling lights.  Maybe this desire to ‘deck the halls’ comes from our need to express the holiday spirit, maybe it’s just the pang of tradition, or maybe we think this special time of year should look as magical as it feels. I’m not really sure, but what I do know is that stringing festive cheer all over can be expensive! So, here are some DIY garland tips that will let you fill your home with holiday cheer, but won’t empty your bank account! And, most of these garlands are easy-peasy to make, so invite your friends, make some festive cocktails, and have a DIY craft party!

Make your yuletide gorgeous with Popcorn, Pinecones, Paper Lanterns, Printed Fabric and more! Keep reading…

(Images above from: OnceWed.com and ProjectWedding.com)

Fabric Garlands

• Totally Easy – Have left-over scraps from a sewing project? Have clothing you just don’t want anymore hiding in your closet? Cut them in to strips (or tear for a more rustic look), knot the ends of each strip together into a long chain, and drape on any bare wall or tree for totally simple, DIY flare! Or, get a long pice of jute, yarn, or thread, and tie the strips in bunches to if for a fuller, draped effect. If your taste is more elegant, threading sparkling beads onto a long, shiny ribbon will add timeless class to your tree or window pane!
• A Little Effort – If you can sew a straight line on a sewing machine, or even by hand, beautiful, fabric garland is simple! Cut any shapes you like out of fabric.  Lay them out in any color or size arrangement you like, and overlap their edges ever-so-slightly. Slowly stitch a straight line to connect them all, and you’ve got it! Be creative, and add ribbon, get out the pinking shears, make mini-stuffed stars or hearts with some batting, and hand-stitch buttons or sequins!
• Worth the Time -This adorable, delicate mini fabric flower garland can be adapted in various ways to suit your style and deocr needs! It does take some hand-sewing aptitude, though!
• Unique Idea – Remember all those little stuffed animals or little plastic toys you used to play with? Why not incorporate them into your garland! String them together with ribbon in a long parade that will have you strolling down memory lane every time you pass your tree.

Paper Garlands

• Totally Easy – Paper chains of any sort! There’s the ole’ Holiday Countdown chain made from interlocking loops, the hand-holding gingerbread people, the snowflake chain, the heart chain, etc! The list just goes on. Or, get some pricing dot stickers and place them back-to-back on a brightly-colored string for a lighthearted, carnival-esque look!
• A Little Effort - Your friends and family are probably already sending you holiday cards. Why not string them up with decorated clothes pins and use them as the raw material for an adorable mantle piece, doorway, or bookcase garland accent? Or, take to your holiday greeting cards with your Exacto knife, cut out all the holiday-themed shapes and images, and sew them together for a unique way to display them!
• Worth the Time – So, you’ve got the strings of lights – why not make paper lantern covers? This truly cute idea comes from a wedding blog, but I think it can be adapted easily to spell out holiday phrases, incorporate holiday colors, or brighten up a New Year’s Eve party!
• Unique Idea – The iconic textured shape and feathery feel of cupcake liners – yup, cupcake liners – make this an garland a statement piece!

Natural Garlands

• Totally Easy – Popcorn! Cranberries! Done! It’s lovely, chic, and if you can thread a needle, you can create a classic holiday look.  Also, buy some cinnamon sticks, tie them in bunches with jute or twine, and add them to your popcorn and cranberry strands for some holiday ’spice.’
• A Little Effort – Take a little trip to the craft store, and buy some thin, wooden shapes.  Fix them to a string or lovely ribbon with glue, cover with tissue paper, and you have instant holiday flair anywhere you need it.
• Worth the Time – Pinecones are so iconic of the season, and this uber-chic garland brings the evergreen touch to any room!
• Unique Idea – Dried fruit is super-traditional, and there’s nothing more holiday-ish than an string of dried orange and apple slices! You’ll need a dehydrator, though – or, a lot of time, but your decor will be delicious!

Do you have a holiday garland idea? Let us know!

Photo: Amazon.com

A friend of mine recently sent me a link to this amazing book, American Fashion Cookbook, and I could not believe it! This totally chic, hardback, adorably-illustrated cookbook combines both of my loves — fashion and cooking! From Betesy Johnson’s Cherry Sour Cream Pie to Isaac Mizrahi’s Mushroom Truffle Spaghetti, this book showcases that odd and wonderful relationship between haute couture and fine cuisine.

As an added bonus, some of the recipes are accompanied by personal statements from the designers. Diane von Furstenberg states that, “when you cook for the ones you love, you somehow become [a great cook],” and she goes on to say that every time she makes her Saturday Night Chicken, she ends up eating with her hands! I just can’t believe that! Michael Kors calls his favorite recipe “a meal version of a ten-ply cashmere turtleneck.” Although I wish this collection contained more personal stories and tidbits from the designers’ kitchens, it’s a worthwhile and inspiring read for any fashionista who fancies herself a chef!

To start, I tried out Nicole Miller’s Tortilla Soup recipe!

Nicole Miller’s Tortilla Soup
From the American Fashion Cookbook

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 medium jalapeño chilies, seeded and chopped
• 4 roasted tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can white hominy, drained
• 1 1/2 cups chicken, shredded
• Corn tortillas
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 medium avocado
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Heat oil and add onions. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and jalapenos, and cook for a few minutes.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then add hominy and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add shredded chicken.
4. Season with salt and cumin.
5. Cut tortillas into thick strips 1/4- inch or less with sharp knife or scissors.
6. Fry strips in oil until crisp.
7. To serve, peel and pit the avocado and cut into 1 inch slices.  Divide half of the tortillas strips among serving bowls. Add soup.
8. Top with avocado and cheese. Garnish with remaining tortilla strips and cilantro.
9. Serve with lime wedges.

Enjoy!

(Image above: Stuffed Acorn Squash from Post Punk Kitchen)

For the last day of our Fall Flavors, Fall Fashions Perfect Pairings Contest, our ingredient is SQUASH! Any kind of squash will do, as long as you pair it with an adorable ModCloth outfit that matches your recipe! Submit your squash recipe and matching outfit as a comment at the bottom of this post. Read complete contest guidelines here.

As our surprise guest blogger, Isa Chandra Moskowitz (co- founder of the vegan food blog Post Punk Kitchen, and author of such vegan cooking tomes as Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Veganomicon) is sharing an amazing squash dish with us, and an adorable ModCloth dress to match! Thanks, Isa!

Outfit:

• Panacea Dress
• Bow-sic Black Flats

Keep reading for Isa’s vegan cornbread stuffing and roasted squash recipe! Ingredients:

• 4 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 1 recipe PPK Cornbread or Veganomicon cornbread, or your favorite recipe from a 9×13 pan
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 Cippolini onions, diced medium (use whatever onion you like – about 2 cups once chopped)
• 1 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme (keep the soft stems on, just ditch the woody ones)
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• fresh black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 red Bartlett pears, sliced in 1/4 inch slices (use whatever pear you’ve got)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Place the squash face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. You can proceed with the rest of the recipe in the meantime.
• Cut cornbread into roughly 3/4 inch pieces. Place on a baking sheet and toast for about 15 minutes, flipping about halfway through. Remove from oven.
• In the meantime, toast the pecans. Preheat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium low heat. Add the pecans and toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until they smell toasty and are a few shades darker. Transfer to a bowl and roughly chop once cooled – I like to keep the pieces relatively large.
• In the same pan over medium heat, saute onion in olive oil for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Add the herbs to the pan and saute for about a minutes. Add the cornbread and sprinkle in salt and pepper. Mix with a spatula, it’s fine if you break the cornbread up with a spatula a bit. Drizzle in the oil and vegetable broth. If it seems too dry, add a little extra veggie broth.
• Fold in the apples and pecans. Transfer to a lightly greased 9×13 pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.
• Serves 8.

Leave your outfit ideas and matching squash recipes as a comment below, and good luck! The Fall Flavors, Fall Fashions Perfect Pairings Contest ends at midnight EST, Sunday, October 18th, so get your submissions in soon!

(Image above: Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Cookie Bars taken from Picky Palate)

It’s Day Two, and our fall ingredient for today is APPLE.  Find your favorite apple recipe, and pair it with an adorable ModCloth outfit that matches your dish! Submit your apple recipe and matching outfit as a comment at the bottom of this post. Read complete contest guidelines here.

To show us just how yummy apples can be, Jenny from Picky Palate is sharing one of her super sweet, totally indulgent recipes and a matching outfit with us! Thanks, Jenny!

Keep reading for a cute fall look,and an ultra delicious apple treat!

Outfit:

• Cassiopeia Dress in Mythology
• Ginger Button Sweater

Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• 3 Cups Golden Grahams Cereal, ground in food processor
• 1 Roll Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough or 2 pkgs Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Dough Mix prepared and divided into 2 equal parts
• 8 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 21 oz can apple pie filling
• 1.5 oz package Nature Valley Oats N’ Honey Crunchy Granola Bars (2 count), crushed (I use a rolling pin to crush them right in the bag before opening)
• 9.5 oz Kraft Caramels
• 1/2 Cup Half and Half

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine melted butter and ground cereal into a large bowl; press into an 8×8 inch baking dish lined with foil that’s been sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.  Crumble half of the cookie dough over partially baked crust.
2. Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla into a mixer; beat until smooth.  Pour over crumbled cookie dough layer.  Bake for 25 minutes then remove from oven.  Top with 3/4 of the apple pie filling (I chose to just add part, but you can add the whole can if desired).  Next top with remaining cookie dough, breaking off into little pieces evenly over top.  Sprinkle with crushed granola bars and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes clean from center.   Let cool completely, then cut into squares.  Melt caramels and Half and Half according to package directions.  Drizzle over each bar.  Refrigerate leftovers.
3. Makes 9 squares. Refrigerate leftovers.

Leave your outfit ideas and matching recipes as a comment below, and good luck! Be sure to check back tomorrow at 1.00pm for the next ingredient – Squash!

(Image above: Molasses Cookies from Southern Grace Gourmet)

We are so excited for the first day of our Fall Flavors, Fall Fashions Perfect Pairings Contest! Our ingredient for today is MOLASSES.  Find your favorite molasses recipe, and pair it to an adorable ModCloth outfit that matches your dish! Submit your molasses recipe and matching outfit as a comment at the bottom of this post. You have until this Sunday at 12:00 a.m. E.S.T. Read complete contest guidelines here.

To help us kick off this contest and get the molasses recipes flowing, Angela from Southern Grace Gourmet has a yummy molasses dish and an adorable outfit to share with us! Thanks, Angela!

Outfit:

• The Soda Fountain Dress in Ginger
• Coca Beach Wedges
• Out of Africa Bag
• Birds of Paradise Earrings
• Hibiscus Bangle
• The Raphael Necklace

Keep reading to see Angela’s yummy recipe! There is nothing more delicious than a warm, chewy molasses cookie.  This cookie will give you a warm snuggly feeling. The molasses paired with the spices is perfect for the fall season. The chewiness of the cookie will allow you to savor every bite of this delectable treat. I have tried several recipes, before perfecting this one. These cookies have cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Molasses balances out the spices in the cookie and adds a perfect backdrop for the spices. The best part of these cookies though, is the beautiful aroma that will fill your home as they bake.

• 2  1/4 cups flour
• 2 oz, or 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 4 oz, or 1/2 cup shortening at room temperature
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup white sugar for rolling cookie dough in

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Add molasses and egg to creamed butter and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
2. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
3. Then take teaspoons of dough and roll in sugar and in the palm of your hand to make little balls. Place on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until just firm. Do not over-bake. They should be browned, but look underdone when removed from oven.  They will firm up when cooled.  For a crisp cookie, cook longer.

Leave your outfit ideas and matching recipes as a comment below, and good luck! Be sure to check back tomorrow at 1.00pm for the next ingredient’s recipe – Apples!

The ModCloth Cooks Perfect Pairings Contest is back! This time around, we’re featuring three harvest-time ingredients to match with our fall wardrobe items.  For the next three days, we’ll present you with a new, tasty, fall flavor. Simply send us your favorite recipe for that ingredient and an outfit that matches the recipe,  and you’ll be entered to win $100 toward the outfit you styled! As a super fun twist, we’ll also be featuring guest food bloggers to help us launch each day’s ingredient! We’re so excited, and we can’t wait to see what you cook up this time!

Fall Flavors, Fall Fashions: ModCloth Perfect Pairings Contest Schedule:

• October 13 – The ingredient is Molasses, and our guest blogger is Angela from the down-home and healthy blog  Southern Grace Gourmet!
• October 14 – The ingredient is Apple, and our guest blogger is Jenny from the delectably sweet blog Picky Palate!
• October 15 – The ingredient is Squash (any kind!), and we’ll have a surprise guest blogger!

Contest Guidelines:

• Choose a recipe which incorporates the daily featured ingredient.
• Create an outfit using ModCloth items that matches your recipe.
• Leave your outfit idea and recipe as a comment to each of the daily posts on October 13, 14, and 15. Submissions left on this post, on Facebook , or on Myspace will not be accepted.
• Submit your Fall Flavors, Fall Fashions Perfect Pairings by Sunday, October 18, midnight EST.
• We will accept multiple enteries.
• We will choose the best ensemble/recipe pair, and the winner will receive $100 towards their ModCloth outfit! In addition, the winning recipe/outfit combination will be featured on the ModLife blog!
• Winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 21st.
• Click here for our Official Contest Rules.

Help us reach our goal of donating $5,000 to this needy animal non-profit by ‘tricking out’ your pumpkins and submitting them on Facebook. Remember to tell us how your original design is ModCloth-inspired, or feel free to use our Winston pumpkin pattern! Be creative, and the pumpkin carving we like the best will win a $100 Gift Certificate, and an awesome prize pack for ModCloth.com!