ELLE + 3D Crest Dallas Soiree

About two weeks ago, my longtime BFF Stephanie--and now fellow blogger--invited me to an event hosted by ELLE + 3D Crest for fashion bloggers and fashionistas.

Steph and I have been friends since we were wee lil' babes (clearly I've been watching too much "Game of Thrones" and I'm saying this in my best british/irish accent), so I was excited to hang out with her and meet some new people. 

But lezzzz be honest, I was really there for the free toothpaste! 3D Crest is my shizzz, ya'll.

Stephanie's blog Signing Steph is an amazing fashion blog where she puts together new looks every week from sophisticated and work-chic to bold, casual and edgy. It's fun because it's always something different. Check out some of my personal faves here, here, here and here. 

It was hard for me to pick four looks, because she totally rocks 'em all. Go check 'er out and I promise you'll be inspired to change up your wardrobe too!

Since most of the bloggers at this event would be fashion-driven divas, I was mainly there to support Steph (and her blog) and be the wing-woman so she wouldn't have to go stag. Plus, I'm a brave social butterfly who will go up and introduced myself to random strangers cause I like to talk. DUH.

But since I'm a blogger too, I was able to meet and pass out a few business cards myself. Yes, we have blog business cards to pass out! #ballastatus

Anyway, when I agreed to go, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought it'd be in a conference room mingling, eating food from a buffet and having awkward chit-chat with strangers at a table. I guess I was thinking more "conference."

There was still awkward chit-chat, but it wasn't in some boring banquet hall...

This was some Real Housewives of Some CITY type shit.

It was fancy, ya'll.

I thought Lisa Vanderpump and Giggy might trot in at any moment.

We arrived at The Joule in downtown Dallas around 6:30 or so and valeted. The fellas who opened the car doors asked us if we were here for an event. We told them we were there for the ELLE/Crest shindig and they directed us to a guy who stood five feet away opening the hotel doors and then directed us to another guy who stood three feet away and told us to go with another guy who was five feet away who showed us into an elevator and directed us on where to go from there. Needless to say there were literally five people who greeted us in 15 feet, for real--we immediately felt important.

We went upstairs and came out to a terrace with a few fashionable, model-looking women standing around with their cocktails in-hand talking away.

The room the terrace was connected to was made of solid walls of glass, and inside, the room was doused with white modern, leather furniture and clear barstools. It was beautiful and some definitely the most glamorous party I've ever been too. 

There were REAL white flowers on tables. I told Steph, "you know it's fancy when there are real flowers on every table!" 

I love this picture of us. #realhousewivesmoment

 

It was still daylight outside so the room was extra white, which I suppose was what they were going for since it was 3D Crest and everyone was supposed to be showing off their pearly whites.

People walked around serving hors d'oeuvres and handing us free drinks (that part I'm not complaining about). But I was starving and those damn hors d'oeuvres were not going to cut it. I didn't want dime-sized crab cakes or lemon cakes. And, we were supposed to be networking so I didn't want to walk around like a fool with crab-cake bits stuck in my teeth cause I have the kind of teeth that ALWAYS gets food stuck in them (and it's always the front teeth). I guess I could have swiped some 3D Crest and brushed them in the restroom, but ain't nobody got time for that.

I decided to forego the food. It wouldn't have made a dent in my hunger anyway. I wanted actual-sized people food, not food for Thumbel-friggin'-lina.

SO you know that awkward moment when you walk in somewhere and you know no one and everyone looks up at you? Yeah, we had that awkward moment. There were about 20 people or so there already, but not enough where we could make an entrance without everyone staring.

We were immediately asked if we wanted to take some photos in their photo booth and we went for it--being one of the first people to take them. Secretly, I wanted to go ahead and do it because as soon I start drinking my makeup tends to disappear, mysteriously melting off my face like I'm the wicked witch of the west. I'm melting, I'm melting. 

After the photo booth sesh, we sat down and decide to drink and talk to get a little warmed up before approaching the strangers. Moo-hoo--ha-ha-ha... that's my evil/Sesame Street Count Dracula laugh. One, ah ah ha, Two, ah ah ha.

So we sat, did some of our girly talk but talked mostly about blogging while we secretly examined other people in the room. I was surrounded by fashion-loving, beautiful women who clearly had closets the size of my kitchen. Every detail of their outfit was carefully chosen--from the necklace and the shoes to the makeup and the hair--they were pulling out all the stops.

And, I'm no fashionista. I just joined the skinny jean club last year. I was a late skinny-jean bloomer. I still don't wear the gladiator sandals. I barely get a mani/pedi two to three times a year (normally for a wedding or some event) and revisited buying Victoria's Secret bras last year, because some friends of mine made me cut up my "mommy bra" after witnessing me change. #myundergarmentsarestruggling

Here are the posts by Signing Steph that inspired my look (kimono, army green, lace up shoes)

So, I had trouble deciding what to wear. I went shopping earlier that day and went with an army green top, an aztec print kimono, black skinny jeans and wedges. I liked the look, and I was inspired by some of Stephanie's past looks on Signing Steph so I went bold. And totally found some look alike shoes Steph rocks from time to time on her page. See her version here.

Looking back, I probably could have looked better for this event if I would have worn something different. I was crunched for time so I had to throw something together. I loved the outfit though, just maybe not for that event! 

I was in a huge rush to get ready that day. I had been to Dallas once that morning, to the mall, to another mall, to my mom's house to pick up B, then home to get ready and then back to Dallas for the event. (Deets on what yesterday held before the soiree to come later). 

I burned my thumb twice with my straightener while I was trying to curl my hair. That sentence is kind of an oxy moron. #wordnerdhumor

Yes, I curl my hair with my straightener. After burning my finger twice though, it slowed me down and, in turn, my hair suffered.

As we nonchalantly scanned the room, Stephanie noticed popular fashion blogger/Bravo TV personality Courtney Kerr. I knew who she was because I watch Bravo like it's my J-O-B, but that's probably one of five shows I never watched on the network.

She looked great, of course. And Steph didn't want to miss out on a chance to take a pic with her, so we, actually Stephanie, declared I should go up and introduce us. I agreed, but we decided we'd approach her later.

Steph and I continued drinking and talking and met a fellow blogger. After about 30 minutes or so, we made our way over to the lipstick reader. We mingled with several other people while we waited in line mostly making guesses at how the hell this lady was going to read us by looking our lips.

I'm not much of a lipstick-wearer. I wish I could say I can rock a red or a dark lip on the reg, but I'm more of the light-colored lip gloss girl.

We finally reached the table and there was one woman in front of us. I was 'on deck' being the next to go, so I sat down at the table. The lipreader noticed my lack of lip color and passed me a bright-ass red lipstick to put on. I looked at Steph, with my WTF-this-is-gonna-suck face, and started applying. Don't get this on your teeth or face, Cass. 

I knew it would be a biotch to get off, so I figured I'd probably have to sport the look the rest of the night.

She was pretty spot on with a lot of the things she told me.

This is how I knew she was legit.

Lip Reader: "You wear the pants in your relationship."

Those were the first words that came out of her mouth and she only had to look at my puckered up lips on paper to tell. Klay laughed when I told him that. He denies the truth! Wink, wink.

Then, she laid on a huge one. I have six months to live.

Ha! I'm kidding.

She just told me things about myself... like the colors and type of decor I have in my house (which was right), how I feel about sharing my opinion (if you don't like it, you shouldn't have asked), organization (love it, but lately less OCD), a need to travel (well duh!) and a few other things like fitness and pouting. 

Apparently, I'm a good pouter. I don't know about that. Maybe it works with the hubs; that's why I wear the pants--the pouting!

It was fun and entertaining. She'd be awesome at an all girls/spa party!

After our lip read, we moved to an empty cocktail table so I could attempt to remove some of the red off my lips. Um, didn't work. I was going to have to make it work as Tim would say from "Project Runway." I watch way too much TV.

Courtney Kerr and a friend were making their way over to where we were, so I grabbed Steph and went up to her.

We talked for a few minutes about my smack-yo-mama-in-face red lips, the lip reader and then snapped a picture.

So we mixed and we mingled and walked up to complete strangers to strike up convo. I was thanking sweet little eight pound baby Jesus, they served alcohol. And, these were especially yummy. It was called "Pineapple Twist" and was the bomb dot com.

At night, the purple and blue lights light up the room--and you guys know how I feel about the color purple... my not-so-favorite color right now (click here to find out why). #purplevaginaprobs

After talking to some more bloggers, we decided to call it a night. My feet were hating me and I needed to take off those shoes. And, they were wedges! My feet were made for flip flops only.

As we left we decided to snap a few more pics before we ended the night.

Someone's watching you, Steph! 

I'm doing the one-leg-in-the-air thing, because, let's face it, I just really wanted some free toothpaste! Forget the fashion, the hors d'oeuvres and the drinks--OK, maybe not the drinks--all I care about is the free toothpaste and whitening kit. My teeth are gonna BLING, BLING.

Since you really can't tell how beautiful the soiree was from our iPhone pics, check out some professional pics here. You can also read what Steph thought about the night (and thinks of me) here.

Overall we had a great night and made some new blogger-friends! 

Check out a few of the people we met: 

Caroline Covets
THE style barn
Style Junkeyz 
Ashes into Fashion
BEL affair

So I wanna know...

How do you feel about a red lip? Can you rock it? Does it bring out your smile?