Cavortress: streetstyle

Friday night at CFW was the first day of spring (plus the vernal equinox, super new moon, and total eclipse of the sun), sprinkled with rain and dried by sunshine and energetically attended by birds, bees, flowers and trees. Well, it was a heck of a way to end winter. Deer shed their antlers in the spring, as do animals their fur. Would there be a better time to wear jewelry made of antlers and give your fur or feathers a last go-around? Maybe break out a ridiculously bright color or floral print? Rock sparkles? Cavortress says no. Some people embraced their inner casual Friday, while others visiting from out of town wore sunburns (from Tuesday) as an accessory turned souvenir (ouch!). Check out how who wore what last night.

Janelle Gray, design team for Alex and Ani (visiting from New Jersey)
Instagram: @janellemoynagh
Dress: Alice + Olivia
Shoes: BCBG
Bag: Alex and Ani
Sunburn: Folly Beach

Megan Murphy (r), Benefit Focus
Instagram: @murphthesmurff

Caftan: Cavortress

Necklace: 3 Little Beads with natural deer antlers

Shoes: Vince Camuto

Bag: Dooney and Burke

Leah Thornley (l), jewelry designer and owner of 3 Little Beads

Instagram: @3littlebeads + @leahthornley

Necklace: 3 Little Beads

Dress: Dillard's

Shoes: J. Crew

Bag: Louis Vuitton

Watch: Nixon

Ring: Cartier

Instagram: @quet1

Shoes: Steve Madden

Dress: Island Princess

Necklace: Frugal

Purse and Sunglasses: Prada

(Last day for feathers)

Thomas Robertson, co-founder and contributor of Outre Mode + makeup artist at Mac Cosmetics

Instagram: @smilethomsmile + @outre_mode

Shoes: Steve Madden

Glasses: Versace

Suit/Shirt: Express

Watch: Marc Jacobs

Fur Stoll: Thrifted
(Last day for fur)

Gary Rader, assistant buyer/manager at Shoes on King

Instagram: @garyrader

Rings: Savannah Parker

Chambray hand embroidered dress: Vintage

Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff

(Casual Friday, birds, bugs, and flowers—we have a home run here!)

Harriet Lee, Yes Carolina

Earrings: Local Designer at Cooper Penny
Shoes: French Connection
Jacket: Anthropologie
Shirt: Banana Republic
Top: Las Olas
Bag: Vintage

Robert Blake, visual merchandiser at Gucci
Instagram: @robertblakester

Shirt: Robert Graham

Sunnies: Cavortress

Belt: M. Dumas & Sons

Pants: Mosa

Jewelry: Cavortress (Vintage Thai Silver)

Watch: Oris

(Casual Friday)

Lonnie J. Hawkins, stylist + blogger

Instagram: @southofyork

Shoes: Lacoste

Pants: Levi's

Jacket:Ralph Lauren

Glasses: Ray Ban

Anna Nash, creative director of Park Avenue Fashion Week

Instagram: @_annanash_

Shoes: gifted

Pants: Nine West

Jacket: H&M

Necklace: Kabana

Bangles: Bourbon and Boweties

Flash Tattoos

Bag: Danielle Nicole

(80s Barbie meets Casual Friday)

Gentleman on the left:

Pants, Jacket, Shirt: Ralph Lauren

Tie: J. Crew

Glasses: Oliver Peoples

Gentleman on the right:

Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

Pants and Tie: J. Crew

Jacket: Brooks Brothers

Shirt: Michael Kors

Glasses: Tom Ford

Elli Boland, life coach

Necklace: Melinda Maria

Pants: Black Orchid

Shoes and Earrings: gifted

Jacket: Bebe

Top and Bag: from Germany

Courtney Habberstad

Instagram: @courtneyhabberstad

Shoes: Aldo

Dress: Parker NY

Jewelry: Chan Luu

Ring: Broken English

Bangles: from Italy

Bangles: Bourbon and Boweties

Greer Chenault (r), Inventiv Environments

Dress: Black Halo

Shoes: Banana Republic

Jewelry: Philippe Ferrandis

Bracelet: Hermes

Watch: Rolex

Jacqueline Lawrence (l), owner of Inventiv Environments

Dress: Mosa

Shoes: Cole Haan

Michelle Wood (c), model coach

Outfit: She had no clue—but looks fab!

David Hart, men's wear designer

Head to toe David Hart

(Spring green)

Boyfriend of Emerging Designer Sara Ellis Clark

Instagram: @alabamabiscuit + @clarksara3

Jacket: Belk

T-Shirt: Merman Supply

Jeans: Billy Reid

Shoes: OluKai

Geoffrey Richardson, owner of Lava Salon

Instagram: @lavasalon

Suit: no clue, found on random rack

Shoes: Converse

Hat: Kangol

Kara Smoak, Intern + CofC Student

Dress: Tobi

Ring: David Yurman

Bracelet: Cavortress

Hat: Vintage, Cavortress

Bag: Lucky Brand

Charleston Fashion Week^® is one of my favorite Holy City events. The buzz about town for the past month has been, "What are you doing for Fashion Week? Are you going? What nights? Do you have your outfits planned? Where should we do happy hour? Where should we have dinner? Where is the afterparty? Can you walk there? How far is it?"

If you are a CFW veteran, you already know that you can’t possibly plan your outfits nightly because the weather in Charleston that surrounds the first day of spring is highly unpredictable. (Note: the combination of unpredictable weather and #chsfw makes it acceptable to wear fur in the South in March. After all, winter technically ends March 19). The reality is that you will probably not have time for happy hour because it took you too long to get ready, and it doesn’t matter how close the afterparty is—if you are wearing heels, it’s too far. That’s what a pedicab is for!

Night one at Charleston Fashion Week is always, for me, the most exciting. Tuesday night sold out, but not as fast as some of the other nights. For that reason, many attendees on Tuesday (and Wednesday, stay tuned…) are only coming that night. Of course, on Tuesday night, you will see those that are coming EVERY night—sponsors, contestants, participants. People ask me what Charleston Fashion Week^® is like. A five-day fashion event with a different vibe each night? My response is always, "It’s like a Grateful Dead concert…for fashion people…in Charleston." Drug of choice? Not brown acid, but champagne!