So last Sunday I worked the Eastern PA Bridal Expo at Lehigh University’s Rauch Field House, as I do every year. It’s a lovely event for those who just got engaged and are in the wedding planning process. Brides walk about aisles and aisles of wedding resources-everything from officiates to travel experts-with their red stickers identifying them as the bride.

Watching the women wander about with glazed-over faces, drifting from booth-to-booth enjoying cake and hors d’oeuvres samples, I wondered how accurate a statistic I recently heard on the “NBC Nightly News” was. It stated that for the first time in U.S. history, the census calculated that the percentage of single households was higher than the percentage of married households. To put that into perspective, in the ’70s the statistic reflected married households outnumbering single households by nearly 20 percentage points. While the difference amounted to just two percentage points in this instance, I was curious as to whether this trend would continue and what would happen if it did.

Rushing down Route 22 yesterday—as per my usual—I reached for my cell phone to call my mother’s hairdresser to let her know that I would be 10 minutes late dropping my mom off for her weekly Friday wash and set. (Yes, I said “wash and set,” but that’s subject matter for an entirely different blog.)

If you know me, you know this is my SOP-Standard Operating Procedure.  I generally arrive 10 minutes late for everything. I totally expect that St. Peter will have a good 10-minute pacing session at the gate upon my “untimely demise” because when God says, “Time’s up!” I intend to use my last breath to utter, “Can you give me just 10 more minutes?” This is entirely contingent on whether my tardiness has deemed me unfit for Heaven in the first place, lest I be presumptuous.

The Met

Fashion was out in full force Monday evening at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Annual Costume Institute Gala in New York City.

In any event of this nature you have the showstoppers, the traditionalists, and the true

Beyonce in Emilio Pucci

fashionistas. You also get the individuals whose adornments “wear them” as opposed to the other way around. Here are our biggest offenders in this category:

Beyonce’s splashy black and gold mermaid number was so tight from the waist on down, she needed to be physically assisted up the stairs.

Hoping at least one of these helpers is Jay-Z

Christina Ricca did not fare much better as her dress’s designer Zac Posen actually helped get his creation up the red carpeted steps.

Ricci with her dress's designer, Zac Posen

Rhianna was another beauty in black struggling with her dress.

Don’t you just hate when you feel you just can’t control your own clothing? When she was able to tame the lace beast it was actually a gorgeous look on her.

Rhianna looked amazing once she addressed this train issue

Others that really hit the fashion mark for the night were: Sarah Jessica Parker in vintage (2005) Alexander McQueen, Jennifer Hudson, Gwenyth Paltrow and Madonna (absolutely loved her in this).

Madonna: Still rockin' it!

SJP

So who got the worst style grades for the evening? Mary Kate Olsen, Isabel Lucas and Ginnifer Goodwin all made ill-fiting misguided color choices…

The biggest disappointment came from the Met Gala’s most noted benefactor, Vogue EIC, Anna Wintour. She is usually the epitome of style, however, she must have made a deal with the devil to wear this less than flattering frock.

Anna and her daughter in red.

Our favorite photo of the night was Renee Zellweger in her backless Carolina Herrera.

And how was your Monday night?

Mary Kate

This just didn't work on Jenn G.

Now that's glamour. Thanks, Renee!

Well, we just couldn’t wait for the grand opening of our very own DSW here in Allentown, so the staff at Style hopped on the Northeast Extension and went to Plymouth Meeting last Friday. We have been named “Agents of Chic” after all, and we take our role as shoe ambassadors very seriously.

Shoe Heaven

At first sight this particular location is overwhelming. There are aisles upon aisles of shoes, sandals, boots, sneakers-almost too much for the eye to comprehend-I said, “almost.” I did not see my fellow co-workers for at least an hour after we all headed off on our own to pursue the perfect peep toe pump, flip-flop, or corded wedge-the shoe of the season.

We found that shoe shopping in this manner takes much stamina. Luckily, we all work out to some degree and are physically fit. We needed to be. We needed to be able to cruise all the aisles, parade around obstacles with one shoe on at a time, and carry tote bags laden with shoeboxes until we were ready to check out.

Our associate publisher, Pam Deller found the perfect pair at the last minute!

My Levity wedge

Little did I know that about 45 minutes into my own shopping journey I would literally walk off with the exact shoe I had pre-shopped for online earlier in the week. This Levity wedge with multi-colored tassels will go well with many of my spring wardrobe additions. I added to this a great pair of Me, Too! booties and a Polo wedge flip-flop. Success! Three pairs of shoes purchased means many happy steps to follow! In fact, all of my co-workers made out just as well, as we headed home with a hatch full of bags.

Ah, a well-stocked hatch is a thing of beauty!

Don’t forget to save the date for the grand opening festivities of our DSW on Thursday, April 28 at 7 p.m. We will be in attendance with the Style wall and we hope to see you there!

Meghan, Denise and Caley—all shopped out!