A fashion show for the holidays

Saturday, November 28, 2009

By Fran Odyniec
Managing Editor

The idea came to Linda Clemans, president of the Friends of the Mt. Sterling Library while she was having lunch about a month ago at the Brickhouse Cafe in downtown Mt. Sterling. She was so taken with the setting that Becky Martin and her family had created for the cafe that she thought it would make an ideal place to stage a benefit-fashion show.

“It all went in motion in a month,” said Heidi Fletcher, director of the library.

Sixteen models later with an exciting array of fashions from the Dress Barn in Jeffersonville and Repeats in Mt. Sterling, The Mt. Sterling Friends of the Library Holiday Fashion Show luncheon went off without a hitch this past Sunday afternoon at the Brickhouse Cafe. By an unofficial count, more than 80 people attended, seated at tables around the room as a warm November sun streamed in through large plate glass windows that front the cafe looking out on to Main Street. Each table was decorated in a holiday theme with baskets filled with pine cones and Christmas balls. Favors were provided with each place setting along with complimentary punch. Selections were played on acoustic guitars by local musicians Lefty and Skeeter, who gave the proceedings a light and airy touch.

Lunch that included chicken salad on croissant, open-faced cucumber sandwich and a mini-quiche was served as welcoming remarks were made by Barb McMurray, vice president of the friends of the library, Becky Martin, owner of the Brickhouse, and Fletcher. Linda Clemans was recovering from a recent heart attack and could only make a brief appearance before the show.

The show consisted of three parts: two adult fashion presentations and a teen fashion segment.

Members of the library staff and friends modeled the adult fashions. They included director Heidi Fletcher; Sharon Morgan, assistant director; assistant librarians Mindi Kell and Peggy Riley; the library’s board of directors secretary Jeri Endres; friends secretary Casey O’Neal; and friends Jessica Morgan and Lynn Messner with Messner serving as narrator for the entire show.

In part one of the adult fashion show which featured ensembles and dresses from the Dress Barn, Casey O’Neal set just the right holiday tone by modeling a smart pants outfit featuring a red jacket with black piping, a red top and full chic black pants.

Sharon Morgan followed with a look that’s ready to go to any holiday party or event with a black top with royal blue accents and black pants.

Jeri Endres, Mindi Kell and Heidi Fletcher took the show to a more formal level as they came forth with stunning ensembles guaranteed to be the hit of a holiday gathering anywhere in Madison County or in Columbus or Cincinnati.

Jeri’s and Mindi’s ensembles played with colors of black and cream and thoughtful but had just the right number of geometric patterns in white and gray that would not overpower the overall seasonal fashion statement of their attire.

Heidi presented a deep blue almost purple evening dress that was accented by a white knit shawl that she wore in a casual but elegant manner that quietly underscored the formal design of the dress.

The teen fashion show was next up, and right from the start, emphasized the exciting aspect of daily wear for the teen lady. Nikki Vaughn, owner of Repeats, another recent entry on the retail scene that is beginning to rebound in downtown Mt. Sterling, chose a variety of looks that would make daily wear functional and yet not boring.

Nine teen models crossed the boards of the Brickhouse’s hardwood floor as Lynn Messner continued on with her upbeat narration.

Among those models, Tricia Smith opened the teen show with a smart blue pattern MKM cap sleeve button-front jacket that was paired with No Boundaries skinny jeans with stud-embellished back pockets. Tricia made it look even more functional by slinging a black shoulder bag over her left shoulder.

Shianne Beauman sported a real seasonal look with a red Forever 21 sweater and was ready for everyday wear with a pair of distressed, paint-splattered Mudd brand jeans.

Breana Ellison appeared ready for a family party with a black Limited scoop neck top with a pleated Candies gray-and-white plaid mini skirt.

Tori Sharrett turned every head in the house with a Wetseal cross front dress in black with a tie waste, possibly more appropriate for a holiday party than for school. Her blue shoes provided a hip contrast to her outfit.

Angel Martin perked up the proceedings with an Aeropostale cable knit hood sweater over a Limited brand lace cami. She, too, wore a pair of distressed jeans, these from Aeropostale.

Other current fashion looks were modeled by Heather Pryor and Maria Fletcher. Heather modeled an MKM empire waist party top and then an American Eagle v-neck hooded sweater. Maria showed how to keep warm with a Charlotte Russe cable knit sweater that easily goes with leggings or jeans.

And the only guy in the cast, Lee Martin, provided a real casual look with a signature Hollister thermal and a pair of loose-fit Old Navy jeans.

The second part of the adult fashion show featured more holiday fashions that tended to lean to the formal side. Sharon Morgan began with a beautiful purple jacket over a black dress. The jacket had tiny sparkles of purple that gave her ensemble an elegantly festive look.

Jeri Endres returned with a stunning blue sleeveless evening dress that would be the hit of a night on the town or a quiet dinner for two.

“It was a great event,” said Erica Mihely, of Obetz who was there with her sister Emily Endres, of Orient, their grandmother, Helen Endres (who turns 89 in January), of Mt. Sterling, and Judy Dillon, of Blakesville, to cheer on Jeri Endres (who is Judy’s sister and Erica’s and Emily’s mother) as she modeled two evening fashions. “I like those gorgeous dresses.”

“I’d go better in the kids stuff than the ladies’ stuff,” quipped Helen, who was observed keeping a close eye on all the fashions as they came by her table. “It was very good and with all local talent.”

You could see how Angel Martin, one of the teen models and a server at the Brickhouse and a 2004 graduate of Madison-Plains High School, liked the show and being in it as her eyes went wide to complement her comment, “It was fun and very exciting.”

“I may have an interest in them in maybe in ten years,” she continued, referring to the more adult fashions in the show. For now, she likes the fashions that work on a daily basis.

“I think I might go shop at Repeats,” she added with a slight nod of approval.

Judy Dillon, a native of Mt. Sterling who now lives in Blakesville, is a self-professed fan of the Dress Barn.

“I like their clothing,” she said as she pointed to what she was wearing was all from the Dress Barn. “I came here to see what they have this year.”

Becky Martin used one word to describe the show as she and her staff were afterwards breaking down the room to reset it in cafe mode. “Fabulous!” she exclaimed. “I was so excited to see town people and people from surrounding area. They were great.”

She said that the show brought a bit of a New York accent to the Brickhouse.

“How chic is that to have a fashion show run through this cafe. It is the ultimate cool.”

“I really enjoyed working with the library,” she continued. “This was definitely a community event, and we could not have done it without the Dress Barn, Repeats, and the Friends of the Library. This was a wonderful event that appealed to ladies in their 20s, 40s, 60s, and 70s. It warms my heart to be a part of Mt. Sterling.”

Both Becky and Heidi said that they had expected an audience in the range of 60 or so. The 80-plus folks who showed up really had them pleasantly surprised and kept them hopping.

“We found seats for everyone,” said Heidi, who said that the proceeds from the friends-sponsored show will certainly help the library. “We did better than expected.”

“It was a huge success,” concluded Becky.

Fran Odyniec can be reached at (740) 852-1616 or by e-mail at editor@madison-press.com.