It's been one week since I embarked on the journey of a lifetime that led me to meet new friends, see stunning sites, be offered unbelievable opportunities and help create the perfect atmosphere for four amazing girls. Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you this little story about my trip to Seventeen Magazine to assist one of the most amazing organizations in the world,
Glam4Good, with their event to help four gorgeous Make-A-Wish girls fulfill their dream of becoming a model.
It's 8:45 and I arrive. I'm nervous and yet shaking with excitement as I make my way into the Hearst Building and up the elevator to the Seventeen studios. Today I have the opportunity to change four girls lives with something I've been passionate for years, fashion. Within the first ten minutes I'm put to work hanging designer dresses such as Zac Posen, Viktor & Rold, Dior, Alexander McQueen, shall I go on? Because I can... Versache, Oscar De La Renta, Dolce and Gabbana... You get the idea.
We then proceed to sorting the
trunks of shoes and
bags of accessories. Twenty-five trays of bangles, necklaces, rings, earrings, you-name-it, we-trayed-it, are laid out and sorted by style and color. After that, over 60 pairs of shoes, ranging from sexy metallic Pradas to the always classic red bottom Louis Vuittons, are arranged above the jewelry.
Even though we are preoccupied with sorting and arranging and drooling over all the fantastic items strewn throughout the studio, we can't help but notice Glam4Good founder,
Mary Alice Stephenson, come in the room and introduce herself, as if she needs it. At six foot tall, Stephenson struts into the studio with a personality so welcoming, I instantly feel as though we were old friends, just catching up, instead of mere acquaintances meeting face-to-face for the first time. Two other girls also accompany me in volunteering their time to make this special day perfect. Leona (far left) and Jordan (far right) help with arranging the jewelry, sorting the shoes and helping to make the day perfect!
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(From left to right: Breck Bruns, Tyerra Scott-Thurman, Taylor Nunez and Adahmm Quiroga) |
Finally, the
beautiful models arrive with their families. I'm chosen to be in a small group that meets them at the top of the stairs where the behind-the-scenes camera snaps the first pictures. It's then up the elevator and onto a mini tour of the Seventeen office before heading back down to the studios to begin the makeover of a lifetime. The girls, Breck Bruns, Tyerra Scott-Thurman, Taylor Nunez and Adahmm Quiroga (pictured above in their final look) are primped, pampered and, their outfits, perfected. After the spectacular hair and makeup crew clipped in hair extensions, created a Taylor Swift makeup look, perfected the smoky eye and had the popular teal eyeliner trend painted on their faces, they begin searching for the one dress that was meant for them.
Photo shoot time. The girls rock out to a play list of their choice; Taylor Swift, Rihanna and other popular artist blast through the speakers. With the beats reverberating throughout the room, every girls takes her turn posing and having a blast in front of the camera, receiving the whole experience as the Glam4Good crew touches up hair and makeup in between shots. Finally, after nearly eight hours being exceptionally glamorous, the day is over and it's clean up time. Dresses go back in their bags and shoes in their cases. I say my goodbyes and lock my memories in my mind so that they'll never fade.
Here's some pictures from my trip, I enjoyed it and so I hope you all love the pictures!
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That's Gina Kelly on the left, she's Seventeen's Fashion Director! |
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All of the FABULOUS volunteers! |