Virginia Fashion Week goes green; creator shares tips on looks for tall women

Michelle Obama has quickly become a style icon. She's just like anybody else, so I wouldn't say she gets it right every time, but she's striking enough hits to keep people clamoring for her look.

Following my most recent column in which I mentioned that Michelle O shops at J. Crew ("Shopping spree? Wheeee!" on Oct. 29), a reader named Mrs. Welsted left a message asking to learn more about where the inbound first lady shops, because they're both tall.

As of today, I am not Obama's style assistant, but that could change overnight. (I just have to believe!) What I do know, based on published reports and her own admission, is that she buys off the rack as well as peppers her wardrobe with designer pieces. She most famously wore on "The View" a dress from White House Black Market. I didn't see a lot of long-length inseam pants, though.

Other tried-and-true retailers for tall women include J.C. Penney, which has a specially devoted catalog; Ann Taylor; Land's End (although I wouldn't wear their bland attire to a campfire) and Talbots.

I also asked the tall and striking Ann Leister, owner of Splash Model Management in Virginia Beach, her choices. She says you can expect designer lines are going to have longer than average lengths because they're constructed with the stature of runway models in mind. She says she personally favors BCBG suits, 7 for All Mankind jeans and Diane von Furstenburg apparel.

Speaking of Leister, she is heading into the home stretch on prep for her brainchild, Virginia Fashion Week, which runs the 15th to the 23rd of this month. This year's focus is on eco-friendly fashions and lifestyles, including makeup and food. At least one line of ecowear will be presented in addition to the student designer competition, in which the contestants make an outfit from a recycled product or organic fabric.

Virginia Fashion Week is still sending out roots; this is its second year. As the event seeks to gain more leverage in the industry, it's challenged by a sagging economy. Leister says some shops and designers she'd hoped to turn to have gone out of business. She's also using a lot of volunteer models and help from students and staff at Old Dominion University, in Norfolk.

Leister remains driven to showcase Virginia as a fashion center. She envisions Hampton Roads exploding onto the scene as Miami did over the past couple of decades.

"I feel like this area has so much untapped potential," Leister says. The region is rich with model and design talent, much of it owing to the presence of people accompanying their military mates, she says. She also sees this area as climatologically ideal for fashion shoots. "With all but four months of the year, we can be very competitive."

Scheduled designers include Zulema Griffin and Johnathan Kayne from "Project Runway," Michael Taylor, Karen Domino White of Jean Therapy and April Spring of Norfolk-based Foxers. Local talent also will include designer Stephon Stallings of Newport News-based Vintage Hazel. Stallings designs dresses, casual outfits and rock 'n' roll, vintage and urban wear. Inez Parker of Chesapeake will show her evening gowns, and local teens Natalia Ramos and Jazmyne Ferdinand-Lewis will show their Stitche line of T-shirts.

"It's fun to be able to discover these kids," Leister says.

Here is the schedule:

Saturday - "Elevation" fashion fundraiser; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, $25. Proceeds fund domestic-violence prevention efforts.

Monday - Fashion show; Spring Street boutique, 107 W. Main St., Charlottesville, $10

Nov. 21 - VIP invitation-only gala; Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach

Nov. 22 - Student designer competition; Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries, Old Dominion University, free

Nov. 23 - Main show; Ted Constant Convocation Center, ODU campus; $15, $10 for students and groups

"We're keeping all the prices low so the general public will feel they can come for the price of a movie versus the price of seeing a top rocker," Leister says.

Low prices - now, that's the hook for me.

By the way, did you hear the news that off-price retailer Value City Department Stores is closing? This is the end of the world. It's an American tragedy. What are we to do? I'm distraught. But I have a game plan that I'll disclose in my next column.

Save your money, and get some rest.

Jamesetta Walker, (757) 446-2211, jamesetta.walker@pilotonline.com