Fabulous Functional Fashion Featured at FierceCon!

Palos Verdes Peninsula, California

“The Wardrobe Evolution was inspired by my ever changing demands as an entrepreneur and mother. I created a brand of practical yet fashionable clothes for every modern woman” – Nicole Frank

Outfit Details:

Nicole Jacket, Alexis Pant, Taylor Top, Grand Floral Poof, Shoe Straps, Obaida Bustier Jumpsuit, Pouchettes, White Stripe Baloon Sleeves

FierceCon LA 2019 is all about the Evolution of the Revolution! Creativity, Connection, Reinvention, and Sisterhood … it’s all about bringing out the best of women at Midlife & Beyond to Be Inspired and Get Rewired. Together we are learning to Master Modern Midlife and make sure it’s functional and fun. That’s why Nicole Frank is our sponsor with her brilliant “Wardrobe Evolution” and her inspired spin on Functional Fashion! She’s bringing her team to FierceCon and attendees will be able to book a private fitting session in addition to their weekend Pop-Up Shop.

Jacqueline Depaul, our favorite Paris runway model, physicist, and StriVectin Projecting Confidence Masterclass instructor and I had to opportunity to shoot together to showcase Nicole Frank’s latest line that Jacqueline and I will be wearing at FierceCon. It was one of those shoots that was hard to complete as so many women were interrupting us and asking where we got those outfits! If you liked to play dress up as a young girl (I still do!), you will love the way you can mix and match, and tinker with the way each piece looks.

You all know how I swoon over the Nicole Frank line! Earlier this month, I headed to NYFW for a whirlwind week and an opportunity to walk the coveted NYFW Runway. With only 2 weeks to plan my NYFW looks, I didn’t waste a moment figuring out what to wear. My first call was to the Nicole Frank team. The minute I came across Nicole’s brilliant “Wardrobe Evolution,” I knew it was a match made in heaven. Lucky for me, the team was excited to come along and sent me a few of my favorite looks and they were a monster hit in NYC. I couldn’t wait to show Jacqueline the Nicole Frank designs. I knew she would appreciate both the beauty in the design and the functionality of the line.

Any time, I have the opportunity to shoot with Jacqueline, I’m all in! She’s not only drop dead gorgeous but she’s also one of the kindest and most fun humans around. She continually raises the bar when it comes to photo shoots and I love soaking up her expertise and pushing myself to be a better model. An added bonus is that Jacqueline is an absolute hoot. We are usually laughing our “tushes” off and playing around like two young school girls (as you can see!!!) The thing with Midlife is that we may be getting older and showing a few more wrinkles but that doesn’t seem to dim the kid at heart on the inside. Just because we’re all grown up doesn’t mean we have to act like “grown ups!” I was certain the Nicole Frank team would approve as the line is both serious in it’s functionality and fun and playful on the fashion side.

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I learn so much every time I shoot with Jacqueline! I’ve never had lessons or training and I am always stumped at what to do with my hands. It’s hard to get them to look elegantly natural and relaxed as Jacqueline is able to do. Me? I just look like I’m ready to field a ground ball at third base!  I asked what the heck should I do! And she told me one of the tricks that probably goes back to cave paintings: “Take the peanut. Hold the Peanut. Drop the peanut.” I added in “Eat the peanut” and had a nice little snack as well!

Jacqueline and I met up at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Redondo Beach for a run through of her exclusive StriVectin “Projecting Confidence” Masterclass for FierceCon and a super fun Zoom call with Supermodel, Veronica Webb. (If you missed it, you can meet Veronica and how she views life as the Ultimate Runway here!) The idea is absolutely brilliant and has been the number one most popular option for women to experience at FierceCon. Jacqueline went through her own inspirational process of reinvention and metamorphosis.

Upon turning 40, she won a nationwide Wilhelmina modeling contest with zero experience which began an entirely new life direction. She’s the ultimate Superwoman – Engineer/Physicist by Day and Supermodel by night. They say you can’t do it all but Jacqueline definitely defies the norm by continually pushing the boundaries on life – especially those years at Midlife & Beyond. She’s not only a Superwoman and Supermodel – She’s a Super Human with a heart filled with kindness along with a bright, cheery spirit that’s constantly uplifting other women, including yours truly.

We both had a lot of fun perusing the Nicole Frank website searching for the ultimate in “what to wear.” Decisions, decisions! Jacqueline decided on the Nicole Jacket in white with the perfect black stripe, along with the slimming Alexis Pant. She also scooped up the Taylor Top with a super fun poofy sleeve to go along. The sleeve she selected is the Black and White Grand Floral Poof which allows you to change your look from day to night in an instant. That’s the beauty of “Functional Fashion,” where form meets function, and technology intersects with flawless design. Jacqueline was heading to Paris to walk the Paris Fashion Week Runway for the third time at 50 years young and she was looking for the perfect looks to bring along that weren’t only stylish but also functional, allowing her to pack less while having more, interchangeable looks to wear.

As I shared in a recent blog post highlighting the Nicole Frank line and the brilliance of “Functional Fashion,” Nicole has created a line with a wide range of options from interchangeable sleeves and dickeys to accessories that transform a simple top into a show stopping glamorous look. Just about everything has the ability to transform into a new look. One of my favorite accessories in her line are her “shoe straps.” I selected the “Peace” shoe strap but have my eyes on several other beautiful options. Shoe straps are a brilliant concept as they transform a shoe to a fresh, new look in a moment. They can easily slip over any shoe or boot and provide the perfect amount of eye candy. I have even experimented with them on pant legs to transform a pant into a jogger instantly.

This time around, I decided to wear one of my absolute favorite pieces from Nicole’s collection, The Obaida Bustier Jumpsuit, which comes in a range of 4 colors and prints. The Jumpsuit allows you the option to zip on one of her adorable “Pouchettes.” What’s a pouchette? I’m glad you asked! It’s a pouch that can be zipped on or off in a multitude of fabrics to hold your IPhone or just about anything else!  I’m wearing the silver metallic pouchette along with matching straps. They come in silver, gold or solid colors and allow you multiple ways to wear the jumpsuit.

Or, you can leave them at home and wear the jumpsuit as a bustier. Nicole also offers a selection of comfy bodysuits that can easily be worn under the jumpsuit, with or without straps, to create multiple looks. I sense you may be getting the idea that the options with Nicole Frank are limitless. The designs aren’t just brilliant in their interchangeability, they’re also playful. There’s a serious side to the designs as well and that lies in their sustainability. Every piece is made to be wickable and washable. Say goodbye to dry cleaning costs  and the toxic chemicals that go along with it!

I brought along two of my favorite Nicole Jackets, the pink and the denim, along with the White Stripe Balloon Sleeves. It’s the perfect amount of poof that magically transforms a simple, classic look into a dramatic show stopping piece. As I mentioned in my last blog post highlighting Nicole’s line, I should have brought a “Go Pro” along with me to NYFW as I was stopped and asked about the line just about everywhere I went. You definitely won’t see yourself coming and going in Nicole’s looks. They’re special pieces where you can be your own stylist and create a look that’s unique to you. The accessories aren’t just fun, they’re practical too. The pouchette was the perfect camouflage for my iPhone X that’s practically glued to my hip. If I’m going to have my phone glued to my hip, I better do it in the highest of style.

One of the other amazing features of the line is the advanced technology of the fabric. Nicole is the exact opposite of fast fashion. Her line is a deeply conscious line that utilizes the finest in fabrics. Nicole features a Swiss Tech Fabric that includes a special 4 way stretch. Jacqueline and I shoot together A LOT! It’s rare that we can wear the same clothes. Jacqueline is much taller and a bit broader than I am. I was amazed that we could easily share the looks.

We are both wearing a size Small as it stretches to fit a multitude of shapes and sizes. We had fun playing around with the looks and switching things up as we went along. As the beautiful Golden Light in the South Bay began to fade, we finished up our shoot with a few shots to share the fun shoe straps filled with the inspiration of “Peace” that slip on in a nanosecond. They’re playful, fun with a healthy dose of inspiration. Now, that’s the perfect accessory for FierceCon which is a weekend filled with hope for women at Midlife & Beyond. We then relaxed with a cocktail and appetizers at my favorite South Bay restaurant, The Rockefeller GastroPub in Redondo Beach. If you stop in, tell them CGO sent you!

I do hope you’re curious to try out Nicole’s line and the perfect place to do that is in Redondo Beach, the weekend of October 25th to the 27th at FierceCon LA 2019. Nicole and her team will be a FierceCon Sponsor and hosting a fabulous Pop Up Shop throughout the weekend. They are also offering private styling sessions along with a fabulous discount so you can experience the magic of The Wardrobe Evolution.

As women at Midlife & Beyond are shifting and evolving into an entirely new empowered space, Nicole Frank is shifting and evolving along with us. Fast fashion isn’t meant to last. Functional fashion is and it’s here to stay. Come play with us at FierceCon and learn how to “Project Confidence” with a master, Jacqueline DePaul, during our exclusive Masterclass sponsored by StriVectin. You can find all the details right here. It’s a life changing weekend with 3 full days of inspiration and transformation. Experience the magic of FierceCon and Nicole Frank all at once.

Cheers Beauties … will we see you at FierceCon 2019 in your own Nicole Frank Wardrobe Evolution? Check out some of your Sisters that will be there too!