StreetStyleChi
by Alex Moresco
Keeping Up With Popstar Erika Jayne
Posted on November 6, 2014
Not many artists can say that they have had seven, #1 hits on the Billboard charts, while surpassing the likes of Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga. Dance song sensation Ekira Jayne landed on the charts in 2007 with “Rollercoaster,” and has been taking over the music scene ever since. The Los Angeles native will be in Chicago this week to perform at Roscoe Night Club on November 7th. She let us in on where she likes to shop, eat, and play in the big city, as well as what it’s like to write her songs and the thrill she gets from performing.
Alex: Thanks for chatting with us today! How would you describe your personal style?
Erika: I always wear body conscious clothes and I’m always thinking of curvy, curvy and sexy, sexy and woman, woman, woman. That’s just what I’m drawn to and what I’ve been known to wear.
Alex: If you could only wear one brand or designer for the rest of your life, who would it be?
Erika: Definitely Alexander McQueen.
Alex: You’re in Chicago this week for your show on Friday. What are your favorite places to shop, eat, and play in Chicago?
Erika: Let me tell ya! We stay at the Waldorf, which is like, the best hotel in the world! Right out front that door, is amazing shopping. Hermes, Barney’s…there’s the Adidas store. Everything is within walking distance, it’s fabulous. I love Chicago, I’ve never had a bad trip to Chicago. My whole team can’t wait to be in Chicago. We’re already talking about it, where we’re going to eat…where we’re going to shop. It’s just awesome…awesome people, awesome food. It’s an awesome city.
Alex: Where do you find your inspiration when creating a new song?
Erika: My album that’s coming out, the things that were happening to me at the time were a great influence on this album. Experiences, people, things that I’ve seen, places I’ve been. I take everything and put it into what I write about. If I get stuck, I walk away and take a break and then look at it.
Alex: Who are some of your favorite artists that you look up to?
Erika: I am a Madonna fan, I’m a Prince fan, I’m a Michael Jackson fan! Beyonce! All of the people that put on shows. I love the showman.
Alex: I read that you went to a performing arts high school?
Erika: Performing arts high schools was an amazing experience, and I wish that all young performers could go to a place where they could hone their skills and really figure out what they like, and do something they enjoy. That experience is incredible.
Alex: You collaborated with Flo Rida on “Get It Tonight.” What was it like working with him?
Erika: He was a cool guy. He’s a very big star, and was kind to me. I think “Get it Tonight” turned out great.
Alex: What’s the best experience you’ve had thus far in your career?
Erika: I don’t know if I’ve had one single moment sticks out, but I know some of the best experiences are when you’re on stage looking out at the audience and they’re singing the song. Or you get messages afterwards like ‘hey, you really brought a smile to my face, I loved the show.’ That’s really what it’s all about. It’s taking people on a journey. We all live in a reality where things possibly aren’t the best. But if you can go to a show and escape for an hour, hour and a half. That’s what it’s all about.
Alex: Do you have any upcoming projects you can give us some details on?
Erika: I just released the song “You Make Me Want to Dance” in Asia. I’m going to tour Asia starting December 5th, so check my website! It’s such a great part of the world. The music fans there are so hungry for dance music and they love to have a good time. I’m super excited for that.
Alex: A lot of my readers are college age and trying to break into fashion, music, or some form of the arts. What would be your greatest piece of advice for them?
Erika: Two things: study your craft, and get a great mentor. Great mentors make careers, and they shape who you are as a young artist or a young professional. Be incredibly good at your technique, craft, whatever it may be. Make sure you know your craft, have your technique down, be flawless, and get a great mentor. Those two things are what I think are the most important. You have to know what you’re doing. You need a mentor to show you how things are done properly. Let me tell ya, nobody got to where they are without someone helping them in some way.
Erika Jayne will be in Chicago on November 6th to perform at Roscoe Night Club, make sure you get tickets!
ModCloth X StreetStyleChi
Posted on May 14, 2014
A few months ago while I was in LA, it was four days of nonstop crazy, and I never wanted it to end. I was lucky enough to run into a fabulous woman wearing a 3.1 Phillip Lim tank top and white lace sunglasses. This led to my introduction to the amazingness that is ModCloth, and kicking off their new monthly feature, Bloggers We Love.
I am honored to be chosen to kick off the story, and you can check out my interview on the ModCloth site this month, as well as my top picks for summer.
Photos: Charlie Hart
You. Me. Madewell. May 1st.
Posted on April 24, 2014
If you already have plans Thursday, May 1st, you should probably clear your schedule. If you don’t? Now you do. Why?
I’m hosting a party at Madewell on Rush st. So come hangout with me, sip, snack…and best of all, shop. The new Madewell campaigns feature Erin Wasson with the theme Cool. Sexy. Tomboy. Sounds ideal to me, right? I’ll be styling throughout the night, so get ready.
We’ll also be having a little styling contest. Three attendees will be competing to style a look against me, on the spot, no preparation. Think you have what it takes? Let the games begin. I popped into Madewell the other day to get a head start, and instantly fell in love with the Latticework midi skirt.
Can’t make the event? I am judging you (not really.) However, Madewell is having a fun contest of their own. A tote is a bag we use everyday. Lugging school books to class, binders to the office, or just running between meetings across the city. Since your tote is such a crucial part of your everyday wardrobe, it should be cute. Madewell wants to see what’s in your bag. Upload an image on Instagram of what’s in your bag or where you’re carrying it (can be a Madewell tote or whatever you carry and love) with hashtag #totewell. The photogs behind Madewell’s three favorite snaps will each receive a $1,000 gift card.* You have until May 19th, so start snapping.
Photos: Kohl Murdock.
For The Sake Of Fashion: Runway
Posted on March 13, 2014
Photos: the AMAZING Kohl Murdock for Streetstylechi.com
THANK YOU
Posted on March 11, 2014
The Chicago Glitterati have arrived and have taken their seats. My heart seems to be thumping in unison with the bass blaring from the DJ’s speakers, as I wait backstage. The lights & music go down, and I am finally able to walk out and welcome the crowd to the 2nd Annual For the Sake of Fashion show to benefit the DePaul Chapter of Unicef. This event has been in the works for me since the 2013 FTSOF ended last year!
All FTSOF monies donated went straight to UNICEF, to help bring the number of children who die from preventable causes down to ZERO and see that every child has a safe and healthy childhood.
Saturday’s event would not have been possible without the help of my extensive crew of dedicated fashion show volunteers, and I would like to give a shout out to all of them. Eric Leino, and all the men of Sig Ep, who gave up their Saturday morning to help set up the event chairs, line the runway with lights, stuff swag bags, carry the models clothes around, steam the garments, help to decorate, and in general, did anything that needed to be done, I owe you a debt of gratitude. Also deserving a thank you is Marc Katz, who styled menswear and kept me partially sane throughout this process.
Once again, Brandon Jeffrey came to the rescue as our DJ and lighting director, bringing in his friends Kohl Murdock to help with lighting the event and photography. They each went above and beyond the call of duty to help make the FTSOF 2014 event so incredible, both visually and musically.
Camille Smith did a meticulous job with PR and Press and VIP guest event check in.
Christine Dador and Nich Butts wrangled the models, and made sure they stepped out into the spotlight impeccably dressed, while Marc and Brian made sure they were styled properly and sent down the runway on time. Brian DeVito…how do I even begin to thank Brian? He was there for me every step of the way with FTSOF, from pulling clothes to the whole day of the even. He is a saint.
Kristen Pulice and her team did an astonishing job on each models hair and make up, and Anne Kennedy was miraculous in helping the models get in and out of their looks~ even saving the day with a broken zipper repair!
To the designers, Lagi Nadeau, Christina Karin, Chicago Playground, Iridium, Fourth is King, Defiant Order Clothing, and Leaders 1354 that were gracious enough to lend me their remarkable Haute couture and old school ensembles, I am astounded by your generosity and talent.
Many thanks also needs to go to The Ford Model Agency for all their help and support in partnering with me for this event. Their models were brilliant, as were the DePaul students who were kind enough to strut their stuff down the runway, too.
Finally, a big thank you goes to my roommate Rachel Paulus, who has endured my insanity throughout the past year of organizing and planning this event. Although she is studying for LSAT’s, she stayed by my side throughout the day Saturday, to help out in anyway I needed.
I am eternally grateful to all my wonderful friends for their gifts of time, energy, and talent! They truly embody the words of Mahatma Gandhi when he said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
See you all next year for the 2015 For the sake of Fashion!
For The Sake Of Fashion: A Letter From Alex
Posted on March 7, 2014
I recently chatted with Beauty Look Magazine about my “passion for fashion.”
Photo: Yuya Ohashi
As a freshman accounting major, I started my blog as a creative outlet for myself. With the positive reaction to my blog, I realized I might be able to merge my love of fashion and a business degree into a career, leading me to switch my major at DePaul University to PR and Marketing last year.
About a year ago, realizing the impact of social media, I made the decision to expand my blog into more of a fashion and lifestyle platform called Street Style Chi ~ Fashion & Lifestyle. The response has been extremely gratifying for me, and has opened many doors into the worlds of styling and fashion in a way I never expected.
With this being said, a second annual For The Sake Of Fashion is one of those doors that has been opened, and I could not be more excited! This year, I was proud to partner with FORD Models to produce the show. And we are hoping to create a greater awareness of UNICEF and it’s mission “to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential”. I don’t really think it gets any better than that.
Come to Cortelyou Commons tomorrow night at 7:00PM and see a great show, for a great cause!
The New It Cream: BB & CC Cream
Posted on February 18, 2014
So we’ve all heard of the infamous bb cream. Blemish balm is an all in one miracle worker and apparently replaces moisturizer, cover up, foundation, etc. Mainly sold in South Asian markets, US retailers have begun to pick up the craze in the US. I was slightly skeptical of all the raving claims, but had to try it out for myself. After doing some research, I discovered that Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream was the best and headed to Sephora. During the winter, I am prone to rosy cheeks, and photos only highlight that problem. While I am not a fan of most make up, this is my new go to product.
Now, you can only imagine how happy I was when I heard about CC Cream. CC cream is a colored cream you match with the undertone of your skin that you want to cover up. For example, if you have redness like me, you would get a green cream to counteract it. Color correcting cream is the best thing since tinted moisturizer. CC’s help to fade discoloration while giving a nice glow, and what could be better than that?
While I will never be piling on the make-up, I will be keeping these two products at the ready. Check them out for yourself, or let me know what your favorite beauty product is so I can see what the hype is about!
Casting Call!
Posted on January 27, 2014
StreetStyleChi is in the process of presenting the second annual For The Sake of Fashion charity fashion show, taking place March 8th, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting UNICEF. FORD Models will be a partner in the show, attending all castings and scouting for potential models. With this being said, all castings will be held on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus, with all additional info included in the flyer below. Open casting call, all are welcome!
I hope to see you on February 1st, or February 7th!
![castingfashionbenefit[1]](https://i0.wp.com/alpluslex.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/castingfashionbenefit1.jpg)
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