MOUNT VERNON — More than 250 people, mostly women and girls with a few men sprinkled in, enjoyed a preview of spring fashions Saturday at the 2011 Step into Spring Fashion Show and Luncheon held at the Dan Emmett Conference Center.
Capri pants, skimmers, tank tops, flippy skirts, shrugs and three-quarter length sleeves were among the styles featured at the show sponsored by Soroptimist International of Mount Vernon and Knox County.
Lime green, tangerine, dusty pastels, animal prints and floral prints joined classic white and black on this year’s spring fashion palette.
The ensembles worn by a bevy of models were all about color and comfort; many items featured elastic waists as well as stretchy fabrics. Knits, cottons and denim were the mainstays of the show, while ruffles, lace and layers of accessories added individual touches to each outfit.
Four generations of women in Gerri Grimm’s family attended the show; Grimm, her daughter Jane Shipman, Shipman’s daughter Wendy McVay, and McVay’s daughter, Shelbie McVay, who was one of the runway models.
“I think this is nice,” said Grimm. “It brings a lot of people together, and helps us think of spring. They do a great job.”
One of the volunteer models was Drezden Young. She volunteered last year, thought it was fun and returned for this year’s show.
“I enjoy it,” she said. “The trickiest part was learning the footwork and doing the turns right.”
Fashions were provided by Cato, Christopher and Banks, CJ Banks, Fashion Bug, Nicole Jordan’s Children’s Clothing Boutique, Peebles and the Weather Vane. Accessories were provided by Down Home Leather, Silpada and Chris White. Door prizes were donated by a variety of patrons.
The Step into Spring fashion show is the major fundraiser for the Soroptimist organization, which is a service club for women. The style event included displays of fashion accessories such as jewelry, makeup, home decor and more. In addition to the luncheon tickets, a silent auction, 50/50 raffle and a special theme-basket raffle helped add more than $2,500 to the Soroptimist’s coffers on Saturday.
The local group uses the funds to support New Directions, the Children’s Connection, the Delta Project and, since human trafficking is the major focus for Soroptimist International, the local group also supports Grace Haven, a place which provides recovery and support for victims of human trafficking.
The club awards three scholarships in the spring: The Helen Zelkowitz Women’s Opportunity Award for women who are the head of their households; the Violet Richardson Award for a young woman and the charity with which she works; and the Dr. Virginia Wagner Grant for a female undergraduate. The club also helps with Christmas in July to benefit Interchurch Social Services.
