FASHION WEEK - Day 5

Report Card: C

We gotta say... Fashion Week didn't end on a great note for us. The shows were probably the worst of the week, which was disappointing since it included Copper Penny and Gwynn's which should have been great. It's possible that the shows seemed boring because they followed the outlandish local designer show, so we'll give them that. Then was the finale gala. We have no idea why this ticket was worth $70, given the few cold cuts and small dance floor, but that's besides the point. The crowd... where do these people come from? At least half were wearing sunglasses and walking around like it was practice for an upcoming catwalk. Here's a suggestion: everyone needs to travel... go to New York, LA, Paris... get your fill and come back to Charleston when you're comfortable in your own skin.

The finale night encapsulated the entire of Fashion Week for us. It's a great idea, has a lot of fun and exciting parts, but is just trying too hard. Our wish for next year: stores need to step it up and show some outlandish or inventive stuff, there needs to be more local designer shows, the event needs to not try and be something it's not and just embrace some Charleston charm, and people need to be tasered if they wear sunglasses at night.

FASHION WEEK - Day 4

Report Card: A+

The Friday night show of Fashion Week featuring local emerging designers was by far and away the best night of the event. It was actually one of the best events in Charleston year round. Our best-in-show goes to Carol Hannah Whitfield with her Valentino inspired dresses, followed closely by Foster Fox and Rachel Gordon. Stand out pieces included a black/zebra reversable gown by Rachel Gordon and a corset made of dollar bills to give a humorous nod to Foster Fox's "casino chic" style. The fact that Rachel Gordon admitted to not looking up to any designer in the world was absurdly arrogant, but that doesn't negate the fact that she can make a beautiful backless dress. The event - from the shows to the crowd to the vibe - was perfect and should be the ideal standard for next year.

FASHION WEEK - DAY 3

Report Card: C-

Night 3 was disappointing. The shows were actually pretty good… Best in show: Hampden Clothing and Goga; Most boring in show: tie between Berlins and Brooks Brothers. The crowd, unfortunately, took a turn for the worse. If you can’t tell from our blog, we are clearly snobby and think highly of ourselves. But even we were blown away last night by the overly pretentious Charleston Magazine hangers-on. Let’s get a few things straight:

1- You do not need to wear sunglasses at the tents. You are not a celebrity. It is night time. The spotlights are not that bright.

2- We love the idea of Charleston Fashion Week, but let’s keep it in perspective. It’s a fun party with fun stuff to look at… you are not at an A-list exclusive premiere event in New York at which you have to act like a total jerk to fit in. A schizophrenic homeless man can get a VIP ticket. We are VIPPER than you and we don’t behave that way.

3- Torch is the armpit of Charleston. The fact that you can smoke there is just the icing on that trying-to-hard-LA-scene-in-a-C-list-movie cake.

FASHION WEEK - DAY 2

Report Card: A-

Loved the crowd, loved the shows. Biton rocked the house. So did the hot model who broke out in the moon walk on the runway during “Beat It.” Our only negative was the fact that Tommy Bahama sent a kid down the runway wearing ordinary jeans and a plain orange t-shirt like he just rolled out of bed. Come on, Tommy.

FASHION WEEK - DAY 1

Report Card: B

Welcome to Fashion Week, Charleston! A time when the fashion-daring, beautiful, trendy, and Mary-Kate-inspired men and women come out of the wood works to see and be seen. Of course we’ll be there every night and tell you like it is.

The opening night of Fashion Week gets a B grade from the Go’Diva Sisters. The crowd and ambiance were an A+… there must have been nearly 2,000 hipsters in attendance and the scene, complete with dark blue lighting, glistening disco balls, and a Torch-like DJ, was something straight out of New York or LA.

The show itself gets a C. The best in show was Stylexchange. We never heard of them before last night, but their show was inventive and daring, featuring woman in billowing mowhawks, jeans attached at the leg with diamond links, and hot men in speedos (hey, we’re there for a show!) The last thing I want to see at Fashion Week is my old black cotton tube dress strutting down the runway. Listen up stores: you are in FASHION WEEK. Put on a SHOW.

T minus one hour until night 2…

Eat, Drink and Take Home a Chef

Fabulous news, Charleston: The Go'Diva Sisters have come out of hibernation. We had to get our beauty rest during the winter months, but now, event season in Charleston has officially kicked off, and we are bright eyed and bushy tailed! So, let's talk about the first event to hit our sweet town, shall we? Food & Wine Fest. With the exception of some local backlash due to premature ticket sellout, the festival was absolutely fantastic. The opening night party was our favorite on the schedule - every local should either be at this party or be at home crying because they couldn't get tickets. The food was delicious... our favorites were the dishes by the Ocean Room, Fat Hen, Charleston Grill and whoever did the butternut squash soup. The most inventive was the hotel restaurant that did a a short rib/mac'n'cheese/collard greens dish in three small blocks. The Dine Arounds were lovely, but mainly served as a yummy way to bridge the gap between big events in the main tents. Bubbles & Sweets was great fun as always... dance floor, paprazzi flash bulbs, countless varieties of bubbles and of course the sweets (the best by a landslide: McCradys) - all under a purple haze that sent the bubbles straight to your head. The most "ohmigosh-I'm-so-excited-I'm-here" highlights of the festival were easily the private parties - for chefs, by chefs. Of course you need to start getting in with the Charleston rockstars now if you want to be invited in '09. Trust us - it's worth it. It's worth anything to be around that yummy, decadent deliciousness... and of course by "yummy, decadent deliciousness" we mean the food AND the chefs. Bonsoir, Food & Wine Fest! Please hurry back! We're going through withdrawl.