This Sunday October, 17th, will be my first fashion show/friendraiser for Dress For Success in Baltimore at the Tremont Grand, located at 225 North Charles Street. The door opens at 2:00 pm allowing guests to be able to enjoy our Fashion Market and silent auction. In our Fashion Market, designers like Doll House Boutique, Descai Collection, Aidah Collections, White House Black Market, will showcase their fall collections giving our attendees an opportunity to stock their closets with designer goods before the show begins. Then our hair and make-up gurus, Vixxen Salon, Mane Obsessionz, and Salon Lamour will give hair exhibitions transforming Dress For Success clients into works of art.

I’ve produced several  fashions shows but what makes this special is the cause behind it. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am all about empowering women and that is what Dress for Success is about. I have seen women actually transform, in a matter of weeks, from being uncertain about their place in the show to being a confident, striding model down the runway.  They walked in with their heads down and have walked out with their heads up. Dress for Success is primarily known for supplying suits for underserved women to get them back into the workforce, but the organization is also a vehicle of self-empowerment for these women. It gives them the support system to understand that someone believes in them and their dreams; whatever life has dealt them, there is an opportunity to have a second chance. To me, they are the hidden charms of Baltimore because they are resilient about beating the odds.

For the second year in a row, author/philanthropist Al Reynolds will be the host of the event. Sullivans Steakhouse is catering the event and several other sponsors like PNC Bank, Hair Cuttery, Associated Black Charities, and Maryland Transit Authority are all on board to support the DFS mission. It is an exciting time and it will be great to see women who were not confident to be strong, beautiful, and brazen emerge as “charms of the city”.

Also special thanks to our host committee members: Comptroller Joan Pratt, Diane Bell-McCoy, Carla Nelson, Whitney Ransom, and Stephanie Freeman.

Tickets available at the door and http://www.dressforsuccess.org/baltimore