Festival fashions on parade

Rosemary Ford

August 02, 2007 12:43 am

— Pistachio and tomato — it may not sound like an appetizing combination, but the two colors may make frequent appearances on local streets this fall if the annual Yankee Homecoming Fashion Show is any indication of the latest trends.
Last night, more than 150 people packed the Elks Lodge Hall on Low Street for the show, themed “Beautiful Clothes for Beautiful People.” Participants decorated their own tables, with themes like cupcakes, pooches, Elvis in Hawaii and nautical motifs.
“It’s a girls night out,” explained Carol Wallace of Newburyport as she readied to watch the parade of fashions.
“Every year, we mark it on our calendars,” said Donna Subak of Newburyport, who has attended the show for the last 18 years.
Local stores that contributed items include Mary Jane, John Farley Clothiers, Pure Bliss, The Studio, Bennett & Co., Yankee Runner, Garden of Delights, Lively Kids, Lively Girls, Talbots and The Ruby Slipper.
“Newburyport shops are not visited enough,” said Donna Kelly, who organized the event. “(This is) to show: ‘Hey, it’s in your hometown.’”
Lively Kids kicked off the catwalk, as models strutted with funky fashions geared toward toddlers to tweens. Several adorable children worked the stage decked in golf caps, Argyle and bright graphic T-shirts.
The show moved onto tweens with Lively Girls models donning mod outfits with bright geometric patterns. Hits included an empire-waisted, black lace dress and an animal print tunic paired with matching leggings.
From there, the topic changed to sportswear, with Yankee Runner’s ultra comfortable T-shirts and running shorts in a rainbow of colors. Bennett & Co. offered a lace corset that can be worn as outerwear, along with a lavender nightgown.
Garden of Delights brought the audience a figure-skimming pistachio suit with a flowing skirt and swing jacket. Bold black square jewelry accessorized the outfit. Another model from the store sported a two-piece black sheath under a knee-length tomato sweater and matching hobo bag.
“The clothes have been great,” said Jane Kelley of Newburyport, halfway through the event. “This is much better than the other one I went to.”
The Studio showed striped summer wool and tangerine halter dresses while Talbots offered several business casual outfits, including a paprika skirt embroidered with white flowers and fuchsia sequins paired with a fuchsia top, along with a two-piece men’s wear-inspired pinstriped suit.
Pure Bliss ended the show with a bride in a strapless dress, embroidered in gold, surrounded by a wedding party in fuchsia, tomato and teal.
“I wanted to go to Paris,” joked Janet Frazier of Newbury. “This is the next best thing.”
While fashion, quite literally, took center stage, Elvis impersonator Ricky Andrade of Amesbury wowed the crowd during a 45-minute intermission with The King’s hits, like “Heartbreak Hotel” and “All Shook Up.”
“He is adorable,” agreed Pat Frey of Plum Island. “But my grandkids are all older than he is. But you are never too old to appreciate youth and beauty. You know, I married a man who looked like Elvis.”


The models
Anna Baldwin of San Francisco, Calif.
Jordan Baldwin of San Francisco, Calif.
Sarah Baldwin of San Francisco, Calif.
Eva Berton of Andover, N.H.
Frank Cousins of Newburyport
Deborah Danig of Newburyport
Ella Dorval Hall of Newbury
Ellen Enright of Hamilton
Julia Enright of Hamilton
Ken Fillebrown of Bradford
Rachel Harris of Newburyport
Taylor Howard of Newburyport
Kelsey Killeen of West Newbury
Hannah Koch of Newburyport
Maggie LeMaitre of West Newbury
Devin Lively of Atkinson, N.H.
Kalla Lively of Atkinson, N.H.
Hannah Manclark of Amesbury
Christy Manclark of Amesbury
Alice McGonigle of Byfield
John Moak of Newburyport
Rebecca Moulton of Newbury
Brian Murray of West Newbury
Luke O’Brien of Newburyport
Ke’ala Ott of West Newbury
Michael Ott of West Newbury
Rebecca Restrepo-Steimel of Newburyport
Jenifer Roy of Merrimac
Chiara Sabatini of Rowley
Laura Stevens of Merrimac
Brynn Story of Merrimac
Molly Welsh of Newburyport

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