One Sweet Tweet Up

Although my day job fully revolves around social media, I had never actually been to a Tweet up for my own personal enjoyment/social accounts. But last week I was in for a pre-Halloween treat when I was invited to a Tweet Up at the Outlets at Orange discussing all things fall fashion.

Having grown up hanging out at The Block (the name formerly given to this shopping mecca) on select weekends, I knew this outdoor space as a place to catch a movie and spend time with friends over food and drinks. I recently discovered its major shopping potential since adding in big name stores like Nordstrom Rack and Neiman Marcus Last Call. The polish they've added to this place has paid off nicely. Now Orange County bargain hunters can score a designer deal and take in delicious dining and drinks to boot.

We began Tweeting at Neiman Marcus Last Call about current fall trends. Major takeaways for me were fringe, embellishments, and feathers, which could be found on clothing or handbags. We then reunited in the center court by AMC for an outstanding fashion presentation. We got to see models up close styled in perfect fall form. Eyeing the looks up close was like watching a Pinterest board come to life. I was inspired by so many of the bargain pieces used to make very editorial ensembles. There was even a game to guess where certain outfits came from. I am proud to say I put my years of shopping to good use and was able to win a prize for guessing correctly!

Since social media can suck up your cell battery and energy, snacks were on hand to keep us going. I finally got my Ghostbusters Krispy Kreme doughnut that I had been craving since I heard they were coming out.

Another great part of the evening was seeing dresses fashioned from shopping bags. If you thought reusable bags were becoming stylish, you wouldn't believe these works of art submitted by fashion students. Attendees got to vote for their favorite dress on Twitter. It was no easy task to pick a favorite. I would have worn any of these pieces of altered couture.

The truth is, I can sometimes be old-fashioned. I like to unplug after work and on the weekends, and do as little social media feed watching as possible. However, this event made me see the benefits and fun of carving out some personal social media time. I thought I knew how social networking and shopping worked together, but I needed an update. This event helped me refashion my take on something familiar, much like a dress re-imagined.