jlsj

Junior League of San Jose celebrates 50 years of service

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged bcbg / charity / cocktail attire / fall 2016 / formal / fundraising / holidays 2016 / jlsj / outfits / valentino by

holiday party dress valentino rockstud noir handbag

Wearing: MAC lipstick / metallic holiday cocktail dress / Kendra Scott ring / Dior Cosmic nail polish / Valentino Rockstud Nior mini handbag / Prada pumps

On Saturday, November 5, 2017, the Junior League of San Jose celebrated 50 years of community service to the San Jose community. Over the past half-century, the Junior League of San Jose, or JLSJ for short, has contributed over a quarter of a million volunteer hours to the local community, as well as presented numerous grants to local community projects and non-profits. It is amazing to see how much a group of talented, hard-working, and dedicated women can achieve when the common goal is for the good of the community.

As a sustainer of the Junior League of San Jose, I am so proud of all the accomplishments the league has made throughout the years. It is truly amazing, and humbling, to see the fabulous community service projects JLSJ has developed over the years such as the Georgia Travis Center, InnVision, The Wonder Cabinet, and more; much, much, more! All of this hard work and dedication throughout the years was celebrated over the weekend at Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose.

The event included a speech and an award from the Major of San Jose, as well as a video depicting all of the accomplishment JLSJ has made over the past fifty years. Loved it!

It was fun to see a recap of all of the community service projects JLSJ has contributed to over the years, as well as catch up with old friends.

The dinner was  beautiful, complete with show-stopping floral arrangements. Dinner was followed by a yummy dessert buffet, and of course, dancing! It is entirely possible I danced in my 4″ heels for roughly 40 minutes. Yes, my feet hurt the next day, but it was so worth it!

If you would like to learn more about the Junior League of San Jose, and all of the wonderful community work we do throughout Silicon Valley, please visit jlsj.org.

Here’s to 50 more years of service in the San Jose area!

Outfit details:

 

JLSJ fundraising gala gown and recap

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged charity / evening attire / formal / fundraiser / fundraising / jlsj / junior league of san jose / outfits / spring 2016 by

fundraising gala gown formal high heels shoesspring fundraising gala gownjlsj fashion show fundraiser 2016 jlsj giving grant

Fundraising gala gown outfit details: Earrings: Kendra Scott / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana / Gown: David Meister / Ring: Amethyst, yellow gold, gift from Mother, (also love this one) / Nail Polish: Chanel Roubachka /  Handbag: Chanel (also love SAVE or SPLURGE) / Shoes: Tom Ford

Every two years, the Junior League of San Jose holds a fashion show fundraiser. There are two events held; a daytime luncheon, and an evening gala. This time I only attended the gala. Some years, I have attended both events; because they are so much fun!

The JLSJ fashion show fundraiser has a special place in my heart. From 2002-2010 I was an active member of the Junior League, and worked tirelessly on the steering committee for the fundraiser. I love how many fun ways there are to raise money at this event! There are raffles, showcases, a silent auction, a live auction, a call to action, and games!

Also, many of the retailers who show their lines on the runway will offer a percentage of sales to the league for a a few days after the event. This encourages guests to shop at, and support, our sponsors. It really is win/win!

Now, as a sustainer in the Junior League, I enjoy attending the event and seeing the fabulous creativity of the current actives. They always put on such a great show, and event. I am so proud of all their hard work! I cannot wait to find out the final numbers, and see how much we raised for our charities, and projects!

The Junior League of San Jose works hard in the community to promote volunteerism, develop the potential of women, and improve the community. The league improves the community through partnerships, signature projects, and grants for local non-profits, and charities. To learn more about the Junior League of San Jose, and all of the fabulous work we do in the community, please visit JLSJ.org.

Now, this is a fashion blog, so let’s chat for second about my dress! I have fallen in love with one shoulder gowns; I wore a navy one to the last fashion show fundraiser in 2014! So, I decided this was the silhouette for me, but not in navy 😉

I loved all of the structural influences on the spring 2016 runways in New York, so when I saw this one shoulder gown with a metal belt, I knew it was the dress for me! Not only did it reflect the structural trend I loved from the NYFW runways for spring, it had one shoulder! Love!

My black vintage Delman’s have attended their last gala, so after two decades, I replaced them with this pair of classic, black satin pumps. I love the gold high heel! I feel like these shoes are a classic with a twist. Always fun to have a twist!

*These photos were taken with my iPhone. My apologies for the quality.

Love the collection from Azadeh shown during the JLSJ fashion show fundraiser; enjoy the final walk featuring her designs!

Black lace holiday party dress

 in General Fashion  tagged charity / dresses / fundraising / holiday fashion / holidays 2015 / jlsj / outfits / party attire by

black lace dress holiday party dress little black holiday party dress

Pictured: Earrings: Swarovski (also online here and here) / Lipstick: Tom Ford / Dress: ASOS / Ring: Vardy’s Jeweler’s (also love this one, and this one) / Handbag: Chanel (pre-loved style here) / Nail Polish: Nars: Hard to Get / Shoes: Valentino (non-patent here, lower heel here)

I love this black lace holiday party dress which I wore earlier this week to the Junior League of San Jose sustainer holiday party. The high neck, and long sleeves, were perfect for keeping me warm. The lace sleeves, and cut-outs, kept the dress festive; so it didn’t look like I was bundled up from the cold!

When I dressed for the party, the sun had already gone down, which is why we tried to take these pictures in the dark. We tried using the lighting on the house, combined with the camera flash, to get photos, but they are not the quality I prefer from natural light. I hope you don’t mind, and can still get a feel for what a black lace holiday party dress looks like this season!

The JLSJ sustainer holiday party is an annual affair which brings together all of the sustainers for a festive night. It is great to celebrate all of the volunteer work, and fundraising, we have done together this year, and in years past. Many of the ladies present at the event are truly inspirational. It can be quite humbling to be in the presence of power philanthropists who give so much of their time for the good of the community.

This time of year, so many of us are focused on decorating the house for the holiday we celebrate, purchasing presents, buying an abundance of food and sweets, and thinking about ourselves rather than the community as a whole. During the cold winter months, this is when the community needs our help the most. Many people are fighting the elements, and looking for shelter. Many people are out of work and struggling to survive. It is at this time that we must stop and look around; it isn’t about buying presents, cakes, and decorations; the holiday season is about giving back to others.

Now is the time to find at least one day this season to volunteer in the community, and give back to the society which has blessed you with so much good fortune. If you are able, please consider donating to your favorite charity, or a local charity which serves the community.

A few of my favorite charities to give to this time of year:

Heritage Home (helps homeless and abandoned pregnant women see their pregnancy through, get a job, and find a place to live)

Kids in the Kitchen (focused on children’s health and wellness)

Sunday Friends (helping families break the cycle of poverty)

Family Giving Tree (volunteer opps!)

Valley Medical Center Foundation

Junior League of San Jose (volunteer opps if you join!!)

Where do you like to volunteer this time of year? Do you have any favorite charities to donate to? Please share in the comment section below!

Black lace holiday party dress and outfit details: