Blog UPDATE

Hello All,
Just wanted to let you know that we have now moved the site over to Preston Bailey.com. The new link is: http://www.prestonbailey.com/inspiration/blog/


This blogspot blog will no longer be updated. Please adjust your RSS feeds accordingly.

Thank you!

More Pictures of the Set-up

Too busy to write a full post today, so here are more pictures of the set-up:

I'll post more pictures of the party tomorrow!

The Set-up: A Celebrations Transformation

It's only one day before the big Celebration! I was very torn in choosing a space for the event--in these economical times I didn't want to give a party that was too slick, so it was essential to find the right venue. I love the Armory because it's a raw, empty space that sort of reminds me of a high school gym.

It's been an interesting challenge transforming this space. For each new venue, there are specific elements I always focus on:
• The walls--how do I cover them?
• The ceiling--what am I going to hang from there?
• The floor--depending on the space, sometimes I think, "How am I going to deal with this?"
• The entrance
• The actual decor itself

It's always good to have as much time as possible for setting up. This being New York city, we only have about 48 hours to set up the lighting, the flowers, the stage, projections, and so much more. My crew and I will definitely be pulling an all-nighter for this one.

I'll have more pictures of the set-up process to show you tomorrow, but for now, tell me....

What was the most exciting transformation you have ever created or witnessed?

What's Hotter Than Naked?

I think some people find it hard to find just the right thing to wear to a party. When I throw my own, I try to give direction that's fun and amorphous so that guests can take the direction and interpret it in their own way. For example, at my last book launch party, the only attire request I had was to wear red (by the way, the rebel Martha Stewart showed up in orange). I love surveying the scene as guests show up to see all the clever ways they decided to get dressed.

For the Celebrations party, I wanted to come up with an attire request that complimented the mood of the party. January tends to be a depressing month since it's so cold, it's post-holidays and some people are partied out. That's exactly why I wanted to throw the party at this time to bring back the mood of sexy, fun and hot...hence the attire requirement for this party: hot.

I've been so busy traveling and planning my party (along with many others...work never stops) that today it hit me: I haven't chosen anything to wear to the party yet. What does one wear to a party where the attire requirement is "hot" and all the guests have already seen the invite?

When I grew up in Panama, I used to have to wear a uniform of white shirt, tie and slacks so I promised after high school that I would never wear another tie again. So, generally, I'm opposed to wearing suits--even though that may be someone's definition of hot.

This is where you come in my loves. I need your help figuring out what to wear to my party. Tell me your suggestions, please!

Oh, and stay tuned for tomorrow. We'll be talking about my favorite part of the party...the decor.