On April 10-12, The Church of Rockford First hosted an event called Original Women's Conference where nearly 2,000 ladies were in attendance. This three day span of time was jam-packed with several sessions centered around God's Ever & Always kind of love.
Enjoy this brief recap video as seen on the Original Conference website.
[video type="vimeo" clip_id="91792486" width="634" height="480" byline="false" title="false" portrait="true" autoplay="false" loop="false"]
[divider_line]
Top Buttons had the honor of bringing a fun and dynamic team of ladies to this conference.
After a long morning of travels on Thursday April 10th, our TB team went straight to the conference site at Rockford First to set up our promotional booth.
We not only offered information about our organization, but we also sold hand-crafted button earrings and consignment clothing. All proceeds went straight to the Top Buttons' fund.
Our booth was conveniently located right next to the Teen Room so tons of young ladies were constantly stopping by our table. In addition, we neighbored another amazing organization called Sak Saum. They sell a variety of hand crafted accessories in efforts to raise money to fight against human trafficking. "Sak Saum exists to set captives free through rescue, restoration, rehabilitation and transformation," says their website.
Night one's sessions kicked off the conference with inspiring every lady to make a "In It For Good" commitment to Christ. Just as lover's forever latch locks onto Lover's Lock Bridge in Paris, each lady was provided with a lock and key to initial and forever lock upon fences labeled In It For Good.
[divider_line]
Day two held just as many adventures as day one. We came across so many stylish ladies, we just had to document their outfits. Here's just a few:
Sarah (pictured top right) was visiting Rockford on a pastor's wives retreat when she came across this red Jones New York maxi dress. She shared with us that she wasn't purchasing anything new for a whole year, so it was to her luck that our items were all consignment. Scared that the red dress might clash with her hair, she tried it on anyways and came out glowing with excitement. It was made for her!
When night two finally came, our Top Buttons team had the opportunity to speak about fashion and modesty at the scheduled After Party in the Teen Room. Each team member passed out book marks with pictures and information on where to purchase key items in their outfit.
[divider_line]
We loved connecting with so many new friends over common interests like our love of God and fashion. Amanda (pictured below in the hat) recently started her own consignment shop called Worth Royalty where her goal is to provide an affordable and appropriate shopping option that shows young women that they are worth royalty.
[divider_line]
Day three included life-changing sessions; last-minute sales; and lots of coffee, good-byes, and travel.
Our very own Molly Dodd and Alexis Gauthier got to meet and hand deliver custom button earrings to one of the guest speakers named Charlotte Gambill.
[divider_line]
For outfit details on what our Top Buttons' team wore to the After Party, here's the scoop:
[divider_line]
Taylor Murray fashioned what she likes to call a "Tomboy-meets-Feminine" look! Growing up, Taylor always leaned toward her tomboy tendencies, however, as she's matured, she's learned to incorporate her unique flair and sophistication to create a wardrobe similar to this outfit.
To purchase key items from Taylor's look:
Blazer | Boyfriend Jeans | Silver Necklace | Tortoise Watch
[divider_line]
Betsie Amendola keeps it simple by representing her every-day "Tribal Print-Chic" look. On a typical day, you can find Betsie wearing neutral colors paired with over-sized sweaters to stay versatile and comfortable. Betsie loves shopping at Ross because it offers a more affordable selection of trendy name-brand clothes.
To purchase key items from Betsie's look:
Aztec Cardigan | Riding Pants | Bangles | Wedges
[divider_line]
Alexis Gauthier's style changes almost as swiftly as her moods. To let you all in on a secret, for this "Classic Black & White" look, Alexis actually purchased all her items at thrift stores! Her black jumpsuit was 50% off at Salvation Army, which tallied up to about $3. While on Spring Break, a white blazer made it to the top of Alexis' Spring Must Have list, so she quickly grabbed this one off the Goodwill racks for just $6. Thrifting may take a little extra time, but with the added effort you can get current trends (as linked below) for just a fraction of the cost.
To purchase key items for Alexis' look:
White Blazer | Black Jumpsuit
There you have it! Three completely different styled looks from the hearts of the Top Buttons team to yours!
[divider_line]
All in all, attending the Original Women's Conference in Rockford, IL was a magical experience. From the performances, to the decor, to the sermons and worship, every detail was intentionally taken care of. Our Top Buttons team had such a blast attending the sessions, representing at our booth, and even speaking to the ladies in the Teen Room at their Friday night After Party.
We had a blast, left feeling empowered, and want to encourage all of you to be at the Original Women's Conference in 2015!
