Fashion event features proper business attire

Men in ties and blazers and women in heels and knee-length skirts walked the runway Thursday night during the second annual Show and Tell fashion show, which was meant to showcase professional business wear and teach students how to dress for the corporate world.

The event, held in the Trabant University Center multipurpose rooms, was sponsored by the university's chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and co-sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Continuing education student Kris Redding, co-president of the National Society of Black Engineers, says he considered the show a success.

"This year, we added a lot more to the show," Redding says. "I think it all came together really well."

Sophomore Aaron Yancey, the society's publicity chair, says the group knew better what expect for this year's event and will continue to host the event annually.

"The second time around was better because we were more prepared in setting up the stage and the lighting and other elements of the show," Yancey says.

Freshman Amanda Espinal says the show's hosts, a male and female member of the National Society of Black Engineers, were one of its greatest assets.

"It seemed like they really knew what they were talking about," Espinal says. "They described the models really well and had good chemistry."

The male host also displayed intentionally inappropriate business attire, coming on stage in a T-shirt, multiple chain necklaces and baggy pants.

In addition to the fashion show, the event featured performances by the Dark Arts Performing Dance Company, a capella group the Deltones, rap duo SGR5 and student slam poets. Freshman Mavis Owusu says her favorite part of the show involved two models reciting slam poetry at the end of the runway.

"The message it was sending, how passionate the person was about," Owusu says. "It pulled you into it more than anything else."

However, she says she felt negatively about SGR5's rap act, whose lyrics included profanity.

"The boys rapping were uncalled for," Owusu says. "There were grandparents in the crowd. It killed me inside. I didn't see how it linked to anything."

Junior Josh Morris thought the show was creative and says he will attend in the future.

"I liked to see the business fashion," Morris says. "Everyone was fresh to death."