Paint, Sip & Shop at Batik

Thrilled to have lead my first Paint & Sip class this past October at Batik Chicago, a Chicago-based women’s clothing, accessory & home decor store I helped launch alongside my good friend and store owner Katie in 2022. It was great to be back with the team and a full circle moment being able to bring my art to the shop!

I provided hands-on watercolor instruction of two sketches I completed prior for attendees. Teaching my tips and tricks was a new kind of event for me, and something I hope to host more of in the future!

Piaget's Grand Opening in Chicago

Lost track of time having the best night celebrating the opening of the newest Piaget boutique in Chicago! I had so much fun live sketching the fashionable crowd and showcasing my custom works for the iconic luxury jewelry line, including sketches of their new storefront and a few of their gorgeous jewelry and watch pieces.

Huge thank you to the entire Piaget team, Burdeens Jewelry, and the Waldorf Astoria Chicago for having me as a part of this incredible evening.

Look Out for My Art at Luxbar!

Team aperol or team espresso? Look out for my art on Luxbar’s signature postcards, which are given to each table with the check, and send your favorite cocktail anywhere in the world!

Art & Aperitivo

Last week, I was back sketching with Patina Collections at their Chicago store’s first ‘Aperitivo Night’! At the event, I sketched clients as they sipped on Aperol Spritz and shopped Patina’s incredible selection of curated antiques and home decor. My cocktail sketch, along with a few other special pieces, can still be seen displayed and available for purchase at their beautiful Wells Street store! If you missed it, I’m looking forward to another fabulous event with Patina at their Naples location this holiday season.

May Commissions

Two recent May commissions! The first is a sweet sketch from my client’s granddaughter’s first holy communion. The other was inspired by a past Met Gala that I painted leading fashion’s biggest night at the beginning of the month - can you guess which year’s theme and whose look?

Art Basel with the Eklund Gomes Team

Brought my sketching to Art Basel with the Eklund Gomes team!

The event took place at the Continuum South Beach on November 30th, 2021, and featured a special appearance by Million Dollar Listing star Fredrick Eklund. Unfortunately I completely forgot to snap a photo of my sketch of Fredrick striking his signature high kick pose!

Eklund Gomes is the #1 real estate team in the United States. Visit https://www.eklundgomesteam.com for more information!

4th Annual Hoosier Ball

My art benefitted the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at the 4th annual Hoosier Ball at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago on October 30th, 2021. Thank you to the Lyon Family Foundation for having me and to all those who helped to raise over $50,000 to support blood cancer research.

Please visit https://lyonfamilyfoundation.org for more information ❤️

Host Alexandra Lyon Singer and Master of Ceremonies Bill Rancic.

October Essentials

October is just around the corner and fall is officially here. As much as I love summer fashion—I’m ready for rich colors, layers, and to start planning my halloween costume!

Outfit details via Liketoknow.it.

Outfit details via Liketoknow.it.

Hats and over-the-knee boots are staples in my wardrobe this time of year. Sweater dresses and high boots are one of my favorite fall outfit combinations. Some of my other go-to essentials include cashmere sweaters, lightweight coats, and leather leggings.

I’ve picked out my favorite pieces for the spookiest month and linked each item to shop. Happy October!

Floppy Brim Fedora

Veronica Beard lucy tweed skirt

Knee high boots

Cashmere sweater

aquazzura purist pumps

L’Agence Coated Skinny Jeans

Shearling Chanel bag

Olive coat

Fall Fashion: Oversized Sweaters + Leggings

Oversized sweaters + leggings = my fall and winter uniform. This combination is not only comfortable, it can be very chic if styled correctly. I usually prefer to wear it with boots or sneakers. Over the knee boots dress up this outfit or fashion sneakers make for a casual, effortless look. Add accessories like a fedora and/or chunky eyeglasses to really elevate your style. Check out my favorite pieces & ways to wear this look below. Happy fall!

Molly E.

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rails sweater

lululemon Align pant

Golden goose sneakers

Alberta ferretti sweater

Stuart weitzman over the knee boot

Maison michel fedora

Live Sketching with David Yurman

David Yurman has been one of my favorite jewelry lines since I was first introduced to the iconic brand.

I wear my cable collectibles necklaces almost every day! They’re great layering pieces and come in such a variety of personal designs. Shop mine here: http://liketk.it/2CWu8

The opportunity to sketch for David Yurman was incredibly special! Thank you to all of the wonderful guests, David Yurman, and the Arranmore Farm + Polo Club for having me.

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Molly E.

NYFW Spring 2020

New York Fashion Week has officially come to a close, and this year’s shortened schedule didn’t sacrifice any of the glitz and glamour. Traditional runway shows have become immersive experiences, transporting audiences figuratively and literally into the designer’s world.

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Here I am channeling fashion week vibes in Chicago with pops of red. I’ve wrapped up my favorite NYFW shows and looks from the Spring/Summer 2020 collections!

Ralph Lauren

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Ralph Lauren transported the fashion set back to the Jazz Age with his show’s party atmosphere. It all unfolded at “Ralph’s Club”, a ballroom on Wall Street that the designer transformed into a swanky nightclub. Much like the setting, the collection itself centered around a return to classic glamour—with tuxedo suits, standout red carpet gowns, and a hefty dose of sequins. The show had a black tie dress code and featured a live performance by Janelle Monáe, who climbed on tables and prowled the room on her hands and knees while models and show-goers alike sipped champagne from crystal flutes. As America’s ultimate aspirational lifestyle designer: at Ralph’s club, it’s members only.

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Oscar De La Renta

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House designers Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia took the Oscar woman on a glamorous vacation for Spring 2020, finding inspiration in De la Renta’s native Dominican Republic. The Cunard building was outfitted with palm trees and giant fruit baskets, emphasizing a getaway state of mind as models strolled down the runway in party shorts sets and woven raffia numbers.

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As soon as I saw this look I immediately thought of one of my favorite quotes from the late designer. When he was asked by WWD in 1967 to describe his customer, he responded: “When she jumps off a yacht, it’s the biggest one in the French Riviera.” It had to be sketched…

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Next up: London, Milan, and Paris!

Molly E.

Cape Cod Style

I took my first trip to Cape Cod over Labor Day weekend, and it was exactly as I had imagined: a quaint town full of hydrangeas and picture-perfect clapboard homes.

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We stayed with friends in West Dennis and had the chance to explore nearby downtown Chatham. My friend Fenton found adorable lemon earrings at a local beach shop. Fun statement earrings are so perfect to wear on vacation! Also making an appearance is my “Beach Birkin” (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VPH3DD2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I painted this bag by hand and couldn’t wait to finally reveal the finished product at the beach!

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I left my trip feeling inspired by the preppy and all-American atmosphere of Cape Cod. This sketch was inspired by a photo Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam in Nantucket. Her classic style is just what one would expect to find on the Cape. I’m definitely investing in nautical stripes and floppy beach hats for my next trip to the East Coast!

Molly E.

By:Fashionaholic One Year Anniversary

Another day, another live sketch 😉 I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to sketch at By:Fashionaholic’s one year anniversary party on Wednesday night! 

Chicago’s fashion scene celebrated in style with By:Fashionaholic founder Janet Mandell. Guests came in their best looks, with many of course wearing pieces from the By:Fashionaholic showroom. These exquisite dresses, handbags, and shoes were invigorating to draw! 

The Real Real team was there and played a fun “Real or Fake” quiz to see who could spot designer dupes. I really thought I would nail this test, but only got half correct 😂 I’ll stick to art. Here are some of my sketches from the event! 

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It could not have been a more beautiful May night at the Peninsula Chicago. You can’t beat their stunning rooftop view of the John Hancock building!

Congratulations Janet on your successful year and thank you for bringing couture to Chicago! The By: Fashionaholic community is a special group who support each other and clearly all share in a deep appreciation for fashion. I am so grateful to have been a part of the first birthday celebrations! 

Thank you to By:Fashionaholic and everyone who came for an amazing evening!

 

Molly E. 

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Bloomingdales Garden Party Live Sketch

I illustrated customers at Bloomingdale’s Garden Party and Fragrance Fair this past Saturday. My second live sketching event with Bloomingdales was so fun! It was a party in the department store complete with a DJ, hors d'oeuvres, and drinks. My table was set up in the middle of the action between Chanel and Bobbi Brown. I have shopped with Bloomingdales for as long as I can remember. It still feels surreal to sketch at the place where my love of fashion began! 

I met and drew some really sweet people throughout the afternoon. It was a great time capturing their outfits and personalities in quick sketches. Once again, I brought my favorite Copic markers for these custom illustrations. They are the best for live sketching! 

This event was a great time, thank you bloomingdales for having me and to everyone who came to say hi! 

 

Molly E. 

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Monica + Andy Mother's Day Event

I did a live sketching event with Monica + Andy last week to celebrate Mother’s Day at their beautiful new Lincoln Park store!

Monica + Andy is an adorable children’s clothing line offering organic essentials from newborns to toddlers. The brand has some of the cutest and most clever prints. “Flamingo Floatie” and “Grey Elephant” are two of my favorite patterns. I wish they came in my size!

It was so sweet sketching “mommy and me” portraits of guests while they shopped and enjoyed live music. What made the day even more special was that my own mom was able to attend with me. See pictures from the event below. Happy Mother’s Day!

Thank you for having having me as a part of your event, Monica + Andy!

Molly E.

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The Met Gala 2019

The Met Gala has become fashion’s biggest and most exciting night.

The annual fundraising gala is for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The event marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit. Every year, the night is centered on the theme of the new exhibition.

This year’s theme was “Camp: Notes on Fashion”, meaning exaggerated fashion. The exhibit is inspired by Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay that defines camp as “love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration.”

The attendees did not disappoint, there were so many over-the-top looks it was tough to narrow down my favorites!

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I sketched Hailey Bieber’s Alexander Wang look on my iPad while watching E!’s coverage of the “pink carpet”. As soon as I saw this pastel pink sequined dress, I knew it had to be sketched! This is one of Hailey’s best moments ever, both feminine and unexpected.

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The Jenner sisters shut down the carpet with their bold and bright feathered Versace gowns. Kendall and Kiley looked gorgeous, their looks were different from their typical styles and they had fun with the theme. This is camp!

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Feeling inspired by the fashion risks I saw on the carpet, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and tested out a new artistic style for this piece. My muses for this project were Kendall and Kylie Jenner. I was drawn to the color palette and feathers. This was a fun one to paint! 

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Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has chaired the Met Gala since 1995. She paid tribute to her friend and fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld with her look, her custom Chanel feathered gown was the last dress he made for her before he passed in February. Camp fashion is extravagant, it is Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel! Anna Wintour looked stunning and very camp with her pink and purple feathered jacket and embellished dress.

The Met Gala and annual museum exhibit celebrate fashion as a true art form. This year was the craziest yet, I hope to go see the exhibit at the Met soon!  

 

I will be live sketching at Bloomingdales this Saturday from 2-4pm. I can’t wait to see you then!

Molly E.

Sketching at Dior

It was a dream come true sketching at Dior to benefit the Joffrey Ballet.

The night was full of inspiring people and even more inspiring fashion to draw. From tulle layered dresses to vintage Dior suits, all the guests were dressed to the nines! It was so fun to sketch all the different styles that came together to support an amazing cause and see how they added a little Dior to their own personal flare.

I don't know whether it was spending the evening in one of my favorite fashion houses, being surrounded by exquisite designs, or being surrounded by a community who appreciates fashion for all that it is - but I left the night with a renewed sense of inspiration (and an even longer wish list of Dior!)

Thank you to Joffrey and Dior for having me!


Molly E.

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May Essentials

Layering is key during May when you never know what the weather is going to do! Safari inspired styles and floral patterns are two of my favorite spring trends.

From Cinco de Mayo to Memorial Day, my May essentials list has you covered for the month! Happy almost summer!

Molly E.

Military Inspired jumpsuit

Poolside bag

Chanel Earrings

Zimmermann floral dress

Fendi boots

Re/Done tie dye hoodie

Mackenzie-childs umbrella