Fashion

During an episode of “Fashion Police” show on the E! network, Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta talked about his Super Bowl experience, and joked about the game being sort of an opening act for singer Beyonce. During the show, which aired March 8, Pitta was questioned by host Joan Rivers about “opening” for the singer's halftime show, and said with a smile, “That was what I was most excited for, opening for Beyonce.” He also quipped that the singer, “took all of our power,” referencing the blackout that delayed Super Bowl XLVII play during the second half.

The Ravens have been fixtures on national television shows since winning Super Bowl XLVII a month ago. Wide receiver Jacoby Jones will be “Dancing with the Stars.” Head coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Joe Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP, stayed up late with Dave Letterman. Free safety Ed Reed played red-carpet reporter at the Oscars for NFL Network. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin and kicker Justin Tucker even played something called “bubble soccer” with Jimmy Fallon and actor and Baltimore native Josh Charles days after the win. But when soft-handed tight ends are critiquing fashion on TV, you know it is starting to get out of hand.

Hometown: Havre de Grace Where he lives now: New York, but he still has a home in Havre de Grace, too. What he's known for: Dolce, 65, began his brand, Daniel Dolce Italy, six years ago. The line includes his signature cuff links made from rare stones, ties and dress shirts made in Italy and much more. His designs are sold in nearly 300 stores across the country, including J.S. Edwards in Baltimore. How he got his start: As a young boy, Dolce practically grew up in his mother's store, Dolly-Mae Apparel Shop, which was in downtown Havre de Grace for 30 years.

The Homecoming Project Inc. will hosts its 4th Annual Stiletto Dinner & Fashion Show on Thursday, March 14 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Maryland Golf and County Clubs. The Homecoming Project Inc. is an eight-bed, female-only recovery facility in Bel Air. With a well-established and active recovery community, Bel Air offers many opportunities for the women of the Homecoming Project to build a solid foundation of recovery and reintegration as productive members of society. This year's Stiletto Dinner & Fashion Show will feature father/son, mother/daughter fashions in addition to elegant evening wear.

Fifty-eight years after it opened in Highland, Boarman's Old-Fashioned Meat Market is still, in many respects, living up to its name. Boarman family members still mix spices for the pork sausage made in house, the staff butcher still stuffs the sausage skin, still cuts meat to order and, more recently, started smoking bacon with apple wood he gets from a neighbor. Boarman's is possibly Howard County's last all-purpose market that's not part of a chain, offering everything from household cleaners to beer and wine, canned goods, produce, house-made crab cakes and custom cuts of meat.

When Christie Griffiths graduated from Towson University, she found herself going back home to New York City to shop. After working for New York designers, she came back to Baltimore to open a store she had always dreamed of: Brightside. At this "trendy boutique that any girl can afford" in Federal Hill, she brings styles from New York and Los Angeles to town. Brightside also does triple duty as an art studio and tattoo shop. "We have a lot of fashion-forward girls around here," she said.

At this week's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, we caught up with Maryland-based model Casandra Nicole, who is represented by THE Artist Agency in Washington, D.C., as well as top agencies in New York and Europe. We asked her what it's like to model for top designers such as Marchesa during New York's twice-a-year shows. What is a typical New York Fashion Week day like? Fittings… hair….make up….show….. Repeat. Fashion week means early mornings and late nights. Mingling amongst the world's most creative and iconic masters of fashion, style and elegance.

A winter storm left piles of snow and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco stopped by Tommy Hilfiger's show, but the most dramatic thing about New York City this past week were Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week's first looks at fall 2013. Inside the walls of Lincoln Center, designers treated the crowds to collections that mirrored the futuristic feel of science fiction, the darkness of noir fiction and the theatrical elements of a good soap opera. With so many ideas to chose from, these trends were the best of the best: Russian influences Christian Siriano said that his collection was heavily inspired by St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre.

Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco has already gone to Disney World so why not New York Fashion Week? Last night, Flacco and his wife Dana attended Tommy Hilfiger's men's show on Park Avenue and posed for a few photos with the designer for good measure. Earlier that day, Flacco and Dana appeared on Live with Kelly and Michael. “I wanted to give my wife the opportunity to be pampered a little bit,” Mr. Flacco told The New York Times. “I wanted her get some outfits and get her makeup done,” he said.

It's the dead of winter, which means that while the rest of us get ready for spring, high fashion is already showing us fall. Photos from recent shows in Europe left us mostly breathless - except for a disaster from Chanel. From the monochromatic patterns by Marc Jacobs, and floral frocks of Prada, to the iridescent garments from Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton, designers ran the gamut of colors, textures and shapes. Expect nothing less in New York City this week for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, which runs Feb. 7 through 14. September's spring shows brought us collections filled with airy fabrics, metallic-dipped materials, pants and flared skirts.