Shopping Spree

Fashion > Forward

by Julia West

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Mad Tea Party at Bus Stop

I saw more shoes at Bus Stop's Philadelphia Fashion Week runway show than one person should ever own. Most bewitching were the quirky designs of London brand Irregular Choice. Bus Stop Boutique owner Elena Brennan is throwing a shoe/makeup/tea-tini shindig to give customers a sneak peek at Irregular Choice's winter line, and to give fellow fashion followers a chance to mingle while taking advantage of the brand's 10-percent-off sale. This is the only place in Philadelphia that carries Irregular Choice, so it's safe to say the party will indeed be mad. Fri., Oct. 22, 5:30-8:30 p.m., free, Bus Stop Boutique, 750 S. Fourth St., 215-627-2357, busstopboutique.com.

Sometimes Shopping Spree likes to indulge in the finer, artsy-fartsier facets of fashion. A recent hunt for such things led directly to Frank Agostino's exhibition of sharp angles and frilly cuts. If you're not familiar with his clothing, take advantage of this opportunity to gawk at four decades' worth of fashion. Agostino makes luxurious evening wear and sensible suits for women, but it's his gutsy construction of couture that makes us salivate. The exhibit title — "The Architecture of Style" — reflects the lines of his extravagant, unconventional dresses. Some are rigid from the shoulders to the waist, with excessive puffing at the skirt. Others are sleek the whole way through, with details of embroidery and lace. If hyperbole were something you could wear — and wear tactfully — Agostino has figured out how. Opening reception Thu., Oct. 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m., free; through Dec. 11, Levy Gallery for the Arts at Moore College of Art & Design, 1916 Race St., 215-965-4027, thegalleriesatmoore.org.