By Sophia Gonzalez
Staff Writer
April 15, 2008

Clad in the latest spring fashions, Cresskill Jr./Sr. High School teachers and students gave audience members a crash course in style.

A total of 32 teachers and students modeled apparel from local retailers at the annual Home and School Association’s fashion show at Gatsby’s last week. The event raised close to $7,000 for technology upgrades for the school.

Last year, the fashion show generated about $5,000, according to HSA fashion show organizer and parent Dianne McCreadie.

More than 150 people attended the event, including Middle School Principal Michael Burke, who rated the spring fashions showcased a "10 out of 10."

"It’s always exciting [too] to see the teachers and students out of their element," he added.

Some of the models had volunteered the year before, but many were fresh to the fashion scene. McCreadie said that the HSA Fashion Show Committee willed itself to enlist volunteers "that are not as brave."

Burke didn’t notice any jittery models, saying that many of them "seemed quite comfortable in front of a large group."

Just before the show, attendees munched on hors d-oeuvres and milled around the bar with their drinks in hand. Others eyed the various raffle prizes donated from local merchants, which included four New York Yankees tickets and an aromatherapy gift basket.

The models rifled through the wardrobe hangars in a back room. They would don the styles from stores like Funky Monkey in Cresskill and Smash in Tenafly on a catwalk that snaked its way around the main banquet room.

Even though there was only dress rehearsal the day before, McCreadie said that the event ran according to plan.

"It was a great spring day and everyone was enthusiastic," she said.