las vegas glam

Here is my spin on a glamorous weekend in the city of sin. From my go-to hot spots including: restaurants, pools, and of course night time debauchery. Currently, I am in NYC where the weather is slowly taking a turn for the dreary, and I was more than happy to put myself in the mindset of my former west coast self.

photo by: mymodernmet.com

My favorite hotel in Vegas is  The Cosmopolitan. Known for being uber chic and ultra sophisticated, it's definitely a place I would hang my hat.. or in this case heels! Who does breakfast? I've always thoughtpeople who eat breakfast every morning really have their lives together. Thankfully, Vegas is all about brunch. I opt for a hidden gem, Jaleo. Jaleo is best known for it's Spanish avant-garde dishes and whimsical intimate style. In being an overall creative being, the interiors of the restaurant are just as important to me as the taste of the food and Jaleo does not disappoint on either. Intricate use of shapes, colors, and light fixtures give me major heart eyes!

photo by: jaleorestaurant.com

Given the magnificent interiors of Jaleo, conveniently located within The Cosmopolitan, my brunch look has to be worthy. 

Brunch Look

Sandals: Ivanka Trmp

Dress: Missoni Sport

Gold Necklace: Aqua

Bag: Rocco by Alexander Wang

Maybe it's just me, but being in Vegas is very much like living in a fairytale, one of artifice that is. What do fairytales call for? Multiple outfit changes. After brunch, it is time to hit the scene poolside. My personal favorite pool? MGM Grand @ Wet Republic. Why? It's enormous and has the dopest stage of all the outdoor venues. Given my predilection of music, live music especially (because Vegas,) this is the spot to be. 

photo by: mgmgrand.com

Poolside Attire

Bikini: WOW Couture 

Heels: L.A.M.B.

Oversized Hat: American Apparel

Necklace: Happiness Boutique 

Earrings: Bauble Bar

Vegas and epic nightlife, were there ever two words more synonymous? My love of dancing and electronic music make evenings in this desert memorable (or not, depending on what you're going for!) I have themed these three outfits in terms of zig zags, bright colors, and body con silhouettes because nothing says Las Vegas to me more than that. The evening dress is no different. You can catch me transitioning between indoor and outdoor fun (because girls love options) with XS @ The Wynn Encore

Evening Digs

Dress: Herve Leger

Heels: L.A.M.B.

Clutch: 80s Vintage

Earrings: Bauble Bar

I hope you enjoy my take on Las Vegas glam, I look forward to hearing your thoughts! If you have any ponderings at all about these restaurants or hotels or pools or want book your next stay, check out Las Vegas Hotels! 

XOXO

shoesday tuesday + thrifty finds

Outfit Details

Sunglasses: D&G

Geometric Print Dress: Cynthia Rowley ($25 from thrift shop!)

Leather Jacket: BCBG (on sale for $60)

Studded Belt: BCBG

Black Booties: Target (ultra steal!)

I have always been a firm believer that looking good does not have to go to the highest bidder. Fashion is an everyday thing, whether you want to or not, what you wear says something about you before you have chance to say anything about yourself. Therefore it's a common misconception in fashionable dress that it if it looks expensive, it MUST be expensive. Anna Wintour introduced the notion of "high/low" fashion in the early 90's to the pages of Vogue. This blending of expensive and affordability is definitely a staple in my wardrobe as evidenced above.

A nod to my favorite day of the week, shoesday tuesday and the fact I go to fashion school render it true that my friends are always wearing enviable kicks, therefore the inclusion of this photo is necessary! The NYC footwear scene could not be more different from the west coast. Heels are a luxury (yes I dared to do this today) but flats really run the shoe game here. As a pedestrian city it's not feasible to wear heels all thru the day and into the night. Did I mention this city is humungous? There's no going home to change. Unless you bring an extra pair with you, flats really are the way to go. A new fashion challenge for myself, as I detest wearing flat shoes! As you can see from the above photo Nike and Adidas street styles are the pick of many of the city's "most fashionable"..

Worth noting, I celebrated my 1 month anniversary in NYC this past weekend by dying my own hair back to lavender.. for the first time ever.. which I must say I was terrified of messing up, but I think it turned out alright! Everyday brings a new experience here. I even built my own bed, yes I never thought I would say those words..

 All in all, what do you think of "high/low" fashion? Is this something you incorporate as well? What are your favorite thrift stores?

XOXO

Kelly

hot child in the city!

Sweater: Missoni for Target; Destroyed Denim: Rag & Bone; Necklace: Happiness Boutique, Sunglasses: Prada; Platform Suede Shoes: Steve Madden

Location: Greenwich Village, NYC

At long last - my first outfit post from NYC! These photos were captured during my first week of orientation at Parsons. As you can see from the smile on my face, I am absolutely ecstatic about starting this new life of mine. I have never been surrounded by so many like minded people that share similar interests blended with an ambitious drive to create/do something bigger than themselves. It is incredible but also slightly intimidating. As recent as yesterday, I have officially completed my first week of classes and let me tell you: I dramatically underestimated how much work graduate school actually is (even when it's something I find terribly interesting!) I found myself asking these questions: Can I do this? Do I really want to do this? Is this worth the investment? However, it occurred to me, that's just the fear and self doubt talking.. as a good friend once told me, "Kelly, people don't do things all of the time because they are scared. The thing is, fear is never rooted in rational fact, ever. Don't believe me? Multiple studies support this notion. Fear is something constructed personally based on your own experiences of life. You have nothing to be afraid of." Remembering this quote during this transition is beyond comforting..

As happy as I am that I made the decision to move across the entire country alone with no support from family, financially or otherwise; this has been anything but a smooth transition. I won't go into all the details now but, damn! Silver lining: I am learning one hell of a lot about life! So much more than I ever could have if I stayed in California. I also finally feel like a fit somewhere, I feel at home in NYC, a feeling I never had in California. I know this adjustment period is temporary, the word fortitude comes to mind when I think about my life at this present moment.

Thought you might enjoy this: @ The New School, University Center for the first time. You can't fake a smile that big! 

They, (whoever they are) say the things worth doing in life are also the most challenging, what do you think? Thank you all for your tremendous support always. I feel lucky to have such a supportive blogging community behind me.

XOXO

Kelly

it's not christmas, but here's my wishlist!

Greetings and salutations all! This is my first post from NYC and it even feels different. Never have I hopped off a plane and instantly felt "home". It's an incredible feeling, both electric and addictive. I spent the whole day apartment and hunting and I think I found some real contenders.. TBD however.. PS: Today I learned how to ride the subway, getting real serious about this whole New Yorker thing aren't I now?

Long story short, or short story long, I'm a student again and therefore my budget has been dramatically chopped. So what's a girl to do when she still wants to look phresh but can no longer afford the real expensive threads..? I'll tell you: Dresslink.com! 

(1) Casual Green Cardigan Long Vest. The long vest trend, it's official, it's here to stay I need one right now and so do you. In a place as humid as NYC, this is the perfect outerwear for a HOT AUGUST NIGHT!

(2) Casual Crochet Lace Dress. The LWD or "little white dress", a term that I never heard until this summer. I'm thinking this is maybe because I rarely wear white since I figured out I am just not the girl that can do that without spilling all over it. What do you guys think? Has the LWD been around or is it one of those weird new kids that I am strangely intrigued by?

(3) Chiffon Floral Open Cut Kimono. Thank you Japan. I haven't owned a kimono since 4th grade when I saw one in a thrift store and made my mom buy it for me, but then she stole it and now I want another! I've waited long enough haven't I? Also, this price? And it's chiffon? HELLO :)

(4) Asymmetrical Split Party Dress. Hope this isn't too redundant of me, posting about (2) white dresses and all. Especially after I just stated I have a hard time with white, but I guess I'm feeling extra confident in myself tonight. Since I'm single, in NYC, it's a scorcher out here, and well I just don't have any dresses this sexy right now I thought it was about time. Don't you?

The summer is slowly coming to an end so be sure to keep the rest of sexy! Oh AND shop dress link!

XOXO Kelly