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Personal Style Post-First Lady Eye Style

Exciting news! I’m co-hosting a party at the luxe Ilori Eyewear store at The Americana in Glendale this Wednesday November 7 from 6-8pm. Please come if you’d like to spend your night surrounded by fashion, food, and free stuff! I swear, I don’t bite unless I’m famished.
In observance of this fabulous occasion and the upcoming presidential election (tomorrow! vote!),  I stopped by the Ilori Eyewear store to borrow two pairs of sunglasses for a fun presidential themed work v. play photo shoot. If I were the First Lady, what would I wear to a campaign rally and what would I wear on a relaxing weekend vacay to Camp David? Oh the endless fashion possibilities…
For my weekday campaign rally, I’d want to look proper, dignified and classically stylish. After all, I’ve got to give the people what they want and they definitely don’t want their First Lady committing any crimes of fashion. So I went with a pair of chic and classicTom Ford cat eye sunglasses. I’d like to think of them as the new Jackie-Os. My drop waist dress from Warehouse, a fabulous UK based retailer that now ships to the US (yay!) layered with a pattern textured blazer from H&M completes the refined and defined look. I’m also wearing a House of Harlow 1960 necklace and C Label black suede pumps (similar here). Styling tip: When choosing sunglasses, don’t match the frame shape to your face shape. Go with a contrasting look to give your features some definition.
 
 For my weekend stay at Camp David, I went with the trendy Cutler and Gross round frame acetate sunglasses. They’re just too cool to pass up and would totally give the First Lady some Silverlake hipster street cred. The outfit needed to match the sunglasses so I wore a Wildfox Couture bodysuit (similar here), reclaimed vintage Levi’s shorts, Lucca Couture fringed sweater, and Michael Antonio wedges. Okay, maybe this look is a bit too left for the First Lady but then again who knows what Michelle Obama wears away from the prying eyes of the public. Perhaps she hangs out in the West Wing on weekends in an orange jumpsuit from Nasty Gal. I mean, if a tree falls and nobody’s there it still makes a sound! Think about it.

 

Photobucket PhotobucketPhotobucket
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November 9, 2012 No Comments Short URL
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Personal Style-Day to Night in Animal Print

In the real world, I’m hugely feline phobic. There’s something about their piercingly glowy eyes and alarmingly predatorial stance that reveal the genius of their genus. Be forewarned-if we don’t play our cards right, they may one day rule the world Planet of the Apes style and enslave humans to play with balls of yarn all day. Whenever I come across a menacing feline (mainly just cats as I don’t live in the jungle), I will scream, jump, and sprint fifty yards in the opposite direction. But in the fashion world, I’m attached at the hips with a specific feline species-the leopard.

Leopard is the perfect print to infuse a bit of edge, color, and fun to any fall outfit. When paired with the right accessories, a leopard print fashion ensemble can easily transition from day to night. Last weekend, I did just that with my Hale Bob leopard print dress.

During the day, I wore the dress to a productive shopping outing at The Grove. When it comes to shopping, comfort reigns so I paired the button down chiffon dress with my new Timo Weiland for Tsubo burgundy leather ankle boots. The boots are cute, trendy, and allow me to quickly flee from any pouncing felines and comfortably support multiple hours of walking. My roomy and dual-strapped Prada bag and a sun blocking floppy hat completed the leopard dress shopping expedition day look.

Animal Print Dress: c/o Hale Bob
Ankle Boots: c/o Timo Weiland for Tsubo (Royse)
Olive Green Military Jacket: Urban Outfitters
Purse: Prada
Belt: Robert Rodriguez
Necklace and Ring: Tacori
Blue Floppy Hat: c/o Magid
Then it was off to date night. I kept the look sleek and sophisticated by swapping the ankle boots for a pair of Stella McCartney knee highs, unbuttoning a few buttons, generously adding two coats of Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream in Stiletto Red, and peeling off the man repelling military jacket. I also ditched the purse because the guy should always pay. I’m just (half) kidding! Feminists, please don’t hate me.
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Barcelona Travel Diary-Atop Mt. Tibidabo

A thick layer of fog greeted our nighttime arrival in Barcelona cloaking the city in mystique and intrigue.  We hailed a cab to take us from the train station to Gran Hotel la Florida, a five star hotel that sits perched on top of Mount Tibidabo, the highest mountain in the Catalan region. The trek up the narrow and dark foothill pathway brought on a tiny pang of apprehension. After all, we were in a foreign country heading directly into the unknown hazy darkness away from all traces of light and civilization. J and I locked eyes a few times and made feeble halfhearted attempts at lame jokes alluding to scary movie cliches like I Know What You Did Last Summer. Most of the jokes trailed off before the punchline. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally saw something! It was the Temple de Sagrat Cor, an ornate Catholic church with a towering statute of Jesus Christ at its apex lit up in green hued lights from all directions. I was officially scared. Thankfully, a few moments later we saw our hotel, an elegant and historic beauty that melted away all my silly and irrational fears.
Built in 1925, the 5-star hotel has gone through major renovations with the original facade left intact and many of the original decorative and structural elements meticulously renovated. Paintings of flowers and modern sculptures decorate the hotel, the work of Catalan and British artists commissioned especially for the hotel. It’s the perfect synthesis of the traditional and the new.
I imagine real movie stars stay here. The hotel is grandiose in its luxury but quiet in its seclusion offering the perfect reprieve from people, noise, and reality. I didn’t leave the hotel very much as I enjoyed sightseeing on the rooftop that offered an expansive 360 degree view of Barcelona. And instead of going to the beaches, I swam in the infinity pool which stretches from inside the hotel to the tip of the mountain cliff. My brother reminded me of the Friends episode where Joey brags about telling and re-telling the story of Mount Tibidabo to pick up girls. Forget the story. Just take her to Gran Hotel La Florida. Deal. Sealed.

 

Hi J!
Floral crop top: c/o Nectar Clothing (a more conservative option here)
Skirt: For Love and Lemons (similar ones here, here, and here)
Sandals: Zara (I also like these)
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Italy Travel Diary-Under the Tuscan Sun

We rented a car for the Italy leg of our Europe trip which in my opinion is the best way to explore the natural and timeless beauty of the country. Our drive from Rome to Tuscany was mesmerizing as all traces of cityscape dimmed and folded into rolling hills and vineyards as far as the eye can see. All of a sudden, Tuscany arrived.
My Rodarte for Target nude sheer babydoll dress is a personal favorite yet it’s been sitting in the back of my closet with the tags still attached for years. What a fashion atrocity! I reason I must love the dress thus saving it for the perfect “coming out of the closet” moment. Kate and Laura Mulleavy would be pleased knowing the dress made its debut under the Tuscan sun.
Dress: Rodarte for Target
Neon trimmed oxfords: Cole Haan
Necklace: Ann Taylor
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Paris Travel Diary-An American in Fontainebleau

I took a day trip to Fontainebleau. It was windy and raining on and off that day so most of the tourists stayed away which meant we were graced with Chateau de Fontainebleau and its surrounding forest in all its quiet splendor. It’s really quite difficult to describe the majestic beauty that unfolded before my eyes as such imagery transcends prose and can only be captured (inadequately) through strokes of paint and flashes of photography.

At times, the haunting silence and the visual magnificence was almost too overwhelming as I didn’t know how to take in, process, and hold on to the sheer simplicity of true beauty.

I’m quite certain my day at Fontainebleau will be ingrained in my mind for the rest of my life.

Before taking the 40 minute train to the beautiful town, we stopped by Angelina Cafe for a sweet breakfast. Their famous hot chocolate was a bit too rich and creamy for me but I did enjoy my very first Mont Blanc. The smooth creamy texture and penetrates-into-the-teeth sweetness was deliciously unexpected and I had hold myself back from eating the whole thing. The Pain au Chocolat was flaky, warm and just perfect. I loved it so much I came back next day for my pastry fix. And of course, we had macarons.

 

 

 

Dress: c/o Nectar Clothing
Shirt: Bella Dahl
Tights: c/o No Nonsense. I’d like to thank No Nonsense for saving me on this trip. If I hadn’t brought their armor strong tights, I definitely would’ve gotten sick. Through rain, bike rides and everything in between, these tights weathered the storm. I’m thoroughly impressed and thoroughly grateful!
Boots: c/o Diba
Purse: c/o Ann Taylor
Necklace: Flirt Catalog
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PRIVY 5 MAGAZINE

Privy Magazine is the savvy jetsetter's source for the latest lifestyle news, in-depth articles, member interviews, and notable luxury and destination reviews in Asia and the U.S. A magazine for those in the know