A World of Interiors

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to toast the new Charlotte Olympia collection, A World of Interiors, at South Coast Plaza. The new fall line is full of art to wear. So many of the pieces are museum-ready with sculptural heels and bold, classic prints. The leopard dots were my favorite, and the striped/rose cake pops were the perfect touch. Below are my picks from the collection:

Thank you South Coast Charlotte Olympia for dressing up my Wednesday night! Click here to see the full Fall 2015 collection. 

Cheers to a World of Interiors! 

What Happens in Vegas...

What happens in this magical city rarely stays there, especially when it comes to shopping. My mom and I were in Vegas last week for a bit of relaxation and shopcation before I attended a trade show for work. Here are a few of my recommendations:

1. Bauman Rare Books. Most people won't be able to actually shop in here (see prices above), but I highly recommend going in and browsing. They even let you take pics! If I ever win it big while gambling this will probably be my first stop. They have first editions of classics, rare memorabilia from famous authors, and the place looks like Belle's library in Beauty and the Beast.

2. Kate Spade. Kate Spade is everywhere in Las Vegas. There's a store in the Grand Canal Shops, Fashion Show Mall, and in The Forum Shops. The outlet (off the strip) is where you can find some amazing rarities like their partnership collection with Swarovski.

3. Charlotte Olympia. I made my poor mother race over to this new store in the Forum Shops our first night in Vegas. I loved the exclusive Vegas merchandise like the showgirl shoes and kitty poker face flats. I ended up buying the black velvet kitty flats, pretty much a timeless staple and worth the investment. The experience of shopping in this store was like none other. Talk about truly wonderful salespeople who love their job and love making customers feel happy! Definitely go for the experience, and of course, for the cute shopping bags!

4. Ted Baker Outlet. Ted Baker is already an affordable brand, so you can image how great the deals are at the outlets. I walked away with 3 dresses, a top, and am now regretting not buying a wallet for under $60. 

Happy Shopping (no matter where your vacation may take you)! 

Rack 'Em Up!

I've been a fan of Nordstrom Rack for as long as I can remember. My mother used to take me there for back to school clothes, and now it's one of the places I hit up when I crave a good deal. The Laguna Niguel location opened up Thursday, and I was so thankful to be invited to a grand opening celebration on Tuesday. 

Along with drinks and appetizers, shoppers got to peruse the racks for special finds. This location has a lot of great designer clothing from Elizabeth & James, Kate Spade, DVF, and more, along with a designer shoe section that had a lot of Tory Burch. 

I found a lot of cute things, but the clearance rack especially caught my eye. After doing some digging, I came back with stunning sparklers from Ted Baker and Topshop. The Ted Baker dress is a beautiful salmon color with a front pleat and jeweled collar. It's so comfortable! The Topshop dress is a bit more form fitting, but I love the sequins and how they can be moved. Perfect for my upcoming Vegas trip in July.

The staff at this Rack location was extremely helpful, so I suggest you stop in this weekend and see what you can find.

Happy Shopping!

Christmastime in the City

Having a December birthday means seeing everything decorated at its Christmas best. I spent December 4th in my favorite city in the world, San Francisco. I went shopping in Union Square, walked Knob Hill, and ate lunch at Macy's. I stayed with my mother in Sonoma, where we toured the Coppola Winery, drove to Santa Rosa, and enjoyed cupcakes from Sift. While celebrating, I wore a very special vintage sweater that was a birthday gift from my stepmom and dad from DMarie Vintage. The sweater is my first real fur and the buttons are costume jewelry. It's the perfect piece to celebrate turning 30 in. I left Northern California with many bottles of wine and memories made. The entire trip, like the sweater, were tailor made for my 30th birthday. 

What Lies Ahead

I think it's funny that we as human beings are so fascinated with the future. We want to know everything that will happen as soon as possible. Fashion is one of the few outlets that is happy to tell you about the future well in advance and give you ample time to prepare. Imagine if all things in life were forecasted on a runway two seasons in advance.

Fall/Winter clothing and accessories are now out in full-force and since the holidays are a time to really sparkle, it's time to pick up those special pieces for gifting or for keeps. While it still feels summery here in So Cal., the Tweet Up at the Outlets of Orange recently reminded me to think ahead.  

My recommendations for Fall/Winter are as follows:

1. Shine. Whether it's beading, sequins, or chunky rhinestones, add some shimmer to your wardrobe to stand out. I picked up this sequined black tank with large discs from Neiman Marcus Last Call. The movement of the discs adds some shine to my wardrobe, especially when worn underneath a coat.

2. The Statement Shoe. It's no secret that I love shoes, and while they serve the practical purpose of getting me from point A to point B, they can also do double duty as your jewelry of choice. Choose a glitzy shoe (or a really tall one) and have that be your statement-making accessory. Your confidence will skyrocket. I picked up these beaded and silk Charlotte Olympias from Neiman Marcus Last Call for an incredible deal. They are the perfect shoe for me, with some glitter in every step. 

3. Consider a Clutch. If you're like me and you love a big bag, you know it can be challenging to squeeze everything into a tiny clutch. However, these pocket-sized purses are perfect for holiday parties. Take a load off and don't compromise the look of your formal wear by choosing a clutch that has detailing on it. I spotted this smart set at Saks Off 5th. 

4. Feathers. I love feathers! I hope this trend never goes away. As evidenced by the many feathered finds from dresses to shoes at Neiman Marcus Last Call, I don't think it will. Be advised, feather items tend to be a bit more expensive because it's such a delicate detail. I think it's extremely worth it though to buy pieces that have such exquisite movement.

5. Be a Square. If you are going to stick with a bigger bag in place of a clutch, opt for a structured, square shape, the most popular bag of the moment. You can get a bag similar to this anywhere (even Target), but Neiman Marcus Last Call had all of these designer-looking duds in stock.

I for one love the idea of an open-ended future, where tomorrow's a mystery. While you can't always shape the months ahead of you, you can prepare for (hopefully) colder temps and festive events. When shopping ahead of time and at outlet stores you can find a large selection of on-trend necessities for the season at the fraction of a cost. And budgeting for the future is always in style.

Happy Shopping!