Uptown Girl Nostalgia

I'm an Uptown Girl with a Downtown Spirit that possesses Backstreet Wisdom. I've always described myself as an old soul with a contemporary outlook on life; A Renaissance woman in accordance with the likes of freethinkers and visionaries such as Anaïs Nin. I'm always reinventing and recreating myself, taking risks, and remain as precocious as the inquisitive child that I once was.

With that said, when it comes to my own disposition, I am deeply influenced by all things vintage, including my current taste in music. I've noticed that a few of today's talented musicians are also beginning to draw from the energy of the artists that came decades before them, which is a great thing because I am so burnt out on the era of auto-tuned vocals. It's time to go back to basics when songwriting actually has substance. I often find myself gravitating to any music that will Sonically Enchant me into a state of sweet Nostalgia, setting the tone to my own ingenuity. After all, music is the soundtrack to our life, isn't it?

Because I am a very visual person, it was a natural progression to bring my street style photographs to life by transitioning myself to motion picture. The objective is to capture various rawly recorded video clips and lay them over music to capture the essence of my own style aesthetics. Please do not anticipate some huge video production with fancy-schmancy bright lights over a backdrop on some glamorous stage set. I am only offering but a small piece of my world, grass roots style, which I look forward to sharing with all of you in the near future. I also invite YOU to do the same with me, because the exchange of energy between myself and my readers holds such high value to me. 

The style video I posted below features music from a band that I am utterly infatuated with, called Alabama Shakes. Once you hear the lead vocalist, you'll see why I love them oh, so MUCH! The lead vocalist reminds me of a beautiful fusion between Al Green and Janis Joplin, with her own unprocessed vocal style. I feel like I am flying backwards through time when courtship was the standard in love, and when broken hearts inspired raw creativity.

I grew up on Hip Hop, but because I grew up with such cultural diversity, I am so open to all the richness that other genres have to offer. Music truly does influence my moods, style and personality. So expect to see more of this in the near future. If you know of any other great artists, please feel free to share tsome of your favorites and open me to something good. Even feel free to follow me on twitter and let's get the dialogue going!

Currently, my ♫ Music Playlist ♫ include artists such as: Lana Del Rey, John Coltrane, Alabama Shakes, Melody Gardot, Johnny Cash, Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Bach and Beethoven... Who is on yours?

As old fashioned as I can be, I appreciate what you can do with an iPhone. This video was shot with an iPhone 4S for fun, and edited using a variety of iPhone apps. Hey, why not? Right? So, join me as I wander through The Grove, a beautiful shopping and entertainment complex located in Los Angeles, California. And, YES, I did pick up quite a few things at Victoria's Secret while I was there...

Wearing:

Silver Wrist Cuff: Forever XXI

Silver Collar Necklace: Forever XXI

Wide Brimmed Floppy Hat: Vintage

Black Tank: Vintage

Faux Fur Cropped Vest: Vintage

Velour Cheetah Flare Pants: Vintage

Platform Shoes: Purchased in Japan

Makeup:

Foundation: Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation

Setting Powder: Makeup Forever HD

Blush: Nars Orgasm/Laguna Blush and Bronzing Duo

Eyes: Masquerade Eye Palette by Victoria's Secret

Lips: Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Soft Nude

Nautical Kamikaze: Pattern Clashing

It's already October and Halloween is right around the corner. Where did my Summer go? There was so many things that I didn't have an opportunity to do this past Summer, which left me approaching the Fall season feeling slightly disappointed in myself. So many of us easily fall into the trap of getting caught up in the "rat race" that we often forgot to enjoy life itself. We are entrepreneurs, we are ambitious, we are caregivers, we are professionals, we are relied upon, and we are on demand. Despite the many hats we wear and the many roles we play, we must also remind ourselves that we are lovers, dreamers, creatives, and we are human. As humans, we must give ourselves a break every once and a while and learn how to just BE. Take a little time for yourself to just relax, breathe, and recuperate. 

One of the various things that I didn't have time to enjoy last Summer was to take a Yacht cruise at sea and enjoy the fresh saltwater air and the soothing waves rocking me to sleep on the ocean. It would have been such a dream to lay out on the deck in the sun, not having a care in the world, and to just let go and BE free. Bliss.

This past Sunday, I headed out to the Beverly Center to get a little shopping done. Sure, it's not a Yacht Cruise, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from having a little fun from dressing up in a Nautical inspired outfit, à la Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis with a twist. I haven't really experimented with too much pattern clashing this year, but I had these thrifted flare pants that have been sitting in my closet for several months without wear. I pieced this look together with this affordable little tank, a blue belt, and red suede pumps. Now, all I need is a few million dollars to buy myself that Yacht! *wink*

Wearing:
Tank - Forever XXI
Plaid Flare Pants - Thrifted
Strawberry Earrings - Forever XXI
Gradient Eyewear - Vintage

Make-up:
Lips - Nars Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella
Foundation - Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation
Face Powder - Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sits with her daughter Caroline Schlossberg on the side of a yacht off Massachusetts in a file photo. (REUTERS)

Photo Diary: La Brea & Melrose, a Grungy Afternoon

La Brea Ave., Los Angeles

There are some days when "dressing up" doesn't seem to make any sense. These are the days that have been proceeded by insomnia-driven, restless nights and maybe just a little too much to drink. These are the perfect days to be imperfect and play Russian Roulette with my apparel — Roll the ball, and see which article of clothing the ball lands on. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't — but most importantly, it's functional and reflective of the "I-Am-Moody-Don't-F*ck-With-Me-Ness" of the day. So, I threw my hair up in a messy bun, threw on some torn and battered camouflage pants, and stomped through the streets of LA. You know you gotta respect a woman for being comfortable in her own skin!

I love spending my Sunday afternoons on La Brea Blvd. and Melrose Ave. in LA/West Hollywood. These are my stomping grounds to get some Vintage shopping done, have some Froyo at Yogurtland, and wander aimlessly into the plethora of furniture stores for interior design inspiration. Also, I enjoy people watching and daydreaming while sitting on a bus bench, (even though my Jaguar is parked just around the corner). Just when I am so utterly sick of the LA Attitudes and Road Rage whilst driving through the streets, Sundays on La Brea remind me of why I love Los Angeles so damn freakin' much!

The Luxe Life Society Official Blog Launch: Celebrating Fashion's Night Out, Los Angeles at the Beverly Center

2011 Fashion's Night Out event, Los Angeles at the Beverly Center

As a young woman who has worked in the Entertainment Industry for quite a number of years, I am no stranger to industry Soirées and Celebrity events. I've been very blessed and fortunate enough to attend a variety of functions in the music and film industry, exchange energy with brilliant minds, and even planned a few events of my own. But, despite being a veteran in the entertainment industry, on the night of September 8th, I had transformed into an excited, precocious child that felt like I was embarking on a wonderful journey toward living out my passions. I've taken a hiatus from my career as a Freelance Celebrity Publicist to focus on building my own brand and pursue a few new goals, one of which is this Fashion/Lifestyle blog that you are now reading. I would like to formally invite you along on this journey with me, as we exchange creative energy, learn from one another, and follow our passions. I also would like to start by saying, THANK YOU most humbly in advance for your readership support, your open minds, and for allowing me the opportunity to candidly share a piece of myself with you. Your future support is greatly appreciated. So, with that said, let's make a champagne toast to living a Luxe Life, filled with positivity, passion, happiness, and success! 

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate my journey into Fashion, than to head out to one of LA's most biggest events — Fashion's Night Out, Los Angeles! Fashion's Night Out was founded by “Vogue” editor, Anna Wintour for New York, and has successfully gone global within the last few years. 


With my Camera in tow, and the most uncomfortable pair of heels I could possibly wear for the evening, I headed down to the hub for FONLA's at the Beverly Center. In attendance was slew of celebrities, including: the very beautiful Nicole Richie, wearing a whimsical BoHo Chic maxi dress; American Idol's, Randy Jackson, cast members from both the Twilight Saga and Glee, Vogue’s West Coast Editor, Lisa Love — the list goes on and on . . .

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was scheduled to host the event, but made the wise decision to attend President Obama's speech to Congress instead. Although the Mayor couldn't be there, a prerecorded audio message was broadcast live over loud speakers. According to the Mayor, Los Angeles is the “apparel manufacturing capital of the United States," which he said generates $5.7 billion annually in direct sales for Los Angeles, and employs 120,000 people in the city.


I was so delighted to be a part of such a magical night in support of the fashion industry. Beautiful people of all races and ages came out to celebrate fashion and restore consumer confidence by helping boost the industry’s economy during the recession.


Stores including Politix, Macy's, and Traffic sponsored the runway fashion show, which featured new looks for the Fall. There was also a Contemporary and Junior Fashion show featuring Forever XXI, and Bloomingdale's. Many of the luxury retailers inside the Beverly Center partied the night away with their own in store parties. One of the places I stopped at was the Omega store. Omega created a sexy vibe filled with a bar, complimentary champagne, and a live DJ. Also, a HUGE shout out to the house DJ of the night, DJ Lindsay Luv. I was thrilled to meet her and she is super cute! (Photo below) Can you say, fun!? 


Initially, my intent was to wear something chic and fabulous, but it was so damn hot in LA that I opted for a free flowing, tribal printed maxi dress instead. I had no desire to fuss over my hair either. I just sprayed some Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray in my newly ombré'd locks, and jetted out the door. My only regret? — Picking the wrong time to break in my new shoes! By the end of the Fashion Show, I was begging for someone — anyone — to carry me back to my car! 


After the Beverly Center's festivities, I headed down to FNO at The Grove for a bit to meet with a few of my fellow fashionistas and industry professionals. We had some drinks, shared a few laughs, and did some major shopping at Zara. As you could imagine, my feet were so sore from my shoes and all that walking around, so I called it a night fairly early. I wonder if Cinderella had any issues with her glass heels? 

Wearing: 
Maxi Dress - Forever XXI
Belt - Forever XXI
Bright Orange Handbag - H&M
Clog Heels - Chinese Laundry
Earrings - Bebe