Revolve Clothing Grand Opening Party

Revolve Clothing opened their first store on Melrose Avenue on August 21st. Read here for the scoop from the LA Times.

Fashion Friend calls to invite me to a sneak preview. He thinks that the open bar will entice me. Little does he know he sold me when he first spoke the words party and clothes in the same sentence. Although admittedly, I was very happy after 4 Melrose Lime-light cocktails (Absolut Acai/Pomegranate/Blueberry with Sprite and a splash of pineapple juice). Yum-my.

The store is a closet full of sophistication with pricetags ranging from a t-shirt at $59 to a leather jacket at $1500. And if you're a local, you can spy and order clothes online, then try them on at the store the next day. I could probably get used to that.

Back to the party, there were many-a-fashion-goer with an eye-catching heel. In the spirit of being incognito, I refrained from taking pictures. However, as I am somewhat of a paparazzi by LA upbringing, I do regret not snapping pix of all the wonderful shoes trapsing around the store that night.

The LBD was a popular wardrobe choice of the night. As much as I love color, black never seems to fail because of its reputation to be sexy, smart, and slimming. Plus, you get more eyeballs to your 5" Jimmy Choo's or Christian Louboutin's. Sometimes your shoes deserve a little attention.

Overall, it was a good scene with a guest appearance by Gossip Girl, Kristen Bell or maybe better recognized as Veronica Mars or for her role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Revolve Clothing
11 a.m. to 8 p.m
8452 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood
(323) 944-0311.

a side of birthday

Tomorrow is my birthday. This year all I plan to do is eat my way through it. Not in any depressive way - I just love food! So I'm planning a little birthday dinner with my east-to-west coast family at Luna Park then a dinner at Mortons on the weekend. They are currently offering a summer special of steak and seafood for 2 at only $99 - so my girl pal and I who share birthdays one day apart are taking advantage. Did I mention that the chocolate cake is included as well?

Also on the menu is girls night out - Crown Bar to start and Kitchen 24 to top off the festivities. My stylista sidekick and I frequent K24 afterhours way too frequently. We go to people watch and for the Garden Benedict (highly recommend). It's a chill hollywood hipster scene with a DJ spinning upbeat tunes.

So, I'd like to order alot of food and love with a side of birthday please?

I like the sound of that.

Be well,

styleminded

inspiration

Sometimes it's hard to put the pen to the paper. The ideas are there. The words are there too. Tangible thoughts, however, the ones that make sense of the words and ideas are harder to transfer from your brain, to your fingers, to a piece of paper. Your mind makes the story sound so compelling yet upon attempts to share it with other human beings, renders itself disjointed. It's just so very complicated. But I'm breaking out and finding inspiration, in no inspiration.

Some days you'll get fashion, other days you'll get style, but most days you'll just get me.

I hope this means that I'll be publishing daily. I also hope this means you'll be checking in on me daily too.

Sincerely Yours,

styleminded

Girls, girls, girls

My fashionista friends traveled from the Bay to indulge in a little bit of sample saling, food binging, and girl talking with cocktails to end the night, every night. A weekend of full blown estrogen comes with alot of, "cute dress, love your shoes, where did you get that" exclamations. This time was no different.

Fashion "on"

One wonderful man I need to get into my closet is Christian Louboutin - especially when he's so pretty in pink!

5 inches higher, my girlfriend walked tall wearing these Parisian beauties.

Next, came the leading lady of the night, Dianne Von Furstenberg.
I've been loving rompers lately - especially when they come silky, bold, and steller like this one. Right off the rack of Barney's Co-op, she confidently debuted in a bar on the westside the very same day she was delicately wrapped in tissue paper and taken home.

All the way from Shanghai, came my dress. Like painted art meant for a museum but instead picturesquely draped on my body with a belt to cinch the waist. A foreigner perhaps but no stranger to LA's catwalk - speaking a universal language...that is style.

From a sidewalk vendor to runway status. Talk about working your way up in the world!

The day after we find comfort in flats and big sunglasses to mask a night of martini's. I heart heel-less shoes.

It's no longer taboo to wear flat shoes - especially when they're bejeweled and fun.

So to end my GWO (girl's weekend out) -- It definitely includes alot of fashion exchange but it's also just pretty cool to sprawl out on my bed on a lazy sunday and talk about all things "girl" and boys, wouldn't you like to know?

Change

I added blonde streaks. Cut 5 inches too. Bought a new dress to compliment the hair. Change -- we all need it. It's what keeps us on our toes, interested, and alive. But, what are our expectations of change?

In the past few days, I've felt both the pain and enlightenment of change. The news that a guy you once dated is now dating someone else. It hurts when the news first hits but then you shake it off because ...it just wasn't meant to be. And in time, you'll know exactly why when you allow the truth to settle in.

Some things are not just meant to be. Friendships for example. I've held on to some that I probably shouldn't have. At this point in my life, I barely have enough time to focus on the friendships that deserve it. And I want to focus on the ones that deserve it. Why repair what will always be broken.

In friendship and in love, I've learned in my line of work that the feeling of hope is powerful. At the eleventh hour when all's in despair, you can only look forward to a change that's good....and it keeps all of us living because the idea is, somewhere out there, something better does exist and what can we do but hope that we'll get there. Though, I do agree with Oprah when she says that we all have to pave our own way. Nothing is going to get handed to you on a silver platter. You'll spend all your time waiting if you think so.

Find harmony between reality and hope. Shed some positive light on every challenge you meet. The rough around the edges will eventually smooth out. And believe that the future holds change thats good and all you have to do is reach out and grab it.

Sincerely,

styleminded

fashion rehab

For awhile, it was all about the fashion and how to get it – how to afford it never crossed my mind. The next thing after a big hit was what my next big hit was going to be. Of course, the obsessive need for glamour and fancy duds also came with its slew of bills. With no disposable income at my disposal, I carried a wallet stuffed with receipts but no cash. What was once glee and inspiration turned into feelings of bitterness and regret. Afterall, what was I to do with a closet full of designer shoes? I needed a savings account. Depressing? Yes. Pathetic? Very.

I had to turn my head away from temptation and had to feign excitement when my friends made new purchases and I was still wearing clothes from seasons past and my over-worn Balenciaga motorcycle purse, which was looking a tad homely – but just go with it when I call it vintage, ok? I was in need of serious rehab. Thankfully, I found comfort in boys and booze, both my anti-drugs. I learned how to be creative with my options. I learned to take a closet full of old and turn it into something new every day by just mixing and matching, staying simple, and accessorizing. I window shopped at Beverley Hills and flipped through pages of fashion mags, only to make my way to F21 in search of the perfect knockoff. Bless you F21.

Month’s later, recovery is imminent. It’s been a long and hard struggle but thank you all for the support.

Look forward to writing, sharing, being and growing fashionably healthy with you all.

Yours truly,

styleminded

ode to the fashionista

What started as, “I’ll do it tomorrow” turned into “I’ll do it after it quiets down at work” turned into “I’ll do it after I move.” 4 months later and I’m sitting here finally ready and I'm thinking maybe it’s time to start again. I wouldn’t have been so compelled if it weren’t for the inspiration of my dear friend, who injects fashion into my soul every day.

The wooden soles of her Chloe platforms step all around me. I enviously peer at them out of the corner of my eye. She says they’re resale, can you believe it? Great price. She’s had the wood finished like an antique masterpiece; the color almost close enough to match the soft leather that covers her toes and wraps around her ankles.

When in an interview, she presents herself in a Jackie-O inspired jacket, an over-sized Marc Jacobs tote on her shoulder, a pair of Manolo Blahniks on her feet – and confidence that no Armani suit could ever command.

I admire her, her devotion to fashion, her ability to match simplicity with style, and her way of making anything look expensive.

And fashion does unite. I shared her pain when she found that her Stella McCartney shoes were too small, after waiting months for the boutique to receive more sizes -- only to then find, the size she needed was on hold for someone else.

We relished in delight when we discovered an identical version of DVF and Marc Jacobs at Forever21 for under $25.

And we both know that style can be inexpensive, fashion can be intelligent, and every woman deserves to have a closet just for shoes.

This post may be first of many, or just one of few but this one is for diabolina. My fashionista and friend.