’tis the season….

Didn’t your mama teach you anything?…

So Marika and I were smoozing at a fun fashion event recently at the Art Institute’s Graduate Fashion Show which  highlights their Fashion Design & Merchandising graduates. I personally love going to these events because you never really know who is the next up and coming. Plus its so interesting to see the designer’s personal style influence what they design for men and women.

The students did a great job focusing their show around celebrating diversity and cultural influences. Some of my favorites were the wedding dresses and Twlight inspired men and women’s designs ( I’m so serious.) As much as I enjoyed relaxing in the comfy seats of the Red Robinson’s theatre and sipping on a glass of champagne…the real point of this blog is to talk about the irritating….chatty…loud mouthed…annoying…irritating ( wait, did I mention that already?) …ladies, ahem..I mean girls, behind me. Seriously. the . whole. time….chatting, making fun, mocking, being inappropriate giggly girls, who thought they were all that and a freakin bag of chips ( is that even a saying?). No seriously. I was ready to turn around and smack em.. hard. ( I’m not even going to write what Marika wanted to do!) Who does that? Obviously they were there to support their girlfriend in her design- but if you can’t appreciate someone else’s hard work and creative focus- then what the HELL are you doing there?

All I have to say is…get a life…and be mature…didn’t your mama teach you anything? sheesh! As much fun as the fashion event was, I have to admit that it was definitely an “interesting” experience with these do do heads ( yes, I actually called them that!) behind yes..sheeesh!

vegas-style quickie….

View from MIX

..really quick….too quick. We’re talkin’….a LAS VEGAS quickie here.   We just couldn’t let go of summer and jetted off for one last hurrah in the desert before facing the cold and crisp Vancouver autumn season. Forget the thigh-high boots, cable knit sweaters and leather gloves – we’re talking 29 degree weather here,  with hours and hours of hot summer sun to play in!   Suz and I, along with 12 of our favorite ladies – took a much needed hiatus from reality for a quick weekend trip to celebrate one of our own’s upcoming nuptials later this month….and boy – did we send her off right!

For the sake of “what happens in Vegas….stays in Vegas”….this post will just have to skim the surface so that we don’t breach any of our “confidentiality agreements” by accident (wink-wink).  Lets just say that the recovery period was 3 times as long as the actual time spent there, and aftermath of work to catch up on is all but drowning me….a good sign that the fun was WELL WORTH IT!

…..this desintation is by no means a place of modesty or frugality, but an over-indulgence of the  man-made splendour and abundance of things to see and do…..they don’t call it “Sin-city” for nothing….and I must add – it doesn’t hurt to have more than a few gorgeous ladies in your entourage to get the royal treatment at all of the hottest spots along the strip!

If you find yourself needing a fantasy-filled weekend away with your bestests – I suggest you leave your worries behind and indulge a little….(or a lot!)

We suggest you room at the WYNN….

…and if you win some extra cash at the Blackjack tables – take your winnings right across the street to the FASHION SHOW MALL where doing some major damage is hard to avoid……

….when you’ve spent all your winnings and you’re buzzing from the mega-size margarita you can drink while roaming the streets, get yourself primped and pretty for some poolside partying.  Our pick: Wet Republic at the MGM Grand was the perfect spot for some sun tanning, pool lounging, hot body scoping and maybe some celeb-spotting.

…..when you get hungry – put on your best outfit and catch a cab (trust us, you won’t want to walk in those stilettos!) and head down to the other end of the strip to make your way to chef Alain Ducasse’s MIX at THE HOTEL at Mandalay Bay.  A mix of contemporary and classic French and American cuisine – this spot has breathtaking views of the strip and is perched up top on the 64th floor of The Hotel.  The service, food, ambience and view were an absolute treat and is a must-visit spot for an amazing dining experience. (price $$$$)

MIX at the Hotel at Mandalay Bay

…For our evening entertainment, we were lucky enough to score 14 tickets to the must-see one-time a year show: Justin Timberlake and Friends charity concert benefitting the Shriners Children Charity.  A special treat and surprise for the bride-to-be, our entourage spent a few hours singing and dancing along to tunes by Jay Sean, Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Ciara, Snoop Doggy Dogg,  Justin Timberlake and a very special performance by the one and only TLC, their first public performance in 7 years.  The nostalgia of classic tunes What About Your Friends, and Creep brought back so many memories and allowed us to create new ones together.

TLC

If you happen to be there on any one of the other 51 weeks when JT isn’t putting on his concert, you can bet that you’ll be able to find another show to entertain you after dinner.  think:  Cirque du Soleil, Bette Midler, Wayne Newton, Cabaret Show, Pussy-Cat Dolls Lounge or a hot DJ or artist headlining at a club……..and if you’re ready for an after party to dance yourself til dawn…..make sure you stay hydrated (non-alcoholic or not) and check out one or more of the many hot clubs along the strip.

Gents -make sure you wear your studliest of outfits (no Ed Hardy here unless you’re stopping by Christian Audigier the club at Treasure Island) and ladies, make sure you come prepared to kill your feet (because beauty and fashion doesn’t come easy)…because you’re going to want to check out XS at the Encore and trust me when I say that you’ll be so sad to see the evening end!  When your tootsies get tired – and they will, take some time to  lounge on the outdoor patio, dip your feet in the pool and hot-tub or get cozy in one of the private cabanas.  If you ask anyone who has been to Vegas lately – they will tell you that XS is one of the most amazing clubs you will ever visit.  If you don’t get hooked up like we did (we’re talking VIP accompaniment bypassing the line), then be prepared for steep cover charges and long-long line ups (rumors note that its known for people to wait in line for up to 4 hours).  Hook ups or not…a visit to XS is well worth it!  Other notable spots to visit: Blush Champagne lounge at Encore; Tao at the Venetian (It was a special surprise to be at Tao when my favorite reality celeb Ms. Kim Kardashian celebrated her 29th birthday with the Kardashian clan);  Prive at Planet Hollywood (to rub elbows with the Doggfather himself, Snoop Doggy Dog); or The Bank at the Bellagio for some good hip hop tunes.

…the 24 hours in the day just wasn’t enough time for us to see what we wanted to see, do what we wanted to do, all while getting a few minutes of rest in between ( literally). The constant upgrading and development of new mega-city sized hotel/casinos, the abundant clubs and restaurants to check out, the countless hotels to stay at, poses as the perfect destination for a break from your worries back home and a little, or a lot of guilt free indulgence of whatever Vegas has to offer – makes the perfect excuse to keep going back for more….i know we will!  Vegas 2010 is already in the works!

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

yours m.belllish’d, feet well rested and ready to party….

marika

xoxo

PARIS fashion week favorites…part II

 

Haider Ackermann...

...Haider Ackermann

Hermes

Isabel Marant

John Galliano

Karl Lagerfeld

Lanvin

Louis Vuitton

Maison Martin Margiela

Miu Miu

Nina Ricci

Rick Owens

Roland Mouret

Stella McCartney

...Stella McCartney

Talbot Runhof

Valentino...

 

...Valentino

Vanessa Bruno

Viktor & Rolf

Yves Saint Laurent...

...Yves Saint Laurent

all photos courtesy of style.com

 

 

PARIS fashion week favorites….part I

Alexander McQueen

Ann Demeulemeester

Azzaro

Balenciaga

Balmain

Celine

Chanel...

...Chanel

Christian Dior...

...Christian Dior

Commes des Garcon

Costume National...

...Costume National

Dries Van Noten

Giambattista Valli

Giles

photos courtesy of style.com

distance…..

…….does it make your heart grow fonder???…..did you miss us???  Apologies for the un-anncounced short hiatus.  We’ve been (insert all excuses from the book here) “busy” to say the least.

We’re still alive, kicking, and coughing (we’re both sick) but we’ll be back and posting in a blink of a las vegas light!  Leave a comment and let us know what you’ve been up to!!!!

 

Milan Fashion Week Favorites….

Alberta Ferretti

Albino

Aquilano Rimondi

Bottega Veneta

D&G

Dolce & Gabbana

Dsquared2

Emilio Pucci

Emporio Armani

Etro

Fendi....

...Fendi...

...Fendi

Francesco Scognamiglio

Gucci

Iceberg

Jil Sander

Prada

Salvatore Ferragamo

Trussardi 1911

Versace

all photos from style.com

umm..excuse me..thats mine…

picture this. a new hot store in Vancouver- one we have been waiting for all summer…its exciting, its new to the Westcoast…and provides tons of stylish ladies and men with “it” pieces from this season. Grand Opening weekend- madness is around us. think chaotic. who in their right mind would actually go to the first weekend of this opening unless they were crazy……i know of two ladies…us.

Here is the reality- we wanted to check out the new Forever 21 in Metro…we thought, lets stop in and put up with the sweating, the pushing and shoving, and the piles of crazy cotton/leather/ nylon/ polyster mess. We enter with our guards up…it looks like its going to be okay- its really busy but at the same time, there are moments when we can breathe in between the madness of people.

I see a cute top hanging on a rack, I yell over to Marika at how cute the top is…when this scraggly dark haired young woman ( Im trying to be nice)….snatched it from my hands, almost knocking off my new beautful Oliver Peoples sunglasses off my head, and said….( think biatchy)..umm.excuuuusseee me…thats mine. and whiped it past my face and back onto the rack. I swear, the sleeve of that top nearly gave me a polyester burn on my face..shit sista- take a breather. Who the heck would leave the clothes they supposdely really wanted that badley hanging on a rack- out in the open…when there is a helluva lot of people in the store grabbing and touching EVERYTHING! COME ON!

I couldn’t hold my laughter in and the shock- ohhh the shock of attitude that came along with that scenario. If you guys could have seen Marika’s face…I cant even describe how funny and well…super funny that situation was.

My overall thoughts on the store? Love it…the merchandising- the mannequins…the chandeliers….really portrays a great example of young, trendy, edgy and affordable.  I do think, however, that I’ll stick to the online purchases..or at least until the store calms down. Having the craziness around me truly distracts me from making some sound decisions and finding the “just perfect” pieces I need for my wardrobe…or for the upcoming trip to Vegas baby…

In the meantime, you go check it out…but enter with your arms up and a tshirt on…cause its freaking hot in the there- temperature wise and there are some catty sistas out there….

tv style inspirations

Is it just me…or is the style on this seasons’ 90210 so much better? Hair, makeup and style- fresh and hawt.  Athough the kids on the show portray high school students….( even though I feel like one at heart still)…the styles influence what we  see on the streets for people of all ages. With the Cali influence- and the Vancouver weather turning colder on us, we can still take colors and vibe of what they are wearing and apply it to our world.

Check out the bright colours, hot red lips and sky high heels. I’m loving the belted dresses and simple lines. Even the guys’ outfits are clean and simple…fresh…all paired with a little edge and a dash of drama…love it.

Dakota Group Sample Sale

Every Spring and Fall- the beloved Dakota Group hosts their sample sale- mark it on your calendar ladies!! Check out the lovely brands to peruse….

• Thursday October 22nd, 10:00am to 6:00pm
• Friday October 23rd, 10:00am to 6:00pm
• Saturday October 24th, 11:00am to 5:00pm

Our Fall Sample Sale is coming up soon. We’re offering some fabulous lines, such as: Collections / Handbags: Christopher Kon, Co-Lab Handbags, Samsara by M&N, matt & nat Accessories: Tolani Scarves, Chula Jewellery Shoes: Faryl Robin, Matiko, Kelsi Dagger, Pour la Victoire	Click Here
Clothing: Dish Jeans, Dirt for Men, Jenny Han, Numph, Humor for Men, Oxmo, Soia Kyo Outherwear, Sinequanone, Fluxus, etc. Check out more details and their blog at: dakotafashion.blogspot.com HAPPY SHOPPING LADIES!