Da Fashionista.com

The Scene
Was up north by 10 this morning. Checked into my hotel, did a few hours of prep for tomorrow's conference, then hit Santana Row. Peaches, who is from the Bay Area, recommended it. He knows me well. It's kinda a cross between The Grove and Rodeo Drive. Yummers.




Enjoyed some dim sum at Sino and then ran some errands for work. Also bought a pair of FANTASTIC sandals at Urban Outfitters for just $20. And some bright eyeliners (green! purple! gold!) mostly cuz I was bored and lonesome without my mom and monkey :)



Still had an hour to kill before dinner so decided to take another Peach suggestion - the Winchester Mystery House. It's a local tourist trap, the sprawling home of an eccentric widow who spent the last 38 years of her life creating a bizzarro labyrinthine compound that has since become a California landmark.

The house is rumored to be haunted and is chock full of oddities like doors that lead nowhere and floors between floors. Totally random way to spend an hour of my life. It was a bunch of 8 year olds and 80 year olds and me.





Thanks, Peach. F, Peach.







Then a college friend (who randomly found my blog and got back in touch in January) invited me over for dinner and some Olympics.


Lynn and I were THOSE super duper involved nerds on campus.




We met the summer we were chosen to be orientation advisors. Kinda a big deal at SC. It's also how I met Chowmein, M&M and Big Fucking Asian.

To this day that summer remains my best professional experience. Isn't it sad that I may have peaked professionally at age 19? Sigh.

It was just the best team of human beings I have ever had the privilege of working with day in and day out. Seventeen of us were chosen from hundreds that year. We were a total cross section of the USC student body. Different majors, backgrounds, activities. Most of us probably would never have been friends or even met otherwise. But we all shared one thing: we were all rock stars in the making. And that job gave us the stage to step up to that potential.

That summer we became authorities on all things SC. We helped incoming students and their parents become part of The Trojan Family. We lived together and partied together and supported each other. We made bonds that would last a lifetime. Ugh. If I could relive a time - over and over, Ground Hog Day style - it would be that summer.

Over the last two years of undergrad, Lynn and I ended up in half a dozen leadership organizations together. You could say we ran in the same three-headed-monster crowd. (That's M&M next to me and Peaches in black in the back row. I am wearing Laundry - hee hee.)


The culmination of all that involvement was getting inducted into Skull and Dagger a few months before graduation. It's the oldest honor society at USC and members are selected for "bringing honor and glory" to the university. Um, I'm telling you, kinda a big deal ;)

Here we are with Steven Sample on initiation day. We'd been drinking since dawn. My liver hurts thinking about it. (That's M&M in blue, Lynn as goofy and Peaches in a fro next to me in the sombrero. N-E-R-D-S!)




Quiet, relaxing night catching up with Lynn for the first time in forever. Nice getting a glimpse of her Nor Cal life with her hubby (who also ran with the Trojan nerd alert crowd.) Seeing people from your past can bring great perspective. Reminds you where you came from and just how far you've come.


Nervous for work tomorrow and doctors appointments the rest of the week...


The Outfit
Forever 21 plaid shirt
J Brand jeans

The Accessories
Chanel bag
Stuart Weitzman sandals
Me&Ro necklace
Louis Vuitton earrings

The Grade
Pass


The Scene
My aesthetic is probably as far from grunge and cowboy as one can get. But I've been DYING for a plaid shirt for months now. So have other bloggers namely my homie from The Style Rules and Confessions of a Style Addict.



I think I learned plaid by watching - yep - those Olsens. Not sure which one. Not sure it matters. They actually learned it by watching Kate Moss and Nylon-subscribing boho hipsters.








When I saw plaid on LC, I knew I better get crackin'. Can't get shown up by her. Humph.







Think this LAX look was my direct inspiration for today. Love the ease of the legging-like jeans and the flat sandals and the breezy unbuttoned neckline with the carry-on. Airport chic.




I've been holding out for just the right plaid though. I wanted a sexy not boxy fit. A light weight, not flannel material. Found this servicable button-down at Forever 21 a few weeks ago. Think it's adequate to give plaid a test run. Especially for under $20. No fuss, no muss.

Thinking I loved it today. It made me feel chic but casual. A little rock and roll, a little tough. Loving the idea of pairing it with all black for fall too. And possibly layering.

I want a long-sleeved version in gray and red. Keep your eyes peeled. But I'm not willing to pay more than $30ish so the Olsens' label Elizabeth and James is out. Maybe Patrick Robinson's Gap...




Loved the new J Brands for traveling. The mister and I planned a romantic trip for the Labor Day weekend months ago. These would be perfect for the long flight to D.C. Alas I think we might cancel given my mom. Not the best time to be across the country, we fear. Boo. We need some relaxing time soon tho.

p.s. Check out how mad for plaid D&G got for Fall 2008. Loving all of the mismatched plaids. Very crazy old widow who builds a bonkers house meets My So Called Life.

And take a gander at MJ's plaid delish fall runway show - this Catholic schoolgirl wants all of it!!