What to Wear to The Bazaar at SLS Hotel: Black Halo

The Scene

Can't believe it's been nearly TWO YEARS since the first time I rolled to The Bazaar in the SLS Hotel with some blogger girlfriends. 

Recently, Mr. Diabolina and I had a hot quadruple date there with Mr. Architect and Silver Haired Fox.

And at long last, we got to meet Lashes Lawyer's bff who was in town visiting from FL. Love!

The six of us lapped up martinis with rejiggered molecular structures while we ate...alot.

The Food

Buñuelos codfish fritters, honey aioli

Beets, Citrus, pistachio, Sherry dressing

Baby Japanese peaches, burrata, hazelnuts, arugula

Croquetas de pollo, chicken and béchamel fritters

Stuffed piquillo peppers goat cheese
 

Apples “Carlota” Bread pudding with saffron sauce

Pear sorbet and salty hazelnut praline, Hot Chocolate Mousse

The Outfit

Black Halo dress

Vintage belt

Marc Jacobs clutch

Fashion District jewelry

Manolo Blahnik heels

The Grade

A

The Commentary

So I got this dress over a year ago. At one of my resale spots in Santa Monica. Love that Black Halo is Victoria Beckham Collection for under $1000. And resale, this dress was actually under $100! SCORE.

Luvre it---the color, the length, the neckline. I have been dying to debut it. The only problem? It is the very definition of unforgiving---skin tight and leaves NOTHING to the imagination.

Since I started blogging three years ago my weight has fluctuated by about 15 pounds.  Most of that weight clings on for dear life in my mid-section. I think/hope most people can't really tell since I dress to disguise my trouble spots.

With this dress, however, my master illusionist skills go out the window. For a YEAR, every time I thought the occcasion might be right, I'd slip into some Spanx and put on the dress, giving it a test run around the house. Invariably, I'd feel too self-consious about my belly and booty. Curve hugging is one thing, a sausage casing is another.

I'm embarassed to admit this but I only ended up wearing it to The Bazzar after getting horribly sick with the flu and losing a few pounds. Plus I figured four out of the five men I'd be dining with had ZERO interest in my body. And Mr. Diabolina, well, after 13 years, he still seems to like it. Also knew he'd be more interested in the molecular magic of The Bazaar to stare at my gut.

 

Oh, oh, oh and a clutch that you can strategically use to obscure your hips is key!

  

In the end, I enjoyed myself so much that I wasn't thinking about my rear end.
I chose instead to embrace my life and my friends. Getting tipsy helped ;)  

The Inspiration

Beauty Tip: Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge

Like most women, I have a complicated relationship with my skin.

From ages 13 to 16 I had severe cystic acne. I was in the throes of adolescence but those were also  the three years my stepdad was suffering from depression. It was whole lot of emotional drama hitting my very adolescent skin.

During those years, I never went anywhere without tons of  foundation. It became a kind of security blanket for me. On a daily basis, I wished I could disappear.

At 16, I did a round of Accutane and my skin completely cleared up. That's also when my dad passed away. In many ways I became a different person. Partly because he was gone, partly because I wasn't so self-conscious.

In my twenties, I wore little makeup mostly because I had worn enough in high school to last me a few life times and partly because oily skin doesn't want much on it. I enjoyed the youthful luxury of staying out late, drinking and eating too much, and still looking purty in the morning.

Since entering my thirties, I've been more focused on lotions and potions and wearing more makeup. It really started the minute my smile eye crinkles didn't go away when I stopped smiling. Plus, I started looking like death warmed over when I woke up so eye makeup became invaluable.

Sigh. I'm a vain lady so I find the signs of aging pretty damn devastating. Whoever decided we graduate from pimples to wrinkles is a sadistic jerky. Enter my favorite skin guru, my Jean Bean.

When we were in NYC last month, she gave me a bottle of Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge, like a crack dealer giving me THE most delicious taste.Well, I'm addicted now _ now it's official.

 Peau Vierge is  a retinol treatment fluid that's got patents galore for the unique way it restores elasticity and glow. It also smooths wrinkles and provides this perfect sheer coverage that makes skin look like it has a gossamer finish. Bye bye foundation.  It has kinda changed my life.

Seriously: LOOK AT THIS 33 YEAR OLD SKIN, guuurl!!! All of these pictures are sans foundation or concealer. Only Peau Vierge.

Check out  details of this miracle in a bottle in my latest post on the Neiman Marcus blog.

Run, don't walk.

Spring 2011: Fashion Porn

Life's been busy busy busy. With traveling and work and Mr. Diabolina and the new Shiba Inu puppy cam.

But I'm getting back to blogging now. I promise!

To kick things off here's some eye candy that's inspiring me right this very moment.