What to Wear in Palm Springs

One of the secrets to a still hot relationship after 14 years: weekend getaways. I planned a quick jaunt to (scorching hot) Palm Springs for Mr. Diabolina last month.




Knew we were both in dire need of some R&R.




 Plus I've been dying to stay at The Parker since our first visit in 2009 during one of the BEST couples' weekends ever.

(Forever 21 dress, Prada sunglasses, Tory Burch purse) 




Our Jonathan Adler, poolside digs did not disappoint.



Neither did our must-visit, nom-nom-nom spot in Palm Springs, Las Casuelas Terraza.




The machaca was the perfect way to kick off the weekend

Just look at this pig...I mean happy baby :)

A side benefit to planning romantic weekends for your man:
he actually encourages you to shop during the trip.

Made sure to hit the Trina Turk store.

With all the retro prints and breezy shapes, it's the quintessential Palm-Springs-in-its-Rat-Pack-hey-day brand.

Adore the kitschy vibe of the swimwear.

And the glorious caftans.  I plan to live in caftans when I retire.

Found quite a few things I liked but narrowed them down to these two on sale.

Another reason I love Palm Springs: Men are so thankful to be in air conditioning that they will remain relatively still and quiet while you try on clothes.

Want to live by a pool in this short caftan but alas it was a size too big. It also looks a little too much like some things I already own. NEXT...

Loved the idea of this little asymmetrical number but not the reality of it. Didn't do much for my short waist and the silky material would last about an hour in my klutzy, sweaty world.  The color is killer though especially with a tan and my hot pink sandals. Got them at Tar-jay for $24 but don't they look exactly like THOSE $120 DV sandals everyone is wearing this summer???

At the boutique next door, I fell in love with these Marc Jacobs sunglasses. But $400! For barely there frames? 

Wasn't feeling spendy so settled for these $10 Prada knock-offs at some random little souvenir shop.
Adore.



Spent the rest of the afternoon poolside in my new Target hat catching up on magazines and trying to finish Andy Cohen's "Most Talkative" (don't judge me.)

Mr. D eventually lured me out of the pool with dinner plans at Mister Parker

It's a chic, sexy spot but OY is it dark in there! You know you are old when you are coveting a fellow diner's keychain flashlight.  Not sexy.

Found out the menu will be getting retooled by the new resident chef soon. Hope they don't get rid of the short ribs. They are heaven on a plate.



We started with the beet and grapefruit salad.

And the lobster stuffed filet 

With the gnocchi and brussels sprouts. 

Perfect amount of food and the wine recommendations were BEYOND.

Roamed around the resort after dinner like giddy kids and then took an evening dip in the 24-hour pool as night fell.

(H&M caftan, Zara clutch, Target sandals) 

Then we may or may not have ordered a bottle of wine to go with our room service dessert. #piggiesonvacation

Let Mr. Diabolina sleep in the next morning and was in the pool by 8 am.

(Target beach hat)

Mid-morning we hit Norma's for brunch. 

I had the crab omelette

Mr. D did the mango crepes.

Spent the rest of the afternoon – you guessed it – in the pool.  Side note: I got the WORST sunburn of my life in Palm Springs when I was 7. Went with my god-parents and fell asleep by the pool. You should have heard my mom GO OFF on them when her brown baby came home beet-colored. 

(Rogan shorts, Tory Burch sandals, Dior sunglasses, The Webster for Target top and Target sandals) 

Ended the trip with a stop at Cabezon, where Mr. D said thank you for whisking him away for the weekend with a little something :)

Another secret to 14 years together: Prada gifts.

How to Mix Prints: Polka Dots and Stripes

The Scene

First Twitter event in LA as part of the company. Biggie for me. And not just because our event happened to be held at the Petersen Museum, site of the shooting that killed Notorious B.I.G.!



Event went fantastically well and ends with roof-top cocktails. Life is good.





The Outfit 

H&M dress
J Crew belt
Zara heels
Marc by Marc Jacobs bag
Fashion District bracelets
Dior sunglasses




The Grade

A

The Commentary


The goal today: look professional without feeling boring – the perennial challenge of real women with real jobs everywhere. Prints and color are my go-to ways to create polished pop. Stand-out accessories help too. Enter my delicious new Zara heels. They were lust at first sight. Sold out in stores so got them online. 

They are dead-ringers for all those Prada Spring 2011 striped heels that I still haunt my dreams. 

The orange-magenta color combination is a personal favorite for summer – probably the mani/pedi I do most often during warm months. Love how the rafia makes them feel like vacation shoes but the shape and structure makes them pulled-together enough for the office.

Pulled out a go-to chiffon-y dress (worn before for another work event here.) Despite the polka dot print, I think of this dress as neutral in my wardrobe. The black and cream go with everything.



Added the neon orange belt to match my nails and the heels as well as a little neon bracelet I got in the Fashion District.  The final touch: the polka dot bag.

My trick to mixing polka dots – and really mixing any prints – is to find a color or colors that tie them together.  So, in this case, it's less about the dress and the bag both being polka dotted and more about the background of both being cream and the "print" being black.  

For example, the look wouldn't have worked as well if I'd worn the version of the bag that I got my mom for Mother's Day. The whole thing could have felt clownier because in that case it wouldn't have been about tying together colors, it would have been about the prints. Make sense?

Thankfully, I averted clowny and the outfit was a hit. The shoes got more compliments that you can imagine. A+ of a purchase. And best of all, I felt like I looked unique and memorable  – two keys to success in business today.  

The Inspiration