In Spades

Style... in abundance

Travel Diary: Miami

Faena Miami BeachWith the exception of NYFW, I don’t often post about my travels on In Spades.  However, I recently made a trip to Miami and had such an amazing time I couldn’t help but share.

Miami is one of those places I feel a random connection to, even though I had (until recently) never been there.  Long on my list of Top US Travel Destinations, I just knew I would sync up to its Latin influences, beautiful beaches and fun nightlife.

Our visit was to attend the wedding of a dear friend, so I didn’t have much time to explore outside of wedding activities, but I will definitely be back to fully soak up all the city has to offer (especially when I can have a cocktail!).

South BeachThe hotel that served as inspiration in one of my favorite movies, The Birdcage

South BeachBeach boardwalk, South Beach Miami

What to Do

Miami has an insane art scene and our first night was spent at Wynwood Walls.  An urban landscape of graffiti and street art that spans six buildings and a park, it’s a never ending party for the senses.  From sculptures to interactive installations and modern art galleries, you could literally spend hours perusing its treasures.

Wynwood Walls MiamiWynwood Walls Miami

Where to Stay

The impressive art scene didn’t stop at Wynwood Walls.  We stayed at Faena Miami Beach, which is home to the famed Damien Hirst piece, Gone but not Forgotten.  A giant wooly mammoth skeleton dipped in gold, it sits outdoors on the property ensconced in glass!

Faena Miami Beach

What fabulous hotel would be complete without an amazing bar and restaurant?  Faena has seven.

My favorite was Pao, featuring modern Asian cuisine with the most stunning ocean views.  We brunched on the patio, enjoyed Cuban coffee and then took a stroll through the Tree of Life bar and pool before heading down to South Beach.

Faena Miami Beach

Pao by Paul Qui patio

Faena Miami Beach

Tree of Life bar

Faena Miami Beach

If you’re a spa-goer, you must check out the Turkish baths.  Complimentary for Faena guests, they feature heated stone beds, exfoliation rooms and an ice chamber.  A giant block of San Paolo soap is located in the entryway for guests to shave off as much as they’d like to use throughout their stay.  Of course, it smells divine.

Faena Miami Beach

What to Pack

If you follow me on Insta Stories, you know that I shared the pros and cons of packing for a trip while pregnant.  As a notorious “wait until the last minute” packer, I’m finding pregnancy packing to be delightful.  With 80% of my wardrobe off limits, it makes narrowing down outfits a breeze!

I’ve linked my super comfy dresses, shoes and handbag below, including affordable alternatives in the Shop the Post widget.

Do you want to see more travel posts on In Spades?  Let me know in the comments!

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Distressed, Slouchy Sweater

Helmut Lang sweaterHelmut Lang sweaterHelmut Lang sweaterHelmut Lang sweaterHelmut Lang sweater Helmut Lang sweaterHelmut Lang sweater Helmut Lang sweater Helmut Lang sweaterHelmut Lang sweater // Mother denim (non-maternity version here)
Christian Louboutin heels ($56 version here)
Love Tatum Chloe choker and Kali wrap necklace // Thatch Aquarius pendant

I love a good oversized silhouette.  When I saw this distressed, slouchy sweater on sale at Neiman’s I immediately thought it would be the perfect pregnancy piece.  As soon as I slipped on the soft cashmere, I was hooked.  Now that it’s marked down to $116 (for cashmere!) it’s truly a steal.  It also comes in black, and I’ve linked a great alternative option under $29 below.

I went up a size (wearing a small) because I wanted to accentuate the pillowing sleeves.  You can wear them ruched up (add hair ties to your forearms to keep the sleeves from slipping) or down a la Olsen twins, like I did.

The funny part about pregnancy at this stage is that depending on what I wear, I can show my bump or keep it rather mysterious.  With this oversized look, I’m clearly more concealed, but here’s a great illustration of what form-fitting silhouettes look like on me right now.

My normal style definitely falls more into the oversized, drapey Olsen twins bucket and I can’t wait to see how this evolves with my growing belly.  Andre Leon Talley will be proud, I’m sure.

To keep this look from going too simple, I layered on some of my favorite gold pieces by local jewelry makers Love Tatum and Thatch.  I’m happy to call the ladies that run these amazing companies friends, and highly encourage you to check out their work.  When it comes to everyday jewelry, they are my go-to’s for sleek sophistication.

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How to Find Your Signature Scent: Fragrance Combining With Jo Malone London

Jo MaloneJo Malone Jo Malone Jo Malone Jo MaloneJo Malone Jo Malone

Jo Malone London Dark Amber & Ginger Lily perfume
Jo Malone London Oud & Bergamot body creme // Vintage kimono

Last week I visited the Jo Malone London boutique in the UTC mall.  I’ve long been a fan of Jo Malone London scents but had never experienced the boutique setting outside of a department store.  Beautifully decorated with their signature black & white color palette, it of course smells as divine as you would imagine.

If you’re not familiar with the Jo Malone London philosophy, they are the original masters of fragrance combining.  While you can of course wear each scent alone, their fragrances are best worn by layering two together.  As you know, I’m a big fan of bespoke pieces, so the opportunity to create my own signature scent was super exciting.

We started with a walkthrough of the fragrances I’m most familiar with (Lime Basil & Mandarin being a fave).  Its clean, citrus scent is the perfect base in which to start layering.  After a reintroduction to the classics, I wanted to experiment with something more intense.  English Oak & Hazelnut is a spicy fragrance perfect for winter.  I was immediately hooked.

One advantage of the boutique experience is being treated to a complimentary hand and arm massage with your choice fragrance combination.  It’s a great way to determine how the layering mixes with your pheromones, so you can easily experience your potential signature scent.  They also offer this service to groups, so if you want to grab some girlfriends and make it a day, do it!

The combo I chose is perfect for any season because it has a clean base and a spicy top-note.  I seriously couldn’t stop smelling my wrist for the rest of the day.

But I was ready for something even darker.  There are seven Intense Colognes.  Packaged in moody black glass bottles, I knew they were for me.  Two hit me instantaneously – Dark Amber & Ginger Lily and Oud & Bergamot.  They encompassed all of my favorites – musk, citrus and soft florals.

Worn together, I feel a bit like a Bond Girl – confident, strong and sultry.  No wonder my signature scent had to be photographed with a vintage kimono.  Any old OOTD wouldn’t do.

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An Updated Take on Pajama Dressing

Updated Pajama LookUpdated Pajama LookUpdated Pajama LookUpdated Pajama Look Updated Pajama Look Updated Pajama LookUpdated Pajama Look Updated Pajama Look Vince coat (under $100 versions here and here)
Club Monaco pajama top, sold out (similar versions here and here)
Madewell jeans (non-maternity version here) // Prada pumps (under $40 version here)

Exactly a year ago I posted a look featuring pajamas.  It was perhaps my most controversial OOTD to date.  While shooting it, several people stopped to tell me how ridiculous I looked and call me names.  Was I taken aback?  Yeah.  How could my outfit be so important to others?  They weren’t wearing it.  What that experience reinforced for me is the power of personal style.  If something makes you feel good, it transcends more than just outward appearances.  And that outfit made me feel fabulous.  Others be damned.

So, wear what you want.  And wear it proud.

Since that post, pajama dressing has become quite the trend.  I love the relaxed, yet chic vibe it gives and for anyone willing to try it, it’s probably the most comfortable trend you can adopt.  Who wouldn’t want to walk around in their pajamas all day?

As I move further into my pregnancy, the new style icon I adopted becomes more and more prominent.  Flowing, drapey fabrics and anything tunic-like has my name on it.

When this silk pajama top went on sale, I immediately snatched it up.  Extremely comfortable with a forgiving silhouette, it was dying to be paired with another comfy counterpart – the most robe-like coat I could find.  Thus, pajama dressing 2.0 was born.

No matter how comfortable I dress, you can never totally take the glam out of me, so of course this OOTD needed killer shoes.  Prada totally killed it with their F/W17 collection – I might need an intervention – and when these babies went on sale, they become another holiday sale season conquest.  If you love the look but not the price tag, check out these amazing $39 dupes.

What do you think of the pajama trend?  Let me know in the comments if you’ve given it a try!

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Where to Find Affordable, Quality Denim

Unpublished DenimUnpublished DenimUnpublished DenimUnpublished DenimUnpublished Denim Unpublished Denim Unpublished DenimUnpublished Denim Unpublished DenimUnpublished Denim

Unpublished Kora jeans (c/o) // Vince sweater (40% off) // Karen Walker sunglasses
Foley + Corinna handbag // Habille Italy shoes (similar here and here)

Since becoming pregnant, denim is the one thing I’ve had to temporarily put on hold.  As someone completely obsessed with wearing denim, this has been reallllly hard.  While I can still pull on my normal jeans, buttoning them proves to be a problem.  I’ve tried belly bands, but they just aren’t my thing.  Maybe it’s the knowledge of knowing I’m walking around with my pants unbuttoned, but I just couldn’t get on board.  Clothes either fit or they don’t in my book.

There are some great maternity jeans out there (which I’ll get into in a future post) but the idea of spending money on something that I’ll wear for a very short period of my life doesn’t sit well with me.  So, the hunt was on.  Where could I find affordable, comfortable jeans that fit during my in-between phase, but would still look great after baby?

Towards the end of 2017, I connected with Unpublished, a denim line out of LA with an unapologetic, ‘wear what you want’ mentality.  I was amazed by the sophisticated cuts and excellent wash options they had at such an affordable pricepoint – their jeans average $60 per pair.

  • Pro tip: if you want to know the difference between a cheap pair of jeans and a quality pair of jeans, look at the wash.  Cheap jeans look like they were dyed with a spray gun.  Quality jeans have varied tonality and deep pigment (even in a light wash) that are part of the thread count, not sitting on top of it.

The best dye houses in the world are in Los Angeles, so I knew Unpublished was the real deal.

As I waited for my jeans to arrive, I was nervous.  What if they didn’t fit?  Would this be another example of something I’d have to put on hold until after baby?

When I slipped them on in my normal pre-pregnancy size and could button them, I freaked out.  I immediately ran to my husband and screamed “look at these, they fit!”

The soft, stretchy fabric is incredibly comfortable and holds its shape, unlike a lot of other brands at this pricepoint.  No sagging fabric; my legs and butt looked great.  The 9 inch mid-rise style is perfect for me, but they also come in a 10 inch high-rise. 

It’s a huge benefit for me as a denim lover to be able to wear high quality, affordable jeans that are so flattering and forgiving.  I’ve never liked the idea of “maternity clothing” so being able to wear a contemporary line while pregnant (that I’ll wear just as much after baby) is incredible!

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