Countdown to Coachella Style Series

I've done numerous shoots with wedding and lifestyle photographer Shawna of Bleudog Fotography, usually for a Swell Beauty tutorial, and we were so excited to get together this past weekend to photograph a Coachella-inspired shoot. Shawna set up the darn cutest Peruvian pillow nook which I would like to nap in every day if I could, and it would make for a fine camp out lounge spot if I was actually attending the Coachella music festival and camping on the festival grounds. I will be attending day parties on April 11 of weekend 1 and can't wait to share those adventures with you!

In the meantime, check out look 1 of my Coachella Style Series for 2015! I especially love this hat because of the wide brim which is great for shading my face from the hot desert sun; a big hat calls for big sunglasses which is exactly what these round shades were, and I especially love the two-tone gradient lenses which give this look an ultra-hippie vibe.

I styled a lace crochet top with high-waisted cloud washed shorts and completed the look with a lace kimono and booties. Can't forget to accessorize; Raptor Jewelry is more than fitting for any Coachella of boho/gypsy look; I love how this zinc necklace has such beautiful detail that really embellishes this outfit.

Hat, Vince Camuto from Saks OFF 5th
Sunglasses (Similar Pair Here), Unknown Brand
Lace Bralette, Forever 21
Kimono, Bohemia Boutiques
Drawstring Shorts, Michael Stars
Zinc Necklace, Raptor Jewelry
Booties, GoJane
Photos taken by Shawna of Bleudog Fotography

Rose La Grua FW15 at LA Fashion Council Collection Showings

Every season, I'm anxious to see what LA designer Rose La Grua has created, this year she showed her collection at LA Fashion Council FW15 Collection showings at Maker City LA. She has such a unique touch and flair about her line 'That's Totally Fine', and as I have been in awe of her designs in past seasons, she did it again for her Fall/Winter 2015 collection, "cream dream", inspired by vintage lingerie. This vintage theme also carried out with the glamorous wavy hair her models donned, as well as their opulent jewelry and pointed heels or flats. La Grua always finds some way to make even a slip dress or silk shorts interesting whether it adding bows or ties in different places, or mixing contrasting fabrics; my favorites included a square paneled vest and voluminous peplum coat. Her designs were classic, clean, feminine, and flirty, and she focused on all natural fibers, using wool, linen, and silk for her pieces all in a monochromatic palette.

Visiting Vietnam's Pink Church - Nh� th? T�n �?nh

While in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam this past Summer, Andrew and I were on the way out from having lunch at The Lunch Lady, when we got to exploring the area and stumbled upon this amazing pink church! I can't handle how glorious the church is with it's bright pink color and Romaneqsue architecture; which was built during the French Colonial period in the 1870s and later refurbished and repainted to it's memorable pink color in 1957. It stands as Saigon's second largest church in the city and is one of the favorite churches alongside the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica. I wished I could have gone inside but you can read more about the history and see photos of inside the pink church here! If you're planning on visiting Saigon, you must visit this church, here's how:

Nh� th? T�n �?nh (Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ/ The Pink Church)
289 Hai B� Trung, Phu?ng 8,
Qu?n 3, Th�nh ph? H? Ch� Minh

Telephone: 84 (0) 8 3829 0093
E-mail: vovananh@hcm.fpt.vn
Visiting Hours: By permission of Father V� Van �nh, from 8am-11am, 2pm-4.30pm Tue-Sat

Due to the heat and humidity (this was during July, yes, monsoon season) that I wasn't accustomed to, I  had packed plenty of loose and light clothing, but which also gave me coverage so I wouldn't be eaten alive by mosquitoes. My Michael Stars tops were perfect for this weather as they were not only light, but also breathable. For my this look, I styled a full-leg jogger pant with a loose tank (bralette underneath) and tied a long sleeve shirt around my waist in case I needed to wear it later to cover up my arms. My LeSportsac Small Edie Backpack, which not only matched the pink church, was the perfect travel companion; it was an easy size but held all my essentials, has a side zipper for seamless access into the backpack if I don't want to open the flap, and it has a main drawstring and flap closure which makes it's more difficult for pick-pocketers to open. See the details of my entire look below:

Aviator Sunglasses, Ebay
Small Edie Backpack, LeSportsac
60 Singles Scoopneck Tank, Michael Stars
Button Up High Low Shirt, Michael Stars
Drawstring Pant, Ebay
Sandals, H&M
Photos taken by Andrew Nguyen

OC Fashion Week Avant Garde FW 2015

My co-editor (Alpha/Omega Magazine) Andrew and I attended the 6th day of OC Fashion Week's show schedule at Anqi Bistro, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA. The runway line up included mens and womens designers ranging in a wide spectrum of designs and creations. The first, Hidden Warriors showcased cancer survivors with a 'warrior makeover'; second was rave wear Conspire by Jessica Johnson, which I felt some well crafted, others looked a bit more 'home crafted' with the scraps of fabric or embellishments; third was Porter South, a menswear label that translated as ready-to-wear but still had stand out unique designs (dying over the leather studded jacket and drop crotch pants); the forth, Elizabeth Celaya which I thought was the most avant-garde and some pieces could also be assimilated into mainstream fashion but still maintaining its intriguing elements; and lastly Stevie Boi's eyewear collection which was bold and fun. The show was very high energy, once it got started (was delayed by 45 minutes); and leading up to the show was chaotic as guests had to wait in a long line outside for entry and once inside, trying to find their seats or tables was a messy situation with some expressing that their seats were taken; therefore signage on seating and a more thought out seating process would help facilitate a smoother check in. I feel like I have a love/hate relationship with this venue, as it peeves me that I can see models and staff walking back and forth behind the runway; but hey, the garlic noodles were delicious as usual.Thank you to runway coordinator Hien for making sure Andrew and I were taken care of! See the OC Fashion Week's video of the event at the bottom of the post!

Hidden Warriors - Therapeutic & Transformative Avant-Garde Designer featuring Cancer-Survivor Models Conspire - Rave Designer Jessica Johnson Porter South - Designer Miranda Amelia and featuring America's Next Top Model Will Jardell Elizabeth CelayaStevie Boi Eyewear - CR3AM Collection featuring America's Next Top Models Lisa d'Amato and Will Jardell

Visiting Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

While visiting Vegas, Scott and I wanted to explore the Red Rock Canyon National Conversation Area, which was an easy 25 minute ride (17 miles) from the Vegas Strip. We enjoyed a 13-mile scenic drive and stopped at a few different spots to take pictures (no hiking this time, check out when we hiked Zion); and we saw quite a few desert tortoise crossing signs, hoping to catch one, but no luck!

You can choose to just drive the scenic route, or park alongside the road or in one of the designated lots and hike or do other recreation activities within the Red Rock formations. The cost to visit the park for one day is $7/Private Vehicle, see all of the other Amenity Fees and Passes here. The Visitor Center was also very informative and houses innovative exhibits to share knowledge about the Red Rock's geology and surrounding area, and has a bookstore (a major plus that there are clean restrooms as well).

This was a great nature detour before continuing onto the rest of our stay at Downtown Las Vegas; can you believe that more than a million people visit the area every year and can experience more than 30 miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, picnic areas, and nature observing? All in all, Red Rock Canyon should be a definite stop when staying in Vegas; and check out my outfit from this trip here.