A LOVE LETTER TO LAS VEGAS

**The Neon Museum** **- a MUST see - wearing an H&M crochet dress, bike shorts, Michael Kors heels.**

When my friend Laura came to me in March of 2021 and asked if I wanted to go to Las Vegas for her birthday in August, naturally I said yes. Almost a year to the date into the pandemic, the thought of any trip sounded incredible. Some of the back story here: I’m 31 and had never been to Vegas and kind of thought I had aged out of it. I wasn’t sure it was a place I needed to go or a place that I could enjoy anymore. But Laura is a Vegas queen – knows all the best hotels, shows, restaurants, clubs and knows all the insider tips. So, I figured: hey, if I’m going to do Vegas once, why not do it with a pro? From the moment we bought our plane tickets, I committed to making this trip all about the looks. This was an opportunity to really go all out and I wasn’t going to pass it up – aka let me pack everything I own with sequins. We planned to stay for 4 days - which I’ve been told and can confirm is the perfect amount of time in Vegas. Every piece that was packed was carefully and thoughtfully selected to suit the activity and I had SO much fun doing it!

Is it just me or do hotel beds just hit differently?! Some of my best sleeps have been in big, plushy hotel beds and the Delano was no exception. Loved this hotel because it wasn’t as packed as a Caesar’s or Cosmopolitan. Our first full day started with the notorious brunch buffet at the Wynn. I swear we stepped through the looking glass and fell straight into a mad tea party in Wonderland. If the architecture, patterns, and colors aren’t enough to dazzle you, the actual buffet certainly will; intricate pastry towers, beautiful fruit displays, and everything you need for a perfectly balanced sweet and savory dream. The ambiance and the mimosas were so good, we eased our way through brunch for three hours. I wanted to stroll in exuding easy, breezy 70s lounge vibes. Enter: the orange and pink silk set from Zara, one that I hunted down for many months. I partnered it with yellow-tinted Ray Bans (for that true retro feel) and vintage dangle earrings for just a touch of sparkle. It was like a Real-Housewives-Vacation-Episode fantasy - except that their silk lounge suits are Fendi and Gucci, not Zara (ha!) This entire look, excluding the shoes and the bag, was sourced from Poshmark for under $200 - well below retail cost. The clutch is an oldie from my Anthropologie days and the shoes are Michael Kors that I bought early this year to replace a similar style shoe of mine that had finally kicked the bucket. These are what I like to call “an investment piece” - something that is a bit higher in cost, but will be a key player in my wardrobe and, ultimately, pay for itself. Thus far, these shoes have been worth EVERY penny - beautiful leather quality and comfortable for a heel so high!

Friday night, following our relaxing brunch day, we enjoyed a delicious dinner with a view at Lago inside the Bellagio (10 out of 10 on the espresso martinis), getting a front row seat to the iconic fountains, poetically synchronized with Frank Sinatra. But the entertainment was only getting started. Our big show for the evening? RuPaul’s Drag Race Live. When choosing ensembles for the night, the girls and I took a few notes from our drag race education and covered all the bases: feathers, lace, and beading. I only got two photos in this dress (and the second one is terrible) which is such a sin considering how fun and colorful it is! A fully beaded Free People find from (you guessed it!) Poshmark, it was the obvious choice for a night spent with drag queens. I paired it with those trusty Michael Kors and gold, dangly earrings from Asos. The bag (not pictured - but will be later) was a vintage find from Etsy - a crossbody with a gold tiger adorned on the front - fitting for “Kitty Girls’ Night Out”. Our nightcap was Kaskade at OMNIA nightclub. I’m not typically into DJs, but even I know that Kaskade is a household name so to see him live in Vegas was a pretty cool way to end our first night.

Saturday was Laura’s actual birthday – her 28th birthday on the 28th – her golden birthday! This was the easiest outfit to choose when packing: we wanted to sparkle bright like the Vegas strip, baby! This look is brought to you by Laura, herself, who just so happened to have this glittery little number for me to borrow. Seriously. Everywhere I walked near any source of light, I was like a disco ball and I. Was. LIVING for it! The earrings are (once again) some oldie Anthro beauties and the shoes are Jeffrey Campbell - another surprisingly comfortable and easy-to-walk-in pump. In our coordinating gold outfits, channeling some serious “Supremes” girl group energy, we strutted through the hotel for dinner at Foundation Room, then commuted over to Excalibur for the full ladies night out experience at Thunder from Down Under. Now I don’t want to spoil everything for those that have never been, but the name really says it all. Just buy the tickets, you won’t regret it. We closed Laura’s birthday out with the largest vodka sodas I’ve ever had in my life at Encore Beach Club watching Shaq (yes – that one) DJ live. I can confirm he really is bigger than he appears - much like that vodka soda.

Sunday was intentionally left open to take it easy before our trip back to the east coast. We took an (almost full) tour of the strip, did some shopping, and got an up-close look at the different hotels we hadn’t been to yet: the Flamingo (did you know there are actual flamingos at the Flamingo hotel?), Caesar’s Palace (no – we didn’t ask if Caesar really lived there), and the Venetian (for a little while I forgot we were still in the US and not Italy). Shopping is also way more fun in an open container town when you can carry a frozen daiquiri with you. But the crown jewel of our entire weekend was at Delilah, a supper club that had been open just over a month at the time of our trip. Before I walk you through what was one of the most exquisite dining experiences I’ve ever had, I should tell you (if you’re not already aware), that I live and die for the beauty in the details so I had zero doubts I would love this place. Every nook and cranny of Delilah, from the Hermès fabrics down to the tiny cut glass jar for my martini olive pick, was drenched in luxury. The jazz singer’s buttery smooth voice partnered with the stunning lounge dancers, dripping in flapper-style sequins, was magic in every sense of the word. The cocktails were effortlessly cool, with just enough presentation to leave a mark on your memory (best dirty martini of the trip, btw). And the food! ::chef’s kiss:: I could’ve sat at that table for hours, submerged in my element and surrounded by vintage glamour. (You can look Delilah up on Instagram – they don’t allow cameras inside so I couldn’t take any photos!)

It was the perfect opportunity for a bright fuchsia sequin duster moment - again, only managed ONE decent photo in this look and it was probably my favorite of the entire trip. The duster is actually a wrap dress from Asos worn over a black knee-length catsuit for a bit of a modern twist. To pull it all together, I accessorized with those same vintage earrings and Anthro bag from brunch, mauve Steve Madden pumps (admittedly NOT as comfortable to walk in) and a secondhand Moschino belt. The day time look is about as easy as can be: the comfiest bike shorts on the planet from Amazon, the comfiest bralette on the planet from Everlane, Laura’s borrowed Forever-21-but-looks-like-Versace kimono, and fedora (also) from Amazon. Oh - and peep that tiger crossbody. ;)

I’m here to tell you: I’m officially a Vegas believer. I certainly knew we would have a good time, but I never expected to feel so complete and utterly ALIVE on a vacation. From the moment we arrived and walked into the doors at the Delano, my veins felt like a neon casino sign: buzzing with electricity – and it never stopped the entire trip. Hard to tell if it was from being quarantined for 18 months or if it was something more, but I felt like my most authentic self had awoken from hibernation. Las Vegas isn’t only what you saw in The Hangover. It’s not all packed, sweaty clubs and ripping shots (unless that’s what you’re into!) I got to experience and enjoy so many of my favorite things (good food and drinks, great shopping, Australian accents, etc.) and got to showcase my personal style in fun, creative, and exciting ways that I don’t normally get to in Philly. It was a trip that has left its mark on me in so many incredible ways - one of those being a strong reminder of how powerful clothes can be. Lesson learned: life’s short; wear the sequins.

Las Vegas, thank you for surprising me in the most delightful ways. This is my love letter to you.

(Don’t worry Detroit. You’re still my number one. ;)

Xo L

QUARAN-CHIC