The Spring Midi Skirt

May 6, 2015 Kelly Donohue

May 6, 2015

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Los Angeles, CA

Everyone’s favorite winter staple is stepping its way into spring.

Remember that midi skirt I wore back in January while hiking the hills of San Francisco? Well it’s making a comeback here today.

Bouncy, fun and oh so feminine it’s perfect for a daytime brunch or in my case here, a dinner downtown. There is something so inherently fun about wearing this skirt. Skipping along the city streets, I actually began to forget all about how far I was walking or the fact that I had forgotten to bring a coat. It’s the perfect alternative to your traditional evening get-up.

So go ahead, get girly and try out the cross-seasonal midi.

Midi Skirt: Chicwish (On Sale Now!)

Tie Up Wedges: Material Girl

Lips: Sephora

Striped Cropped Tee: Forever 21 (Similar)

Necklace: c/o Charming Charlie

Bracelet: Madewell

Shop This Look:

Photos By: Danny Fung

Dance It Off

August 20, 2014 Kelly Donohue

August 20, 2014

Downtown Los Angeles, CA.

Taylor Swift really has an affect on me. She released this video “Shake it off” on Monday and last night, I found myself in a dance class for the first time in YEARS. I joined a group of my friends and crashed their regular hip-hop class downtown. Initially embarrassed by my tight leggings and ballet attire, which caused me to stick out amongst the sea of dancers clad in flannels and baggy clothing, I took Taylor’s approach and danced it out my own way. Everyone in the class had the same approach. No one cared about skill level, or getting the combination perfectly. In fact, a girl came to the front and essentially reinvented her own version of twerking halfway through the combination. It was amazing! She totally abandoned the steps, did her own thing, and was applauded by everyone for doing so because after all dance, art, and life is only made interesting by making and choosing to do it your own way.

After dance class, we hit up Taco Tuesday at Casa La Dona, for a well-deserved delicious feast! If you’re looking to find a great Mexican spot, this place is a MUST. It’s not a fancy shmancy place, but it is tasty, the service is amazing, and the food has got just the right amount of spice!

Now, it is a well-known fact that Los Angeles is always sunny and glorious but it is a bit less known that most nights are quite cool. Therefore, I embrace steamy evenings like last night and I dress myself accordingly. I paired high-waisted black shorts with a lightweight cropped sweater tee and some black heels. It was a fun dinner outfit perfect for a warm summer on the town. (Now if only I could l learn to dance in heels!)

Things are lightening up this Fall and one of the latest trends I’ve noticed is sizing down purses. That’s right, we’re trading in oversized purses for mini bags this upcoming season and being the owner of several Mary Poppins-type bags myself, this is one trend I am getting a head start on. I chose this little over the shoulder pink purse for my evening out on the town. It’s just big enough for my essentials and nothing more!

Kelly's Under $100 Look:

Pocket Shorts: $17.80 Forever21

Earrings: c/o ThatsMineBoutique!

Striped Oatmeal & Black Top: $15.80 Forever21

Heels: (On Sale right now) $34.99 J essica Simpson

Pink Shoulder Purse: (mine is old from H&M) but check out this similar one here

Total: $68.59

Shop this Look Here!

Photos by: Art Voskonian

New Habits.

August 18, 2014 Kelly Donohue

August 18, 2014

Disney Concert Hall

Do you find yourself ordering the same dish every time you return back to the same restaurant with the same group of friends in the same part of town? Do you frequent your favorite vacation spots year after year, stick to similar workout regimens, and diversify your grocery list only when you need to grab ingredients for your go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe? If the answer is yes to some or all of the above, then it’s pretty safe to say, that like me, and most of the planet, you are a creature of habit.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with finding peace in a ritualistic behavior that provides repetitive comfort. It’s a great feeling to know what you are getting yourself into, especially if it is something you’ve enjoyed in the past. However, it can also be great to change up your routine from time to time because quite frankly, if you continue to see the world through one very limited lens, there’s a good chance you might miss out on all the things that are to become your new favorite habits.

Since I often stick to local eateries and similar weekend activities on my side of town, I have decided to make it a goal to explore different parts of the city. This weekend I met up with some friends downtown (a part of LA I usually reserve only for making trips to serve jury duty). We tried out a delicious new Italian spot called Drago Centro, but before that, we made a stop at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Home to the LA Philharmonic, this architectural masterpiece sits in the heart of the city and though I have driven past it before, I had never ventured inside. Tall and sail-like, the structure is designed to help to block out the noise of the surrounding city, creating a peaceful oasis that overlooks nearby skyscrapers and traffic lights. Spending most of our visit relaxing in the pristine community garden, which is open to the public, it was a simple outing made to be more exciting through my new visiting eyes.

For my night out downtown, I wore a vintage inspired tea dress from Forever21. The pleated skirt is girly, flattering and makes popping around the city even more enjoyable. Sometimes I think that my wardrobe is made up of 90% dresses because they are just so hard to resist! With the right dress, you can get away with minimal accessories and jewelry, while still managing to look complete. I paired my everyday silver studs with a handmade red sailor knot necklace from 9th & Elm, which was just enough. I love 9th & Elm because everything is handmade by independent designers, making them one of a kind. Oh and what’s even better? Everything is always on sale!

So go ahead eat more greens, take a different route to work, or simply explore a new part of your city, but make a habit of changing up your routine because you never know what you’ll discover.