Miami Style Map: The Colors of Calle Ocho

I can't take credit for the idea behind this shoot, so before I embark on a style ramble, I have to give mad props to my photographer and friend, Liz of Ra-Haus (http://ra-haus.com/) who was the brain child of this creative concept! 

I've been wanting to shoot in Little Havana for some time because if its nostalgic familiarity and because it's such a colorful and historic part of Miami's landscape and culture. It's the epicenter of so much of the Cuban community and I have nothing but wonderful memories of growing up in the neighborhood. I learned how to play dominoes at a very early age and would spend most afternoons with my abuela playing bingo with the other viejas on the block, drinking cafecito and eating way too many biscochos. Many Halloweens were spent trick or treating with kids from the neighborhood and every year for the 'Parada de los Reyes Magos (3 kings parade)', my grandmother and I would head out early with our plastic fold up chairs to get a prime spot along the route. 

This is the Little Havana I remember. And this is what I initially set out to capture. But as I drove along my old street and past old storefronts from my youth, I felt a bit stripped of that innocent memory. Yes, the spirit and vibrancy that make this neighborhood a thriving cultural reminder of our richness and personal sacrifices still remain in pockets, but physically it wasn't the same. But I didn't want to focus on how things had changed or how they could be better. As we know, some things have to be broken down in order to be built back up and there are signs of life being injected into recapturing the essence of what Little Havana was in its prime. What I did see were rich colors, and story-telling murals and they were quite beautiful. And as Lizzie and I drove around and kept pointing them out, she brought up an idea- instead of shooting at a landmark or a specific location, why not play with the colors? There's a supply and demand of colors not just in the physical sense, but metaphorically, the colors of this ever-changing neighborhood were still alive. 

We chose to do a sequence of four- and off we went on our merry way in search of the 'Colors of Calle Ocho' and this is what we created using my insanely wild and loud tropical print jumper as the supporting actor in this story! 

On Me:

-Jumper- Boohoo Official

- Shoes- Steve Madden

- Bracelet- Charlene K (via Rocksbox) 

In Style, 

Kat 

Miami Style Map: A Tropical-Infused Double Take

I bet the first thing some of you will say when you see my latest blog photos is, "Hey, I know that wall!" This wall is part of the Miami zeitgeist- off the beaten path of other known landmarks on Miami Beach or even Calle Ocho. It's an iconic piece of art that's part of a longstanding bird store called Sinbad's. If you're travels take you on the Bird Road path, then chances are this birds of paradise mural has probably caught your eye while sitting in traffic or zipping westbound on your commute. It's wild. Literally. 

I liked where Natalie's (from Suna Photography) head was at when she pre-selected this spot in our Bird Road District adventures. I was feeling like a Jungle Queen in her natural habitat (just as long as any of these painted beasts didn't jump off their canvas to eat me in my pretty dress). 

I absolutely love this tropical print dress I scored while at a recent visit to another Bird Road landmark, Miami Twice and I am even more excited to wear it during Swim Week. I wanted to do something different, though. I wanted to show my fellow fashionistas how to wear one dress two different ways. That way, whenever you feel like you have nothing to wear or "I already wore that dress on Facebook" (because let's face it, Facebook kills fashion), there's always the opportunity to give your favorite dress a second chance. 

So this particular look is quite simple. Keep it sexy and beachy with a pair of statement heels or wedges. Something that gives you length- think taller than Tom Cruise length. And put on a bright lip for added effect. Add a clutch, some cool earrings, and call it wrap! 

Grab your girlfriends and go out dancing! 

Give a feminine dress a downtown spin by adding tougher accessories. I love a good tailored blazer over a dress. I call it my other 'NY uniform' since it's perfect for transitioning from season to season. It also can make a va-va-voom dress more proper and conservative without being dowdy. My studded boots from Free People play off the tropical print by giving it a more rough and tough look and feel. I finished it off with a hat, some bad ass art deco chandelier earrings, and an off white clutch that rounds up the whole outfit. 

Now take me out to listen to some good music! 

On Me: 
Dress- Miami Twice
Shoes (First look)- Payless 
Clutch (first look)- Big Buddha 
Earrings- Forever 21 

Shoes (second look)- Free People
Clutch (second look)- Aldo 
Hat (second look)- Nasty Gal

In Style, 

Kat

Miami Style Map: Tropi-cool and Cafecitos

Welcome to Miami where cafecito machines are brewing all over the 305!

No one takes their 'cafecito' breaks more seriously than Miamians. And you'll often find the coffee fiends at outposts just like these taking swigs of grinded fuel before heading out to conquer the world. 

What started off as a cafecito pit stop for photographer, Natalie and I, turned into an impromptu photo shoot on our day together and these photos were actually my favorite ones of the batch!  

Sometimes I never know where we end up shooting. Locations serendipitously pop up as we are driving around or on our way to a certain spot, and such was the case with this gem we came across on our shooting adventures in the Bird Road Arts District. As I was sipping on my cafecito, Natalie whips out her camera and says, "I'm going to take some pictures of you. This could be cool." Voila, mon amis. She was right. 

The cafeteria stand was an explosion of color I didn't expect and when you add my vintage red and white tropi-cool blouse (another Baton Rouge score) to the mix, it's like a bright paint box spillage on a rather industrialized canvas. And it works! 

I paired it with a pair of black high-waisted pants, pointy leopard loafers, and my boater hat to add more visual sparks to the look, plus this is how I wore the look in real time. No gimmicks.  I love the way the blouse looks tucked in the pants. There are a few 90s trends that I can't quite let go of, and this is one of them. I make no apologies when I channel my inner Jesse Spano!

On Me:

Top- Aristocracy Bohemia (Baton Rouge)
Pants- H&M
Hat- H&M
Flats- Steve Madden

In Style, 

Kat 

Miami Style Map: Riding Dirty in Nasty Gal

The sweltering Miami heat has descended upon the U.S's most tropical city, which means it's time to wear as little clothes as possible (every boy's dream), or at least the most lightweight unless you plan to masochistically melt away in the name of fashion. I choose to live between the two extremes, as is evident in today's outfit post! 

Sure, I know what you're thinking, "B#$tch be crazy for wearing a long sleeve crop top in 95 degree weather." Well yes, I will most definitely agree with you on that, but there is reason to my madness. We all suffer and sacrifice just a tiny bit for the sake of looking good, don't we? 

I call this my magic crop top, because how could a long sleeve, high neck top actually be warm? Besides being perfectly form fitting, the top is paper thin. It's a breathable fabric that almost feels like the most nonexistent second skin you'll wear. It laughs in the face of 90 degree days. 

A very dear friend, who like me, is always on the hunt for a good deal, turned me on to Nasty Gal, the online shopping site launched by one time dumpster-diver turned entrepreneurial GirlBoss, Sophia Amuroso. Nasty Gal offers an impressive selection of vintage items as well as budget-friendly trend pieces, like my magic crop top. Also from Nasty Gal, this $18 black boater hat that should basically be glued to my head because it's fabulously grungy. 

I opted to wear the striped crop top with my colorful tropical print shorts and I'm obsessing over how darn cute this color/print combination flows. What makes this casual outfit shine though, is the setting. The talented, Natalie, from Suna Photography http://www.sunaphotography.com/, scavenged all the trains on the lot to find the cart that would best compliment the outfit. She successfully found the 'Flagler' cart, which happened to be the train of choice for travelers headed to Key West. I call that a fashion Bingo in my book. The vintage checkered black and white floors alongside the sea green window panes and mid-century aqua leather seats, added to the laid back summer vibe of the look. 

This look called for simple yet stylish footwear. Sandals would have been too obvious and boots just didn't feel right. My woven loafers tied up this outfit effortlessly. 

My magic crop top and I are going places in this look. 

On Me: 

Crop Top- Nasty Gal
Boater hat- Nasty Gal
Shorts- Forever 21
Shoes- Cole Haan 

In Style, 

Kat 

Miami Style Map: Lush in Print on Miami Beach

The secret garden knows no limits when faced with fierce fashion. I'm a sucker for a tropical print, especially ones that look dated, like wallpaper in a musky seawater-stenched Florida time share somewhere in Central Florida. I can appreciate it's liveliness, it's instant perkability (I just totally made that word up) and let's call it what it is, it's just FUN. And paired with a classic print like polka dots, well, it's a party and everyone is invited! 

I have to give big, and I mean, BIG, props to photographer, Justin Namon, the other equally talented half of Rahaus Fotografie who saw my look and said, "I know exactly where we're going with this." I've been sworn to secrecy in regards to location (I'll let you savvy fashion detectives figure it out) but as soon as we reached the spot, my first reaction was, "Of course! Bingo." 

I love the way my tropical blouse (courtesy of Pixie Market) successfully photobombs the lush landscape. It's like the trees are all bowing down to the amazingness of this mixed print look. Notice how every button on my blouse is buttoned all the way up to the collar. I call it uptight fashion, but really it's clean and very ladylike.  This look called for open toe sandals. I wore my Sam Edelman black and nude wedges that deliver modernity in their simplicity. 

I've been embracing the hot Miami weather when it comes to letting my hair breathe and take on a form of it's own. Usually it takes the form of Kelly Kapowski hair, which I'm perfectly okay with since Kelly was such a babe (just ask Zach and Slater). Not to sound completely narcissistic, which I'm not (only a little) but Justin really outlined all the details impeccably in this last image- the buttoned up collar, the cat-eye sunnies that really compliment a round face, and my very vivid red-orange smackers. It feels very Old Hollywood vacationing in Palm Beach. The greens and corals of these Stella and Dot earrings compliment both the blouse and polka dots of the outfit. 

And last not least, this pretty shot! The versatility of this geometric clutch by Big Buddha is what makes it so fantastic. For this look, I chose to hold the clutch since it's compact yet roomy (keys, iphone, credit cards and a lipstick joyfully coexist). But it also has a chain strap tucked inside if you wish to wear it as a crossbody or on your shoulder. I love the metal detail over the white faux leather background. It's easily convenient if you want to wear it during the day or at night! 

What do you think about this look?

On Me: 

Tropical blouse- Pixie Market  http://www.pixiemarket.com/tropic-print-blouse.html

Polka dot skirt- Forever 21

Shoes- Sam Edelman 

Clutch- Big Buddha http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/big-buddha-orlando-minaudiere/3743023?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=big_buddha_'orlando'_minaudiere:717504&cm_pla=bags:women:handbag&cm_ven=Google_Product_Ads&mr:referralID=7801cfa1-db7d-11e3-bd2c-001b2166becc&origin=pla

Sunnies- Pixie Market http://www.pixiemarket.com/lorde-sunglasses.html

Earrings- Stella and Dot http://www.stelladot.com/shop/en_us/p/jewelry/earrings/earrings-all/naomi-cluster-earrings

In Style,

Kat

Miami Style Map: Shining Bright in the Tropics.

Every once in a while, it's fun to play tourist in your hometown. There are so many undiscovered gems that repeatedly get overlooked simply because they become part of your everyday landscape and you often don't give them a second glance. We take for granted some of the cultural pleasures hidden right in our backyard that are just waiting to be rediscovered and reloved. After 12 years of living in the city and coming back to Miami, I feel like I've landed on new territory. One of my goals while I dive into my Floridian citizenship, is to reconnect with my hometown and reacquaint myself with all the places that not only stir up feelings of carefree nostalgia, but to recapture some of that innocence that usually comes with seeing something new and exciting for the first time. Today I did just that. 

When I was a little girl, I used to spend my weekends on the beaches of Key Biscayne. My mom and I would head to Crandon Park, pack up ham and cheese sandwiches, which would later get soggy and sandy (but still magically delicious) from being out in the sun, and eat them on our towels while we lounged in the sand bars and doused our hair with Sun-In. These are some of my favorite childhood memories of growing up in Miami. The funny thing is that even after going to Key Biscayne so frequently, I never once visited the beautiful lighthouse that still stands at the end of the key (inside the Bill Baggs State Park). But this afternoon, the tourist in me, got to experience that shining beacon (actually, it's under repair) in all it's glory. Nestled amongst palm trees blue skies and tranquil beaches, the lighthouse was such a breathtaking presence that I stood there, mouth agape (hashtag tourist), snapping pictures and just repeating, "wow. This is insane. I can't believe there's a lighthouse here." It was constructed in 1825, rebuilt in 1846, and it's considered the oldest standing structure in the state. Who knew? (not me).

And I love that our photo shoot took place on the grounds of the park thanks to my brilliant photographer, Natalie (one half of Suna Photography) who picked this spot to snap my very lively and colorful one piece stunner! Natalie did my maternity sessions a couple of years ago and I've been a big fan of her work and creative vision since. She has a very organic and easy going shooting style that's clearly noticeable in her photographs. Just take a look for yourself! 

Well hello, jumpsuit! If this one piece tropical sensation doesn't scream "It's Summer!", then you're visually deaf. 

Spring and summer are all about color, color, and more color and this strapless jumper is definitely not lacking in that department. It's dramatic, it's dynamic, and it's fun. 

Since my move to Miami, I'm incorporating some more playful hues into my wardrobe- breaking up the black a bit (though never to be given up) and when I saw this tropical motif one piece at Cheap n' Chic Boutique on Bird, I fell head over heels in love. It's sheer vibrancy caught my eye. 

I love the sweetheart neckline on this piece and love how the fabric loosely drapes across my chest. The fabric belt accentuates my small waistline, which after having a baby, I'm always happy to flaunt.

As to not to take away from the jumper, I kept the accessories minimal. My fuchsia earrings are from my favorite street vendor in the city. I score some one of a kind pieces from the same guy on 17th and 5th. I pulled my hair up in a messy top knot and love the color contrast of my natural brunette tresses and the last of my honey ombre. I think it goes well with the pretty beachy vibe of the outfit. We have to talk about the lips. This bright orange shade is called Magnifique (and magnifique it is) courtesy of Chanel. 

One of my favorite things about this whole look is the shoes. I went with something completely unexpected and paired this floral frock with my faux snakeskin platform heels. Instead of playing it safe with a nude or a black heel, go bolder. 

On Me:

junpsuit- Mustard Seed (from Cheap n' Chic boutique)

Heels- Steve Madden

Earrings- Street Vendor 

In Style, 

Kat