day to night: los angeles

The Steele Maiden: Day to Night Los AngelesIt’s hard for me to believe, but as of next week I will have been living in Los Angeles for an entire year.  And while I’ve talked a bit about my day to day life here, I haven’t really done a proper guide to the city at large…

This city, so sprawling and dynamic, demands far more than just one post but to begin I wanted to spotlight one of my favorite things about living here which is the view.  Drastically different depending on where you are, both of the views shown here are within roughly 30 minutes drive from where our home is.  Meaning by day you can take in the Pacific ocean, iconic Pier, bustling shopping and distant mountains in Santa Monica.  And by night, you can look out across the Hollywood Hills, lights of the city and downtown skyline from the perches of Griffith Park and the accompanying Observatory.  There are few other cities in the world that I’ve traveled that offer such opposing views (and relative ways of life), but I’ve come to feel lucky that for the past year I’ve had the chance to take it all in.

The Steele Maiden: Day to Night Los Angeles


  

trail blazer

The Steele Maiden: Trail Blazer(Ruche Dress; Deux Lux Bag via Marshalls; J.Crew Factory Belt – similar here; Restricted ‘City Search’ Boots c /o available here)
 
Remember back when I was dreaming of this slightly western, rugged yet wearable, and all around perfect for Fall pair of boots?  Well the universe (with a little help from my friends at Restricted) made that happen for me…

I took the subtle southwestern vibe of the boots and ran with it, pairing the look with this new printed shift dress and a deep burgundy bag that is always a Fall favorite of mine.  And while the Santa Monica sun afforded me the chance to wear this sleeveless number with bare legs, I can’t wait to wear the exact same look later in the season with a pair of tights and a cozy cardigan.  There’s nothing like a new pair of boots to leave you feeling like you can blaze new trails – or at the very least, conquer transitional dressing.

The Steele Maiden: Trail Blazer
The Steele Maiden: Trail Blazer
The Steele Maiden: Trail Blazer
The Steele Maiden: Trail Blazer
The Steele Maiden: Trail Blazer
The Steele Maiden: Trail Blazer

 

  

first of fall

The Steele Maiden: First of Fall(Denim Jacket – similar here; H&M Lace Top – similar here; Ruche Dress – old, but I love this orange option; Ruche Bag; Steve Madden flats – old, this pair is a cute alternative)

Remember back when I was pining for a mustard yellow bag for Fall?  Well, Fall is officially here and so is this pretty little yellow bag I ordered the moment I spied it online…



While it’s still fairly warm here, there’s just a hint of cooler weather in the breeze and it’s enough to make me want to swap out all my outfits for an Autumn palette.  This bag is going to be the perfect compliment to navy, deep burgundy and army green, plus any neutral (including these leopard flats – which I’ve worn with so many different looks I now fully consider a neutral).   
The Steele Maiden: First of Fall

The Steele Maiden: First of Fall

The Steele Maiden: First of Fall

The Steele Maiden: First of Fall



weekend flashback

The Steele Maiden: Weekend FlashbackThis weekend was spent welcoming Fall with open arms.  Around here, that means a hike through the canyons in slightly cooler weather, outfit planning with new boots, and cooking up homemade soup that leaves the whole house smelling wonderful all day.  I’ve got a long list of adventures I want to embark on this season and some exciting things planned for the blog.  How do you welcome Fall? 


from where i stand / 06

The Steele Maiden: From Where I Stand - Tuxedo Heels(Original artwork by Jessica Steele)

06/ Wilmington wearing Tuxedo Heels

On my 21st birthday I naturally decided I needed a new pair of grown up heels to wear out to celebrate.  What I came home with were the most beautiful pair of black and white cut out, sky high “tuxedo” heels – all laced up like a present to myself.  At the time my sister was living in Wilmington, DE in an older part of the city that had a long strip of bars and an even longer path of cobbled bricks that led us home.  I’ve still got the scar on my left knee cap from that night’s walk – but, I’ve still got the shoes too (miraculously without a scratch).