HI-STYLE LADY DATE

How cool is this? Thanks to our friends over at Hip.Hip.Hooray! Check out their Etsy shop opening March 24th.

One frozen weekend, MVM decided she'd had enough of snowy DC - so she escaped, luggage in hand, to the welcoming shores of sunny LA. From Santa Monica to Seal Beach, MVM reveled in the clear skies and streets lined with palm trees and people who have never heard the words "blizzard warning in effect." Magical. 

Besides lazing at the beach and "hiking" Runyon Canyon, one could argue that shopping is one of Southern California's main pastimes. So MVM met MKS at one of Orange County's finest retail establishments, South Coast Plaza, for a little lunch and browsing - when in Rome, right?

What transpired was a Lady Date of epic proportions.  

The plan was to meet at Bloomingdale's, posthaste. MKS was a little late, so MVM had to...amuse herself. Thank goodness Sugarfina was close by. Champagne and rosé gummies for all! 

Next up was a lunch res for two at Marché Moderne, the only place for a chic ladies' lunch. It's not hard to find, located right across from the Louboutin store - not a bad neighborhood!

MKS went with the Spontané Menu, MVM the prosciutto trio with a side of pomme frites, and both said #YESWAYROSÉ

The prosciutto platter of  everyone's dreams

Dessert was a blackberry eclair & champagne gummi bears, naturally. 

Post-lunch was shopping, shopping, shopping. There's no better activity after stuffing yourself with delicious French fare than stuffing yourself into new duds.  Zara was an obvious first stop to check out their spring offerings - we found a couple winners, and a couple...somethings.

Perhaps we'll leave the twinning to MVM & MEM

Next up, the maze of cosmetic wonders at Saks. 

Somehow we made it out wallets unscathed - but don't worry, Tom, we'll be back for your nudes in no time. MKS couldn't get enough of Blush Nude, while MVM was all about some Pink Tease. 

Huntin' for luxxxury.

Now, for the surprise twist portion of our program - did anyone else realize that Club Monaco is KILLIN' it for spring?!

Someone's excited. 

Club Monaco, once a younger, preppier, more expensive version of Talbots, has transformed into a younger, preppier, just as expensive version of Anthropologie. Where I once expected to find navy and white sweater sets, I now find silk shirts on par with Equipment, and fuzzy bombers any HI-STYLER would kill to wear. 

The most fashionable little lamb. 

While we did try a few stunners on, the cuteness of the clothes did not overwhelm the heftiness of the price tags - until your next sale, CM!

Dressing room battleground. 

And thus concludes our HI-STYLE Lady Date - 

we're already longing for the next one.