Vegas Fashion: A Fire's Paradise

“You’re going WHERE?” That, along with a look of slight disgust, was the reaction we got from a few seasoned west coasters when we told them Las Vegas was our honeymoon destination of choice… to which we justified “well, we figure you won’t find those kinds of prices anywhere else for 5 star hotels.” To us, it was the perfect choice. When trying to decide where to go on our honeymoon, there were 4 important factors we just had to have: affordable to get to, amazing restaurants, pool, and nightlife (well, we had good intentions to go out every night but I’d be lying if I told you we partied the nights away Vegas style. Truth is, after eating delectable meals from our new restaurant obsessions Bouchon and B&B, our food comas usually took us straight to bed). For me, there was a bonus factor: the fashion!

OK - when we think of the fashion in Vegas we might be thinking “more like lack of fashion” – especially at the topless pools and peep shows, or the dude from The Hangover who, in the blur of the morning after, just can't seem to get some pants on. Of course we saw our fair share of plastic women trying to squeeze themselves into brazilian bikinis by day, and tacky sparkly adult prom dresses by night… but in a way that’s what makes Vegas fashion so fabulous – it’s no hold barred! No matter what you wear, there will be someone more dressed up and flashier than you, so you can feel free to push your own limits. Here are my favorite things to wear in Vegas…

Minx Manicure – I had seen this in various magazines and thought Vegas was the perfect place to try it out. I searched, and found it at the Amp Salon in The Palms. With no drying time, these heat activated nail “stickers” come in patterns and colors you could never get with conventional polish, like high voltage metallics and detailed illustrations. After debating between a nautical themed red/white/blue anchor and stripes (perfect for the 4th of July festivities) and sassy metallic plaid, I thought “when in Vegas…” and went for the flashy silver. Granted, Minx will run you about $50-80 depending on where you go, but here's how you can justify the splurge: it doesn't chip and can last you up to a month (longer on the toes). Mine lasted 2 weeks, but by that time I was ready to move on anyway.

Neon - Words cannot express how much I love this trend. We all know it's the kind of thing that will come and go pretty swiftly, but this is one I hope sticks around. What sets it apart from the neon we know from the 80's is how we're wearing it now. Keywords: Moderation. Class. Instead of blinding pink spandex biker shorts with Hypercolor shirts, it's a sassy clutch against a sophisticated all-black ensemble. I brought a selection of purses on my trip, but the one that kept beating out the bunch was my neon yellow Marc By Marc Jacobs - a totally unjustified splurge from my April trip to NYC (kudos to Sarah and Emily for convincing me to buy it, aka. just telling me what I wanted to hear).

Rompers and Jumpsuits - Easy to wear like a dress in that they're a one stop shop for an entire outfit, but less ladylike. Jumpsuits give a harder edge for a night out - especially in black, and the short version allows you to show a little more leg without worrying about flashing your goods (unless that's what you're going for - in Vegas, you can't judge). For daytime, rompers serve as the perfect fashion forward bathing suit coverup. After stalking a girl wearing a cute one by the Palazzo pool, I learned that Forever 21 sells a whole slew of them for around $20. I immediately bolted to the nearest store, plowed down a bunch of tweens, and picked one up.

Next time you're in Vegas, make sure you bring those items you're not quite sure what you were thinking when you bought them - the skirt that's a little too short for normal life, the studded belt that makes you feel a bit like a dominatrix, the gladiator heels that are a few inches higher than you can ever get yourself to walk in, let alone dance. This is Vegas, baby! It's the place to channel your inner Fire - the diva that's inside us all.