Day three of my LA visit turned out to be the highlight of the trip. My first appointment of the day was with designer Nicole Batki, my personal favorite, and the best-selling dress designer at Tres. I still remember seeing the first Batki dress I just had to have, and years later, I still own it.

I was honored to be invited to tour the Nicole Batki headquarters by label owner Aida, and driven to her Pasadena warehouse by her son, to select gowns out of her vast collection. I was able to explore the space where the designer began 25 years ago.

Next, we traveled to the label headquarters, where I enjoyed the privilege of meeting Aida, seeing the craftsmanship firsthand, meeting her giant black poodle, and of course, choosing the right gowns to order for El Paso, plus one gifted gown for myself. It was truly the stuff of fashion fairytales. Who knows—this may have been the inspiration I need to start designing on my own one day!

We then left for the Cooper Building in downtown LA to finish the buying appointments. I ran into my friend Deva, who represents a line called Camilla. I also snapped up brands like Camilla, which is new to Tres. Camilla offers stunning beaded kaftans and exaggerated blazers and prints. This Australian line is available now in-store and is on fire! Each piece is unique and different from anything we have carried before. It’s no wonder our original order sold-out in less than 3 days. Another must-have was Joie. Their Fall collection looked fantastic, with many great, luxe sweaters and knits at accessible price points for the chillier weather.

Finally, I beelined to Skull Cashmere who was one of the best finds of my trip. On our last day in LA, we browsed the racks at LA Mart, which is a world unto itself, with more than 150 showrooms to explore.

The best way to end an amazing trip? Running into one of my style blog icons, Sincerely Jules! I spotted Jules during lunch, and couldn’t resist approaching to her gush a bit, since she is the one who inspired me to start my own blog. I even picked up some posing tips from her as we snapped photos together (pro tip: strike a different post each shot!).

This was my first trip to LA market, but it won’t be my last. I can’t wait to share all of the goodies I found for Tres Mariposas with you!

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This past Sunday, I had a great opportunity to attend the Los Angeles market for the first time. My assistant, Taylor, and I flew out in the early morning and our adventure had begun!

First stop, the ACE Hotel — a chic, vintage, hip hotel in the heart of Downtown LA. Many friends had recommended we stay there since the LA Fashion District is within walking distance.

We stayed in a suite on the 12th floor and I was pleasantly surprised—it was the cutest room, equipped with a record player, a guitar and a bear claw bathtub. I immediately uncorked a bottle of champagne, unpacked my bags and began to get ready for brunch.

Next stop, Lisa Vanderpump (from RHOBH) Twitter Event. I had made reservations at her new restaurant, PUMP, in West Hollywood. My best friend, Samantha, picked me up and we were off!

As soon as we arrived and were seated at the restaurant, we noticed that none other than Lisa Vanderpump was dining at the table right beside us, with Ken, Giggy, Pandora, and Jason. I had a mini freak out moment when after ordering, Ken Vanderpump came up to me and asked me where I got my (Dior) sunglasses!

They were all friendly and explained they were waiting for Lisa to hit 1,000,000 followers on Twitter. Once she hit one million, she ordered a round of Sangria for everyone!

Later, James Kennedy from (VanderpumpRules) was deejaying and we met him as well, who invited us to Sur Lounge later. We
took a detour to shop at the Grove, then headed to Sur later for dinner, where we met with Jax (VanderpumpRules) and the rest of the crew. We had a blast, dancing late into the night until finally it was time to head home.

The next day it was time to work. I headed to the LA Mart to see my first appointment at 10 Eleven Joie. The Fall Collection looked fantastic, so many great sweaters and knits for the chillier weather.

Next, I visited Hatch showroom, where I fell deeply in love with Thomas Wylde. High-end Parisian couture at an affordable price, skulls and cashmere — my absolute favorite new find of the day. The Showroom manager introduced me to Mara and Mine, where I found the most irreverent, but incredible slippers (photo below).

There were so many floors to explore, to the point where I even felt overwhelmed. The space was an oversized version of the markets I’m used to, made even better since LA is the corporate headquarters of many of the lines I carry, making the experience even better.

I set out to explore, and found some new immediates from BB Dakota (coming soon), and snatched up orders from Paul and Joe Sister and Generation Love. Fall is going to be a great season, I don’t know if it was the LA vibe and the fact that I was in the their home base office, but I was inspired to take risks, try to new things and new brands, and I feel confident that the clients at Tres will love them, too.

After long hours of hard, but fun work, I headed to the DryBar in Beverly Hills for a blowout (because I’m obsessed now, and we’ll call it market research). Samantha, Taylor and I capped off the trip with a rooftop dinner at the ACE Hotel and toasted to our second night in LA. Stay tuned for what unfolded next!

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I must admit, when I first was introduced to the midi trend in 2014, I was a bit nervous. I thought, you have to be tall and thin to pull off this look… there is no way my squatty little body can flatter a midi skirt! Despite my doubts, I scooped up several “of-the-moment” midis on my recent buying trip to New York. I felt confident that this is an edgy trend young women in El Paso are going to love!

The first skirt to arrive at Tres was a pleated T-length midi with a matching crop top. It sold out immediately! At that moment, (even though I’m only 5’2), I knew I HAD to try out the stylish contour of this silhouette! The look made me feel very “Mad Men.” Which I loved! The retro 50’s Mad Men feel was way before my generation but I couldn’t help but note how ironic it is when trends come back around.

I think midi skirts are so comfortable and elegant and can be worn in a variety of ways. In my last post, I mentioned the current trend regarding A-line, circle and pencil skirts. I’ve given all three of these midis a try and here are my findings:

• The skin tight midi is definitely a show stopper! It accentuates a lady’s curves and gives length to the body. It’s so specific, however, that after all of my try-ons with clients and friends, I realized that the skin tight version looks best on someone who’s definitely taller and leaner.

• The A-line, although a little more relaxed, I have found to also be a bit more elegant. You can pair this style with a fitted top (seen above Phoebe Couture) to accentuate your waist and hide the rest. I decided this look was the best on me and my height. Although anyone can wear it, it was my favorite take on the midi trend because of its versatility and can be elegant yet playful at the same time.

Lastly, the circle midi, which is similar to a ballgown, is a silhouette I recommend wearing with very high heels. Height brings life to the look and in this case, I recommend the higher the better!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had exploring this fun and flirty new trend— truly the ideal skirt length for every body… Including yours!

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The best part of being a buyer at Tres Mariposas are, well, the buying trips — particularly the trips to New York City. My most recent visit, just last week, was marked by 9 degree weather, vintage bags, and of course, Fall fashion.

We’re gearing up for Spring in the Sun City, but the fashion industry is looking ahead to our autumnal wardrobe. Here, the top 10 trends to look forward to this Fall:

1 . Fall forward with fringe: Trends, by definition, typically fade away as quickly they’re introduced. Not fringe, not this time. Fringe is stronger than ever before, with its versatile appeal on handbags, evening gowns, apparel and even shoes! (As pictured below the LoveFringe suede heel by Stuart Weitzman). We will be seeing fringed cashmere cardigans from Repeat and Central Park West, and fringe on supple leather handbags we ordered from a line called B-Low the Belt. Fringe forward and keep wearing it, because fringe is not going anywhere.

2 . Jonathan Simkhai: Jonathan Simkhai is a New York-based designer that was introduced to Tres Mariposas by our New York buyer, Lucie Jordan. She was right on by leading us to his showroom in 2014. We loved the collection and carry it in store now, and it’s very exciting to see how this up-and-coming designer is now EVERYWHERE, as seen on celebrities like Chanel Iman, Jennifer Lopez, Alessandra Ambrossio and Gigi Haddid. Legions of Hollywood “It Girls” have been seen in Jonathan Simkhai, and I am proud to feature the collection at our store. The only thing better than the line itself is its price point—super affordable.

3 . Jewelry trends (my favorite): I am a minimalist when it comes to fashion jewelry, but I can assure you that these trends will have me decked out! Edgy, eye-catching pieces like body chains, hand chains, and ear cuff will be everywhere this Fall. Tres Mariposas owner, Nan, and co-buyer, Bobbie, discovered a new line called Goldish that makes necklaces into hand chains that are 14kt . (As pictured below)
This fresh and fun trend is a great way to play with fashion, and an inexpensive way to try something different. The best part is that you can mix it all together, these pieces look even better when worn together to create a statement outfit.

4 . Midi-Dresses/Skirts: The longer the better! This Fall look is called, “The Midi” referring to a hemline below the knee and above the ankle. There are endless ways to wear this style. Pair midi dresses with tall boots or heels, and midi skirts with anything from a basic tee, to a crop top. Midi styles can be pencil shaped, A-line or circular, but the length is consistent and everywhere this Fall.

5 . Vintage Handbags: Until now, it was impossible to purchase a Celine, Chanel, or Louis Vuitton handbag in El Paso. Three years ago at our Fashion’s Night Out event, we hosted a Vintage Chanel Trunk Show with our friends from What Goes Around Comes Around. We were surprised to find that their line had gown to carry not only vintage Chanel, but many other brands as well! “Vintage?” you might ask. Doesn’t that mean they’ve been used? Not necessarily. The vintage handbags from WGACA aren’t always pre-worn, in some cases, the bags may have been an older style; gifted and never used; or worn once or twice and in impeccable condition. Nan, Bobbie and I hand-picked each bag, ensuring all classic styles are still available regular-price in the designer retail stores, and in pristine condition. Each bag is certified and inspected, and less than the original price! We look forward to hosting a trunk show with WGACA sometime in the Fall.

6 . Helmut Lang: I was pleasantly surprised by the change in direction from Helmut Lang. Gone are the edgy twists on classic styles. His Fall line has evolved with his collection, and the designer has ushered in a richer, more chic aesthetic. A longtime fan of Lang, I am excited and curious about the change. It’s a risk for the designer, and a major departure from the fashion house’s previous looks, but our buying team loved the collection and look forward to receiving the new and improved Helmut Lang Collection for 2015: Clean lines, crisp blouses, tailored suits and jackets. Tré chic!

7 . 70’s-inspired denim: High-waited jeans and flare legs are back in style, but don’t throw away those skinnies just yet. Do add to add a few pieces of flare-legged denim to your collection. My favorite styles were from Rag and Bone who showed dark washes that give off a dressier, cooler feel, but also expect to see many lighter-wash denim options. Each showroom we visited offered at least one pair of flared pants or jeans.

8 . Dynamic sportswear: Make room for dressy athletic wear like sweatshirts, jogging pants, and football jersey-inspired tops. Athletic wear is definitely having a moment and we want to capture it! I ordered some great jersey-inspired sweatshirts donning celebrities names, like Cara Delevigne, Kate Moss and Beyonce. The items will be available this month, with Rag and Bone showcasing the best athletic-inspired apparel for Fall.

9 . Evening Gowns: As we saw at the Oscars this year, intricate formal dresses are back in style. Lady Gaga, Emma Stone, Lupita Nyongo’s dresses were works of art in their own right, and anything but plain. For Fall 2015, expect decadent, extravagant and over the top! I was happy to see this shift in evening gowns. Tadashi Shoji by far my favorite line I saw this market. (Picture of Tadashi designer) He showed leather, beads, fringe —you name it, he had it all! The most diverse, interesting collection by far. There was lots of jewels, beads and embroidery, all dresses were red carpet-worthy.

10 . 50 Shades of Grey: The color for Fall 2015 is none other than grey! This includes all shades, from heather to charcoal, slate to gunmetal. The color is clean and chic and pairs perfectly with a variety of other hues. Grey boots, grey handbags and grey sweaters— cozy up in your favorites shade of grey this Fall and mix it up with unexpected accent colors like burgundy, hunter green and even navy blue. Gray is neutral and basic and should definitely be in your closet this Fall!

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