In case you didn't know from my instagrams, last week was my twenty-first birthday! From rooftop drinks at the Standard to basement clubbing at the Edison, it's been a pretty fun week to turn twenty-one in Los Angeles. Here's what I did (and of course, what I wore) throughout the week:

I had class from 2-6pm and again from 7-10 (I know, right? At least they were both film classes) so I decided to bring the party with me all day long with this super cute navy sequin swing dress from Nasty Gal. To make it daytime appropriate I wore a denim jacket from Madewell and my trusty Steve Madden boots (it was overcast). The crown was necessary.

After my evening class I went out with some friends to the Rooftop Bar at the Standard, the trendy hotel downtown and usual stomping ground of USC students (such a hard life we live). I had a Cosmopolitan, which was delicious, and a Bellini—also delish. It was a perfect, chill way to spend turning drinking-age legal on a Tuesday.

#Clique | Cosmos at the Standard #SexandtheCitylife

On Friday evening my sorority big sister and I went downtown to the ever-popular Faith & Flower for some absolutely amazing food and drinks. They specialize in fancy cocktails and I can't even remember what was in mine, but it was refreshing and great and I highly recommend the restaurant if you are ever in downtown Los Angeles. The pizza was perfection too, and lasted me throughout the weekend!

I was going for a vintage Parisian look during the day—simple bun, red lips, thin cat-eye, striped top, the works.

At night my friends and I went to the Edison, a prohibition-style club in the basement of one of the oldest buildings downtown. It was a full-on speakeasy fantasy, with acrobatic performances, different hidden rooms, and even women carting around absinthe shots while dressed as the green fairy. Very trendy. I wore another dress from Nasty Gal—this time a black one—and accentuated with a bold Tiffany-blue necklace.

Needless to say, I quite enjoy being 21 and finally being able to explore everything this city has to offer!

Bonjour! | Decor at Faith & Flower

Sunday: Birthday Brunch

Me (on the left lear the back) and my friends at The Church Key in West Hollywood

"Toad in the Hole" Croque Madame at The Church Key LA

Beauty look for brunch | Delicious chocolate donuts at The Church Key

This Sunday I ventured to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena with my Biography of the Renaissance Artist class. We focused on the European art galleries from the 14th-16th centuries, but the whole collection is absolutely stunning. 

I thought I would share some of my favorite artworks from the Norton Simon with you guys!

Rebecca Minkoff Resort 2014 looks

I've always been a California girl, born and raised in San Diego and now studying in Los Angeles, but recently I've been truly understanding how varied California can be (it is the 3rd largest state and the most populous) in terms of geography, cultural activity, and of course fashion. 

A decade ago most people would define Los Angeles style as glamorous and excessive. Brand names, revealing cuts, lots of gold and jewels. Ten years ago, Paris Hilton reigned supreme. The weekend wear of every Pretty Young Thing was a hot pink terry tracksuit from Juicy Couture. You were no one if you didn't have a Louis Vuitton or Gucci monogram-print leather bag. 

Paris Hilton and Jennifer Lopez in the early 2000s

Fashion in the celebrity center of the world was about visibility, about letting everyone know that the bag you were sporting was expensive and made by a designer that mattered. Status was everything. And status had to be visible.

But the Hollywood style has changed drastically since 2003. Sure, there are still women who cling to their sexualized bodycon dresses and high slits and designer logos, but the new guard of Hollywood style icons are more laid-back. They wear vintage, no-label items. They don oversized knit sweaters and flowing maxi dresses as freely as they slink into mini dresses. They still show off skin, yes, but that's because it's constantly 75 degrees and we like having our legs bronzed and our faces freckled.

The new Los Angelina (no, not of the Jolie-Pitt variety) wears understated (but still incredibly fashion-forward) clothes from up-and-coming designers that could be from almost anywhere (but anyone who knows anything about clothes knows these outfits still cost a lot of money).

For me, the Rebecca Minkoff presentation represented the new wave of California Style

She is concerned with her appearances and applies her makeup like a pro but doesn't always wear foundation or leaves her hair in messy waves after a trip to Manhattan Beach.

She is concerned with practicality and sustainability. When it's hot she takes off her ombre flannel and ties it around her waist in an organic but incredibly awesome style statement. Sometimes she wears flats, or T shirts - things that look good but also feel good.

She is laid-back without sacrificing her looks, and she knows that you can look amazing without putting painstaking effort into her outfits each morning.

She is not afraid of color. She wears blues as bright as a sunny day and pinks rich as a California sunset. She's not afraid of mixing prints and she never worries that she isn't "matching" because she decides what works for her. She is in control.

There's still a bit of the 2003 version of the Hollywood lady in this girl. She still loves those silly oversized sunglasses and she still appreciates the classic allure of a bodycon dress or a sneak of cleavage. But she'll wear T shirts just as often as mini dresses, and she'll look good either way.

This weekend was my brother's college graduation and it was absolutely beautiful in Santa Monica and Malibu. I finally got to see the Santa Monica Pier and bought an awesome Marc by Marc Jacobs dress for prom! But seriously, major beach traffic aside, I would love to live in Santa Monica one day. Everything there is so lovely.