Last weekend, I scored a much coveted dinner reservation at VANDAL, the latest restaurant lounge by the Tao Group and Chef Chris Santos (who is also the genius behind LES culinary destinations, The Stanton Social and Beauty & Essex). Since it opened earlier this year, VANDAL has been swarming with celebs and other in the knows. So naturally, SDP and I were curious to see what all the hype was about.
Going to VANDAL is more of a see and be seen event than a major culinary experience (with an international street food inspired menu, there was no expectation that there would be Per Se quality preparations, but everything we ordered was delish and we did not leave disappointed), so we knew our outfits had to be on point (after all, a potential run-in with Bey or Gigi and Kendall was not completely out of the question). Armed with variations of the LES uniform (all black with a hint of rocker), SDP, Sis and I were ready for a night out (and luckily, we received a personal invitation to their secret lounge downstairs after dinner…success).
The beauty of having a predominantly black wardrobe (this is NYC) is its inherent versatility. A simple black top or skirt can be worn a million different ways. To create my rocker chic look, I wore two of my favorite staple pieces (which I’ve featured time and again in previous posts). I paired my black American Apparel open back v-neck halter bodysuit with my black Zara faux leather A-line mini skirt. To kick the look up a notch and to add visual interest to an otherwise plain outfit, I wore a bold silver bib-style statement necklace. Statement necklaces have been popular for quite awhile now, but the newest bib-style statement necklace trend is more embellished with medallions, pendants and chains, and more extreme in size than its predecessors. With a necklace this large, I didn’t need other accessories and wore simple diamond studs. To give the look a little edge, I wore black suede lace-up sandals. Finally, for a little luxury, I wore my large classic Chanel flap bag.
Top | American Apparel Cotton Spandex Halter Bodysuit || Skirt || Zara Leather Effect A-Line Skirt || Necklace | New Look Premium Statement Necklace || Shoes | Sam Edelman Yardley Suede Lace-Up Sandals || Bag | Chanel Large Classic Flap Bag.
Photography | Sis
LOVE-MY.
Scenes from Vandal.