FASHION

Theme 33: CUBA DIARY. Cuban Vibes

Yes, at the end I want everything to be easily searchable and categorised, so everyone who visits my website can find ALL the information they need for their upcoming trip to a specific location, or find everything related to Star Wars, for example, with constantly updated looks, book lists and gifts ideas. You can already check some of my "themed issues" on the ARCHIVE page by the way!

I remember when I started this blog I didn't imagine my social platforms and the website will grow so rapidly. I always wanted to make Pastiche.today more like a themed magazine, however changing themes weekly has been a major struggle lately and I wasn't able to keep up with posting all the travels, events and amazing collaborations I was so privileged to experience. Then a light bulb went off in my head and I realised that I just should make Pastiche.today more organised, and while limiting the number of THEMES, I can update them like little magazine issues that NEVER get old!
 

But lets return to our Cuban dream trip. Everyone who knows me well, notices that I love choosing my wardrobe for the trips and my style changes and adapts depending on the destination (which is perfect for someone who loves doing THEMED posts, right?!)  I wore a lot of white and hues of blue in Hamptons, didn't bring a lot of accessories and opted for simplistic luxury bags (I will share my Hamptons weekend with you soon!)

For Cuba on the other hand I went overboard. As far as I could! I brought flower crowns, colourful dresses in 50s inspired silhouettes, sexy crop tops, flowy skirts, big eye-popping bright earrings, bracelets, sandals. Parrots! Feathers! Flowers! And I think I made it work. I tried to emphasise the beauty of Cuba with my style choices.

One of my favorite outfits to wear in Cuba was this sultry polka dot three-piece outfit from SHEIN. It is quite risque due to its high slit, but it is perfect for a tropical getaway! I have received so many compliments when wearing it (and I also wore it in Miami for my birthday dinner with my family btw!). While I wouldn't wear a flower crown anywhere BUT Cuba and countries with similar vibes, these burgundy flowers looked really good with my SHEIN ensamble, don't you think?

I have linked my outfit and similar items I love below. Can you imagine that this polka dot three-piece dress is $20?!

With my blogger babe Olga in Cuba!

Dress - Shein | Flower Crown - Forever 21 (similar here)  | Wedges - Saks Off 5th (NOW on huge SALE)

SHOP THE TREND:

Theme 32: Boho Chic. Festival Vibes in the City

For a while I wanted to get a long cardigan, but couldn't find what I really liked. Luckily I received this absolutely beautiful long knitted crochet cardigan from California Moonrise, and I am embarrassed to say that I wear it pretty much every day with everything now!

Pictures on their website doesn't even give it a justice. The cardigan is very comfy, but stylish and can be as easily worn with shorts and jeans as with a swimsuit or as a warm throw at home. Recently I have been writing in outdoors cafes a lot, and because it is still chilly in New York, I love throwing this cardigan over basic tops and tshirts. 

For this look, shot by my favorite NYC Photographer Dennis, I styled California Moonrise cardigan with white jeans, silky top with lacey details, added some black accessories and of course wore my cowboy hat that I seem to not take off since Coachella :)

Get my Crochet Cardigan here! (on SALE NOW)

Theme 32: Boho Chic. My California Moonrise Lookbook

California Moonrise is a brand that I have discovered just recently. To be honest I have never been a huge fan of bohemian and classic festival looks, but California Moonrise surprised me with their quality and original designs. Almost all the clothes I have received are even better looking in person than on their website! There are many little details like tassels, intricate embroidery and beautiful prints which completely blew me away.

I have shot this gorgeous dress in a New York Botanical Garden, and tomorrow I will show you another look with California Moonrise.

SHOP MY LOOK AND SIMILAR (all under $90)

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Theme 31: Coachella 2017. Outfits, parties and celebrities sightseeing.

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If you have never been to Coachella, I suggest you to add it to your bucket list! I have been to a few festivals in the UK and the Unites States before, and almost always been very lucky to have premium tickets, and a group of fun friends with me, however NOTHING came even close to Coachella.

I won't lie, Coachella IS EXPENSIVE even if you get general admission tickets and stay in your own tent. But if you like comfort, want to see concerts and your favorite celebrities in their natural habitat, I suggest you splurge on more expensive tickets and fancy hotels. Luckily, Ben with the help of the great SPG Moments team organized a very well-planned, luxurious and pleasant festival trip as a part for our 1-year anniversary.

After spending a couple of days in Los Angeles (I will show you some beautiful pictures we took there in the next post!), we drove to Palm Springs, where we had the most awesome 'Coachella Pad' I could dream of: a beautiful suite at Le Parker Meridien Hotel. Moreover, SPG Moments were able to get us Artist & Guest Coachella wristbands that rarely go on sale for the general public and are quite hard to get. Those tickets grant you access to almost every area on the Coachella grounds, including the Artists area (where all the celebrities hang out), and most importantly you get access to the front row at EVERY concert. 

What amazed me is how well the whole festival was organized and perfectly orchestrated! I can't even imagine how much work it takes organizers to pull off an event on such a grand scale EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

We didn't spend much time in the general admission area as it was way too overwhelming and busy for us, but I was happy with every little detail in the more exclusive areas. A plethora of delicious food choices in the VIP area, clean bathrooms, the most stunning men and women in exotic or just very stylish outfits around me, enjoying themselves, positivity and love spread all over; it was just like finding a little paradise on Earth. Maybe I was lucky, but I didn’t see any drunk or high people, or crazy behavior (well, almost none :)), and the Festival felt like just this one big, happy place with amazing music.

A lot of people are interested in what celebrities I saw at Coachella and if it’s true that they are all around you. I can tell you, it is true and you will definitely be around some sort of celebrity, whether it’s a favorite blogger of yours, Victoria's Secret model or Kendall Jenner, even if you stay in the General Admission area. 

I was skeptical about seeing anyone the first day, but when I was scanning my ticket to enter Coachella, my wrist band (which is your ticket) took a minute to scan, and I felt bad for the guy behind me who seemed to be impatient to get in. It ended up being A$AP Rocky and his crew. After that it was just a blur of different famous people like Drake walking by, the Jenner sisters sipping on their cocktails, Michelle Rodrigues talking loudly to her friends, and being quite unrecognisable in her huge shades, Katy Perry who is surprisingly very tiny, but amazingly gorgeous. I don't really follow celebrity culture, so I was talking/asking this beautiful blonde with a pixie haircut about a cart (the Coachella grounds are so huge, you can actually wait for a cart to take you), and was wondering why she has such a huge entourage, and then realised that it was Katy. It was quite a funny moment :)

Another person we were excited to chat with was Patrick J. Adams (Mike Ross from Suits). I didn't take any pictures with anyone because I believe it is more fun to actually take time to chat with people you admire seeing on screen and get to know their real personalities. They are all just humans (maybe more talented and good looking, but definitely just humans) and want to enjoy themselves. Ask yourself if you would really like to be asked to pose for a picture by strangers every time you go out? 

So by all means go to Coachella and stare at famous people as long as you want, but don't go there hoping to take selfies with Kardashians.

I will take my own selfie, thank you! :)

Coachella is famous for its amazing concerts and a variety of widely-loved artists. This year there were more than 250 artists with Lady Gaga, Radiohead, and Kendrick Lamar as headliners, however Ben and I were most excited about Hans Zimmer! He is one of of my favorite composers of all time, and being in the first row, right in front of the stage and listening to him and a wonderful orchestra of talented musicians play his music from Inception, The Lion King, Gladiator and Pirates of the Caribbean was so magical, I even teared up at the end. Pharell Williams also made a surprise appearance at Hans Zimmer's concert, which I was pretty stoked about.

First row at Hans Zimmer!

By the way, if you are an influencer or just a very friendly person, chances are you won't just be hanging out at Coachella during the festival weekends. Coachella is almost like a major Fashion Week, with tons of pool parties, big brands' collection launches and promo-events. Without even planning anything ahead, I ended up being invited to tons of exciting events and parties, including big Amex Platinum House event and Popsugar party. So make sure you bring a LOT of outfits. I had to change probably five times a day (sometimes in a car!), and by the end of day 3 I was so exhausted I almost got sick :)

Для моих русскоязычных читателей:


Коачелла - один из самых популярных музыкальных фестивалей в мире. Фестиваль проходит в апреле в два трехдневных этапа (пятница-воскресенье) с разницей в неделю. На Коачелле очень много грандиозных сцен и различных тентов,  что означает что на территории фестиваля в одно и то же время идет несколько концертов и шоу! На одном Weekend'e выступает более 250 очень популярных и знаменитых музыкантов. То есть пока вы смотрите как отжигает Lady Gaga, на другой сцене играет какой-нибудь потрясающий модный DJ,  а в отдалении еще читает реп Drake. Не буду врать,  иногда мы с мужем разрывались не зная на какой именно концерт сходить,  но у нас похожий вкус, так что проблем не возникло.

Коачелла занимает огромную территорию в более 40 гектар, так что переходить от сцены к сцене занимает немалое количество времени, но к счастью если вы обладатель браслета-билета для артистов или VIP зоны,  то вас могут катать по территории специальные гольф-карты с водителями. 

Кстати о билетах, на Коачеллу не так-то легко попасть! Билеты раскупают в считанные часы после релиза (обычно за более чем полугода до фестиваля),  и многим приходится находить перекупщиков или находить какие-то контакты в музыкальной сфере.

Фестиваль для многих из стран СНГ звучит как какой-то дешевый концерт с морем алкоголя,  ночевкой в сыром тенте и прочими "прелестями". На самом деле обычные билеты и место для вашей собственной палатки на специально приспособленной территории фестиваля далеко не дешевые.  Cамый дешевый билет стоит $400 + если хотите поставить свою собственную палатку,  придется платить $60 за то что занимаете место. Прибавьте к этому транспорт (Коачелла находится в часу езды от Palm Springs и почти 3 часа от Лос-Анджелеса), питание и прочее и вы получите довольно внушительную сумму. 

Билеты-браслеты, кстати, значительно отличаются друг от друга. На каждый weekend Коачелла разные по значимости билеты имеют разный цвет. Всего около 4 разновидностей браслетов (к моему сведению): обычные (самые дешевые и есть доступ только к общим зонам), VIP билеты (есть доступ к VIP зонам с большим количеством вкусной еды,  магазинчиков, более свободные бары, рестораны,  больше туалетов + в этой зоне чаще всего тусуются блоггеры и захаживают знаменитости.  Вся VIP зона очень приятная и люди тут все как на подбор красивые,  аккуратные и не ведут себя как сумасшедшие. Здесь более так скажем чинно и благородно чем в Общей Зоне).

Так же есть билеты-браслеты для Звезд и их Гостей и они дают доступ практически ко всему что есть на всей территории Coachella, и вдобавок к VIP зоне с такими билетами можно пройти к зоне где отдыхают знаменитости, их друзья и родственники, приватным садам и озеру, на берегу, которого можно заметить целующихся звездных парочек. Такие билеты обычно практически не продаются, и их можно получить только если ты звезда,  знаешь кого-то важного в музыкальной индустрии или/и готов заплатить за один билет более $3000. Нам с Беном повезло, потому что он приобрел именно такой вот билет через SPG Moments, так как он давно уже член  SPG. С такими билетами у вас просто 0 шансов уйти НЕ УВИДЕВ какую-нибудь звезду первой величины.  Так и мне удалось поболтать с Кэти Перри, которую я в первые секунды разговора даже и не узнала, увидеть сестер Дженнерс попивающих коктейли, толкаться в очереди с ну очень маленькой,  но очень громкой Мишель Родригес, и завести разговор c Патриком Адамсом (Майк Росс из сериала SUITS). Больше всего меня порадовало то,  что с этими билетами можно пройти в огороженную зону прямо перед сценой, и практически каждый концерт мы стояли в первых рядах,  а на Hans Zimmer'a мы пришли пораньше и вообще стояли первые прям перед сценой. 

Так же есть билеты для организаторов фестиваля и людей следящих за тем,  чтобы фестиваль работал как часы. 

Если вы блоггер или просто очень активная и дружелюбная личность, то не думайте,  что вот так вот концертами и отделаетесь :) Фестиваль Коачелла - это ужа почти как Неделя Моды в Париже или в Нью-Йорке с модными брендами устраивающими пресс-релизы, громкие пляжные вечеринки со своим списком именитых звезд и всякие показы новых коллекций за пределами Фестиваля, чаще в Palm Springs. В конце weekend'a Коачелла я просто валилась с ног и чуть не заболела! Это потрясающий опыт и очень благотворно влияет на работу если вы digital influencer, но ужасно изматывает.

Кстати,  если вы все же решились накопить денег и поехать на этот потрясающий фестиваль, бронируйте отель заранее! Отели обычно во время проведения фестиваля просто упомрачительно дорогие,  а если вы хотите остаться в хорошем отеле в  Palm Springs,  то приготовьтесь к небольшому разрыву сердца от увиденной цены :D Для экономии советую посмотреть на сьемные квартиры на AirBnb.

Не стесняйтесь задавать вопросы! Я с удовольствием отвечу. 
 

If you want to see more of our Coachella adventures, subscribe to my new YOUTUBE channel!

I have already uploaded 2 Coachella videos, and part 3 is coming out soon, so make sure you don't miss it! 

Theme 31: Coachella 2017. Best Coachella Outfits Weekend 1

I just came back from my first ever Coachella festival, and it was absolutely amazing! I will tell you more about my personal experiences and give you tips on Palm Springs and the festival in the next post, but for now please enjoy my curated selection of the BEST COACHELLA OUTFITS of 2017 (Weekend 1). 

Blogger Ulia Ali (me!) at Coachella festival 2017. Look 1, Day 1.

Blogger Negin Mirsalehi. Festival look. I love her hairstyle on this one!

Taylor Hill and Lais Ribeiro

Jourdan Dunn and Sigail Currie at Coachella 2017

Chiara Ferragni in a very cute dress enjoying Coachella 2017.

Valentina Ferragni in a cute Tommy Hillfiger Coachella look. 

Emily Ratajkowski and Alexis Ren

Ulia Ali at Popsugar's amazing Coachella pool party. Cabana Club, Palm Springs.

Evelina in her pretty Coachella outfit.

Jessica Wang's Coachella Outfit 2017.

@tamilynichi1, @meg_legs and @uliaali at Amex Platinum Party, Parker Hotel, Palm Springs. Coachella 2017.

Beautiful Meg at American Express Party during Coachella festival.

Maja Malnar with another Azerbaijani born blogger (yay!) Ruslana Gee. Coachella Looks 2017.

Xenia Van Der Woodsen at Coachella. I love her look!

Beautiful actress Hailee Steinfeld's sexy Coachella outfit.

Beautiful Mary Leest. One of the best Coachella looks of 2017.

Hottie Sophia Miacova's festival outfit definitely belongs to the list of the Best Coachella looks.

JULIE SARIÑANA aka @sincerelyjules at Coachella 2017 festival. One of the best classic Chella looks.

Josephine Skriver and Elsa Hosk in Indio for Coachella 2017.