{ the jaunty magpie }

This Bird has really done it now... Just booked a flight out to Sin City at the most insane time of year, the ridiculous heat of August! But it's for a good reason -- meeting up with family who will be there for a weekend and visiting my best friend who lives in the area. Less party, more of a weekend to unplug from the world. I've been out to Las Vegas before, on trips with friends to live it up for a weekend and have an excuse to wear sparkly, exciting things that would just never fly in the casual, relaxed land of the Northwest. And even though I'm not much of a high-roller, what with local gambling spots and internet casinos available wherever you have a computer, nothing beats the excitement of such a bling-bling city like Las Vegas.

This trip put me in a bit of a glitzy, bedazzled Mood, challenging my Jaunty eye to find some of the most sparkly, Sin City-glamorous things, but keeping in mind not to go overboard and dress like a showgirl. Let's face it, when people go to Vegas, aside from it being the most rowdy and obnoxious plane ride over, it's like someone pressed the "overexcessive" button and couldn't stop. Vegas does not have to mean tacky. Go for a bit of shimmer or bronzing powder for an evening sheen -- don't look like you went overboard in the tanning salon and rolled in glitter afterwards. All the sparkly baubles shown above certainly caught my eye, but this in no way constitutes a Jaunty Outfit -- pick one thing! A menswear-inspired tuxedo suit with the peekaboo surprise of shorts, paired with heels surrounded by feathers is a great play on masculine/feminine details. If one thing is outrageously sparkly, then the Bird gives her nod of Jaunty approval and says, "You're good, now get out there and strut your stuff."

Of course this is a fantasy dream, were I to have an endless bank account or a big casino bonus win at my disposal, but a Magpie with a sparkle in her eye can always dream, can't she? These were the goodies I couldn't help but share for my Vegas-inspired Mood board: {1} Make the First Mauve, Only Gold for Me, Sparkle Me Silver nail colors by OPI from Sephora, {2} Habibi minaudiere by Judith Leiber, {3} Two-tone beaded dress by Mandalay from Neiman Marcus, {4} Black feather strap shoes by Givenchy on StyleCaster, {5} Tuxedo suit by Yves Saint Laurent on Elle, {6} Glitters body shimmer by Make Up For Ever from Sephora, {7} Jewel-tone one-shoulder draped dress by Ali Ro from Neiman Marcus, {8} Gold plated ring with crystal detail from Kate Spade New York on Elle, {9} Humbee II in light gold glitter by Badgley Mischka from Piperlime, {10} Sparklicity gold shimmer dust by Tarina Tarantino from Sephora


Jaunty Fine Print:  images from shops/designers listed above