What Staci Wore......Miami Edition

I love Miami.  I really do.  I've been to that city a half dozen times and I always manage to discover something new.  This past trip, I spent a lot of time indulging in the Cuban-American culture, so my wardrobe choices needed to reflect the elements of Cuban style. Colorful and highly decorated garments, along with the infamous Bata Cubana, carnival style rumba dresses, are all elements of Cuban style that have roots that go as far back as the 19th century. The Bata Cubana dress has multicultural influences from African, Spain, and France, which all happen to be countries on my bucket list to visit. I've been to Paris twice, but there is an entire French countryside that still has my name on it. My style choices for this trip were an homage to Havanna, which has now been added to my travel bucket list.  The best part about my wardrobe was that everything was bought from Target and that was not on purpose.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, Target has been killing it this year and I've definitely overindulged.

day one

We arrived late Saturday night, so mini vacation activities did not commence until Sunday morning, as we made our way to this cute little spot called The Local House. We dined al fresco and sipped on Rosé cocktails that were refreshing and delicious. Life was good. For the day's activities, I opted for a Who What Wear collection dress from Target. The color is what initially drew me to this dress and the ruffle detail gives it a cool vintage Cuban vibe. However, the cold shoulder action is what prompted me to add it to cart. I paired it with a pair of fun flat colorful sandals that I picked up from Zara last year (?). They may be from the year before, I don't remember. Just know they aren't available anymore, but any colorful flat sandal will do for this look. I also have this dress in a floral print that you will likely see on an upcoming trip.  Stay tuned!

Dress: Target, $32.99, Shoes: Zara (No longer available)

day two

We spent day two gallivanting across the city from the Wynwood Walls art district to Little Havanna, a cultural neighborhood in Miami immersed in Cuban culture.  After exploring the work of talented artists inside the gallery, we explored the neighborhood that is legitimately covered with art from head to toe.  From the massive graffiti paintings that line the streets of Wynwood, to the concrete roads that literally donned words of wisdom on every step you took, Wynwood is a magnificent celebration of not just art, but life.  For my visit, I threw on an easy striped asymmetrical dress from the Who What Wear collection from Target.  I paired it with a pair of simple barely there strappy sandals from Urban Outfitters and earrings from Aldo that I actually picked up the same morning on our way to breakfast.  I'd also like to give a big shout out to Puerto Sagua on Collins Avenue for having the most amazing cup of Cuban coffee, or simply coffee, that I've ever had. We ended the day with an incredible meal from Old Havana Cuban Bar and Cocina.

Dress: Target, $32.99, Shoes: Urban Outfitters, (no longer available)

day three

This was the last full day in Miami and to be honest, I was a little sad at this point of the trip. We were having a blast, the weather was nice, the drinks were strong (albeit expensive), and the atmosphere was friendly. We made our way to the beach one last time before heading to a late breakfast at 11th Street Diner on Washington Avenue. For my last leisurely morning in Miami, I opted for yet another Who What Wear collection dress because it’s made with a nice breezy material that helps to keep me cool. Plus, I'm in love with the color striping on this dress. I wanted something loose and easy, while still maintaining a festive Miami vibe. This is also an easy material to wear as a top under jeans. I paired it with another pair of barely there sandals from Madewell and finished off the look with my signature over sized hoops. We then decided to enjoy some quality time on the rooftop pool of our hotel. We talked. We drank. We snacked. We slept. We were just downright lazy and stayed there for hours. We finally decided to go upstairs to get dressed for one last dinner in Miami.

Dress: Target, $32.99, Shoes: Madewell, $59.50

day three (bonus)

Day three ended with an incredible meal on Espanola Way in South beach at Havana 1957.  For dinner, I paired a floral tank that I originally bought as a two piece skirt set with a lightweight jean button down skirt.  The top is from the fairly new Target line, A New Day and the skirt is from....you guessed it....Who What Wear.  I finished the look with my Madewell sandals I had on earlier in the day, over sized hoops, and a wicker bag from Zara.  The skirt has a high waist, (my fav), so I wanted to take advantage of the cut.  The tank is a peplum style, so I simply folded the shirt under to make it cropped.  It gives it a completely different look from its original intent. 

I hope you enjoyed the blog and let me know which look was your favorite in the comments section!

SSJ

Top: Target, $13.98 (Clearance), Skirt: Target, $27.99,