911. Can someone please hop on healthcare.gov for us at 12AM on November 1, 2017, and get us signed up for the last bastion of hope for healthcare in America, BECAUSE WE ARE UNWELL.

Luxury brand Koio Collective attacked us this past month by partnering with The Beverly Hills Hotel to create a new sneaker with a pattern in the style of the hotel’s iconic wallpaper, and we. are. shook.

The rent check is about to be late for next month, because this shoe runs between $475 and $550. The sneaker is being sold exclusively online and at the hotel itself. Designed with the legendary Martinique Banana Leaf print, the history of the hotel – and the print itself – is one littered with celebrity, wealth, glamour, and sordidness, and we are here to read you the filth.

The hotel was built in Los Angeles in 1912 before Beverly Hills even existed. Of course, social media did not exist back then, but developer Burton Green, President of the Rodeo Land and Water Company, was a bit of a marketing genius; he wanted to incite a “land rush,” and advertised the hotel as located “halfway between Los Angeles and the sea.”

As Beverly Hills became its own city in 1914 due to its rapid growth, so the elite continued to flock to The Beverly Hills Hotel. From the 1940s on, it was a celebrity hotspot, attracting the likes of Princess Margaret (commoners were instructed to not speak to her unless spoken to, and to stay at least five feet away from her and Lord Snowdon at all times), the Crown Prince of Monaco, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, the Rat Pack, Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Taylor; in fact, Elizabeth Taylor enjoyed quite a bit of time in the bungalows with six of her eight husbands, and Bungalow 7 is known as “Norma Jean,” because of the amount of time Monroe spent there. John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent a week in bed at the hotel. Lindsay Lohan’s list of the people who she allegedly slept with surfaced at the hotel. Several movies were, of course, filmed there, including: California Suite, American Gigolo, Shampoo, The Way We Were, and many more.

The hotel was – and still is – no stranger to what is dubbed in LA as “power lunches” (perhaps these days known as “power brunches”); in 1938, when Vivien Leigh went to the hotel to see lover Lawrence Olivier, he brought her to meet agent Myron Selznick. Not long after, she was cast to play Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy carried on much of their 25-year affair there. Howard Hughes had roast beef sandwiches delivered to a nook in a tree while he was living on the property – because what else are you going to do, as an eccentric millionaire, besides renting nine bungalows at The Beverly Hills Hotel and eat roast beef?

The history of the wallpaper is as rich as the tapestries it finds itself on. In 1937, decorator Dorothy Draper designed the banana leaf pattern, called “Brazilliance” for the California-based Arrowhead Springs Hotel. In 1942, Hollywood-based decorator Don Loper designs what became the iconic Martinique wallpaper, a banana leaf design based on the original that now adorns The Beverly Hills Hotel. Celebrities who stay in the hotel or go on photoshoots at the hotel are constantly photographed in front of it, cementing its place in history. The wallpaper can only be bought here. The good news is, small samples are available to the public at – gasp! – only $9.95, so you can have your own little piece of history.

As for the history of the shoe company, well, Koio is about 100 years younger than the hotel itself, yet Chris Wichert, one of the founding members of Koio, states that their company “shares [the]same values,” as the hotel, with a spokesperson for the hotel echoing the sentiment.

Edward Mady, Regional Director West Coast USA and General Manager at the hotel, states, “Koio is the ideal partner to create this fun footwear that celebrates the hotel’s most beloved design element and Southern California lifestyle.”

And showcasing SoCal it does – it makes us want to pack our bags and book a room now. Does In-N-Out do room service? Guess we’ll have to wait until we have the celebrity bankroll to truly have it all.

How many of us are ballers on a budget? We have champagne tastes, but a beer bank account, but we love to travel, and we love to look good while doing it. Luckily, there are ways around our dwindling bank accounts – you can have the closet of your dreams while on the vacation of a lifetime. Read on to discover how we at TravelPRIDE like getting thrifty.

Online Shopping

Online retailer Poshmark is one of our favorite spots for scoring high-end, gently worn fashion at low, low prices. The bonus? You can sell your own previously-loved items to drum up some money for your trip – you can also use the money you earn on Poshmark to purchase additional items on the website.

If you can afford to spend a bit more, head on over to The RealReal, described as “the mother of all high-end resale online shops.” While The RealReal trends towards more high-end pricing, you can definitely find some unique travel items in their sale section. The added bonus is that with fashion, you truly get what you pay for, so if you’re purchasing a piece that’s more expensive, it’s more likely to last longer – an important note for us travellers.

Thrift Stores

We love a good thrifting find – even if we were billionaires, there’s something about scoring a great deal that we can’t get enough of, at home or abroad. Scouring vintage stores, outlets, or wholesale retailers is great prep for your trip. Make sure to check the weather during your trip dates prior to going shopping – you don’t want to necessarily buy a parka if you’re going to Hawaii in December! It may seem like common sense, but it’s a good reminder nonetheless.

If you’re interested in thrifting in the Europe or UK, we recommend the following two favs:

Absolute Vintage in Central London

14 Hanbury St, London E1 6QR, UK

Website

This shop has been around for a while, and yours truly may or may not have scored an awesome vintage baseball tee on her first trip to this little hidden gem in London in 2007. There are plenty of options for guys, gals, and everything in-between. They should have plenty of rain gear for those drearily perfect London days, too.

Chezel in Paris

59 rue Condorcet – 18th Arrond

Website

This shop has amazing vintage, a ton of YSL at reasonable prices, great jewelry, and gorgeous bags and boots. While I did not personally get to hit it up on my last Paris trip, the recommendation was given to me by a famous fashion blogger who I used to work with, who shall remain unnamed!

Yard Sales

Listen, yard sales ain’t what they used to be – with newish apps like Letgo and Nextdoor popping up, you can find free – or practically free – high-end clothing and accessories right in your own backyard. The bonus to Nextdoor is that, since it’s inherently local to where you physically reside, it somehow seems a bit less shady when meeting up with folks to buy or trade goods or services – however, it’s probably still best to meet said folks in a public place first. Looking through craigslist is always an option for estate and garage sales, too, so don’t give up on your old tried-and-true methods to find good gear. The bonus of yard sales is that you can also find great camping or hiking gear to pack on your next excursion! And don’t be afraid of the barter sections – figure out what skillset you can offer in exchange for somewhat free stuff, but again, be wary and use caution.

Happy hunting, and let us know the websites you shop on when you need your fashion fix or are preparing for a trip!

It’s both the most wonderful time of the year and the saddest time of the year, folks: New York Fashion Week is over. Smile because it happened, don’t cry because it’s over – or something like that. Usually taking place between September 7 – September 15, NYFW is one of the biggest – if not the absolute largest- fashion event on the planet. Celebrities, models, fashion designers, ateliers, socialites, reporters, TV anchors, bloggers, reality stars, and paparazzi fly in from all over the world to cover the event to see who is wearing what, and who is snubbing who. But now, as we head rush headlong into October, fashion week is officially over and done, and we definitely have the post-glitz-and-glam blues.

But never fear – we at TravelPride get it. We know you need your daily dose of extra, and we’ve provided it for you in the form of delicious New York streetwear photos to inspire your Casual Friday outfit, your I-just-threw-this-old-thing-on-to-run-errands-in outfit, or your I-only-use-the-HER-app date night outfit. Read on to discover how you can turn NYC streetwear into oh-so-youwear:

Fur coats

Christine Centenera at NYFW 2017

Fur coats were, of course, all the rage once again this year, as demonstrated by Christine Centenera above. The Fashion Editor of Vogue Australia is donning a black-and-white coat, perfect for the fall season, with skinny jeans, a casual gray tee, and black heeled boots with metallic accents on the toes – the perfect casual-yet-glam ensemble, whether you’re heading into a fashion show or to the grocery store.

Bold 90s-inspired looks

A person on the streets of NYC

The nineties are back, baby, and it looks like they’re here to stay, with fashionistas not shying away from bold, bright jackets, baggy pants, and colored hair. This nuwave grunge look is very now, as chic guys and gals mix prints, crop tops, and chokers – but in a happier, more colorful way.

All About Accessories

Fashionistas show off accessories during NYFW

You know the quote supposedly made by Coco Chanel that states, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror, and take one thing off”? Well, in 2017, it looks like Coco may have been wrong. NYC streetwear favors the accessories-bold – we’re seeing plenty of hats, visible hair pieces, big bags, and technology. Everything is extra right now, and we can’t get enough.

Babes in Boots

Showing off a bright purse and killer boots during NYFW

Fall is everyone’s favorite season for a reason, and that reason is that it’s finally sweater/scarf/boot weather. Boots in particular were popping up all over the streets of NYC during Fashion Week, lending to a generally more comfortable vibe. Pain may be beauty, but it doesn’t have to be all of the time, and we love that high-end designers and fashionistas alike seem to be embracing the comfort trend without sacrificing chicness.

Hopefully, this small sampling gives you plenty of ideas heading into fall to [pumpkin] spice up your wardrobe. Until then, there’s always next year, when NYFW is sure to bring even more cool, It-Boy-or-Girl styles to the streets.