The Roaring 20s was probably one of the wildest eras in history. Thugs were just as sharp and dapper as your socialites and celebrities. The parties were the highlights of anyones evenings combining glitz , glam and shows to entertain their guest. And their fashion was exceptionally flawless.

Clearly I’m a fan of this time and even more so of The Great Gatsby.

This is one of my favorite movies for its fashion, the music, the cinematography and the parties. So when trying to replicate the epic party scenes and the concept of the movie, you either go big or I’m going the heck home! I expect lights, dancing, performances and a lot of champagne being passed around. I’ll even take those cheap plastic champagne glasses that break apart with one drop to the ground. I have an extreme vivid and creative imagination,  so what comes to mind is what I expect while still giving the benefit of doubt.

Though, I at least hope to say another best night ever!

Okay well maybe that might be more than what a budget would require…but you catch my drift.

When the movie first came out, it was prime to throw such a lavish party and or event. A lot have done it, some have tried and many have failed miserably giving a bad name to what was considered the roaring 20s. The soundtrack alone was a huge success with some of the best top artist on the tracks.

So in the words of Fergie “A little party never killed nobody” might be true, but not unless you die of boredom and lost hope.

The Luxe Society which consist of gents and gems, have put together a new night for all their followers and friends. Mutually acquainted with a couple of the gents, I figured I’d show my support with an unbias opinion of what I’ve been accustomed to for over ten years. I admire a young group of entrepreneurs that try to establish a new way of doing things in the Hollywood scene, yet unfortunately, been there done that and seen it all which is why 3 yrs after the release of the movie I was still on high guard.

During the soft opening I had prepared myself to play the part, yet a little more  modest being that the memo and dress attire wasn’t exactly specified as being a costume party. I didn’t feel like burning any calories just by the heavy weight of beads and sequences.  I already had my black dress, but my head piece was the masterpiece of my  look.

Once we arrived, I did not expect the line to be so long with the amount of attendees, but what I definitely predicted were the amounts of randoms that only saw this as yet another club night out. Girls dressed in the latest fashion from Santee alley at whole sale price. The effort was real… real pointless. I come to events to occasionally get away from the new breed of club goers that have been coming out of the wood works. I noticed the red carpet area where people could pose and take photos in front of the banner. Actually I think the carpet is permanently planted there. And didn’t even bother since my biggest pet peeve is a red carpet being a free for all.

The W hotel already has its five golden stars as a hotel alone, but most importantly, it’s what’s collaborated and synchronized while adjusting to the standards of upholding an event.
The elevator going right up didn’t make anything interesting nor did it add to the affect of the theme. The first walk thru of the venue was stiff with a Dj spinning for the lack of a crowd.

The crowd outside was definitely there in numbers, but it was the lack of accuracy that made me question the  definition of “Upscale”. I would only hope to assume that the predominant amount of people were hotel guests and those that were just wanting to be a part of the scene whipped out their credit cards to purchase a table in order to accommodate the head count. Typical. I can’t think of any legitimate events where you have stragglers coming off of Hollywood or Sunset Blvd that have been given the option or choice of whether or not they wanted to purchase a bottle just to get into something that is considered a guest list only event. That just doesn’t go hand in hand with a private event. My have things changed.

FLASH BACK

I remember one of my first events at twenty two, when one of the most prominent promoters in Hollywood physically walked throughout the then nightclub Mood and physically handed out “worthy only” black envelopes to celebrities and socialites all in the same room. I curiously stood there and watched as he circled around me while sizing me up and down and personally gave me an invitation. It was for the Old Navy dog search party and though I had no idea its potential, I knew I was already on the list. I never went, but I bought a 3k table for my birthday from him and everything else became my story.

The Luxe Gents including Jordan, Fabian, Trevor, and Raul who showed up more dapper than ever set the image. They dressed to impress making a solid example of what needed to be regarded, but unfortunately the majority of guest missed the mark. A handful of Sunset strip hookers, mail order brides, sugar daddies and those who somehow got left behind in the 80s like a blast from the past, took up the space that would’ve been better of left empty.

Few like myself took pride in the fact that the night was expected to be Gatsby themed. Then again I just freakin love that movie. A few girls dressed the part , but they were definitely over shadowed by those that could give two whats as long as there was a party and a bar to get lush at.

People mainly stood around the pool which took up majority of space while conversing in basic conversations of cheap pick up lines and air headed responses. I was hoping  hors-d’oeuvres were being passed around at least for the first half of the night, but Clearly my imagination ran away and refused to come back.

The music was a huge disappointment being techno and bleak. Think of a hypnotic sound where you’re in a zombie trance until you snap out of it because you hear a vague voice trying to speak over the techno and can’t make out what the hell they’re saying. I was waiting for at least a remix of some of the famous 20s sounds or at least the tracks to The Great Gatsby and some flapper dancers dancing around the venue…something.

Instead fire dancers cautiously moved around on the walkway, while people watched as if that was the main attraction of the night. It was a decent performance and no one  got hurt, but if any hair got caught on fire well then the pool is right there ready and waiting. 

That would have been quite the splash.

Lauren and I made our rounds a few times to the bathroom, around the pool, up the stairs and then back again. I saw a few people that I knew, but not at the great lengths of caring. Towards the back was a photo booth machine. If you weren’t looking for something to occupy your attention span then you would have missed it near the rolled up towels. It was actually really cute how it did a short video instead of just taking pictures like commonly seen. A few people noticed it, but it was still a bit hidden.

So, as the confirmation had stated there was going to be a fashion show. Lord.

Okay, I can’t be anymore frank than this… fashion week ended weeks ago and if you missed the registration deadline for FW15, don’t make up for lost time at a party. Just work on your SS16.

In fact, with the exception of Mercedes-Benz,  Milan, London and some of the more established places that is “home” to many in the fashion industry, Los Angeles is just winging it. Granted there are a few quality designers out here that know what they’re doing like Ashton Michael, Sue Wong, Michael Costello ect, everyone else just looks like a hand me down rag. After coordinating shows for LA Fashion Week, from personally doing a seating chart of 200+ guest, managing a staff, doing strict model casting calls and scheduling, I’ve seen the outcome of what’s better left for the originals until the I (s) are dotted and T (s) are crossed. Being that it was Gatsby themed I was assuming that it would be a Gatsby inspired show.

I thought too soon. Models.

There are plus size models, runway models ,catalog models, print models and even fit models, but not everyone is considered a model just because you don’t necessarily walk like a pigeon or you have the height of a gargantuan. Though I would say three girls were believable.

I just didn’t get the logistics of it all and what it had anything to do with the idea of the Gatsby era. It would have been a full swing party if they asked the dancers from Jazz Night with Nikki Leonti to do a one time performance 20s style. She would have killed it! But instead we watched a bunch of prom dresses and guys running off the stage before I could even see what they were wearing.

It’s a fashion show not a marathon.

Towards the end of the night, we were getting irritable and I was just ready to go home. I noticed Jax and Tom from Vanderpump Rules show which actually happens to be one of my favorite reality shows, but again dynamics have changed where one minute you’re in a room full of A-listers and the next it’s a reality tv world domination. I wasn’t impressed, but the lioness following Jax around was making sure he was going to go home with her. Ha! he met his slut match.

Okay, before we go ghost lets walk around one last time before my feet adhere to the ground.

A group of half balding guys that lived for the douchebag life ask nearly every girl who walked past them if they were a model. I could have gone around them, but I didn’t.  They asked me the same question and I said no. When he said something in the lines of “Go in the pool” I counted to three and told him to repeat what he had said. Now clearly he had me fooled with some beta female because he didn’t think I would challenge him and his smartass. Of course he kept his balls in his mouth continuing to tea bag them and changed up his remark.

It’s time to go. That was probably the straw that broke the camels back and though I would’ve loved to have dunked his head into the pool and kept it there, I just chose to call it a short night.

Overall the idea was good so the effort was there, but the execution just wasn’t a slam dunk. Kind of misleading in a way when you ask for well done and instead get med rare. As a Gemini I’m your everyday social butterfly, but my Capricorn Moon just wasn’t feeling it…

that’s for you astrology buffs.

I’ve been spoiled in the past where my partying years were everything I could have happily experienced. Though now, I’m temporarily placing my socialite crown in its glass case. If majority of the crowd made half an effort as our host (s) the Luxe Society,  then yeah I’d give it major props on that perspective. While I’ll still give credit to these gentleman with a congratulations, I’m still just stuck in my ways of what once was.

Now that looked like one hell of a party!

Xox