FRUGAL FIANCÉE: All Hail Princess Kate!

So the dust has had a bit of time to settle and mostly the reviews are positive about Kate's dress and overall style. I wasn't kidding when I said that as go princesses, so goes bridal fashion. Grace Kelly was a style icon of her time and Princess Kate is bringing that impeccable elegance back.

The lace on the dress isn't matronly, its delicate and even adds a bit of sexiness to the dress but still in a way that makes it appropriate for the occasion and stature of the event.

The train I think was necessary ( if you are getting married in Westminster Abbey, you need a train) but I liked that it didn't extend all the way to the back of the Cathedral. Her sister Pippa has been getting quite the buzz too (pictured above holding the train). Pippa looked beautiful in her white dress, though I'm not sure if an all white bridal party trend will make it to the U.S.

If you want a dress like hers, the above is a great option from White by Vera Wang. It's not a one-of-a-kind, but it has a similar feel. I cant wait to see more dresses like it.

Made By: White by Vera Wang for David's Bridal

Price: $1300

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All in all, I'm excited to see what Princess Kate will influence in fashion generally, and, as a fellow 2011 Bride I say: Best Wishes!

I'm Falling In Love With Max & Cleo

By Jax

I almost bought this dress until I realized I had nowhere to wear it.  Do you have somewhere to wear it?  If so, please!  BUY IT!  Buy it this minute!  Buy it and wear it and look stunning for just over $100!

Made By: Max & Cleo

Price: $110.60 (originally $158.00)

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GUYS BUYS: Oh, Pluto, I Will Remember You

By Lisa

If you're reading this today, you probably remember there being nine planets in our solar system. We love you, Pluto. May your planethood rest in peace.

Made by: California Academy of Sciences

Price: $25

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COSMETICS CUTIE: Shine Like A Star!

By Jen

When I’m looking to spruce up my look before I head out the door, I almost always head for lip gloss. It adds just the sparkle I need to brighten up my smile!



Lip gloss is great, but between consistency issues, shine and type of applicator, it can cause a headache all its own. That’s why I love the Clinique superbalm moisturizing gloss. There's no wand, so it’s easy to apply quickly and it goes on smooth, not sticky. Plus, it tends to last much longer than other glosses I’ve tried in the past and leaves you’re lips feeling moisturized long after it’s worn off.


It comes in nine glossy shades that you can match to your coloring for a perfected look. My personal favorite is Raspberry because it adds just enough pink without going overboard.


Looking for the finishing touch to your look? Try this gloss and you’ll be sure to shine like a star!


Made by: Clinique


Found at: Sephora


Price: $14


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Free Belt With Purchase Of Dress

By Jax

I always feel like I hit the jackpot when I find a dress I like that comes with a belt.  Belts are expensive!  It's hard to find one for under $10, so when you buy a super cute dress that you would have put a belt with anyway, and that spectacular frock comes with a belt, you're getting a ton of value.

Made By: ModCloth

Price: $49.99

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FRUGAL FIANCÉE: Princess Catherine.

She looks effortlessly stunning! I love the Grace Kelly inspired dress and doesn't she look a tad like Audrey Hepburn? I can't wait for this trend to continue, as princesses so, so goes bridal fashion!

The Skeleton Key To My Heart

By Jax

Readers of this blog are no stranger to my obsessive love of skeleton keys.  When they are incorporated in jewelry in unique ways, I start dreaming about these pieces.  I create outfits around them even though I don't actually own them yet!

You can imagine my excitement and joy when I saw this necklace on someone, only to find out that the designer is none other than my extremely fashionable friend, Karen Ko!  Karen left her previously career to be a jewelry designer, and one look at her website lets you know she made the absolutely right choice!  Karen's also a good person, and so while this necklace is on the high-end of prices for jewelry, it's so perfect I could not resist featuring it.  This is definitely worth the money.

Made By: k2Oo by Karen Ko

Price: $100

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Awesome or Ugly?

By Jax

By Jax

Awesome?

Or Ugly?

YOU DECIDE!

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FRUGAL FIANCÉE: Crown Jewels.

So much about the Royal Wedding has been speculated about and we'll find out tomorrow morning if we were all wrong, so I'm not going to make any dress predictions. However the word on the street is Kate will borrow a tiara from Queen Elizabeth for the wedding.

Above is the tiara worn by (from left to right), Queen Mary, the Queen Mum, Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Anne. Now, Kate is a real princess and so gets to wear a tiara down the aisle. Us common folk, however, can look a bit silly in a wedding tiara, and the trends have moved decidedly away from donning such princess headware and towards flowers and hair fascinators.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow and, just in case you don't see it anywhere else (impossible), I'll post pics of Kate's dress and outfit tomorrow morning!

Tees Me All Day Long

By Jax

Tunic tanks are very "in" for this summer, and this Alternative Apparel one is a nice breathable cotton, and a price that puts it in square competition with Forever 21.  A long tunic tank can be tucked in, or worn long with shorts or leggings.  It's just comfy and cute, and perfect for a nice hot summer.

Made By: Alternative Apparel

Price: $25.99

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GUYS BUYS: Suddenly, Everyone's British

By Lisa
Go the extra kilometer for your special somebody and show how supportive you are of their interest in the upcoming Royal wedding. Hang this Union Jack artwork in your place and, voila!, you're supportive, romantic dude. Well played, sir.

Made by: Urban Outfitters

Price: $9.99 (originally $48)

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COMFY COQUETTE: Two-Toned Cropped Tank Set

Cropped tanks are in this season, and a great way to make this trend your own is in the bedroom! I love this two-tone cropped tank and tap pant by Only Hearts. The mesh fabric is light and airy, and sure to hang in a really flattering way. Available in light blue, red or navy.

Made By: Only Hearts

Price: Tank $48, Tap Pant $38

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HOMEY HONEY: Function Friendly

I came across this as I was searching Urban Outfitters new arrivals. I am in love. I love multipurpose things. I especially love the calendar feature, not to mention the chalkboard for notes! I am notorious for leaving the house and having no clue what the date is. I would hang it right by my door so I would never forget. I also really like the shelf/hook combo. It is great for storage. I can't wait to hang all my fun Spring coats on this and maybe an umbrella (I swear it has been raining for 2 weeks straight).

Made By: Urban Outfitters

Price: $49.00

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Cleopatra Wonderful

By Jax

I can't imagine this necklace at this price will be available for too much longer...

It's such an amazing statement piece!  Something that really hits you and says "HELLO!  I AM THE MOST AMAZING NECKLACE YOU'VE EVER SEEN, RIGHT?"  I'm not even that crazy about chokers, but this necklace just doesn't have the feeling of a choker.  It works like one, but without the high-neck stuffy feeling!

You know what is also worth $44.00 to me?  Having someone compliment my necklace, and my response can be "oh thank you, it's BCBG."

Made By:  BCBG

Price: $44.00 (originally $88.00)

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Awesome or Ugly?

By Jax

Awesome?

Or Ugly?

YOU DECIDE!

BUY IT

DESIGNER ALERT - Tibi

By Jax

Do you have legs?  Do you know how to use them?  Perhaps they should be sporting an ultra mini!

Now...I know not everyone is for the bubble bottom.  But men have a serious thing for bubble bottom skirts and dresses.  I have no idea why (I really, honestly don't), but I've heard from at least 15 guys that it really turns them on.

However, I hate hate hate to dress for men.  I try to dress in what makes me happy and what makes me feel confident.  But hey, if what makes you feel sexy and confident happens to coincide with what men think is attractive, then we have, as Steve Carrell would say, a win win win!

Made By: Tibi

Found On: Gilt

Price: $99.00 (originally $218.00)

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Ground Those Neutrals

By Jax

Unless you are hiding under a rock, you know very well that this is the season for neutrals.  I see nude, peach, light brown, light olive, etc.  I try to ground my neutrals with a bold handbag, and depending on the neutral, this dark brown bag might be the perfect grounding device.

I like that it can be worn on your forearm, or as a large cross-body bag (or even as a shoulder tote, depending on how you feel about small shoulder strap satchels.)


Made By: Urban Outfitters

Price: $49.99 (originally $78.00)

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Daily Etsy Spotlight

By Jax

The "honeycomb" design is hot right now, but I haven't really seen it in a narrow diamond shape!  I also haven't seen the combs in such a delicate flower shape.  Half of what it takes to make good jewelry is knowing what shapes will work in a design, and this designer clearly has the knack!

Made By: Perini Designs

Price: $20.00

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FRUGAL FIANCÉE: Royally Generous

Opting for donations in your name instead of a traditional registry is a great way to honor the causes you care about. It is also seen as a pretty classy thing to do if you are already well-off and don't need any more housewares; I'm pretty sure Kate and Wills qualify in that category.

Also, I'm debating whether or not I should get up at 4 a.m. to blog about it live and since I'm on the fence, I leave it to you, readers. If enough of you want me to get up and blog it for you, I will, just let me know in the comments! (Let's say 10 people demanding this coverage is "enough.")

Soft Pink In Formal

Soft pink is a great color for an outdoor event in the spring or summer.  There are lots of reasons why you might not want to go for white (it makes you look too young, you're at a wedding, etc.), so if you like some color in your life, soft pink acts basically like white in terms of keeping you cooler than if you were wearing, say, black or dark red.  I also love the way soft pink looks on darker skin tones!  It's a really beautiful contrast!

My shape advice is that if you have a chest, this dress is not for you, because it will create a widening affect.

Made By: Alexia Admor

Found At: Nordstroms

Price: $88.90 (originally $188.00)

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GUYS BUYS: Yes, You Need More Linen

By Lisa
This season has so many classy linen options, I had to include another here. These linen and cotton blend pants are lightweight without giving up shape. Four color options (white, black, flax, gray) and on sale for under twenty bucks. Great looking deal.

Made by: Old Navy

Price: $19.50 (originally $34.50)

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Some Enchanted Evening (Bag)

By Jax

TRUE STORY TIME!

I always seem to forget to weave in an evening bag into my evening ensembles.

It's true, and embarassing!  Why this happens I know not!  I am totally obsessed with handbags, and yet for some reason, when it comes to any sort of formal event, I have my dress, my shoes, my jewelry, my hair accessories, and then last minute, I realize I can't wear my everyday Longchamp.  Once I realized that this was a serious problem, I started stocking up on dress purses in every shape, size and color, so that I would never have to deal with this clearly serious problem again!

I could not recommend DSW more as a place to go on an evening purse binge.  For $100, you can buy 3 or 4 evening purses that will match any dress.  This neutral clutch will work with lots of dress colors and styles, and evening bags RARELY go out of style.  There isn't exactly a lot of trends in this world, so you know when you invest in one, it's going to last!

Made By: Lulu Townsend

Found At: DSW

Price: $39.95 (originally $128.00)

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One Size Only!

By Jax

And today's lucky size is...LARGE!

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Nautically Delightful

By Jax

Here's one for my nautical lovers!

I don't know if I would buy these shoes if they weren't the ultra low price of $26.99!  Honestly, where are you gonna find shoes like this for $26.99?  And they're not exactly a pair you can wear every day, and you never want a fun, occasional go-to shoe to cost more than $50.

I would style this with all white (white dress, white bag, white accessories!)

Made By: Payless

Price: $26.99

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DESIGNER ALERT - Marc By Marc Jacobs

By Jax

When I first saw this dress, I thought "is that too many ruffles?"  And I have decided....no!  It's not!  It's a perfect amount!

I rely on Marc Jacobs to dance near the line of too much but never go over.  If you, like me, have to attend a bajillion weddings this summer, I highly recommend this frock because it's fashion forward, good quality, and you'll get some good summer wedding mileage out of it.

Made By: Marc By Marc Jacobs

Price: $219.00 (originally $328.00)

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What Are You Wearing To Your Prom?

By Jax


It's April, which means that prom season is in full swing!  Whether yours is this week, or sometime in the next two months, you're definitely thinking about your dress.  Most teens just don't have a lot of money to spend, so I set out to find the perfect dress for under $100, and here it is!

My favorite prom photos from when I was in high school are from the prom where I wore a very sleek, classic baby blue dress with flowers from Jessica McClintock.  There was absolutely nothing trendy about it for the late 90's.  That dress would be perfect for any event, even now.  My point is: the more classic the dress, the more it will last through time.  This not only means you can wear it more, but you'll look back 10 years after and won't laugh at yourself :p

Made By: JS Boutique

Found At: Nordstrom

Price: $83.99 (originally $188.00)

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Everyday Styling: A Night At The Theater!

By Jax

A night out at the theater in Manhattan used to be a very fancy event, but now it's a little more relaxed.  That doesn't mean I'm gonna look super stylish!

I am obsessed with this white blazer I bought, and I've been going out of my way to create outfits around it.  It's about time it made it to this blog :p

Jacket
Made By: Smythe
Found At: Saks Off Fifth
Price: $249 (originally $590.00)
It's from last year so I can't find it anywhere, but I recommend ALL Smythe blazers, they are amazing!  Visit Smythe.  And I of course always recommend Saks Off Fifth, my hands down favorite discount store.

Shirt
Made By: American Apparel
Price: $36.00
(Can't find it on the website but here is the link, and I'm almost positive you can buy it in store.)

Jeans
Made By: Levis
Found At: Dillards
Price: $31.99
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Belt
Made By: H&M
Price: $9.95
BUY IT IN STORE

Shoes 
Vintage, found at Odd Twin

Daily Etsy Spotlight

By Jax

It's a return to basics in today's Daily Etsy Spotlight!

I so often stress this to you, and it's advice I don't take enough myself: you can never have too much basic jewelry!  I can't tell you how many times I've just wanted a beaded stud earring in a certain color, but all I see is tons of chandelier earrings and funky shapes, etc.  These earrings above will match almost anything.  They're inexpensive and classic.

This is an especially good alternative to pearls, if you're not a pearl person.  It has that pearl essence but with a pop of light pink color!

Made By: Sugar Li

Price: $11.00

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FRUGAL FIANCÉE: You're On Sapphire.

Man that is a big rock!Kate Middelton is not the first to don a sapphire engagement ring, in fact she's not even the first to don HER sapphire engagement ring, and this once-old trend is new again as many brides-to-be are choosing not to have a diamond solitaire as their engagement ring.

I am totally biased because I have a sapphire engagement ring and I had it before Kate sparked the whole new rage. I love that it is (was?) more individual and reflects my personality better than a diamond would. If you want to rock a gemstone, sapphire is a great way to go and will be significantly cheaper than a diamond of equal size and quality, but can still be elegant.

BUY ONE

Awesome or Ugly?

By Jax

Awesome?

Or Ugly?

YOU DECIDE!

BUY IT

Wild Child In Wildflower

By Jax

Florals finally seem appropriate in New York, where yesterday I confidently went running in shorts and a t-shirt without worrying if I would come back frozen!

This skirt can be paired with a fitted tank top and wedges for the spring and summer, and when fall comes, a pair of purple opaque tights will do just fine.

Made By: ModCloth

Price: $39.99

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GUYS BUYS: Mind Your Manor

By LisaThis color is so satisfying! Even despite my usual aversion to purple. Wonderfully rich shade they call Manor. Wear it around your own manor, real or imaginary. And don't forget to have it monogrammed.

Made by: J. Crew

Price: $19.99 minus an additional 30% with code OURTREAT (originally $39.50)

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COMFY COQUETTE: Bringing back the Racerback

I am a big stickler when it comes to visible bra straps and I wear a strapless bra more often than I probably need to - especially with certain tanks, shells or sleeveless dresses that could work with a strappy bra, if I had the right one. I was in this very same predicament this weekend, when I rediscovered the racerback.

The key to a great racerback is finding one that's easy to get on and off, and that means buying a true racerback - not the 5-way adjustable strap numbers.

This racerback from Calvin Klein is great - the straps are far enough apart that they won't start creeping up on your collar bone, and the front closure makes it easy to slip on. Plus, the lightly padded shaping will give you great everyday boost.

Made Buy: Calvin Klein

Price: $42 with free shipping

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Three Words Or Less

By Jax

Describe in three words or less.

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It's Always Winter In Your Office

 By Jax

No matter what season it is, dark work clothes can always be appropriate.  I think this is because most offices are insanely cold, so for some reason dark colors seem appropriate, even when it's 85 out!  While this blouse is squarely in the fall/winter category, it has a brightness that I think makes it appropriate for work.  So go ahead, brave your work AC in this top even though it's boiling hot outside!

Made By: Spotted Moth

$39.99

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In Full Spring Jewelry Bloom

By Jax

While I normally posted vestique dresses, they have a nice little jewelry section that showcases a couple of really cute items!  Like these black and gold earrings.  It's a very sophisticated accessory, but because it's a flower there is a bit of playfulness to it.  These kinds of accessories are the best ones to wear to either work, or a stuffy formal event you don't want to go to and you want to shake things up  (you know what I'm talking about!)

Made By: Vestique.com

Price: $10.00

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Red Is The New Black

By Jax

Red, like black, can be worn in any season, and it's all about the styling to make sure it fits the weather.

A pair of nude pumps or stilettos bring this beautiful red one-shoulder dress right into spring.  Pair with a light gold clutch to further clinch the "springy" feel.

Made By: Nasty Gal

Price: $68.60

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Daily Etsy Spotlight

By Jax

While I am generally not a ring person, if I'm going to buy and wear a ring, it's going to be large, and funky!  This bright blue mosaic ring is so beautiful and unusual.  It's the perfect accent piece for an outfit (think a white dress and a wide brim black straw hat!)

I own a mirror from Crooked Moon Mosaics, and it's lovely!  Great, quality work.  You won't be unhappy!


Made By: Crooked Moon Mosaics

Price: $40.00

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Awesome or Ugly?

By Jax

Awesome?

Or Ugly?

YOU DECIDE!

BUY IT

FRUGAL FIANCÉE: Royal Icing.

Welcome to Royal Wedding Week! Seeing as there is expected to be more than one billion (with a "b") viewers of this event, I'll be posting this week about the Royal Wedding and themes you can take from their wedding to yours.

Has Dunkin' Donuts ever made a special donut for you? I doubt it; but they have made the above donut in honor of the Royal Wedding this week! From the company's press release: "The heart signifies the love between Prince William and Catherine, and the donut is filled with jelly to represent how their lives are to be ever-filled with happiness. The white frosting is reminiscent of the traditional white wedding gown, and the chocolate drizzle is symbolic of William’s love for chocolate."

Donuts are becoming a wedding trend in general, giving the "cupcake" idea a run for its money. If you are going to serve donuts at your reception i'd shy away from the desire to stack them up as a tiered wedding cake (it might not come out the way you pictured it), and find some cute boxes or trays to display them in.

EAT IT

Higher And Higher

By Jax

I can't tell you how happy I am that platforms are back in such a big way.  I LOVE being tall, but I HATE having my feet hurt.  A platform enables you to achieve that height without all the pain!

This black Steve Madden Platform is oozing sex appeal.  You could pair this with a pair of short cuffed shorts and a flowy tucked in top, and maybe a small crossbody purse.  Ladies with killer legs, take note!

Made By: Steve Madden

Found At: DSW

Price: $54.95 (originally $90.00)

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GUYS BUYS: You Can Stand Under My

By LisaFull size gentlemen's umbrella. A classic.

Made by: Totes

Found at: Macy's

Price: $16

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