It’s Tuesday Shoesday.

Today’s Shoe brought to you by urban chic, Blaire Waldorf, and the letter “F”… for Frenchie Flats.

Designer: Anthropologie
Style: City of Love Ballerinas
Color: Beige
Cost: $96 (find them here)

Check out more Tuesday Shoesday’s from these super fly blogs.

{gwyneth paige} {landlocked bride} {swatchbook weddings} {brancoprata} {realistic wedding}

It’s Tuesday Shoesday.

Today’s Shoe brought to you by more ballet, Mary Jane, and the letter “P”… for platform point shoes.

Designer: Anthropologie
Style: Kick Ball Change Platforms
Color: Pink
Cost: $178  (find them here)

Check out more Tuesday Shoesday’s from these super fly blogs.

{gwyneth paige} {landlocked bride} {swatchbook weddings} {brancoprata} {realistic wedding}

So before it was even New Years retail stores were already swapping sweaters for shorts. Seriously. A little early? Maybe. But it’s certainly setting the tone for Spring.  The hot new trend for spring is literally “Tying the Knot”, nautical style.
Get inspired ladies…

Polka Dot Sheath in Deep Blue $79.50

Banana Republic Rayon Striped Dress $98

Nine West Babealish $79

Four-chain link bracelet by J.Crew $68

Striped Pursuit Top $98 at Anthropologie

Longing for Yellow Dress $158 at Anthropologie

It’s happening already. The city has become “Christmafied” already. My colleagues are listening to Christmas music, it’s on in the stores, little white twinkle lights are dotting the trees on Park Avenue, and the Rockettes have already set up show at Radio City. Christmas is coming… earlier and earlier it seems.

Not that I’m complaining. I love the holidays. I love the sparkle of the holidays. And lately I’ve been into statement making accessories, so today, I bring you  statement making accessories with a whole lot of sparkle.  Necklaces, amazing little clutches, big earrings, bangle bracelets- good accessories can make an outfit. A beautiful dress in a classic cut and color makes a much bigger statement with the right accessories. But… I caution you, as with most things… everything in moderation. Follow the advice of Coco Chanel, and right before you’re about to leave, take something off.

Royal Medallion Charm Bracelet $36- Banana Republic

Captured Gems Bracelet $178- Anthropologie

Luxe Cocktail Bracelet $98 - J.Crew

Crystal Waterfall Earrings $55- J.Crew

Champagne Bubbles Necklace $55- Banana Republic

Floral Grid Necklace $125- Banana Republic

Jeweled Button Earrings $26- Banana Republic

Autumn's Bounty Bib $80- Anthropologie

Aflush Necklace $198- Anthropologie

Ok so I’m really not a big jewlery girl, so it takes some seriously unique and fun stuff to get me going. I’m pretty classic. I wear the same stuff every day, HOWEVER… if I were to amp up my accessory world Kate Gray Designs is where I would start, and then I would follow to my old favorites like J.Crew, South Moon Under and Anthropologie. How much do you love these?? 

Benedikta Pearl Vintage Inspired Necklace $75- Kate Gray Designs (Etsy)

Daisy Pearl Vintage Inspired Necklace- Kate Gray Designs $60

Dangling Pearl Necklace - J.Crew $68

Chain Necklace with Center Bead Medallion South Moon Under $38

Sun Rise Nectar Necklace - Anthropologie $42

So as much as I love and find it necessary to be surrounded in flowers… sometimes they are the first to go in the great wedding budget cut. It’s true. Flowers can be one of the more expensive things in your plan, and people have different feelings about this. You know my feelings. I worked in a flower shop for two years when I was 16 and can’t seem to shake the petals from my hair. I love them. And for me, they’re up there with food, and music as VIP wedding “big bucks” items. BUT, it’s different for everyone, AND it’s absolutely possible to maintain a beautiful wedding sans enormous blooms with simple elegant elements. Here’s how…

CHEAP FLOWERS IN BULK

Photo Courtesy of Brides.com

This is one of my favorite rules, and if you are a regular Wedding Belles reader, you know that I talk about this often. You can maintain a really beautiful look at your wedding by using uniform flowers… lots and lots of them. Daisy’s, mums, carnations and tulips look AMAZING in large bunches. Simple and sophisticated.

BRANCHING OUT

Photo Courtesy of Brides.com

Especially if you’re planning a wedding that incorporates natural elements, using branches instead of flowers can be a very sleek and modern centerpiece substitute for mounds of fluffy petals. Incorporating other details like ribbon, hang tags, and even food can give your centerpieces a modern look for less. Just don’t go overboard.

MOOD LIGHTING

Photo Courtesy of Brides.com

Candles are a great way to light your party, and your guests faces for photographs. Ambiance is very important, and creating different lighting schemes can changes the theme and style of your event. Substituting high candlesticks with lower votives along with small floral elements can add a unique style to your table. I have something similar to this on my dining room table now. Crate & Barrel, CB2, and Anthropologie have beautiful and really inexpensive faux glass candlesticks with beautiful embellishment. Add bright candlesticks, a dash of floral color and you’re done!

GIFT GIVER

Photo Courtesy of Brides.com

Showcase  your favors in beautifully packaged boxes as table centerpieces. Fill them with assorted candies, handmade soaps and stacked elegantly on white cake stands. 

FOUND OBJECTS

Photo Courtesy of Brides.com

Nix the typical centerpice vases and head to your local flea market in search of found objects to incorporate into your wedding style. Use mismatched shapes and style to create a whimsical look on each table with simple florals.

WRAP IT UP

Etsy Seller Two Inspire You $55

Turning a wreath on it’s back and filling the inside with high candlesticks or hurricane lamps with lighting is another way to make a smaller affair seem more intimate. Choose the wreathe carefully, and make sure your elements go together. 

So a good friend of mine, who recently got engaged and is totally enthralled with all things Anthro (I mean who isn’t)  asked me if they offer bridal registries for showers or weddings. 

Honestly… I had no idea.

So I asked and it is amazing what you can find out if you just ask.  

Here’s the answer from Anthropologie:

“Our Wish Lists may be made public so that you can share them with friends and family members who are interested in purchasing gifts for you. In order to make your Wish List public, you must select a default shipping address. Even if it is the same as your default billing address, you must add it a second time and select the box that states “Set as Default Shipping Address”. Then, view your Wish List again and select the box that states “Make List Public”.
You may also send your Wish List by utilizing the “Send List” button that appears at the top of your wish list. This is especially helpful if you have a small group of people that you would like to share your list with and have their email addresses available.”

In english…you can compile everything you could possibly imagine for your kitchen in one place and do one of three things:

1. Direct guests to search online for the “Wish List” using your last name or e-mail address

2. Share your wish list with friends and family via e-mail through the “Share” option on the “Wish List” page always directing them to purchase directly online.  

3. Print  out and send to guests with your invites (not likely- and kind of ugly). 

BUT, there’s a catch. This is ENTIRELY online. In-store purchases cannot be deducted from a Wish List.  Which means, if you’re one of the lucky lovelies in walking distance to a an Anthropologie, you have to pay the shipping to make sure yours is the only Fresh-Baked Cake Stand your bride-to-be receives. 

Update: In an e-mail, Anthropologie said:

“When items are bought from stores our stores will email us and ask us to remove the items from the wish list so duplicates are not purchased.”

So in-store purchases at your own risk then.

Otherwise, this works just like a traditional registry. As items are purchased off your Wish List the list repopulates to show “Desired” “Received” quantities.

I’d love to see someone successfully execute this registry option, as it’s a pretty great one and why not register for cool, quirky, kitchen style in addition to all the blenders, food processors and pots n’ pans on your other lists?

 Hi lovelies! So I decided to make Wednesday my mid-week “WED favorites” day. Get it? There’s no rhyme or reason, just some of my most favorite pretties from the past few days.

Think of it as a Mid-week round-up of all things fun, fabulous and very right now. 

O.K. class. Let’s get started… 

New monogrammed items dropped into my e-mail box from The Palm Gifts today! Love the aprons and the new boat totes!

Boat Totes $24- The Palm Gifts

Preppy Aprons $20- The Palm Gifts

Also, I LOVE the total focus on ACCESSORIES (FROOF) happening at Anthropologie. It’s wonderful! I love all of it. Sigh.

Photo Courtesy of Anthropologie

 I mean if this doesn’t scream Derby Day party, I don’t know what does. Seriously.

Photo Courtesy of Anthropologie.com

While I was home shopping at the little- shop that isn’t anymore, I bought myself a pretty patterned Vera umbrella for spring in their new yellow bird pattern. I love it.

Vera Bradley Yellow Bird Umbrella & Keychain

I also really love this. I was Etsy browsing again… really nothing new, and came across this perfect vintage inspired pearl and gold charm bracelet from Glint by Mich. I’m kind of a closet beach freak stuck in the concrete jungle of the city, so I think this- subtle gold beach charms and perfect little pearls- are charming… get it. Ha. These are totally sold out, which is sad, but maybe they’ll be more? It’s called the Hampton Lane Ivory Pearl Bracelet with Sea Charms- AND get this… inspired by Grace Kelly in Rear Window. Amazing.

Hampton Lane Pearl Bracelet- Glint by Mich

I also got a sweet little fragrance package from Lulu Beauty last night! Can’t wait to test out their fun and flirty fragrances and give you the lowdown on what’s aisle worthy!

Happy Hump-Day!

When I was growing up there was a small shop in my small town that helped every bride in a 100-mile radius register for her wedding china.  It was downtown, and mostly I remember going in there and looking up at all the crystal, glass and ceramic “things” that I could not touch (but desperately  wanted to) in complete and total awe. Sparkly things are mesmerizing to an 8-year-old right?

Since I had double shower present buying needs this past weekend, I wanted to check out the little shop’s new location…

Turns out, that little shop… not so little anymore AND… ironically enough sparkly things… still super mesmerizing fifteen years later.

 I’m not gonna lie. There are stores I could wander around in for hours… dress shops, shoe stores and tabletop shops. It’s kind of like walking into the housewares department at Bloomingdales, or the downstairs of Michael C. Fina.  Magic.

Alright. Giggle if you must, but I love entertaining! And you should entertain with pretty things. It’s fun. A lot of people don’t register for China anymore. And truthfully, I understand why. The formal idea of entertaining with “good china” sort of sits somewhere around Thanskgiving and Christmas. Important for holidays and out of town family. But why should you waste your beautiful settings on obscure out of towners?

GET SOMETHING YOU’RE GOING TO USE.  I’m serious.

 I don’t think you’re good china should sit and collect dust on a shelf somewhere post-nuptials. Your dinnerware should be beautiful and PRACTICAL. 

There were so many beautiful and practical things in that not -so small little shop in my still kind of small, little town that I had to share a few with you!

Mariposa

One of my all-time favorite lines of table top is Mariposa. Affordable, durable, pretty and timeless. You really can’t go wrong. They have just about anything you can imagine- from serving platters, bowls and vases for weddings to baby items for showers! They also have these really great napkin holders with a whole line of different kinds of weights- holiday themed, sunflowers, sleds, fireflies, ladybugs… the list goes on…

Brillante Line

Brillant Line

* See the spoon, cup and bowl? That’s what we decided on for my friend K’s baby shower this weekend. Isn’t it super sweet? The spoon also doubles in a different set with an adorable appetizer dish that they have- which I received as a Christmas gift! Love it!
 

Juliska

This is one of my all-time favorites too. My sister bought me my first piece at Christmas and I’m kind of hooked now.

Juliska Collection

Kate Spade

She does more than the bags and the shoes girls. These adorably vintage looking plates are a happy addition to any kitchen. 

Kate Spade Larabee dot tidbit plates- $80/Set of 4

Now there are also cheaper versions that have the same kind of feel as the items above. Crate & Barrel has a great line of place settings that are really affordable and really classic and Williams-Sonoma has some nice everyday options as well. Crate & Barrel’s White Pearl Dinnerware set is very reminiscent of the Brillant line from Mariposa in a classic white.  There’s always the reliable stand-by’s at Anthropologie too and check out Home Goods -  They often have beautiful Waterford and Lenox items at a serious discount.

Happy Entertaining! 

Those of you who know me, KNOW that I love me some froof. Ya know… oversize flower pins, a touch of feather in the hair, big satin flowers on the shoes a la Carrie Bradshaw. I love it. I think it stems from wearing too many bows as a child…Either way, I seriously cannot get enough of it. It’s everywhere this season, from tank tops and headbands to slingbacks and dresses. So go out and make a statement. Whether it’s at the shower, out on the town, or strutting down the aisle… go big or go home.

Etsy is a fabulous place to find all things froof. The stuff out there is so fun! If you’ve never been… you’re missing out. They have Hairpieces, headbands and flowers….

Etsy Seller NevaPlume- $36

AOKI feather headpiece- $49 Etsy Seller Portobello

Etsy Seller $10 PierogiPicnic

The White Collection- Etsy Seller calexandra $8.95

The Sophie Headband from Etsy Seller theLittleOak $20

Anthropologie also has some really fun and flirty headbands with loads of froof! 

Brooches and pins…

Etsy Seller- $22 Jilliann's Pink Rose Brooch

Pale Beauty brooch $12.95

And other fun things…

Etsy Seller- $25 Star Selection

This is so great. This is a 5 satin rosette piece that detaches and can be added to any garmet! How much do you love that! Imagine adding it to the top of a simple little black dress! Not simple anymore… LOVE THIS!

Old Navy had some really great tanks in-store. They’re not available online, but they come in a whole bunch of colors with giant ribbon bows on the top left shoulder. It’s a nice little twist to the household beater.

And then there are Shoes…..

J.crew has these fabulous sandals that I would honestly kill for in every color. And they’re not $300+ like the rest of their shoes.

Satin Rosette metallic capri sandals- $78

Matisse Black & Yellow Sandals- $118 Shoes.com

Steve Madden

And on to the dresses… Seriously. Lela Rose is FANTASTIC. There’s froof everywhere. 

Lela Rose Spring 2009

Lela Rose Spring 2009

Lela Rose Spring 2009