The Zimmerman Telegram

These days I keep seeing young teenage stars popping up at various events, some clad more...pleasantly...than others. While browsing Shopbop, I came across two dresses from Zimmerman that would be perfect for a young star at a casual event. Usually, the teenage wonders do fairly well on more formal occasions, since they can just throw on a cute cocktail dress, but when it moves into the realm of casual affairs, then things can go haywire.

Each dress is $350, well within the realm of a wealthy young star. This strapless, poufy shape is very "in," but the structure, studded detail, and print (on the first one) help set these dresses apart from the crowd. They should be paired with simple, unobstrusive heels just like the ones in the promotional photos.

Margaret Mead's Fashion

Anthropologie's dress sale is, as always, so close yet so far away...the number of gorgeous dresses available is quite astounding, but alas, the number of gorgeous dresses available in size 0 is astoundingly minute. But I was able to find three picks for our gorgeous Gossip Girls, in celebration of their new season. I'll be honest though, the plot is sort of a side bonus for the gorgeous outfits. And while she's not part of the dynamic B + S duo that tends to take most of the screen attention, I'm beginning to become fond of little Jenny Humphrey and her own storylines.

This ruffly shirtdress would be perfect for Blake Lively, aka Serena van der Woodsen, as she often favours preppy, clean-cut styles with a little bit of a relaxed vibe to them. She'd probably pair it with some simple sandals and beachy waves.


This cute little Peter Pan collared dress would be perfect for Jenny Humphrey...though I'm not so sure about Taylor Momsen, as she's always morphing her styles these days. Not that that's a bad thing -- it's always great to see younger kids experimenting with style. The simple, short-sleeved, prim structure of this dress echoes the dress that Jenny wore to the Vitamin Water party (can anyone say blatant advertising? at least it wasn't alcohol...).


This gorgeous yellow jacquard ruffle-neck dress belongs on the one and only Queen B. Or, should I say, Leighton Meester. Leighton's been experimenting with her style lately, and has emerged with a much more couture-minded style than Blake, who's rocking a very vintage/boho vibe of her own. Leighton's gorgeous skintone would definitely do this dress justice, and the trendy yellow colour paired with an intricate print would love absolutely lovely on her.

Fifth Avenue Flair

Trendy offerings in the way of on-sale cocktail dresses...oh, how I love Saks Fifth Avenue.

Their selection of cute little leg-bearing, structured shifts is absolutely impeccable. I love that they have dresses to fit all styles, all around $150. These dress silhouettes are perfectly in, whether with tights in winter or bare-legged in summer.

This dress from T-Bags is a super-cute way to keep a bohemian vibe while still maintaining a chic silhouette. $112.90


This dress from Shin Choi is for more futuristic girls that love a mod, chic silhouette. I would pair these with simple black tights and make it the background for some fabulous heels. $138.90


This little sailor dress from Lilly Pulitzer is a beautiful way to bring the nautical trend back. The sleek shape is supremely flattering, and for young people out there that still attend Halloween parties, pairing this little frock with a sailor hat is a perfect way to look cute without resorting to demeaning, barely-there pieces of cloth. $117.90


They also hit on the ombre trend, making it much more wearable and flattering. The idea of a ruffle neck on an ombre dress may seem over-the-top, but I think it completely works in the second dress. from top: $152.90, $177.90



Though it may be a little late for this, I'm loving the Saks take on poppy, mod florals. I particularly love the second dress, which has a gorgeous silhouette that makes girlie florals a little more flirty. Plus, it's perfect for pairing with some tights and a cardigan. from top: $157.90, $178.80

You're My Inspiration

Summery Pastels

Though pastel colours may be associated more with Spring than they are with Summer, here in Chicago we didn't really have much of the former. There's no need to put those pastel frocks to rest, especially for a fancy Summer event. I myself have a wedding to attend, and though it's a formal event I think that I would rather stick with a lighter colour, just because it feels more appropriate for the warmer weather. In honor of that, I scoped out three lovely dresses from Saks, each in a light pastel colour.

This first dress is part of the slew of BCBG cocktail dresses that was put out suspiciously around prom time. Many of them were worn by girls at my school, but not this one. I'm actually pretty surprised...the sweetheart neckline and A-line skirt are pretty universally flattering, and the sea foam green colour is gorgeous. If you're as into this dress as I am, you can get it for $204.00.


This second dress has a little bit of a molting look going for it. Thankfully, the layers of thin fabric aren't overpowering enough to look like you're actually losing your (bright blue) skin. Instead, they offer light, delicate detailing on the skirt that is offset by a tightly fitting bright blue bodice. Again, the sweetheart neckline is quite flattering, as is the knee-length hemline. Get it for $140.00, if you're a size 6.


This last dress is very girly and sweet, and the slightly shorter hemline makes it better for the younger ones among us. Instead of a sweetheart neckline, this dress has a straight-cut neckline, so getting a good bra is a little bit easier. Plus, the bow adds an interesting detail that just borders the line between "unique" and "over the top." It's also the cheapest dress out of all three, at only $87.98.

Sassy Serena

While lamenting the loss of my beloved J. Crew (it's experiencing a temporary Internet meltdown), I decided to scour the Nordstrom sales for some picks that satisfy the other spectrum of Gossip Girl lovelies, Serena van der Woodsen. As I said before, it's often difficult to pick up style tips from a 5'10" girl with the skinniest legs ever. I'm not going to go into whether one of the two ladies is "prettier" than the other, first of all because I don't appreciate judging like that and second of all because they're both so gorgeous I wouldn't be able to pick. So, for those of you that are more into Serena's laid-back, boho style (with lots of gam-showing), here are some things you should check out at the Nordstrom sales.

This black tunic with snaps up the sides is something that you could wear either without bottoms or with bottoms, but if you wanted to go full-on Serena it would probably be without bottoms. I love this piece because it's detailed without being too much, and it's on sale for $54.90.


This black sequined number from LaROK is another example of a classic black piece with a little bit of "Serena" injected into it with the silver sequin detailing. To me, the detailing in the front almost resembles a sequined vest thrown over a black dress, which sounds like something right up funky Serena's alley. If you're interested, it's on sale for $97.90.


This taupe jersey dress definitely has the "leg-showing" criteria filled, but I like how it's not particularly revealing on top, so you're not showing too much. Plus, the neutral colour is a perfect canvas for some accessories of your own, be they Serena-inspired or just you-inspired. It's on sale for $105.90.


This cream shirtdress with sequin detailing seems like something that our party girl Serena would wear to one of her more hip, young soirées. Again, the shift style that's pretty roomy on top is great for balancing out a very leg-displaying dress...it's also great for hiding a little bit of extra tummy. The dress is from French Connection, on sale for $109.90.


This black dress with a vest is kind of like the daytime version of the black LaROK sequined dress. The simple vest detailing adds a bit of boho while still remaining crisp, and again is a great palette to show off some standout accessories. You could go all-out Serena with a black studded bag, along the lines of her trusty Burberry "Warrior" bag, or you could just spice it up with some neons and chunky necklaces. Personally, I'd go for a pretty silk scarf and some fancy flats to girlie it up. The dress is on sale for $128.90 from Charlotte Ronson.


This yellow BCBG dress reminds me of Serena's lovely pale yellow ruffled dress in the wedding, though it doesn't quite carry the same designer tag. After looking at the dress on the model, I think it's safe to say that the style is quite difficult to carry off. This cocktail, modified version is much more wearable, and is a lovely departure from the usual spaghetti-strap or halter-neck evening dresses. Plus, it's from BCBG and it's only $159.90.


One thing I love about this orange flower-adorned dress from 3.1 Phillip Lim is that it's not any sort of imitation of Gossip Girl style, it's something that Serena herself may have worn. Yes, orange isn't a common colour in her wardrobe, but the easy, breezy style of this sheer silk dress is almost definitely something she would wear. And, of course, it has the requisite hiked-up hem. Thankfully, for those of us who don't have infinite amounts of budget money to spend on designer-filled wardrobes, this piece of Phillip is only $189.00.


Finally, this yellow number from Diane von Furstenburg is a lovely, long dress that is made for the lovely, long ladies out there. I'm all for wearing what makes you happy, but being 5'2" myself, I know that calf-length dresses like this usually drown my petite frame out. But on a tall and skinny girl like Serena, curves aren't even necessary to pull off this beautiful summery dress. If you're interested, it's only $206.90...which isn't bad for DVF.

Sales at Saks

Here are two dresses that I found while perusing the amazing sales at Saks Fifth Avenue. There are many, many more styles to choose from but these are some of the few dresses that are available in a moderate array of sizes. It's worth a look if you're on the hunt for a good bargain, but I went through quite a lengthy process that involved me clicking repeatedly on what seemed to be cute dresses...only to find that they were in a size quite far from mine.

This first dress is a tiered black number that might be more suited to the younger of you out there. What I like about it is its flexibility; team it with a cute cardigan and flats and it's a girly, sweet daytime-appropriate outfit, or strap on some black heels like the ones I posted about before, and you've got a pretty little evening dress that hides any sort of tummy bulges. Plus, it's only $83.98.
This next number is a little bit more expensive; it's $131.33. But I love the colour, belt detail, and interesting pleating. Plus, it's perfect for summer dates and the colour allows you to use a basic black shoe or a light strappy sandal, like the model is wearing.