Good Things Come in Small Packages

Even many years ago, when I was a normal height for my age, I had this strange obsession with small things. I wrote in incredibly small handwriting and would always subject my poor LEGO people to the smallest houses imaginable. To this day, I still love small charms and pendants, and little details on everything.



Speaking of small things, how unbelievably adorable is this little coin purse? Yes, it's not-so-adorably priced at $177, but I suppose that's what you get when your coin purse is from Gucci. But still! I'm dying of cuteness overload...

Crisp, Professional Florality

Everyone has their favourite occasion to dress up for. For some, it's a huge, black tie event, that calls for red carpet gowns. For others, it's a walk around the block, which requires jeans, sneakers, and maybe a simple sweater. While one of my favourite activities is perusing gorgeous red carpet gowns, I love dressing up for dressy yet slightly professional occasions. Occasions like those, which are few and far between, often allow me to show style without feeling pressured to show skin.

I've slowly started to love crisp sheaths, especially ones with patterns that aren't too crazy but that still are interesting. This pink floral sheath from Saks is a great way to show off your girly side without looking too frou-frou. Plus it's on sale for $173.90!


I would pair it with a really simple clutch and some fashion forward yet still simple shoes.

Conservatively Cute

While perusing Saks Fifth Avenue's hugely extensive sales, I came upon this cute little jersey dress with twist detailing:


It's a pretty easy to swallow $91.20, especially from a big bucks store like Saks. What attracted me to it most was the gorgeous colour; I wore a jersey strapless dress in this colour to my homecoming, and I have found it to be exceedingly flattering to tanned skintones. It is also a nice take on a jersey dress; usually, dresses of this type tend to look like Forever 21 bargain bin finds that could deteriorate in two seconds. This dress, while it doesn't have structure, still has a definite shape that integrates a pretty twist detail without being floppy. If I had it, I would probably accessorize it using a silver story, with a killer pair of heels.

Shoes, Bracelets, Clutch

A Work of Art

I recently had the chance to peruse Susie Bubble's coverage of the YSL exhibit in San Francisco, California. Though I love my winters, I really wish I was in San Fran right now! Her pictures looked gorgeous...and the exhibit itself is a wonderful tribute to the the Yves Saint Laurent legacy.

One of the pieces often associated with YSL, besides the ubiquitous Le Smoking suit, is the Mondrian dress. Or, I should say, dresses. Susie was able to get a gorgeous shot of the Mondrian dresses at the exhibit, much like this.


Saks has allowed us a slightly bargainous version that doesn't rip off the design but still evokes the same colourblocking idea, both from Cynthia Steffe.

This first dress is $158.90, and offers an alternative to those that want a muted version of Mondrian-style colourblocking. The nipped-in waist will slim down many figures, while the pleated skirt is a slight hint at the trendy pleated skirts of late.


The second dress is $159.90, and is a bit brighter but doesn't do as much with varied colour as a typical Mondrian piece. I love this one, personally, because of the colour scheme, but the blocking effect isn't as slimming as it could be. I do, however, really love the white "belt" detail, with the black buttons.

S & B: The Anti-Recession

While browsing Saks Fifth Avenue for potential prom gear, I came upon two high-fashion (and by high fashion, I mean high priced) dresses that were polar opposites in pure Serena and Blair fashion.

Serena


vs.

Blair


I'm a little dubious about both...the Blair dress has sequins on it, and I know that sequins might not be high class enough for Ms. Waldorf. But I'm even more unsure about the Serena dress -- at first glance it seemed to be a "sexy Serena" sort of thing, kind of like a slight hearkening back to the days of badly behaved Serena. But now that I look at it, it's veering into Baby Phat territory. Hmm....

Promenade Attire

So, as you may know, this year is my senior year in high school. Which, to a fashion-loving gal, means one thing: prom.

I've been browsing quite a few sites lately, in search of the perfect prom frock. I'm trying not to go overboard on the cost, while still looking for a dress that isn't typical. Because of my height (a meager 5"2'), I'm going to aim for a cocktail dress, especially because it'll be much easier to wear later on in life.

My first stop was Saks Fifth Avenue, where I sadly was only able to find one dress that truly captivated me. Sure, there were many pretty ones, but I wasn't truly taken by many of them. I'm sure if I look again in a few weeks I'll have a change of heart, but for now, here is prom pick number 1.


Personally, I'm all about the neutral colours, so this white and black combination is great. The bodice works well with a strapless bra, and would probably flatter a small figure. I'm a little worried about two things: first, since the dress is split up into two colours, it might make me look shorter than I am, and second, the skirt might be a little overwhelmingly poufy. However, this dress is still staying on my list, especially since it reminds of my favourite Project Runway contestant ever: Leanne Marshall!

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

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.

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.