Tag Archives: lace dress

Layers of Lace

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At Sparkles & Fun HQ, we seriously love lace. My mom once famously responded, “A little white lace peeking through never hurt anyone” when my bra strap was showing and I wondered if the look worked. She put me onto lace as a little girl and I remain obsessed. There might just be a very important dress coming up in my near future that incorporates lace. But, you will have to wait and see about that.

For spring, there’s tons of lace to choose from. Do you plan to cardi-up in a cool lace throw-over that works with all your favorite casual duds? Will you be sporting lace frocks freely, paired with everything from flips to boots? Are you a fan of the lace shorts that have been appearing with greater and greater frequency of late? I’m going for all of it, as always. Here are some ideas:

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bright pink lace is ladylike and fun. consider this kimchi blue dress from urban outfitters for a mere $69

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white lace is timeless and elegant. this burnout tank from top shop is perfect for a day at the office or a night on the town. $45

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black lace is dark glamour at its best. if you’re in for a splurge, swipe that plastic on a dolce & gabbana net lace cocktail dress at barneys. $1,595

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hello, oceanside gorgeous. a lace coverup is divine. $70 at bloomingdales

Fair Weather Fashion

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Who’s got spring on the brain? This newly-southern belle does. From lace dresses to chunky platforms and even the oft-dreaded bikini, I’ve been cruising the racks and the online shops for some key pieces that will brighten up the coming season.

Today it’s in the 70s in Dallas and I rocked my favorite Theory cropped jeans (a chic slate blue denim) with black velvet Tory smoking loafers and a red crochet top I nabbed at Urban on what my mother would call “Deep Sale” at the end of last summer. It’s a fun spring outfit for a very temperate day, but just last week it was freezing here as it is in the rest of the country, so I’m sure we aren’t planted in full-on spring style … yet.

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Today’s cute top, though I am wearing it in red (no longer available). If you wear a medium, score it STAT in white, the only color and size combo left. urbanoutfitters.com, $24

I’ve been eying a particularly cute raised floral, high-waist bikini from American Apparel for over a year now and it’s finally inched its way down the sale ladder to a price I was able to swing. I sized up as I always do with them and was delighted when it came in the mail this weekend. Now, as for trying it on, I think I’ll take a few more weeks to make sure I’m feeling swimwear-ready. But from initial glance, it’s everything I expected and it has a cute a detachable string that can be used to turn the bandeau top into a halter on a whim.

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On sale for $15 each piece, americanapparel.net

For the most part, I’m biding my time with the acquisition of new duds for two reasons. First, I have a wedding at the end of this year and I need to save the cash. Second, some of what I’m seeing is still quite reminiscent of last year’s hot-ticket items and I think if I play my cards right, I might be able to nab some key pieces at low prices by digging through the sale racks.

If you’re itching for some instant satisfaction, check out Nanette Lepore’s new collaboration with jcpenney, an ultra-chic juniors collection that’s ready for the picking and bursting with neons, floral prints, high-low details and great skinnies. If you’ve got the dough, nothing says spring like my newest obsession– Miu Miu crystal-heeled ankle-strap pumps. Now, that’s fashion.

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Dream girl, dream. $1,150. Miu Miu stores.

Try Something New: Bad girl lace

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I adore lace. We knew this, right? I especially love a white lace sundress on a hot summer’s day. The utter sweetness is what keeps me coming back for more. But this spring I did something totally out of character. Well, sort of.

I was at H&M, one of my favorite “I-need-to-buy-something-but-can’t-afford-to-buy-anything” spots. Sometimes at the end of a rough day I give myself a $30 limit and go into a cheap store to buy something cool as a little pick-me-up. I figure it’s the same that two cocktails would cost me, but without the calories. Bing!

Anyway, I spotted a long-sleeved white sheath dress on the rack and raced toward it. Slimming! Short! Gorgeous! $19! Closer inspection? The lace wasn’t just fluttering with flowers and butterflies. Were those…SKULLS?

Hm…

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Close-up on the material. Do you LOVE this??

I am a sweet girl, a soft-spoken girl who is known for Peter Pan collars, pink denim, and Ferragamo shoes with bows on the front. Lace made of skulls? Could I do this?

Not only did I do it, I became obsessed. Somehow when wearing this sweet-gone-naughty dress, I feel an extra little swagger in my step. Maybe I have edge after all! Well, at least the dress does. When I wore it with my brother recently, he died over the fact that from far away, my dress was girly innocence at its best. From close up, it was bad girl material.

Since purchasing my skull-clad lace, I’ve started to pay attention to the trend. There are examples over all the place! Below are some ideas if you’re up for the challenge. Email me your photos! I want to see you in your cute naughty lace.

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Black skull lace tank, $88, urbanoutfitters.com

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Baby pink hair clip with white skull lace, $5.50 by MmPresents on etsy.com

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Alexander McQueen skull lace overlay t-shirt, ON SALE for $417, saks.com

New Obsession: ASOS

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My friend and fellow editor-turned-PR-girl-turned-back-to-editor Monique has a deep obsession with shopping, as do I. When we were working together last year, one of us would often find the other spending short breaks online shopping. More often than not, we were placing coveted items in imaginary carts (our colleague Steph did a lot of this too!). Weak twenty-something budgets and cautionary words from our mothers about bills to be paid kept us from completing too many purchases.

But one day, Monique was on a quest for the perfect dress to wear to a friend’s upcoming wedding. She turned her screen around to share with us what she was up to. My partner in crime (and in shopping) was incredibly proud of her discovery, a floor-length champagne-hued evening gown that managed to be: a) affordable, b) chic, and c) black-tie appropriate. It was the holy grail of eveningwear, a triple threat none of us had ever imagined actually existed. She was on asos.com. I was immediately hooked.

Things have changed over the past few months, and my choice to quit PR and focus on the materialization of dreams has meant a (hopefully) temporary pay cut that cancels out most shopping opportunities. That said, I do scope out asos.com from time to time to see what kind of super-hot duds they’re offering. Upon discovering this week that they are offering complimentary 4-day shipping to the US, I decided to take a peek, and have once again fallen in love. And fallen hard.

My current obsessions include:

It doesn't get much brighter than this candy stripe dress with cut-out sides. $81.81.

Seriously on sale for only $39, the collar, the lace and the sweet sleeves make me weak in the knees.

Elegant and dainty at the same time, a sweater with lace all-over. $100.

Full of Lace

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Thank you lookbook.nu

The word is out: this season’s go-to fabric of choice is lace. And aren’t you lucky that it looks good on everyone, and can be found within every budget? Flipping through all the September magazines, it’s hard to find one not featuring a lace story. I’ve always been a girly girl and am thrilled to know that I’ll be on-trend while rocking one of my favorite fabrics this fall. Let’s discuss.

Get Leggy

Elegance is easy when you throw a cotton dress on with lacy leggings or tights. Here are some high-low options:

Reach.

Kiki De Monparnasse nuit lace leggings, shopbop.com, $495

Reality.

American Apparel stretch floral lace stirrup legging, americanapparel.com, $42

Long Story Short:
A long sleeved mini dress will always work, and this seasonless classic goes day-to-night effortlessly.
 
Reach.

Marchesa embellished stretch-silk and lace dress, net-a-porter.com, $3,995

Reality.

Rare 60's lace swing dress, asos.com, $102.45. Leggings or black tights could turn this into a dress instantly. Gorgeous! And red lace is all the rage.

Top it Off:

If you’re a shy girl, you can rock the trend with a simple lacy top. Here are some ideas.

Reach.

Ladylike and glamorous with a vintage feel. L'Wren Scott houndstooth lace shirt, barneys.com, $1,875

Reality.

O'Neil truly blush pink lace top, lulus.com, $46

What to Wear to a Wedding

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A dear family friend is tying the knot with her longtime love tonight, and I can’t wait to watch the magic. The attire is cocktail, which should be a simple enough concept to navigate, but when you’re a clothing addict who tends to over-dress for every occasion, the possibilities are overwhelming.

Short and sexy yet easy to dance in? A-line and dramatic with a vintage flair? Backless but otherwise demure? Sigh. I’ve driven my Pookie (remember her? Best-friend-turned-sister-in-law) absolutely mad with phone calls and emails on the topic. I feel fairly confident that she’ll settle on her tiny go-to strapless Moschino worn and loved since college. But Jensy is at a loss. Oh, and far too broke to make a purchase.

Ali Ro dress, purchased on Gilt three seasons ago for about $100

While hunting around in my own closet, I found this little number. It does look smashing on the body, with a deep V in the front and some criss-cross action in back. I think this might be the choice. But, if I could buy something new, these would be the top picks.

(In ascending order, from doable to just-beyond-reach to all-out dream dress)

Little girl grows up in a gorgeous blue lace frock with Peter Pan collar. ASOS lace dress, asos.com, $77.58

Upper East Side party girl with a girly flair. Alice + Olivia ruffled one-shoulder cocktail dress, saks.com, $330
Elegant and lovely with a sheer panel and a sexy neckline. Temperley London, net-a-porter.com, $1,325.

And remember, dolls… only the bride wears white!

White Out

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Misty New York weather means dreary attitudes, no? Manhattanites are so big on black and gray that when the sun is in hiding, these tend to be the first colors we turn to. I try to make an effort to turn the other color cheek, opting for bright pops of colors on days like this. However, to break my personal mold, today I have paired white skinnies with a long, sheer-at-the-bottom white top and my new gray-and-white Toms.

Why not stick out in a pale-on-pale combo? Here are some more white out options that are truly sublime for summertime.

This pretty young thing rocks a sweet lace dress and 80's-esque white power pumps to perfection. Love how she keeps it edgy with bright pink dipped hair and lips!

Feeling less ladylike and more punky? The great thing about all-white is, anything goes! Why not try a vintagey oversized silk blouse and little spandex shorts? Bonus: this pairing miraculously (and surprisingly!) hides a tummy and makes your legs look thinner. A win-win for whites!

This photo and the above borrowed from lookbook.nu