Real Wedding: Mike and Sheryl - Part 1 of 2

We hope you enjoyed our post last Friday on Mike and Sheryl's gorgeous E-session at Coney Island.  Today we are thrilled to share this lovely couple's special day with you.  These images were captured by the very talented duo, Wayne and Angela, from Wayne Yuan Photography.

  

There were so many stunning shots that we couldn't pick just a few, so we've decided to split Mike and Sheryl's wedding into two parts - getting ready/pre-ceremony portraits and  then next week tune in for the ceremony/reception. Getting ready is a sometimes fun and sometimes stressful time for a bride and Sheryl was happy to share some of her feelings with us.  When asked how she felt the morning of her wedding Sheryl told us she was actually pretty calm and relaxed and then she followed with, "I think the most memorable part was when the flowers arrived at the room. I was already all done up and dressed, and the photographers were taking some portrait shots. They were so beautiful and they really pulled everything together. It was the last thing I needed to feel like a bride and then we were off to see Mike!"  



Sheryl and Mike decided to take their pictures pre-ceremony (obvi the best way to do it since this ensures the hair and makeup is still all in place).  They had a romantic rendezvous at the bottom of the Hilton Newark Penn escalator and, blessed with a gorgeous day and bright shining sun, they were whisked away to Branch Brook Park for some pre-ceremony portraits with the Bridal Party.

Thanks again to Sheryl and Mike for sharing these with us!  Be sure to check back next week for the finale which will include details on designers & vendors and, of course, beautiful shots including the ceremony, reception, general decor, and more!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Competition: Win £30 to spend at Clothing at Tesco

I've written before about how surprisingly good the clothes from Clothing at Tesco are, so I was chuffed when they got in touch and asked if i'd like to run a competition for you guys! If you haven't tried them out you really should: the quality is good, the styles are very on trend, and i'm always impressed with the fit. So here's your chance to try them for free: It's easy to enter, and you can win £30 to spend on the site.

With wedding season in full swing, and weddings constantly on my mind at the minute, I decided to give the competition a wedding theme: all you have to do is choose an outfit from the Clothing at Tesco site that you think would be perfect for a summer wedding. The only catch is, you're outfit has to cost less than £30 (So that you can go straight out and buy it when you win the prize!) Here's my example to give you some ideas:

The challenge will be made easier because I just noticed that all of the sale stuff on the site has been reduced and is buy 2 items, get one free!

To enter the competition, follow the blog (using the box to the right) and then put together your perfect wedding outfit from clothing at Tesco for under £30: you can either leave this in the comments or drop me an email. I'll announce the winner next Wednesday (4th August) to give you plenty of time to come up with your star entry: good luck!!

Love, Tor xx

PS- The Head of Design and Buying for Lingerie at Debenhams is taking over the @debenhamsretail Twitter feed tomorrow (Thursday 29th July) between 1 and 2pm to answer any lingerie-related questions you might have. I'll be there, asking a million and one questions about bridal lingerie, so I thought I would give you guys the heads up!

Color Day Themes: The Beach

We liked last week's sunflower theme so much that we decided to do another theme for this week!  Sometime next May-August Jen's mom will be getting married.  Although they have not yet set a date one thing has been agreed upon; it will be a beach wedding!  With some creative thinking and mother nature providing a serene backdrop, making a beach wedding romantic and beautiful  is a breeze.  Here is an inspiration board for all you beach bums out there.  Remember these things can translate to other areas and not just weddings.  These ideas are also great for summer dinner parties and shore house decorating! Keeping it light and neutral and introducing cool, subtle colors like those of sea glass or salt water taffy is key to creating a casual and cool seaside look.

Beach Theme Inspiration Board

Images from: PaintingsbyShanon,RememberSomethingBlue, MyDreamWedding, Bridella, AinaKai, PrimaDonnaBride, Jena D Events , BlueFlairPhotoBlog, White Sands Weddings, BridalHoodBlog, Martha Stewart Weddings, AgnesLopezPhotography, Bridal Party Tees, I Do Inspiration

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Christmas in July with Debenhams

As bizarre as they are, I love Christmas in July press days (the Mothercare one had toys, candy canes and sweets: way to my heart!) Last week I went to the Debenhams one to see what we would all be lusting after when the real festivities are upon us! The fashion area was very small, and I wasn't really taken with any of the very standard, traditional party-type dresses. But the accessories? I was in shoe and bag heaven!

This pony-skin satchel was my favourite piece: really chic and cool, it would go with just about anything, and as an added bonus, I think i'd just about fit my laptop in it. In fact, I would be happy if any of the bags appeared under the tree from Santa: lots of oversized, structure, and nudes and browns. All things I like in a bag! After the bags I enjoyed the shoes. The pair I liked most is the one pair I didn't actually photograph: a pair of blush pink satin stillettos (Red Herring Limited Edition) with a black high gloss stiletto heel and a black corsage on each foot.

However it's summer shoes that i'm thinking about right now. I spent my gift voucher from the event on new underwear (you can never have enough and the debenhams sale is now 70% off their underwear department. I got a Fantasie set, and they had lots of brands and a range of sizes, especially bigger cups) and on new shoes. I opted for these gorgeous snakeskin lace up gladiators:

I've now worn them twice, and they are surprisingly comfortable, given the laces which I don't usually get on with. They're also as versatile as a pair of black gladiators but considerably less boring: they go with everything in my wardrobe, but still make a great focal point. And at £17.50 in the sale, they were a bargain too! It's hard for me to plan seasons in advance, and although the Christmas press day should've inspired me to buy some new winter boots, I just couldn't resist the lure of new sandals!

Love, Tor x

"The Office" Character Inspiration: Angela Martin

Welcome back, dolls!  As promised, here is our second post by our Guest Blogger, Lynette, featuring more fashions from one of our favorite shows, "The Office".  Last week we were inspired by the fabulous, and sometimes inappropriate, Kelly Kapoor.  Today, we do a 180 and take a look at the prim, proper, and always polished, Angela Martin.  Thanks, again, to  Lynette for this fabulously thought out post.  

Enjoy!

Meet Angela, our resident stickler at the Office. With a prickly exterior, a severe Christian outlook on twenty first century society, and an unfortunate soft spot for one Dwight K. Schrute, Angela remains one of the least liked people in the Office. As someone who chooses to hide her body at work, she usually favors high necked outfits with longer skirts or trousers in somber colors.  Here are some ideas to help you add a little conservative charm to your wardrobe, without being totally puritanical.

This gray short-sleeved cardigan is a perfect Office basic. Beautifully detailed, with a high neck and long body, this sweater is perfect for Fall or Springtime in the office. It can be paired with either pants or a skirt, and can be worn throughout the seasons.

While Angela has expressed that she thinks green is "whorish", I think teal would be acceptable.  I picked this dress for her because of the high neckline, lower hemline, and feminine bow detail. It’s conservative enough for anyone to wear, in addition to being an amazing shade of teal that would brighten anyone’s day during the drab business hours. This style of dress would be great for Angela since it is perfectly contoured for someone who is petite and could flatter her silhouette without being revealing.

While I believe in the sanctity of adding color to the workplace, Angela really likes to keep it somber. And black. And covered from neck to knee. However, all of those requirements don’t have to necessarily add up to a boring outfit. This beautifully simple black dress is another closet basic that can be outfitted for several occasions, even if those occasions fall on the same day. Appropriate for work? Check. Appropriate for a bird funeral? Check.

Okay, I just couldn’t resist. While I know that Angela herself might find something to dislike about this dress – the happy color, for instance – I think the dress fulfills most of her requirements. It’s completely appropriate for the Office and for church, and can be worn throughout the year. Personally, I would LOVE to see Angela in a color as bright as this, although I am pretty sure she'd only dare wear it in black, grey, or brown.

And now on to some tops that Angela would wear in order to keep someone from saying, “she looks like she took the slow train from Philly,” which is code for, “hey, check out that slutty girl” in Angela’s language. This beautifully simple top from New York and Co is a perfect example of how to be conservative in the Office without losing your personality in the process! If you have to go ultra conservative, ruffles and some matching jewelry are always a lovely addition to your outfit. In addition, this paler color can be matched with nearly any color bottom which makes it a versatile, year-round outfit piece.

Be covered up in style! Here is yet another example of how you can dress up any piece that covers you from neck to wrist. This beautifully detailed ruffle, in addition to the deeper neckline, makes this a seriously gorgeous variation on a simple black sweater.

Angela might like to be covered up 99.9% of the time (I’m leaving some time for her and Dwight to procreate…EW), but her fashion sense really isn’t awful. It’s conservative, but appropriate for the Office environment while maintaining hints of her prickly personality. This adorable button up shirt from Anthropologie is a perfect example. It maintains a conservative neckline and an appropriate sleeve length while also being fussy and old-fashioned, which is exactly what we'd expect to find in Angela's closet. 

 XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Turning Japanese, I really think so!

Lovely fiancé has just returned from a two week business trip to Hong Kong and Tokyo, and I just can't resist sharing the lovely Hello Kitty gifts he brought for me: as i've mentioned more than once before, my love of Hello Kitty knows no bounds, and if it was up to me that adorable little kitty would adorn my whole house. We're all allowed our own moments of dubious taste, and this is mine!!

First up is this big slouchy leather handbag - I was shocked when I saw it because it's actually pretty subtle and usually these Hello Kitty accessories are made of pleather whereas this one feels as soft as butter!


I LOVE the big Hello Kitty hair turban; perfect for wearing post bath with my Hello Kitty PJ's. There are also Hello Kitty socks, the cutest ice cube tray, a mug and spoon, and if you're wondering about the Hello Kitty figurine sat on the toilet, I think this picture probably explains what made him choose that:

Rather than have Hello Kitty stuff all over the house I try to concentrate the collection in one room - in this case the bathroom! The toilet mat is also new.

All of these presents were lovely surprises, but sadly, despite hunting every Sanrio shop he passed, Mike couldn't find the one present I asked him for: the Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel bride and groom plush dolls. So whilst I know this is an off piste request (normal fashion service resuming tomorrow!) if anyone knows where I can buy them in London, i'll be forever in your debt!

Love, Tor xx

Fabfrocks reviews: the fish pedicure

Thursday's deal from Wahanda was a half price fish pedicure (just £9) and having read so much about them via twitter, I decided I had to give it a go! A fish pedicure is a pedicure with a difference: you dip your feet into a tank full of garra rufa (or doctor) fish, who suck away all your dead hard skin. For those of you worrying about losing more than you expected (a toe perhaps!) they only consume the affected and dead areas of the skin, leaving the healthy skin to grow.

My experience was disappointing: I went to Wanda Fish in Camden, which was a very basic establishment, rather than the salon I was expecting. I was very cautious when I dipped my feet into the big tub of fish, but aside from about a minute of weirdness, it didn't feel uncomfortable at all: in fact it just felt like having your feet in a bubble spa. The sensation was really gentle and soothing. The water was tepid, which was great as I expected it to be cold, but apparently garra rufa are warm water fish.

The problem with fish is that unlike a therapist, you can't tell them to concentrate on your problem areas: the fish seemed to enjoy the tops of my feet, which didn't need any work, and left the soles of my feet alone. I also didn't think there were enough fish in each tank, and that may have affected the performance: other salons say they have between 150-200 fish per tank, but I would estimate that there were only around 50 in mine. So although this had no real affect on my feet, it could be that the experience is better in other locations. I think this kind of treatment would work best in conjunction with a therapist as well, which this salon didn't offer: after my half an hour with the fish I would've liked the rest of the hard skin removed from my feet and my nails painted, which you get with a normal pedi, but don't get with a fish one.

I'm glad I tried it, and it was definitely worth giving it a go, for the experience if nothing else. But sadly it hasn't made any real difference to my feet, and i'm still going to have to go for a proper pedicure to remove the hard skin on my heels, and for a shape and polish.

Love, Tor xx

Real Engagement: Mike and Sheryl

Perhaps you remember back in May, when we had written about how we were desperately searching for dresses to wear to our good friend, Mike's, wedding. Well, Mike and his new bride, Sheryl, are so important to us that we've decided to feature them in a multi-post "Real Couple" series!



Sheryl and Mike met back in April of 2004 at NJIT, in Newark, New Jersey, and have been together ever since. Introduced by a mutual friend (who would later become the charming best man), they began chatting online, dining at the campus cafeteria, and watching the latest episode of The O.C. (oh how we miss it...). Their relationship continued to grow, they began dating officially, and eventually Mike and Sheryl graduated college and moved in together.  

Then one day Mike, being ever so sneaky, created a romantic candle lit path in a park in Sheryl's hometown and lured Sheryl there saying they were having ice cream. Sheryl never did get that ice cream... but, she did get a ring!  This particular ring meant a lot to Sheryl, and she wrote to us with the story behind the ring that was so sentimental and sweet that we had to share it with you as well.  Sheryl writes, "Mike proposed using my grandmothers diamond set on a setting I had pointed out a few months before. She had been sick for awhile and had given it to my mom for me or my sister to use. The day after he proposed we went to visit her to tell her the good news, and she passed away the next day."  



So, with Grandma's blessing, they began their wedding planning and decided they wanted to work with Wayne Yuan, of Wayne Yuan Photography, for their engagement and wedding photography.  We asked Sheryl why they picked Coney Island and she said they loved the colors and industrial feel. She went on to add, "there is something about that place that makes it eerie and amusing all at the same time, and there is so much to offer in such a small area that allows for a lot of great photo opportunities." Coney Island was an exciting, entertaining, and bustling spot during the early 19th century and to this day its allure is still apparent.  Maybe it's the smell of cotton candy and funnel cakes, maybe it's the history and romance wondering how many couples had courted there before them, or maybe it's just genuine love for one another, but whatever it is, these photos really capture Mike and Sheryl's joy in being together. We think Wayne did a brilliant job capturing the moment, and we love the bright colors, sweet poses, dramatic lighting, and composition. Take a look for yourself!  

Thanks, Mike and Sheryl for sharing your engagement with us!  And thanks to Wayne Yuan for the beautiful eye candy!  

Check back next Friday for Mike and Sheryl's Wedding!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Etsy obsession of the week: Follow the white rabbit

Etsy is proving to be a valuable wedding tool, both for sourcing suppliers and finding inspiration for my own DIYs. Because we are having an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding, I often type "Alice in Wonderland" into the search box on Etsy and wonder at the lovely stuff that pops up. In celebration of my new favourite theme, it will be the focus of today's obsession of the week: Here are some of my favourite Alice in Wonderland Etsy fashion finds:-

Rabbit in a rush necklace, Shoogi, $29.50

I love how dignified the rabbit on this necklace looks, and I love a locket that you can personalise on the inside with pictures of your family and loved ones. The tiny key charm is a lovely detail to the necklace too, and I think the pricepoint is really reasonable. The designer is based in Isreal, and even if you're not an Alice fan, well worth checking out for some of her other incredible designs.

Alice in Wonderland vintage book handbag, Alanamalia, $75

Of all the pieces i've found this is my absolute favourite, as it combines my two favourite things: books and fashion! These book bags are constructed around real books, and each bag is custom designed and handmade; the inside and the lining etc are 100% cotton. Other books are available including Jane Austen, Edgar Allen Poe, Brothers Grimm, HG Wells and many more; there is something for every book lover. I fell head over heels in love with this etsy shop!

Queen of hearts dress, loliposh, $125

These dresses are an absolute bargain, especially when you think of the amount of work that must go into custom making them! Not quite costumes, but too elaborate for a stroll around Asda, I don't know how or where I could make this work, but I know I want to give it a go! This dress would look so flattering on a pear shape or hour glass figure: if the queen of hearts inspiration is too much for you, then loliposh also make similar shaped dresses in vintage pastel or floral fabrics perfect for garden parties, picnics, or hot summer days!

Love, Tor

TKMaxx store opening: Charing Cross Road

Last night I was invited to the opening of the new TKMaxx store on Charing Cross Road: just a two minute walk from Tottenham Court Road station, this makes TKMaxx alot more convenient for anyone based in central London, as usually their stores are on retail parks, or out in the suburbs. We were treated to champagne, themed dancers, and super-stylist Kate of Make Do Style was on hand for styling tips and advice.

The "gold label" stand was the stand I was most interested in, which is where they keep the designer labels: they had the Stella McCartney boat shirt dress reduced to £169 (and in my size!) It felt like fate, but I showed some self control and left the dress on the rail; the wedding fund remains intact! Other dresses of note were the Liberty print dress with the beautiful birds on, and the Pucci dress covered in drop sequins (both shown below) The most impressive section for me though was the shoes: there were 3 very covetable pairs of irregular choice shoes that had my name on them, and for just £29.99.

The store opening was also used as an opportunity to introduce us to ModBox, which is TKMaxx's new department. It is very much a "young trends" collection, and I would say aimed at a teen market. Lots of short dresses, logo tees, and embellishment. Even looking at it made me feel old, but I think my younger self would've picked up a piece or two. Decide for yourselves:

Overall it was a fun evening, and if I didn't know it last night I know it this morning: The store is obviously going to be a massive success. I walk past it on my way to work in the morning, and they were queueing around the block to get in!

Love, Tor xxx

The big bloggers night out!

I'm a bit late to the table with this, and others have written it up much better than I can, but Friday evening saw a big fashion bloggers dinner: other twenty bloggers gathered round to gossip, drink cocktails, and eat too much dim sum. It all happened thanks to Fiona of Save our Shoes. And it was lovely! One of the best things about blogging is the sense of community it brings to what could be a lonely hobby, and it's nice to put faces to names, and meet people you talk to virtually.

Dunce that I am, I left my camera at home, but here are some pictures taken from my iphone:

Pictured are Fiona, Reena of Fashion Daydreams and Kristabel of I Want You to Know, and all the other bloggers enjoying their cocktails! As always it was lovely to catch up with Jenny from The Style PA, whom I sat with during dinner. And I met and learnt about a whole host of other blogs including: Frankie of Swell Vintage, and Alex of Alex Loves. There were so many other blogs and bloggers that it was overwhelming: hopefully next time i'll get to say hello to more lovely ladies!

I think it's fair to say though, that a great night was had by all. I can't wait to do it again!

Love, Tor xx

Color Day Themes: Sunflowers!

We're doing color Wednesday a little different today.  When thinking of what colors to do this week, we decided it might be fun to try a motif or theme instead.  Many people to choose to theme their decor according to different seasons, areas around the globe, patterns, etc.  Today's Inspiration Board is based on a summer staple, the Sunflower!  Sunflowers always seem to have the power to liven things up and energize a space. There is a strange bit of happiness you feel when looking out at a sunflower field and you can't help but smile when you see their bright and cheery faces awaken to the morning sun.

Sunflower Wedding Inspiration Board

Images from: Things Festive, Hawaiian Island Wedding Planners,  LIWeddings, It's a Jaime Thing, Forever, Brooklyn Bride, I Do...Inspiration, Snippet & Ink, Inthenoweddings, Wedding Paper Divas, AllieRuth, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, JCrew, Country Living

It's a sunshine day!      

XOXO,

Jen & Saira