Primark AW13: The first campaign images are here!

Hi guys,
We're finally having our first heat wave of the year, so it seems natural that now would be the perfect time for me to start talking about autumn/winter. Because what everyone wants right now is a new winter coat! Seriously though, the first campaign images from Primark for autumn have been released, and I knew I had to share them as soon as I saw them!

The unwearable crop tops and youth-focus of the spring/summer collection has gone. Instead it's been replaced with a grown up, lady like range that is really wearable and very covetable. There are so many pieces I'm lusting after that it's hard to know where to begin:
Image 1:Leopard print sweater, £10. Ring sets from £3.
Image 2: Nude coat, £32. Nude cropped jumper, £10. Nude trousers, £12.
Image 3: Black and white jumper, £14. Black skirt, £14. Black heels, £16.
Image 4: Leather sleeve coat, £28. Shirt, £12. Trousers, £12. Bag, £10. Trainers, £12.
Image 5: Grey and black dress, £17. Bag, £4.
Image 6: Pink coat, £25.

Where do I even start with my list of items I'm coveting? Obviously, because I'm a coat addict, I'd like the leather sleeved cream coat. The full faux leather skirt is just made for teaming with a vintage-style tee and heeled ankle boots. And that leopard print sweater has my name written all over it!

I really do like this collection. It feels like it's aimed at 20-somethings, rather than the teens and pre-teens of the past couple of seasons. What do you think? Is there anything you really like from Primark autumn/winter so far? Or is it just too early to start thinking about your winter wardrobe?

Love Tor x

June 2013, According to my iPhone

Hi guys,
Wow the months are flying by! I can't believe it's already July - that means my baby is already 7 months old, it's summer holiday season, and we're closer to next Christmas than we are to last Christmas (Is that the earliest I've ever mentioned the dreaded 'C' word?!) So what have I been up to in June? Here's the months photo review...

This month I've been focusing on working on the house! We've painted the kitchen (bubblegum pink!) and this weekend we went to Ikea to buy new door knobs for the kitchen cabinets - we just need to paint those cabinets and replace the floor then the kitchen is finally finished! The best 'me' news of the month? My bunny shoes have arrived!


In a bid to get Mike more interested in eating salad I have made a sausage and egg salad this month- and it was delicious!! I also made homemade burgers with ice cream thick shakes, Cajun salmon with sweet potato wedges and eating out I had a great pizza at Frankie and Bennys and Chicken salad at M&S. I just love to cook! Would you guys be interested if I decided to share some of my recipes?

Wilbur gets cuter by the day (even if I do say so myself!)  This month he has been to the dinosaur park, visited the donkeys at the open farm, played in the ball pool, paddling pool, his brand new swing, and his appetite only gets bigger- I've never known a baby like food so much! Like mother, like son!!

Love Tor  xx

London Fashion Week Favorites

Well, dolls, we know we are a little behind schedule but it's finally time to show you our favorites from London Fashion Week. We had a great time going through these designs which we felt were much more  ready to wear than some of the styles from NY that we saw a few weeks ago.  Many of our favorites from London are chic, feminine, and really just very pretty!  Here are some things to look forward to this spring but stay tuned for more from Milan:

Temperley

Mulberry

Matthew Williamson

Vivienne Westwood

Burberry

Marios Schwab

House of Holland 

Giles

Richard Nicholl

Christopher Kane

Images courtesy of London Fashion Week 



XOXO

Jen & Saira

Fall Fashion: Cap Toe Shoes

If you've found yourself wandering over to the shoe department of your favorite store (we know, how could you not?!), you've probably noticed one of summer and fall's biggest trends, pumps and flats with contrasting colored toe caps! Cap-toe heels, flats, booties, and wedges are a must have for Fall.  So, when you pack up your strappy summer sandals and peep toes, grab yourself a pair of cap toe shoes to take you from the work day into those chilly fall evenings.   Cap toes can be chic and professional in neutrals, soft materials, and classic shapes.  But, if your looking for a more edgy and modern look you can opt for a metal cap or bright color to bring out your playful side. There are plenty of styles to choose from to take you from work the the weekend with ease!

1. Zappos | 2. Top Shop | 3. J. Crew | 4. Steve Madden | 

5. Anthropologie | 6. Zappos | 7. ASOS | 8. ShoeBuy |




XOXO

Jen & Saira

The Versatile Look Book: Pastel Pencil Skirt

Continuing with our "day to night style", here's a way to dress up a brightly hued pencil skirt from J. Crew (which is on sale, by the way). This skirt is perfect for your summer office style -- pair the colorful skirt with your basic button down or blouse for a conservative yet fashion forward look. Then let your hair down (literally) and recycle the skirt the following weekend for a casual (but ever so fashionable) outdoor BBQ. 

Business All The Time

1. Banana Republic | 2. Glamour | 3. J. Crew | 4. Target | 5. BC Shoes

Cocktails Anyone?

1. Charlotte Russe | 2. Handbag.com | 3. Forever 21  | 4. J. Crew | 5. Kimchi Blue

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

The Versatile Look Book: The Little Green Dress

We love how fashion mags like to show you how to take one item of clothing and either dress it up or dress it down. The downside is that we can never afford the pieces that they share, and a lot of times the looks shown aren't very practical for the everyday girl.  So we decided to do do a little fashion play of our own by taking a simple, yet structural dress from Top Shop and showing how you can use basic pieces from your wardrobe and transition from work to play. Our goal is for you to be able to change a few, simple aspects of your look (i.e. hair, shoes, a piece of jewelry) so that you can leave work and party the night away without having to pack a whole other wardrobe.

Work It

1. I Am Emma Wilde | 2. Top Shop | 3. Asos | 4. Banana Republic | 5. Classiques

Be Playful

1. Urban Outfitters | 2. Top Shop | 3. Beauty Editor | 4. Madden Girl | 5. Forever 21

Time for a wardrobe change!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

It's Easy Being Green

Happy (almost) St. Patrick's Day dolls! Get our your four leaf clovers, lucky charms and, most importantly, get ready to deck yourself out in your favorite shade of green this Saturday. While we're both partial to wearing a bright and vibrant kelly green, a subtle mint green should do the trick and keep you from getting heckled (or pinched!) during the day's festivities.  And lucky for you, green is a big color this Spring, so you'll be sure to get a lot of wear out of your selection. Here is some inspiration that will have your friends going green with envy!

 1. Modcloth | 2. Urban Outfitters | 3. BHLDN | 4. Anthropologie | 5. Macy's | 6. Anemone Jewelry | 7.

Vans

Top of the morning to you!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Character Inspiration: Katniss Everdeen

 We continue our Hunger Games excitement with a glimpse of our heroine from District 12!  Katniss Everdeen is a forager and hunter and her hunting style is very different from how we can expect to see her in the games.  Here's a look at some items to include to help you mimic Katniss' hunting style, complete with side dutch braid!

1. Adopt a 'Do | 2. Zappos | 3. QVC | 4. American Apparel |  5. lynseyno | 6. L.L. Bean |

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Marni for H&M

We love designer collaborations and are excited to announce the next big partnership that will launch this Thursday (PDR's second birthday!).  Italian designer Marni will be collaborating with H&M and launching a collection of accessories and  whimsical dresses and tops in bright colors and funky prints.  Check out some of our favorites here and be sure to snatch these up early.  If it's anything like the Jason Wu for Target launch, we can expect it to sell out rather quickly.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Jason Wu for Target

As we get ready to kick off Fashion Week in NYC, we regret to admit that we may have missed the boat on a lovely and affordable line from one of our favorite designers. Launched this past Sunday, the Jason Wu line for Target has been flying off the shelves.  In fact, in our trip to Target today we found that most of the styles were completely wiped out with just a few less popular sizes left.  Lucky for you you can still get some of the styles online, but you'd better hurry because one item even disappeared from our cart before we had time to check out. The designer's line for Target is all priced at under $60 and is a very chic and feminine collection complete with full dresses, pleated skirts, lace, and bows. The Target by Jen is expecting a shipment anytime from tomorrow to Tuesday so she'll be anxiously waiting to try to snatch up that navy blue poplin dress.  Check out that and some of our other favorites below:

Jason Wu for Target

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Deeply Yours

Is it nearing the end of January already?! Valentine's Day is approaching which for some means adding an insane amount of red to your wardrobe. Our snarky side hates color coding holidays, but then we go ahead and do it anyway. If you want to be a little festive but not seem over-the-top-weird, then forego the candy red and instead try on a deep, rich red / maroon / burgundy for a more mature and professional look. The rich full color adds drama to any outfit, but is still understated enough to wear in the office. Plus, the deep red hue tends to look good with every skin tone.

1. Victoria's Secret | 2. Bettie Page | 3. Urban Outfitters | 4. American Eagle |

 5. Steve Madden | 6. Ralph Lauren | 7. Express |

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Your Daily Dose of Glitter

So Christmas is over (as is our 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway), but New Year's Eve is right around the corner! We already shared with you our love for sparkly dresses, but you don't need a big New Year's Eve wedding to sparkle at midnight. There are many ways to add some shine without wearing sequins from head to toe. A sparkly clutch, a glittery blouse, or sequined skirt can go a long way to jazzing up an otherwise tame ensemble. Here are just a few suggestions to get you started.

1. Forever 21 | 2. Free People | 3. Gypsy Warrior | 4. Urban Outfitters | 5. Empress Eccentric | 6. Victoria's Secret | 7. Express | 8. J. Crew | 9. Poetic License 

That's all from us for the rest of the year. We hope you bring in the new year with style, and we can't wait to start share our ideas for 2012! Until then...

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Glitter Me This

Alright, so we know everyone is focused on Christmas and Hanukkah right now, but we are obsessed with New Year's Eve! This is mainly because one of our good friends is getting married on the 31st and we are determined to celebrate in style. For us (and most retailers) New Year's Eve means sparkles, sequins, and glitter -- the more, the better! This year there are so many styles to choose from, so drape yourself in some festive wear and celebrate the new year in style.

1. BCBG | 2. Top Shop | 3.  Asos | 4. Aidan Mattox | 5. Banana Republic | 6. French Connection | 7. Cynthia Steffe 8. Express

Let the countdown begin!

And, don't forget, we start giving away some FREE STUFF next week!  If you or your friends haven't added us to Facebook or made any recent comments be sure to encourage them to do so and be entered to win.  Win what, you might ask?  Well, we'll be sure to give you a little preview over the weekend.  But, to peak your interest, we can say we have some great gifts from Glamourpuss, Orange Tabby Press, Naki Nagi, Wink and Flip, Heaven and Earth LLC, Yardale Press, KC Tararuj, Danielle Rizzolo, and even MORE wonderful artists!  Check out these artists here and be sure to try to catch some of them at the BUST Craftacular this Saturday and Sunday!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Are You A Gypsy Warrior?

We are so excited for our friend Michele Bezoa (co-founder of the Gypsy Warrior brand along with her pal Nicla DiCosmo) for the grand opening of their flagship store! We've featured Gypsy Warrior products on our site before (and included it as part of our 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway last year), but today we wanted to share some of our favorite finds that are available online. We love Gypsy Warrior for its ability to blend the old with the new, the edgy with the classy, and the boho with the rock and roll... in other words, the gypsy with the warrior! If you're in New Jersey, be sure to check out the boutique located on 43 Hudson Street in Ridgewood, NJ 07450, or shop online. Just be sure to act fast -- there are some hot items!

1. Brass Multi Chain Stud Necklace | 2. Luna Dress | 3. Drape Across Mocha Dress | 4. Ivory Crochet Poncho Shawl | 5. Suede Fringe Bag | 6. Tassel Dress | 7. Braided Feather Headband | 8. Sheer Angel Sleeve Dress

Happy Shopping!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Faux Leather Fashion

Are leather pants and jackets really back "in"?  You bet there are.  And, with all those Cyber Monday sales going on, today is a great time to get a discount on those faux leather leggings, bomber and motorcycle jackets, and leather trim dresses that can take you stylishly through this winter season.  Now, too much black leather can make you look like a dominatrix so you have to be careful. The trick here is to find things with small leather details or mix bold leather pieces with softer, more feminine ones for a look that is professional and appropriate for work, social gatherings, etc.  Or, tone down bold leather pieces with casual wear like jeans or t-shirts for an instantly chic weekend look.

1. Victoria's Secret | 2. Urban Outfitters | 3. Net-a-Porter | 4. ASOS |

5. The Limited | 6. Nordstrom | 7. Express | 8. Modcloth | 

PS: We are gearing up for the PDR 12 Days of Christmas.  Just like last year, follow us and comment on a December post or "Like" us on Facebook to be entered for a chance to win one of our fun giveaways!  Also, we're still looking for gifts to give so if you are a vendor and would like to donate please contact us at paperdollromance@gmail.com

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Nice Bootie

Our trip to the mall this weekend helped us scope out some of the things we hope to pick up during those black Friday and cyber Monday sales. One of the main items on our list is a cute pair of booties.  Recently Jen went on a boot bender and ordered at least a dozen boots from Zappos before finding the perfect pair of knee high boots to fit her wide calves. But while knee high boots are sexy, and great for those of us who can't bear the thought of giving up our skirts in the winter, the hassle that comes with finding a pair can be frustrating. Measuring calves, packaging and returning, struggling to zip them - it's all very time consuming and somewhat stressful. So, put down that measuring tape and focus your energy on snagging yourself a great pair of ankle booties. Ankle booties are really popular right now and can be dressed up for work or down for casual get togethers. Wear these heeled booties with your jeans and sparkly top or a cute dress and tights for a holiday worthy look that is casually cool and chic:

1. Nine West | 2. Anthropologie | 3. DKNYC | 4. Kimchi Blue |

5. Seychelles | 6. Jessica Simpson | 7. Madewell | 8. Steve Madden |

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Fall Fashion: Structured Cross Body Bags

Ditch your slouchy oversized bags and frumpy totes for a small, more structured looking bag this fall! Boxy cross body bags are showing up in stores everywhere and are definitely must haves for this fall. Not only are they durable and convenient, they can also help make you look professional and put together in no time at all.

1. & 3. Urban Outfitters | 2. L.A.M.B. | 4. Top Shop | 

5. Michael Kors | 6. Fossil | 7. Anthropologie | 8. ASOS |

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Vera Wang Bridesmaid Collection

 The old saying, "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" doesn't quite have the same meaning when the bridesmaids are decked out in Vera Wang.  Vera Wang's highlight anticipated Bridesmaid Collection with David's Bridal was revealed earlier this summer. Ranging from $150 - $250, these dresses are sleek, stylish, and incredibly affordable. The dresses come in a variety of colors to fit your palette, and range from elegant gowns to flirty frocks, perfect to fit every wedding style. Take a look!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Summer Style: Ikat

Ikat, aka that strange kind of Aztec looking print, has become very popular for this season. Now, we had never even heard of Ikat until recently, but from what we understand it is not really the print, but the method of weaving. Ikat is created using a process very similar to tie dying by tying off bundles of fabric and then dying them.  The process creates these patterns and they can be done in one color or, more often, many colors. These days it's kind of hard to pull off tie dye, but an Ikat print can give you similar blurred lines and a carefree look in a way that is still totally sophisticated.

1. Scoop | 2. Modcloth | 3. Lord & Taylor | 4. Macy's |

5. J. Crew | 6. Anthropologie | 7. Bloomingdale's| 8. Banana Republic | 

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Summer Style: Maxi Dresses

Looking for something light and breezy to keep you cool in the summer heat?  Maxi dresses are simple and easy and create a look that is effortlessly chic.  These dresses are meant to be long and flowy, but you certainly aren't looking to dust the floor with it so, unless you want to get it altered, prepare to get yourself a great pair of wedges too!  Maxi dresses come in a variety of styles, prints, and colors.  Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Anthropologie | 2. The Limited | 3. Nordstrom | 4. Gap |

5. Express | 6. Forever 21 | 7. Victoria's Secret | 8. Modcloth |

XOXO

Jen & Saira