What Dreams May Come

Today we celebrate the birthday of the revolutionary, Martin Luther King, Jr.  Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of a better tomorrow for our world. We know that all of your have dreams of your own as well, which vary from world peace, getting that dream job, or making it with Leonardo DiCaprio. Although we do enjoy the occasional daydream, when you think of dreams you most often think of sleeping. Apparently, we spend about 1/3 of our life sleeping, and who knows how much time dreaming, so splurging a little on sheets is not the worst idea in the world. We're big fans of investing in duvets, as they're low maintenance and you're not burdened with buying  a million different comforters every time your bedroom style changes. Instead, you just buy two duvets (one for warm weather, one for cold weather) and as many duvet covers as your heart desires. Take a look:

When it comes to bedding, we are all about florals. We know, floral prints seem cliche and maybe a bit matronly... but we're not talking about your Grandma's florals here! We're talking a white canvas with a burst of color featuring a sketched wild poppy design. It's vibrant and bold, but still minimalist. Take that, pink roses!

While we love florals for bedding, if you're not a girly girl (or your guy is sick of sleeping in pastels) go for a more modern, hip look with this duvet cover from CB2. It's covered with "urban" designs (whatever that means) including coffee mugs, dogs, scooters, and rabbits... oh my!

If you look forward to curling into bed with a good book, then you'll love wrapping yourself up in this duvet covered with love letters. This unique duvet cover collects real love letters from a vintage shop in Brooklyn, which is perfect for those who are romantics at heart.

Another gender neutral pick is this bird design duvet cover by Chinoiserie. It's simple and uncluttered, but still very unique and eye catching. Keep it earth tone with white, beige, or grey sheets, or add a surprise with some hot pink layers underneath.

 Keeping with the bird theme, we love this hand painted duvet cover from Urban Accent Home. This artist has a number of different duvet covers featuring bird designs, which reflect a cool, minimalist style.

Okay, back to the florals! Ikea has some of the most affordable prices around for duvet covers, especially if your purchase them in store. Their designs tend to be a bit more whimsical and bold, which can make bedtime fun for all ages. We like this vibrant, two-sided floral design, as it's a nice balance of color and design. It will pretty much go with any bedroom color scheme, as it includes all the colors in the rainbow!

Have trouble matching your bedding to your custom pea green walls? Go for something simple and neutral like this Marimekko duvet set available at Crate and Barrel.  This set features a metallic silver designs that is both modern (without being minimalistic), chic, definitely friendly for walls of any color.

And, finally, a treat for all you true girly girls, this lovely ruffled duvet cover from Urban Outfitters. Dream the sweetest of dream in this ice cream inspired set, perfect for dressing up even the simplest space.



Sweet dreams,



XOXO

Jen & Saira

Romantic Ruffles

One of our favorite trends out there right now are ruffles.  To fully embrace this trend you must know these are NOT the ruffles you may recall from Hello, Dolly! or the 1970's.  Instead, these modern ruffles are soft & feminine, with cascading layers of fabric that create a look that is ultra luxurious.  This trend has made its way from clothing to jewelry to shoes, bedding,  and general home decor.  Add a little frill to you life by checking out some of our favorite ruffles for this spring/summer season.

Big surprise, we love Anthropologie!  And we love this pretty little frock, with its' adorable ruffles, sweet feminine color, and fluttery silk fabric!

Get frilly feet with these great sandals by Victorias Secret! These summer sandals come in a variety of colors and have beautiful ruffle detailing down the center!

How cute!  We love this tiered, ruffly skirt from Charlotte Russe! We think this skirt is a great addition to your spring or summer wardrobe and is the perfect way to liven up a simple tank or tee!

Everyone needs a great white tank!  But, just because it's white doesn't mean it needs to be plain and boring!  Choose a rufflled tank like this one, from Express, and you'll be sure to look cool and stay cool all summer long.

Handbags have certainly not been spared from this trend!  Our favorite is this studded bag by Steve Madden. The color is soft, the frills are perfectly girly, and the gold studs add just enough hardware to give this bag a little edge.

Ruffles in the workplace?  Absolutely! The Limited  has some great options, like this pea green halter top with subtle ruffles adorning the collar.  This would be a lovely addition to your spring or summer work ensemble and would look great with your powersuit!

You'll be begging for a rain when you have this to protect you! This sweet umbrella, available at Nordstrom, comes in beautiful colors and has a great embellished trim that makes this just what we need to brave those summer storms.

And, of course, every girl needs some extravagant bedding fit for a queen.  This duvet from Urban Outfitters is the blanket of our dreams, complete with modern colors and lavish tiers of soft fabric that we're sure will have you catching z's in no time!

 

XOXO

Jen & Saira

April Showers bring MAY FLOWERS!

We haven't said it yet, so Happy May! We've already started posting some great flowers for spring, so here are some more of our favorites!  Another flower that is particularly seasonal to the spring is the peony.  This flower is large, full, and romantic and has layers of soft petals that make it look particularly lush and voluminous.  Peonies are gorgeous but expensive flowers, so if you live in our area we recommend them only for spring and very early summer... unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for them by having them shipped from who knows where.

This peony bouquet is absolutely charming! Romantic pink and peach peonies are paired together for a super feminine, vintage kind of look. We love how loose it looks, but at the same time how full and dreamy!  And it all comes together with a soft, feminine white ribbon!

 This simple, pink peony centerpiece would be perfect for any springtime event. And, we love how easy this look is to pull off! Just find a vintage vase at a local flea market and stick in a few blooms and you're ready to go -- these flowers are so full that it just takes a couple to really make an impact.

For reasons we cannot fathom, not everyone chooses to incorporate shades of pink in their lives. For these people, there is the romantic white peony bouquet. The clean, bright whites, fabulous texture, and soft contrast of the yellow center makes these the perfect choice for a little bit of a more subdued romance.

Again going for the vintage kind of look we love this antique-y vase and the very pale pink blossoms. They are subtle enough to satisfy any pink loving girl, but classy and muted enough to serve as a gorgeous decoration for any vintage inspired event without being overwhelming.

Is is possible for a bouquet to be too full? NEVER! We absolutely love how lucious this yellow bouquet of peonies is and wish we could just reach out and touch it. There is nothing more picturesque than a full, soft, texurized bouquet and this one certainly has it all. Plus the pale yellow makes it look good enough to eat!

And, for a more modern look, we love these pink and white peonies with the contrast of the chartreuse ribbon!  The ribbon plays up the yellow tones in the white peonies while adding a beautiful contrast to the pink ones. The simplicity of having just one type of flower, plus the casually tied bow, makes this bouquet both casual and elegant.

And, of course, the modern centerpiece. There's nothing sweeter than combining fresh fruits with gorgeous blooms and we think this is a great example of how the two can be paired harmoniously. The use of the white linens and the limes sharply contrasting with the fucshia and pink create a look that it crisp and fresh.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

You're Invited! Now What Do YouWwear?

Today's post is something we've become experts on these past few weeks.  An old friend of ours is getting married this weekend (Yay, Mike!) and when we got the invitations in the mail we were excited.  Then, the excitement was overcome by stress as we both realized we had nothing to wear but black (inappropriate for the season) and white (how rude!)  So, over the past few weeks we've been busy scouring the racks for that perfect dress.  We've literally tried on dozens of different dresses, in a variety of different styles and colors and lucky for you we've decided to share some of the ones we found that we think are worth heading out to the store to check out. So, here are are picks for the top dresses to wear as the guest of a wedding this spring or summer:

 

This Calvin Klein Dress is perfect for the less formal event. We think this would be the perfect dress for a daytime garden wedding or an anytime of day beach wedding. This dress seems like it was designed perfectly for a women's body - the 1950's style fitted top and flared bottom will add curves if you have none or perfectly accentuate your assets if you are well endowed. 

For a dressier occasion, we love this green Grecian dress from ModCloth.  Our friend Maggie has had her eye on this one, and we must agree, the color and cut of this dress are simply fantastic.  This dress can easily be dressed up with some sparkly jewelry and metallic heels, or dressed down with some brown leather sandals and a little jacket.

Did you know David's Bridal dresses are not just for Brides and Bridesmaids?!  You can actually go and try them on just like any dress shop and many of the dresses for bridesmaids would be perfect to wear as the guest of a wedding.  Take this strapless number for instance.  It comes in a million colors, is only $99, and has pockets!  What more could we ask for?

Remember how we are in love with gray?  Well, we sure would have been fighting over who would have gotten to wear this elegant dress from J. Crew, but we found out the wedding colors were gray and yellow and neither of us wanted to run the risk of wearing the same shade as the bridesmaids!  Nevertheless, this is a fantastic color and the dress is so delicate and feminine with the pretty chiffon overlay.  Plus, a simple, muted dress like this one serves as a fantastic blank pallet for bold and beautiful accessories and sexy heels!

So, you're probably wondering what we picked for ourselves!  Jen had a terribly hard time finding a dress, as her body shape is extremely difficult to fit. Finally, after trying on at least 40 dresses and dreading the costs of alterations, she found this royal blue, spaghetti strap dress that fits fairly well and was only $60!  This chiffon tiered dress was purchased from Group USA in the Franklin Mills Mall in PA and will be accessorized with black and pewter shoes and jewelry for a more glam look.

Saira, luckily, came across this strapless navy blue dress 9 months ago (someone was a little eager).  This tiered dress by Adrianna Papell is modern with it's subtle, unfinished edges but classic with the soft, delicate layers of satin. This dress is simple and understated, but perfectly elegant for any formal or semi-formal occasion.

Whatever you do, don't wear white!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Bold Accessories: The Bib Necklace

The "Bib" or "Statement" necklace has been very big this season.  This is not the easiest trend to pull off and  some choices are a bit over the top for just general, everyday wear. A bib necklace is a large necklace that is most easily wearable with a plain t-shirt or dress.  These necklaces are typically either brightly colored, heavily beaded, and/or made with interesting textures! If you would like to take advantage of this fun trend while it's still popular, here are some relatively safe choices for bib necklaces for a variety of occasions.

This piece, available at The Limited, would be a beautiful one to add to your work ensemble.  For Spring, we'd like to see this paired with a pretty pale pink colored top, some khaki pants or a cute pencil skirt, and some strappy sandals!

This necklace is by Brooklyn Rehab, who's pieces we think are seriously fabulous!  This is one of our favorite finds when it comes to the bib necklace!  It may look plain, but the texture and nautical inspired look make it very intriguing. This necklace is extremely unique and the neutral, natural color makes it wearable with just about any sundress, t-shirt, or other casual wear. (P.S. We're gearing up for summer, so if you like nautical inspired items, check back in the upcoming weeks for our upcoming nautical themed post!)

We love anything from Anthropologie, and particularly this simple, muted, 2.5" blue beaded bib necklace.  This necklace is super chic, has a lovely vintage flair to it, and has just enough sparkle to make it perfect for work or a fancy occasion, but still easily wearable for a casual day out.

Our friend Jen, over at LandAndLaboratory, designs fun and completely one of a kind pieces from buttons of assorted colors and sizes.  These necklaces certainly make a fashion statement and look super cute with a coordinating top and jeans.  Choose one of her great color combos or request a custom order to create your very own color scheme to suit your style and wardrobe.

  This Lucky Brand Bib Necklace and its bright colors is absolutely gorgeous!  We think this necklace is just perfect for a summer day and would look absolutely stunning with just a simple white tank or cotton dress, or wear this to jazz up your summer work attire!

This lilac, plum, and white necklace is by Etsy's MissBettyLou.  We love the color purple for this season and think this soft floral peice would look so cute with a pretty sundress or gray top and jeans.  This necklace would be sure to make an impression..one that says you are a bold, beautiful, and fun loving girly girl, which is our very favorite kind.



Happy accessorizing!



XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Spring Flowers: Tulips

Here is our first of many floral inspirations.  One of the most common flowers that come to mind when you think of spring is the tulip. They are a beautiful spring flower and come in a variety of bright, fun colors as well as the traditional white. With long stems and simple blossoms they are the perfect flower for any modern springtime fete. Here are some great bouquets and centerpiece that feature tulips:

This centerpiece from www.weddingbycolor.com is a beautiful and elegant display of this spring flower.  These tulips have their stems cut short to create a low centerpiece and are loosely placed in the vase to give them that "just picked from the garden" look. The off-white tulip is a classic, clean and romantic choice for a modern, formal affair.

Here we have a modern spring bouquet featuring white tulips. The long stems and single flower design make this very modern and minimalistic and the flowers themselves have a look that is very clean and bright! Plus, we love the contrast of the black ribbon!

We are in love with these gorgeous purple tulips (and the cute favor box!).  This is another great choice for the modern spring wedding.  First of all, the shades of purple and glowing candles are beautiful and the centerpiece looks great with the contrast of the bright green stems!  But, what we are really enjoying is the height of these flowers and the square vase they are placed in - it creates great drama!  This is one wedding we would have loved to attend!!

Looking for something a little more on the frilly, girly-girl, traditional side?  Then we would suggest something like this pale pink bouquet of parrot tulip. Parrot tulips have kind of ruffly looking petals, as opposed to the very smooth petals of regular tulips, which is what gives this bouquet its light and feathery look.

This vibrant bouquet of tulips paired with cala lilies would be perfect for a fun and unique spring wedding.  The long stems are beautiful and elegant, but this bouquet is a bit more casual as it has that loose stems and casually tied bow.  The bright pop of the cheery yellow and bold orange is sure to be a show stopper!



XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Dear John: Check out my cute stationery!

One of our lovely readers, Ms. Hillary Blum, is mad for stationery! With the advent of email, letter writing has become a thing of the past. But when you have a cute stationery set, you can't help but want to send love letters or find a pen pal. Here are some pretty stationery sets for you to enjoy:

If you're a cat lover, then this stationary set by Ginko is definitely for you. With a lovely cherry blossom pattern etched in gold and a cute kitty cat sitting playfully on the envelope, you are sure to ditch email and go for the snail mail. 

This cute, handmade notepad by Etsy seller sweetlifepaper is perfect for jotting down notes or writing letters. Plus you can have it personalized with your name on it to give it an extra special feel.

This stationery set from Target is clean and simple, and is made from recycled paper! The writing surface is completely blank, with a bright lime green lining. The envelopes provide a nice pop of color, and will help your correspondence stand out from all the rest.

This set from Etsy seller robayre is also made of recycled paper. The actual stationery is very simple, lined paper,  but the highlight of this set are the unique, hand selected envelopes. Each buyer will receive a variety of envelopes made from vintage illustrations and clipart as well as modern art posters.

Notecards also fall under the category of stationary and we love these handmade notecards by Michelle Brusegaard!  The colors are beautiful and the peacock design is so unique and fun you'll be making up excuses to send these out to your friends! Check out her etsy shop for these or or some of her other great designs, like the "Mum Motif".

Or check out this assorted pack of screen printed cards by Eliza Jane Curtis!  We love all the eclectic colors and patterns that have been inspired by the designer's love for the city of Buenos Aires and all its' art deco splendor.  These cards are truly one of a kind!

 

We think paper lanterns are so romantic and ethereal, so we really like this letter writing set by Lantern Studios.  You get two whimsical designs to choose from with coordinating envelopes too, and you know we love the super girly colors!

This stationary set by DesignofArtisan is semi-formal, elegant, and romantic. The geometric shapes and patterns give this stationary a sort of 1930's feel that we think perfectly complements the subtle colors and whimsical chandelier graphic.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Vintage Pink and Tiffany Blue

Another great color combination for Spring is the ultra feminine pale vintage pink paired with the beautifully romantic "Tiffany" blue. The blue is more vibrant and rich, while the pale pink shade softens it and balances out the color theme -- think his and hers!

Images from: The Wedding Decorator, Zappos, WeddingPaperDivas, BetsyWhite, Flickr, Pretty Chicky, Urban Outfitters, Ann Taylor, JCrew,



XOXO,



Jen & Saira

Stay dry with a Trench Coat!

Ahhh, spring!  It's finally here and you don't want to get caught in an April shower without your boots, and umbrella, and of course, a classy trench coat.  Trench coats are chic, functional, and sexy, a la Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Here are just a few of our favorite styles for this spring:

Tilly's offers a casual, shortened version of the classic trench.  The charcoal color of this coat is perfect for everyday use and would be great for Spring, or even Fall! Pair it with a pair of slacks or skinny jeans, and you'll be dry and stylish all season long.

 

For a little bit of a more modern style we would choose this military inspired trench from DKNY, available from Zappos. This trench has decorative buttons on the front and the shoulders that give a masculine feel but also has a bit of pleating and a dainty bow that make it ultra feminine.

BlueFly offers a great option with this pale gray coat from Soia & Kyo. This coat feature a lightweight cotton material, a secret inner "security" pocket, and modern design with pleating and dark silver piping around the edges. But, not only is it pretty on the outside, we are seriously loving the inside lining.

 Want to stand out from the crowd? Top Shop offers this cute, belted polka dot coat that is anything but boring. It would look perfect with brightly colored rain boots or, if you're really daring, a pair of red pumps!

 This trench from Banana Republic has a very clean finish to it. The faux horn buttons give it a masculine feel, but the belt lets your emphasize your waist and It's the perfect length to wear over a skirt suit.

Bloomingdale's offers a chic and pretty trench coat that is effortlessly stylish. While a bit pricey, this coat will stay in your wardrobe for years to come and will look great with galoshes or peep toes. 

We just love this coat from Victoria's Secret. It's a modern twist on the classic trench, with a zipper rather than buttons, and a rounded collar. Sleek and sexy, this is by far our favorite choice -- plus it's on sale! 

XOXO,

Jen & Saira