Category Archives: fashion forward

y’all are going to love these “studs”.

03 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by in fashion forward, Uncategorized, what's ringin' our belle

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You naughty belles!!! We are talkin’ about pearl studs…and not just any pearl stud either. These are happy-dance worthy. They are über-chic, edgy, on-trend, and happen to be the perfect dupe of these Dior pearl earrings…..

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Via Pinterest

Belles love their pearls, and to be able to kick them up a notch…well, it just makes our hearts melt. And…bonus…when it turns out to be a belle-bargain, we do even more dancing and prancing!

That’s right belles, your wallets are safe with us for the moment. Bauble Bar has designed a pair that we deem Olsen-twin worthy ….can you say identical?? For $28.00 !!!! Whew…sorry…lil’ out of breath from all that celebrating!! They are called the 360 and come in blush or gold (gold being a white pearl with gold metal…what we ordered) So, get on it now, belles. Order here …please! We beg of you…we don’t want you to miss out!

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Your lobes will thank us.

a&a

ankle “cuffs”…more summer foot candy

15 Thursday May 2014

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As y’all might have gathered by now, we adore shoes. We covet, desire, crave and collect them as much as possible. It’s an addiction we both fully intend to continue and embrace wholeheartedly. Now you know where we stand…firmly on our stilettos. And wedges. And platforms. And kitten heels..

Our latest obsession is over the ankle cuff shoe, a real trend for spring. It’s a great option for both your boyfriend jeans and the white denim that we are all sporting. Cropped jeans, obvi. City shorts, shirt dresses, sundresses…all benefit from a little ankle candy. And, truly, the ankle is one of the sexiest parts of the body at any age. Show. Them. Off!

Drum roll please….
DVF kinder sandal

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No words. Absolute perfection. At shopbop.

And then..
Louise et Cie
Kaliope sandal

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This has a great heel height and the details are amazing. Get it at Nordstrom. Also in an awesome tobacco color.

Let’s not forget to mention that these look an awful lot like a Givenchy sandal we have salivated over…at a fraction of the price. Here’s a pic of the Givenchy.
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Stop the madness right?!?!

As for you petite belles who feel an ankle straps cut you off, here’s a daintier option that comes in a great blue if you want to add a little zing to your step. It also comes in black which we think is most elegant. And the scalloping?!?! Shut the front door!!

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These beauties are available at Shopbop. They are by Loeffler Randall and the style is Lillit.

There are so many styles, surely one will fit the bill for you. Do y’all have a favorite? Please share…we are always on the hunt!

a&a

Espadrilles = summer thrills…foot candy for belles

08 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in fashion forward, what's ringin' our belle

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We love shoes…all shoes…can’t have too many…and we are thrilled to pieces about this season’s espadrille trend! They come in all shapes and price points, and color and pattern choices are vast. While we love the flat version for the comfy casual chic factor, we swoon for the dressier versions because they appeal to our passion for contrast and a touch of whimsy.

Here’s a sampling …which one catches your eyes??

These animal print ‘drilles are a neutral (animal print is our favorite neutral!). They go with just about everything.

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These can be found at Shopbop. They are by Steven . ‘Nuff said.

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We actually own a pair of these darlings…love the lace-up factor…and you can get them at Soludos.

We love a feminine touch…belles are girls after all…and lace is another trend that we can fully embrace! Why not sport these with your boyfriend jeans? A touch of tomboy and a dash of girly-girl adds up to the perfect summer look.

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These Tory Burch are available at Shopbop but they are running out of sizes so you better get crackin’ !

And of course to take it up another notch we have a dreamy pair…but be forewarned they might break the piggy bank…but worth it…maybe…just sayin’….

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Scrumptious . By Valentino at Nordstrom .

Sometimes an LBE (lil’ black espadrille) is what we are pining for and these are just what the doctor ordered.

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From Topshop and available at Nordstrom . Love the leather, canvas and raffia textures!!

And where would we be without J.Crew? We belles often get a hankering for a J. Crew fix and these absolutely satisfied the craving.

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Wear them with pants, jeans, shorts, skirts, sundresses. Can’t. Not. Wear. So there. Get them here J. Crew.

Belles love adornment…aka em”belle”ishments … And these fit the bill….and our feet!

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From Kate Spade and you can get yourself a pair at Saks.

And lest you think we’d forget…you can always just put a bow on it! These will bowl you over….tee hee…

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These beauties are from Gucci and you can get them at Nordstrom .

So there you have it…a selection that is beyond….

a&a

Word to your mother…gifts that keep on giving…your friday friend-1-1

02 Friday May 2014

Posted by in Beauty belle, belle-icious, fashion forward, friday friend 1-1, healthy belle, what's ringin' our belle

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Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and finding an appropriate and worthy-enough gift can be quite a trial. To make this undertaking infinitely less taxing we came up with the ultimate gift idea……

Monthly Gift Boxes!!!!!

They come in all price points, a limitless variety to suit any mother’s taste, and best of all, your momma will remember how thoughtful you are each time she gets a special delivery!

So without further ado ….

 

For the mom on the go:

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“Delivering boxes of fun to the travel-obsessed…and busy people on-the-go”…this might just be the perfect choice for the mom who always has a bag packed, passport in hand!  Examples of items she can expect:  foreign language tools, portable phone chargers, sleep masks, portable sunscreen, and snacks from around the world.  From GoTravelBox.com

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For the mom who loves to “escape” even when she is forced to unpack that bag and stay home for a while, try escapemonthly.  They will send destination-inspired luxury products to help mom relax, renew, and escape.  So order, and leave her alone already!

 

For the gourmet mom:

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From Gourmet Spotting, mom can expect to receive 4-6 full-size gourmet products each month.  Bonus…for each box they ship, they donate one meal to charity.  Showing love to mom and those in need…beautiful!

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Help mom discover brands she will love with personalized boxes from the folks at tastetrunk.com.  You will be sure to find the perfect match for mom with their smart categories…gourmet, sweet, BBQ, and health.

 

For the gourmande mom:

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The “World Chocolate Club” from mysubscriptionaddiction.com…um, need we say more?!  We hope the junior belles are paying attention to this one, hint, hint!

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Starting at just $10 per month, the boxes from lovewithfood.com are packed with natural or organic snacks.  And the dears at Love with Food donate a meal to feed a hungry child in the U.S. for every box they ship.  Now that’s love!

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Choose a box from a variety of categories (New England, Cocktails, Sweets…) or subscribe to the “Small Batch by Season” plan to help mom maintain her “tastemaker” status among her friends.  Go to shop.eatboutique.com.

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For cocktail recipes, curated by world-class mixologists, and all of the required spirits and mixers delivered right to mom’s door, check out julibox.com.  Maybe mom will invite you over for a taste…cocktails anyone?

 

For the fit mom:

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The “KLUTCHclub Women” boxes are filled with items sure to delight the fitness-and-health-type mom.  Products range from fitness DVD’s to healthy snacks and beauty products.  Find it at mysubscriptionaddiction

 

For the mom who loves her non-human babies:

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Help mom spoil her sweetest, most obedient, and adoring “child” with spoiledrottenbox.com.  They have 3, 6, and 12-month plans as well as a pay-as-you-go option with boxes filled with toys, treats and more…and no worries, all treats are manufactured here in the U.S.

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BarkBox is another excellent choice for mom’s sweet, furry baby.  Every month she will receive four or more products, carefully selected by dog-size…from toys and bones to hygiene products and gadgets…that will be sure to please Fido (and the cardboard box is a bonus!) Oh, and mom will love this…10% of the proceeds are donated to dogs in need.  From barkbox.com.

 

For the fashionista mom:

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The Style Box from socialbliss.com is perfect for the on-trend mom!  Each box contains a selection of one-size-fits-all fashion accessories, hand-picked by stylists who are “in the know”.

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The stylists at wantable.com navigate the world of fashion and beauty to bring mom the latest trends.  Select a category (makeup, accessories, or intimates), and wait for the adoration to begin!

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For fashion-oriented items, another excellent choice is the Coco Rocha Fancy Box from mysubscriptionaddiction. Past boxes have included magazines, jewelry, sunglasses…wow!!

 

For the beauty-pro mom:

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The “Must Have Box” from popsugar.com will treat mom to hand-selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food…and they are all full-size products from premium brands.  Go for it!

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And last, but far from least, mom will practically tackle the delivery-man each month (don’t tell dad) to tear into her latest shipment from BirchBox.  Boxes contain high-end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples, customized just for her.  Make her ever-so-happy…click birch box.com.

Whew!!! As y’all can see, the options are endless, but we think this is a great variety to get you inspired. So treat mom and be her favorite…every month.

a&a

boyfriends for belles

25 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by in fashion forward, Uncategorized

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One of the top fashion trends right now is the slim boyfriend jean.  Cut to be comfortable but not absurdly baggy, they show off the feminine figure yet provide ease of wear…a great uniform pant that can be worn über casually chic or upgraded to a sexy on-the-go look. You can get them in just about any wash from super-distressed to clean and dark. One of the best features to us shoe obsessed belles is the cuffed or rolled leg that shows off your fashion forward footwear of the moment.

Frankly what’s not to like y’all? Well, nothing…except that you might want to invest in a pair and a spare! Because, dear belles, these babies will become such an important staple in your wardrobe that you will want to wear them every day! With two, one can be in the wash and the other on your ever-so-grateful body. (as much as we still love our skinnies, it sure is nice to breathe a little…)

So, following our own sound advice, we have purchased two great pair and are linking them below for your perusal. But you better be quick and pull the trigger before they are all gone. We don’t want you to miss the boat .

First up is a new brand to us that we found at our local boutique of choice, Savvy. What belle isn’t savvy inside and out right?!?! Savvy has a website, so you can purchase them here. Made by Mia and Moss, the style is Bennett.

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Not only is this boyfriend a great price point ($99.00 !! Holla!!), they are super-stylish with just a hint of edge. The bit of pin-striping makes them fun while remaining neutral enough to wear with anything. Bonus…pocket placement is most flattering, belles. We suggest sizing down for the perfect skinny boyfriend fit as they will relax quite a bit.

 
Next up…a great pair from Anthropologie. These are the “relaxed knee” Hyphens from Pilcro and the Letterpress. Boy, oh, boyfriend are they awesome! Size-down a bit this time, too, belles, as these will relax with wear. Get them here

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And another bonus…the Cloth and Stone shirt is from Anthropologie as well!  Get  it here

Now for the shoes…the options are almost endless!!  In the photo above, is an open-toe bootie that won’t break the bank!  We found these by Michael Shannon at our local Off Broadway for just around $70.  For some online options, we thought these or these would do just the trick. Both are from Nordstrom .

Sole Society Mandee

Sole Society Mandee

Steve Madden Nonstop

Steve Madden Nonstop

We thought we’d go ahead and show y’all a few more cute options to wear with the boyfriends – to further prove that these are the jeans to have in your repertoire. But first, as a little side story, let us share with you what happens when you don’t pay attention to the four-legged belles. (In particular, the naughty baby one!)

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We can thank our lucky stars that we caught her in the act before she completely took advantage of that delectable shoe!

Now on to the good stuff:

For a casual outing, try these Converse slip ons. image
Available at Nordstrom these chic casuals are perfect weekend wear. Comfortable and slip-on…and they won’t make your feet look too large as they have 4 lace holes as opposed to 6. And yes, one of us belles happens to be blessed with double-digit-size feet.

Next up for a casual dinner, cocktails at the corner pub, or a little dash of city chic these animal print pumps are from J. Crew and they are 30% off!! image
So take a walk on the wild side…sport an animal print shoe.

Our third look is a classic. Errands, lengthy promenades, lunch with the ladies, traveling and touring…a ballet flat is always a great go to option. These are older Tory Burch ones. They wear like iron and really are a value in the price-per-wear department.
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Nordstrom has these on sale and we are awfully partial to these beauties.

Last, but certainly not least, is a shoe that is another spring trend: the kitten heel. Finally a shoe that can be worn all day, dressed up or down, and still remain feminine.
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The ones in the photo are by Vince Camuto and are available online.

So, there you have it belles… And by the way, we can talk a blue streak too!

a&a

the final word on white before Easter…

10 Thursday Apr 2014

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Here it is….drumroll … yes, belles, you can and should wear white before Easter! White jeans that is. Some rules are made to be modified and this is surely one of them! Now, may we gently remind you we said modified and we said white jeans. Wearing white linen, cotton voile and the summer weight items must still maintain the shorter wearing season. Oh, and those white shoes (unless they are sport shoes) should be donated or tossed and never worn again…ever. Well, at least in our ever so humble opinion.

White jeans are denim. Denim can be worn year round. It’s the way you put it together that increases the wear of them. Booties and a turtleneck, boots and a sweater, pumps and a blazer, flats and a tee, sandals and a tank. Options are endless and just think how wearing white jeans all the time expands your wardrobe tremendously!!

Here are a few examples we pulled from Pinterest to motivate and tempt y’all:

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We love our white jeans and keep several pair in rotation…washing is sadly more frequent with these.

And in anticipation of the approaching warmer weather…and Easter…here are some examples to take you on through the next season:

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So go on…be daring, break the rules and hold your head up high!  Sport some white jeans and celebrate your fashion forward selves!!

a&a

in a clutch…

03 Thursday Apr 2014

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What’s a belle to do when she needs to pare down that fabulous (but rather bulky) day bag? …Or she is traveling and needs to make the day-to night transition “in a clutch”? Why she grabs one of these little goodies! 20140322-123221.jpg (Left to right: neutral snakeskin from GiGi, hand-tooled camel leather from Satchel, classic black from K. Slademade…available at http://www.giginewyork.com, http://www.shopsatchel.com, http://www.kslademade.com and local shops like Muse and Gage’s in Greenville, SC) Many come with a removable strap for extra versatility (Satchel and k. Slademade) but it’s hardly a deal-breaker without! Toss one in your day bag or carry-on to hold the essentials (think lipstick, credit card, phone…). When you would rather not have the kitchen sink on your shoulder, grab the clutch and go! They are also perfect for small packables in luggage (jewelry, special scarf…). Then when it’s time to dress for dinner, you have some stylish options available!

Some other favorites:

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(Claire Vivier striped fold-over and leopard hair fold-over…and lots of other colors and options – available at http://www.shopstyle.com)

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(Top to bottom: B Brian Atwood Lana rhinestone-studded clutch, Comme des Garçons medium clover-stamped zip pouch – available at http://www.saksfifthavenue.com)

ready, set, clutch-n-go!!

a&a

aquatali-ah ha!

20 Thursday Mar 2014

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Boots…we have become a bit obsessed with finding just the right ones! Probably just like you! There are just so many things for a belle to consider…color, heel height, boot height, circumference, material, brand…the choices can make a head spin. Now, mind you, we see the need for at least a handful of options in every girl’s closet (a black, a brown, a heel, a flat, warm, waterproof, a casual cowboy, a sleek city boot…). A belle needs choices!

However, if you must choose just one, we think we might have found it! That’s right…we have had a boot “ah-ha” moment! Enter Aquatali-ahhhhh!

aquatalia diane

Aquatalia by Marvin K. – Diane (from Zappos)

http://www.zappos.com/aquatalia-by-marvin-k-diane-black-calf-suede-combo

Aquatalia upswing

Aquatalia by Marvin K. – Upswing (from Zappos)

http://www.zappos.com/aquatalia-by-marvin-k-upswing-black-calf

While preparing for our recent jaunt to Paris, leaving husbands behind and with the baby belles in tow, we had some very specific boot requirements. First, Paris in March can be quite cold and rainy…but a true belle would never clunk around such a chic city in not-so-chic galoshes or snow boots! We needed something that would be warm and at least semi-waterproof, yet stylish enough to impress the fashionistas. And, speaking of style, the fit on the calf is, to us, quite important. Who wants to have boots that stand away from the leg…making a belle resemble a conquistador? Not us! Then there is the comfort issue. Mind you, we tend to sacrifice comfort for beauty on a regular basis, but these were special circumstances! We wanted to expose the baby belles to as much of our favorite city as possible, and this would mean a lot of walking…day after day, morning til night…we mean Fitbit steps on steroids!

Our Aquatalia boots were très magnifique! Warm without being fleece-lined foot saunas, weather-ready (feet were dry even after a half-hour walk to the Eiffel Tower in a torrential downpour), perfectly slim fitting…even on slim calves, and amazingly comfortable from the first step to the last, day after day, how could a belle ask for more than these little beauties offered?

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the boots in action on the streets of Paris

Bonus…several styles are on sale now at http://www.zappos.com, http://www.amazon.com, http://www.shopstyle.com, and more! Order now, at the end of boot season, and belles will be ringing when you pull them out next fall!

You’re welcome…again 😉
a&a

we framed ours…you will want to frame yours too – bonus post!

13 Thursday Mar 2014

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Y’all are going to be singin’ our praises as soon as you give these a try!

On the heels of our French getaway, we couldn’t resist a bit of extra sharing!

Frame denim is a new find in denim for us, but it is sure to be an old favorite before long! With a fit that makes you look like you have worn your Fitbit out (if you catch our drift), they offer great color washes, perfect pocket placement (tres important belles) and a modern rise that is still modest enough to allow you not to fret if you have to pick something up off the floor.

We absolutely adore “Le Garçon.” I mean, really, need we say more? No…but we will! Le Garçon is the perfect slim boyfriend jean. Sexy, stylish and comfortable. (We recommend you size down one in this particular style.)

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Awesome, right?!?

Here’s another great pic from Pinterest to encourage you a bit more.

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They are available at net-a-porter.com

Now we belles like our options, so if you are wanting to add a skinny jean to your denim collection we are in full support. Frame makes a great skinny in several color options. We have the dark wash ” Le Skinny” and they are great for day to night . We love the clean simple line, a great mid-rise and fits true to size. We may invest in the white in the very near future. Who are we kidding…we know we will!

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Voila!!

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Oui!

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Oui! Oui!

Find them here

Frame it, belles!!

a&a

mother knows best!!

21 Tuesday Jan 2014

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from Vogue – July 2013

That old saying is true…”mother knows best”, and in this case we are talking about Mother Denim.

We first saw these in the July issue of Vogue magazine and waited impatiently for them to be released. Even so, we missed the first opportunity to buy and had to wait for reorders. We jumped at the chance the second time around and thank goodness as they are the BEST!!! Fellow belles, learn from our mistake and order immediately before they are gone for good!!If you are looking for the perfect leather jeans, the vegan leather muse must be your next purchase.

They are vegan, skinny, comfortable, true to size and…wait for it….MACHINE WASHABLE! At a fraction of the price of real leather these are a no-brainer purchase.

You can thank me later 😉

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/386994

http://www.shopbop.com/actions/viewSearchResultsAction.action?searchButton=Submit&query=mother+muse+vegan+leather&searchSuggestion=false

http://us.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/theres_also/28502524.jsp

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