Wedding Bell(a)

Because the Internet is a place where we do not judge each other, I feel totally comfortable and not at all embarassed telling you that I watched "Twilight" three times last weekend.

And then maybe I got on Stephenie Meyer's Web site and read a bunch of stuff there.

And then maybe I kept scouring the World Wide Web for any other "Twilight"-related tidbits.

Which might have led me to a feature from In Style Magazine, wherein well-known designers took a stab at designing Bella's wedding dress, based on a reference in the third novel, "Eclipse." No one has caught a glimpse of the real thing yet (real being a relative term, natch), but if I was Bella (oh, were that I were Bella!) I think I would be happy to walk down the aisle toward my dreamy vampire love in any one of these creations.

Check out the link (come on, you know you want to) and then tell us: Which dress do you think is best for the soon-to-be Mrs. Cullen?

And if it was you stepping into marital bliss, which dress would you pick for yourself?

Frills for Fall

It's a little bit hard to think about fall clothes when it is still blazing hot outside, but the Shabby Apple Fall line is here, and it is not hard at all to think about how straight up darling this new line of dresses is!

Take a look:

The Moss and Ivy tiered dress is a new spin on one of my old Shabby Apple favorites, 16 Candles. The color is soft and romantic, and so is the stretchy cotton fabric. I can see this dress all dressed up with heels and a long pendant for a fancy dinner, or dressed down with flat boots and a blazer for a Saturday morning at the pumpkin patch. A definite Autumn must-have either way.

The Kenya wrap dress is a flattering option for just about anyone, with a cross-over bodice, a waist-tie and a full paneled skirt that keeps everything under wraps. I love the heavier canvas material, perfect for the in-between Fall weather. The camel color also makes Kenya a perfect dress up/dress down option. I am planning to wear mine with leopard print ballet flats, and I can't wait!

Like what you see so far? Good, because there's plenty more where that came from! Hop on over to Shabby Apple and tell us what new Fall dress has you counting the days until cooler weather.

Busty Move

As one of the most flat-chested people you know (and proud of it! (sometimes)), it never occured to me how tricky it is for the bustier among us to dress for appropriately for work without feeling like we're dressing for a trip to a Muslim country.

But, after having this very discussion with my voluptuous co-worker a few days ago, I decided to get some advice. For you. Because again. Flat-chested over here. I could wear a shirt cut down to my belly button and no one would blink an eye.

Moving on.

For the rest of you, here are 10 tips for keeping your girls covered and your sense of style in tact.

1. Know your bra size. If you are getting the multiple boob effect, or if your bra straps are digging deeper into your shoulders as the day goes on, something is wrong. The quickest solution is a quick bra fitting, which you can get at any high-end department store or lingerie shop.

2. Wear bras that are appropriate for work. Seamless bras with maximum coverage are the best. Bras with a lot of lace or other details might be sexy, but they can also show through shirts and sweaters, bringing more attention to your ladies instead of less. Bras without the right support will leave you, ahem, bouncing all day long.

3. When all else fails, minimize. If you are wearing the right size and style of bra and still feel too busty, you might consider a minimizer. Keep in mind though, from what I hear, that might not be the most comfortable option if you are going to be putting in a lot of long hours.

4. Know your neckline. Thanks to Ashley Harris' recent post, we all know how to choose the best neckline for our face. Now, make sure you are choosing the best neckline for your breasts. A button-down shirt, open at the collar, gives the illusion if a V-neck with a little more coverage. A boat neck is also a flattering choice and a cowl neck is great on its own, or dressed up with a suit jacket.

5. Draw the eye upwards. You busty ladies are probably no strangers to the "My face is up here, stupid" syndrome, and work is no exception. The more you can do to keep people's eyeline high, the better. If you're wearing a lower cut V-neck, for example, consider putting a simple camisole underneath. Steer clear of anything lacy or detailed that will pull the eye down. You can also use accessories to your advantage-- a brooch on your shoulder, for example, or a strand of pearls that ends just below your clavicle. Avoid long pendants or necklaces that end right where you don't want people to be looking.

6. No buttons, no problems. Shirts without buttons have less of a tendency to gape open, so try T-shirt style blouses or sweaters. If you feel like your top fits a little too snugly for office comfort, try a silky camisole underneath to help it lay more smoothly. (A cotton cami will only stick to the sweater and make it worse.)

7. Buy for your bust. A button down shirt that gapes at the bust is never going to look right, no matter what you do. Buy a few sizes larger, for a good fit in the bust, and then have the rest of the shirt tailored to fit your other narrower curves.

8. Know your proportions. For an hourglass figure, a pencil skirt is probably best, while an A-line skirt is just the ticket for someone larger on top with a narrow waist and bottom half. Dressing in a monochromatic theme can also help minimize what needs to be minimized and maximize the best. Try a few different styles and see what looks and feels best.

9. Suit Up, Button Up. Suits with two or three buttons mean a higher closure, which means your bust is more covered. Avoid suits with a single button in the middle. A double-breasted suit shouldn't even cross your mind. (Remember, we are going for less breast, not double breast.)

10. Follow the leader. Look around your office or office building for a similarly built woman and see what she wears. It will either give you some good ideas, or show you how not to do it.

That should probably keep you out of trouble, when it comes to your office dress code, at least.

Any other ideas from our busty sisters out there?

Out With Summer, In With Style

Looking for a perfect way to spend one of the last glorious days of summer? Read on!

As one who seeks to squeeze the very most out of her summer, I look at the month of August as my last hurrah. Not only does the eighth month of the year provide me with a finale of summer sun before the autumn winds whistle in, but the season closer also enchants me with its fantastic glimpses at approaching fall fashion. If you and yours are anything like me, you might be torn by your loyalty to the lazy warmth and fun activities of Summer and your excitement for the fabulous styles that come with the opening of Fall and its focus on back to school shopping and cooler-weather apparel.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, on Saturday, August 15, Shabby Apple has a best-of-both worlds remedy for anyone who wants to finish their summer with a bang while embracing the first looks at fall. What better way to relish the remainder of the warm weather than a Tea Party in the Garden?

From 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at 2485 Haven Lane (Holladay Utah, 84117) Shabby Apple invites you to drop by and enjoy grenadine lemonade by the daughters of Utah Caterer Marsha Eggli (they’re saving up for school clothes of their own), cupcakes by the delightful people at The Sweet Tooth Fairy, and live music in a beautiful outdoor setting. A broad selection of Shabby Apple dresses will be available to try on and purchase, and the great news is that all product will be DISCOUNTED!

The range of dresses for sale on Saturday will include styles from the new Women’s and Preteen (Girls size 8-14) Fall lines, some favorites from our Summer collection, as well as a selection of $10-$20 damaged dresses. All fashionistas and bargain lovers are invited; just park on Haven Lane and follow signs directing you to our Sale Event Gathering. Any questions may be directed to info@shabbyapple.com or 801. 277.3255.

Finally! A way to savor the final days of your summer and simultaneously get your feet wet in the first looks at Fall fashion. Bring your friends, your eye for style, and your love of fabulous deals and meet us in the garden!

Image This

I have a very special treat for you, my lovelies. New York City-based image consultant Ashley Harris is guest-posting today, answering some of your burning questions and teaching you how to look your best.

So what are you waiting for?

Read on!


Hello Shabby Apple fans! And greetings from the Big Apple!

Ashley Harris here, and I’ve come to help solve some of your shopping and “this just doesn’t look good on me,” problems. I am an Image Consultant here in New York, as well as Boston and want to share with you a few rules of thumb you can follow when deciding on your clothes. This can start today in your own closet and follow you to the dressing rooms, or better yet, allow you to skip the dressing rooms by giving you more confidence to shop online because you’ll know what things work for you and what things to avoid. So let’s get to it.

1. Color. I put this as number one because it is. Make sure you’re not buying a color that you don’t look great in. Just because it’s a fabulous color on Heidi Klum or that girl you saw in the restaurant the other day does not mean it’s going to do you the same favor. Wear colors that bring out a glow in your skin. Stay away from the ones that bring out the grey in your undertone. This can make you look older, more tired, and less healthy. If your skin’s undertone is warm, meaning more yellows, oranges, reds, then choose colors that have warmer temperatures. If your undertone is cooler, choose colors that have more blue to them.

2. Pay attention to contrast. By this I mean if you have a high contrast between the color of your skin, hair and eyes, you can wear higher contrasting colors. If you have really dark hair and very fair skin this would be high contrast. If there is not much difference between your hair and skin this would be a low contrast and you will look better in colors that are of that same low contrast level. Because this model has a fairly high contrast she can pull off a black and white striped sweater without her face getting lost.




If someone with a lighter colored hair wore this same sweater we would notice the sweater before we noticed the person.

And here is an example of very low contrast. The stripes in the design at contrast, but you’ll notice that the contrast in the blouse and the model is very low.




3. Patterns. A good way to choose patterns in the fabric is to look at your face. What kinds of patterns do you see on your own face? If you have a small face and not a lot of skin showing in between your features you would look great in a pattern similar- with less background in between the print.




And similarly, if you have a lot of “face” in between your features your prints can be farther apart from each other.




Another tip is to pay attention to any texture in your face. If you find that you have more texture (acne, wrinkles, moles, etc.) choose fabric that has more texture. A smooth silk on a high textured face will only make the texture in the face more obvious.

4. Necklines and collars. This is another time to pay attention to your face. If you choose a neckline that follows the same shape as your jaw line it will be more flattering on you. For example, those with heart or diamond shaped faces look great in V-neck blouses.




While those with oblong or square jaw lines are better suited for a square neckline.




Notice how their necklines are the same shape as their jaw lines. This helps bring harmony to you and what you’re wearing.

Once you have figured a few simple things out about what shapes, colors and styles look good on your unique body and face, choosing your clothes and accessories will become a much simpler task. And, most importantly, will make you look simply smashing!

Blooming Bottoms

{Like the look? Head to nordstrom.com}



As you know, I just moved to a new city and that means a new vibe and a new style. I am not embarrassed (OK, I am only slighly embarrassed) to tell you that I have become an online shopping fiend, pumping up my wardrobe to reflect my new home.





One new must-have item on my list: the tulip skirt.





tu*lip skirt (noun): 1. similar to a pencil skirt, but with wider hips and a short hemline. tulip skirts cinch at the waist, balloon out at the hips (usually through the use of pleats or ruching) and then taper back down to the legs. 2. a must-have summer item for every fashionista.





I am seeing them everywhere, and I hope to see one on myself very soon. Wanna join in on the fun? Here are some tidbits to get you started.





Tulip skirts look best on women with a medium or thin build, but the ballooning hips are forgiving, so just about anyone can get in on the trend.





Since it defeats the whole purpose of the skirt to cover the unique waist and pleating or detailing, tulip skirts are best paired with short-waisted tops, or thin blouses and shirts that can be tucked in. If you simply must layer a cardigan or blazer over a tight-fitting top, leave it open so the detail of the skirt can still be seen.





If you're going for long legs, wear heels with your tulip skirt. If the skirt's style is more casual, ballet flats are the way to go.





And don't think your tulip skirt days are numbered. When the weather turns cold, pair your skirt with neutral tights, or go for the monochromatic look with a tulip skirt, tights and shoes in the same shade.

Whaddya think?

Will you be joining me in this blooming trend?